Hey all! I am sorry for not getting this posted sooner. But a few things came up last week that left me little to no time to write. Hopefully starting this week I can get enough chapters written that I can stay ahead of when unexpecting situations come along.
The place used within this chapter is real, I haven't been there, might never make it, honestly. All the information used is from online.
Enjoy!
Wade let Zoe help Sofia get buckled into her seat in the backseat of his car. What he had planned for the day would be a surprise to Sofia, as he talked it over with Zoe wanting to make sure he didn't overstep any unknown lines when it comes to what he can do when spending the day with Sofia. Zoe assured him Sofia would love it. She made a small comment on how she would now make a bigger fuss to make it to Disney World.
"I can figure something else out if it's going to be a problem," Wade assured her, soaking in the croaks of the frogs and the crickets chirping away as the sun made its descent in the sky. Sofia playing in the backyard of Harley's place.
"It's fine," Zoe assured him, reaching to where his hands were folded in his lap, placing hers on top of his. "She's going to love what you picked out to do with her. I can handle the questions of Disney World," she chuckled, watching Sofia playing on the monkey bars.
"I don't want to cause any problems," Wade sighed.
"I don't see any problems," Zoe told him, moving to face him. "Just know you can't always plan these big ideas to spend time with us. She is my daughter and she has the love of adventure in her," she told him. "She would be fine hiking through the woods to find different things, she likes watching movies and chasing down frogs. That little girl already adores you, you don't need to be buying her affection," Zoe stated.
"Is that what you think I am doing?" Wade asked, taken back at how his fun-filled day came off to be. He wasn't trying to buy her affection. As young as Sofia is, he doubts she would let anyone buy her affection, she is a smart child. Sofia takes after her parents. "Because I am not, when trying to think of things to do, I didn't know what else to do, because I don't know the things she likes and I highly doubt she wanted to visit the Battleship memorial park or see the Mobile Medical museum or anything of the like," Wade commented. "She may be your daughter but I can't see her having an interest in a Medical Museum, like you," Wade teased.
"Joke all you want, but I enjoyed my two hours there," Zoe stated with a smile on her face. "That was one of the best days," she commented. "And no I don't think you're trying to buy her affection, because it's obvious you've had it since you stepped into town weeks ago," she teased, bumping her shoulder against his.
"I can't help that ladies of all ages love me," he smirked. Zoe glared at him. "The only lady I want any sort of love from is you, Zo," he told her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, pressing a light kiss to her temple.
"Nice save," Zoe commented, resting her head on his shoulder. "Regardless, you'd be shocked to know what her interests are because she would have liked anything you picked out to do. She loves to learn new things," she told him.
"And school?" Wade asked, looking to see what Sofia is doing. Laughing to himself seeing her run up the plastic slide. Must be a kid thing, as he had done the same thing when he was a young boy.
"Loves it for the first half a year," Zoe replied, granted Sofia has only been to head start and Kindergarten. The real test when it comes to school won't be for a few more years. "We can head out after breakfast on Saturday morning, join us?" She asked him.
"Like I'm going to miss a tradition we started," he teased. Zoe nodded, as they fell into a compatible silence.
When picking the fun activity to fill their Saturday he didn't think of anything other than what he would have enjoyed doing at Sofia's age. He would never set out to buy her affection. And if he was he's pretty certain that can be achieved in Bluebell with candy. Wade wants Sofia to love him for the things he can do for her not what he can buy her. He wants Sofia to know that he is always going to be there for her, and love her like she's his, no matter the outcome of what goes on with Zoe.
"Do you have everything for Sofia?" Wade asked, he didn't want to get too far out of Bluebell to find out that Sofia didn't have something she was going to need. To him an hour car ride is nothing, but to a 6-year-old, it's going to seem like a lifetime.
