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It was a pretty normal day for Colin.
A cold one, for sure.
He was just on his way to pick up Kinley from her last piano class before the Christmas break, when a little girl suddenly appeared in front of him, almost causing him to trip over her.
“Woah, careful there!” Colin exclaims, making sure the little girl doesn’t fall over because of the impact. “Are you okay?”
The girl looks up at him, a huge smile on her face, blissfully unaware of what could have quite easily turned into a tragedy.
“Listen to this!”
The girl then looks down and puts all of her body weight into stomping her feet in the snow, which results in the snow crunching. Colin smiles, remembering the times when Kinley was this small, marveling over every small thing.
“You’re right, that’s a cool sound,” Colin says, while also subtly checking whether they’re not blocking the sidewalk for someone coming up behind them, and also for a sign of a parent.
Just as he's about to ask the little girl about the second above, he hears someone shout out something from behind them.
He turns around and sees a man around his age, in obvious distress.
“Claire!” is what the man is shouting, Colin can now tell as the man has caught up with them, bending over and resting his hands on his knees. “What did I tell you about running away from daddy,” he struggles to get out, still catching his breath. Then, he looks at where they’re currently standing in the middle of the sidewalk. “And about blocking the sidewalk,” he mumbles, probably more to himself than to his daughter. “C’mon, let’s move aside.”
“But wait, listen to the snow!” the little girl, Claire, proceeds to stomp her little feet.
“Yes, that’s great, but can we please-”
It’s at that moment the man seems to notice Colin. His eyes widen a little.
“Did she bump into you? I’m so sorry,” the man says, maneuvering his daughter, so that she’s now standing next to the sidewalk rather than in the middle of it.
“Nah, you’re good,” Colin says, watching Claire delight in how much snow there is by the sidewalk. “We both managed to stay on our feet.”
“Ah,” the man says, his eyebrows still furrowing a little.
Colin takes this time to observe the man a little further.
Saying he’s tall would be an understatement. Colin is tall. This man is tall tall.
He’s also very charming, despite the frown on his face, and the obvious tiredness. Colin has to force himself to look away, not to appear creepy for checking the man out like that.
“Plus, the snow really does make a nice sound, you can’t blame her.”
The man’s lips curl into a small smile. “You’ve got a little one too?”
Colin sighs. “I wish she was still this little. I mean, she’s growing into a lovely young lady, but it feels like she was this small just yesterday, and now…”
The man nods in understanding. “I know what you mean. My oldest is eight, I have no idea how that happened.”
Colin chuckles a little. “You’ve got two on your hands?”
“Three. I hope they didn’t get into trouble while I was getting this one,” he says, catching Claire by the hood before she falls over, without even looking down.
“How old are they?” Colin asks, hoping the man didn’t leave a 2-year-old behind. He seems like he knows what he’s doing, but he also appears very much drained. Three kids, Colin can’t blame him.
“Eight and six. They should be fine, they were playing around in the snow back there. Thank you for making sure this one doesn’t get in trouble.”
“No problem at all. Do you need any more help?”
The man looks up in question.
“Three kids is a lot. I sometimes struggle to keep track of just one, and she’s the calmer type. She’s in an activity right now, I could help you before you’re able to get more help.”
The man chuckles somewhat sadly. “That’s kind of you, but I’ll have to keep track of them for the whole Christmas holidays, just on my own, before the ex-wife comes to pick them up. So I might just as well practice.”
“Oh,” Colin just gets out, watching the man turn around to map out the situation of his older kids.
“I can see them from here. My oldest sitting on a bench, I told her not to do that when it’s so cold. She’s probably still angry that I didn't let her take a book with her.”
“She’s into books?”
“Big time. I can barely get her to focus on anything else.”
“My daughter’s a huge bookworm. I’m thinking they would get along quite well. She’s nine.”
The man seems to think about that for a little bit.
“Are you busy later tonight?” Colin asks.
It’s at the moment that Claire trips over her own leg and falls into a pile of snow next to the sidewalk. The man picks her up with a small grunt.
“Busy making sure these kids don’t kill themselves.”
“There’s this café my daughter and I really enjoy. It’s like half café, half bookshop. Lots of books for people to browse through and possibly purchase. And there’s also a playroom, not just for the little.”
The man just hums in response, busy brushing the snow off Claire’s clothes.
“I was just about to go pick up my daughter from her activity, so we would probably be ready to do something in around an hour. I’m sure she’d love to talk books with your oldest.”
The man blinks. And blinks again.
“Sorry if that’s too forward. I don’t mean to interrupt any of your plans.”
“We don’t have plans,” the man immediately responds, sort of harshly, and then sighs. “I’m sorry. You’re being really nice. I’m just…” he trails off, looking into the distance. “It’s a lot.”
Colin reaches forward and gently places his hand onto the man’s shoulders, doubting he’ll even feel the touch through the clothes.
“I get that. It’s been just me and my daughter most of her life. It can get too much with just one kid, let alone three. Even if it’s just for the holidays.”
The man seems to be searching for something in Colin’s eyes, and Colin observes him back.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but you do look like you could use a coffee.”
The man chuckles and Colin thinks he’s really liking this sound. “You’re definitely right about that.”
“So what do you say?”
The man opens his mouth to answer. Then they hear shouting from behind them.
“Dad! Sam just just threw a snowball at my head!”
The man exhales forcefully. “Are you sure you’d like to spend the afternoon with our bunch? Especially if your little girl’s a calm one. I don’t want to force you into our chaos.”
Colin chuckles. “I’m sure. But it’s fine if you still need to think about it. It seems like we both have to go now, so how about I give you my number, text you the address, you look it up, and then you decide, whether it’s something you bunch would like to do?”
“Dad!” they hear from the back again and this time, the man turns around.
“Just a second, Mac, I’m getting your sister!”
Once he’s facing Colin again, he fishes out his phone and struggles with it for a little bit before handing it to Colin.
Colin types his number in quickly, immediately using the button to give himself a call so that they don’t have to bother with the dual exchange. “You go get your kids. I’ll text you the address, yeah?”
“Thank you,” the man says, glancing down at the phone and then back at Colin. “Colin,” he says. “I’m Ryan,” he extends his arm forward.
Colin shakes Ryan’s hand and then they hear a double scream of “dad” from behind them.
“I gotta go,” Ryan says apologetically. “But I will think about it.”
Colin nods in response, watching the man take Claire in his arms and hurry back to the rest of his kids. Claire turns back as they walk, waving at Colin from a distance.
Colin waves back, an easy smile spreading across his face.
This could be the start of something good.
~
Ryan glances at his phone.
They seem to be standing in front of the right place: half-café, half-bookstore is clearly stated on the front door.
And yet, he hesitates.
The man Claire almost bumped into earlier, Colin, doesn’t seem to want to leave his mind.
His warm eyes, his kindness, his will to go out of his way to help Ryan entertain his kids.
Maybe it would feel easier, if they met up in front of the café, but Colin texted him last minute that they’re gonna be late. He told him to go inside anyway because he has reserved a table for them, but Ryan now finds himself in an overthinking spiral.
“Why are we still outside?” Claire helpfully asks him, tugging at his coat.
Ryan sighs. His four-year-old has more common sense than him.
“You’re right, princess. We’re going in. Stay together.”
The smell of coffee hits him right away, and he has to force himself into not getting carried away. He rushes his kids inside, and looks for someone to talk to. A waiter approaches them soon enough.
“Can I help you?”
“Yes, we have a reservation for the name…” he fishes out his phone again, trying to find the right message. “Mochrie.”
He worries for a bit whether he pronounced that right, but the man’s lips are soon turning into a wide smile.
“Oh yes, Mr. Mochrie called and informed us there would be more of you this time! Please follow me.”
Ryan motions for his kids to follow the man to the back of the café. He motions them to a cozy looking booth.
“There we go, a table for six, with easy access to the playroom.” The man looks over all of them, still smiling. “I’ll be in the front when you’re ready to order.”
Ryan nods in thanks, already assisting Claire with taking her outer garments off. Once all of his kids are left in layers appropriate for a warm café, he calls all of them to sit opposite him in the booth.
“Guys, listen to me for a second, okay?” he starts, already having to stop Sam from running all the way to the playroom. “We’re going to make some new friends today. We are also in a public space with other people. What does that mean?”
“That we act nicely.” Mackenzie says lazily.
“Yes, you do. And?” he turns to Sam.
“We don’t run.”
He looks back to his oldest daughter. “Or scream.”
“Very good. Now go look around the playroom. And make sure you take off your shoes if there’s a carpet.”