"I triple-checked the list last night before getting the bag in your car, she's good. She has everything she needs to keep her entertained on the way there and back if she doesn't fall asleep after the long fun-filled day, and everything she will need once we get there," she assured Wade. "Do you have everything you need?" Zoe asked him. She had made sure to pack what she would need in the same bag as Sofia's stuff.
"Uh," Wade muttered, growing quiet thinking if he had everything he needed. "That would be a no," he sighed, heading to the gatehouse instead of leaving Bluebell. "Don't laugh," he warned Zoe, which only made her laugh harder. "The bag sits by the door, I was running late this morning and forgot it on my way out," he explained as to why he didn't have his swimsuit, and a change of clothes just in case.
"I wasn't laughing at you, just with you," Zoe teased him.
"Really?" Wade asked with a perplexing look on his face. "If I recall I wasn't laughing at myself," he quipped out, coming to a stop at the Gatehouse.
"Go get your bag so we can get going," Zoe told him.
"Mommy, I need to go potty," Sofia informed her mom, putting the toy she was playing with down.
"I got it," Wade told Zoe.
"Be good for Wade, and remember to wash your hands," Zoe instructed her daughter. Sofia nodded, unbuckling herself.
With one stop at a gas station to fill the tank, and for Sofia to use the restroom and to get some snacks they made it to their destination of Gulf Shores, Alabama, two hours later. Traffic playing a part as well. Wade checked Sofia's reaction in the rearview mirror a few times when traffic would let him do so. He saw her eyes grow big at the sight before her. The smile on her face doubled in size, all before a frown took the smile right off her face.
"What's the matter Sofia?" Wade asked, parking the car in a free parking spot.
His question alerted Zoe that something was wrong with her daughter. Zoe unbuckled, turning to look at her daughter, seeing the tears starting to build up in her blue eyes. Flashing Wade an apologizing look, she climbed into the back seat.
"What's the matter, baby?" Zoe asked, using her thumb to wipe the tears away from her eyes.
"My swimsuit, I not have it," Sofia informed her mom, her voice soft and quiet.
"You silly girl," Zoe smiled, grabbing the backpack. "Mom knew where we were going and packed you two different swimsuits," she informed her daughter, seeing the bright smile return to her face.
Knowing she had not one but two swimsuits, she was ready to get her day started at Waterville USA, an outside waterpark and amusement park. Sofia held onto Wade and Zoe's hands as they made their way to the entrance of the water park. Wade smiled outright and to himself that everything was okay with Sofia. He was starting to worry that Sofia hated what he had planned. And if that would have been the case he would have skipped it and found something else that she would have liked. He wasn't going to make Sofia spend a day doing something she didn't want to be doing. Not when he could easily find something else for them to do.
In swimsuits and plenty of sunscreen, for the time being, they made their way through the waterpark, Sofia wanting to see what waterslides were available for her. Once she saw all of the slides, she came up with her plan for the slides she wanted to go on. Zoe and Wade went along with what Sofia wanted to do, as it was the easiest way to go about things. Zoe nor Wade could see the point in making the day worse by going on slides that Sofia didn't want to go on. Today is about her, after all.
After going down the same water slide for the 5th time, Zoe left her daughter in Wade's capable hands, wanting them to bond. She also wanted to see how well Wade can manage in the hands of her 6-year-old daughter. While they continued to go down waterslides, Zoe stuck to relaxing in a tube and floating along the lazy river, sunglasses on to protect her eyes from the sun.
"Mommy, we're hungry," Wade announced to get Zoe's attention, as she floated by where they were waiting, a tube of their own ready to join Zoe on the small river.
"Okay," Zoe said, reaching out to hold onto their tube, not wanting to be separated along the river as they floated. "Do we want to eat at one of the Cafe's here? Or are we calling it a day and doing something else?" Zoe asked.
"One more slide," Sofia shared. "With you mommy," she informed her mom.
Wade had a blast laughing with Sofia on the waterslides, happy to have been given alone time with Sofia. It was something he didn't know he needed until Zoe had assured him that he was going to be okay and that he needed to have a few moments alone with Sofia to grow their bond. He should have known that Zoe would be right. He loves Sofia, he does, has for a while now, Sofia has him wrapped around her little finger. But he was happy to have some bonding time with her, to show her that he does care about her. In saying that there were a few waterslides that Sofia didn't want to go down, that he did. So while Sofia went down a slide with Zoe, he headed to a waterslide that he had been wanting to go down.
He told Zoe that he would meet them outside of the changing rooms, figuring that it would take a bit longer for Zoe and Sofia to be dried off and dressed. Like he figured he was left waiting on them to be ready to go. After lunch, they were going to tackle the amusement park side. Sofia already told them she wanted chicken tenders.
"I figured we can go to the Surf Side Grill," Wade suggested, once Zoe and Sofia reemerged from the changing rooms. He had checked out the menus the best he could when he was near them and figured that it would be the best one for Sofia to get her chicken tenders as he didn't see the other places serving them. And there are plenty of other food options for them as well.
"That sounds good to us, huh sweetie?" Zoe asked, her daughter leaning against her side. Sofia nodded her head.
"Come on," Wade told her, picking the tired girl up to carry. Once they eat he's certain she'll get her energy back to do the other activities they have. Sofia laid her head on Wade's shoulder with a smile on her face. Zoe walked on the other side of Wade, lacing her hand with his.
After lunch, they headed to the minigolf course, Wade and Zoe doing everything they could to make sure that Sofia won. It wasn't hard with 36 holes to conquer. Wade and Zoe made their own game up to see who could make the most ridiculous shot to make Sofia laugh. Sofia had fun, so the adults didn't care how silly they happened to look while putting a green or blue ball.
They headed to the go-karts, Sofia winning at mini golf. For the first 5-minute race Sofia rode with Wade, cheering her mom on. Sofia wasn't mad when Zoe pulled out the win over them, she hadn't come in first place more like 4th place, but Wade and Sofia came in 6th place. Sofia hugged Wade telling him good job, running to hug her mom as well. On the second turn on the Go-karts, Sofia rode with her mom. It came down to the last lap, Zoe and Wade neck and neck as they came up to the finish line, Wade beat them by two seconds. Sofia wasn't upset that she lost both races, as she was having too much fun to really care about winning or losing.
The last stop of the day was at the launch pad. Sofia got strapped in to jump her heart's content on the trampoline. Giggles and little shrieks filled the air from her as she jumped. She wasn't brave enough to dare to try to do any flips, she wanted to do but as went to do them she would get scared and stick to just jumping.
Once Sofia wore herself out on the launch pad, they headed to the car, ready to get the drive to Bluebell over with, as they were all ready to call it a night. Around the first hour out of the two-hour drive home, Sofia passed out in the backseat. They had woken her once to get a bite to eat for dinner, but it didn't take her long to fall asleep again after her long day. Wade and Zoe made small talk every so often, but more than anything the radio filled the silence of the car, both adults comfortable with the radio filling the quiet of the car.
Pulling up to the carriage house, Wade, not wanting to wake Sofia up, gathered her up in his arms and carried her into the house, while Zoe gathered up her daughter's belongings. Whatever she didn't grab, she could get later.
"Night, Sofia," Wade whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Standing up he smiled at Zoe, taking the two steps to where she stood. "Night Zoe," he told her, pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth.
"You don't have to leave," Zoe told him, making sure to keep her voice low as to not wake Sofia up.
"I know," Wade nodded. "But I'm going to let you get some sleep," he informed her.
"Wade," Zoe called out, stopping him from making it too far. "Thank you for today," she told him.
"It was my pleasure," he smiled.
"Night, Wade," she smiled, turning back into her daughter's room to get Sofia ready for bed. Then going to do the same for herself, a smile on her face as she drifted off to sleep.