Mackenzie and Sam nod and run quickly walk off.
“Let’s take off these shoes, yeah?” he tells his youngest daughter, walking with her to the playroom, helping her get her shoes off before she wanders away and after her siblings.
Ryan straightens up and exhales rather forcefully.
We’ll see how this is going to go.
He barely starts taking off his own coat, when he hears the doorbell chime. He takes a few steps forward, just so that he could see who enters the café.
It’s Colin, his daughter by his side.
They both immediately say hello to the waiter, who motions them to when Ryan is currently standing. Before Ryan has the chance to move a few steps back, Colin and him lock eyes.
Ryan might be imagining it, but the man's expression seems to have brightened up even more. They start heading towards them immediately.
“Hi,” Colin says, that smile not leaving his face.
“Hey,” Ryan replies, his gaze dropping down to the girl patiently waiting on her dad’s side.
“I love your hair,” he says, bending down a little not to intimidate her with his height. His back protests, but he pushes through.
“Thanks!” the little girl beams, extending her arm towards Ryan. “I’m Kinley.”
Ryan shakes the girl’s hand, feeling a fond smile spreading across his face. “That’s a lovely name. I’m just Ryan.”
“Nice to meet you, just Ryan,” Kinley replies and Ryan laughs.
As in, actually laughs. That hasn’t happened for a while.
“You’re a witty one,” he says, looking up at Colin who seems half bashful, half proud.
“Are your kids exploring the playroom already?” he asks Ryan, helping Kinley get out of her scarf.
“Yeah, I hope they’re not making too much mess-”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve seen things here I don’t think your kids would be capable of doing.”
Ryan almost starts to argue, but he catches himself.
“Kinley, go sho
w them your secrets. Don’t forget to take off your shoes.”
“Yes, dad,” Kinley answers and hops away.
“Lovely girl,” Ryan comments.
“She really is.”
“And that hair, wow,” Ryan can’t help but note about the auburn curls certainly catching his attention.
“If you like hers, wait ‘till you see mine,” Colin comments, unwrapping himself from his scarf. Once he’s done, he waits for Ryan to lock eyes with him, and then theatrically removes his hat to reveal… A rather smooth top of the head.
He’s not completely bald, no, he still has quite some hair on the sides of head, looking almost silver in this lighting, but the top of his head is definitely smooth and shiny.
“I hope she’s enjoying her hair while she has it.”
Ryan can’t help but laugh again.
“I can see where she got her sense of humor from.”
Again, that half proud, half bashful expression is back on Colin’s face, and it makes Ryan smile back. He makes his way over to the booth, but Colin’s not following him.
“I’m gonna go order, do you guys know what you’re getting?” Colin then asks.
“Not yet. What’s good here? I understand you’re quite the regulars.”
“Oh absolutely, Kinley would live here if she could. I wonder if she’s gonna take out these puzzles she likes. She could do those for hours.”
He smiles, fondly looking into the distance, and then blinks and returns his attention to Ryan.
“Well, you’re obviously getting coffee. Kinley and I would usually go for hot chocolate.”
Ryan sits down, resting his head on his palms.
“Sam would love that. My oldest is more of a tea girl, though. She loves that smelly herb… Mint.”
Colin chuckles, and Ryan looks up at him in question.
“Sorry, I just never quite heard anyone refer to mint as a smelly herb. It’s most people’s favorite.”
“Not mine, it tastes like toothpaste,” Ryan replies, arguably in a little bit of annoyed tone, but the weight of the day finally seems to be sinking upon him, now that he’s actually sitting down.
“How about Claire?” Colin asks, and Ryan might be imagining stuff again, but he finds his tone quite purposefully soothing. He doesn’t mind it.
“She’d probably like the hot chocolate,” he wonders. “But I’m not sure if she needs any more sugar.”
He rubs his temples with his fingers.
“You go order, I’ll think about it for a while.”
Colin nods in response and leaves.
Ryan takes a minute to make some sort of order in all the coats, scarves and hats that they’ve taken off, and then decides to wander along, all the way to the playroom, which is really just a few steps away from their booth.
There’s no other kids there, just his three and Kinley. Colin’s daughter and Mac are focusing on some sort of a puzzle on the right side of the room, while Sam and Claire are working on a lego tower on the left side. Sam looks up and spots Ryan at some point. Ryan raises a thumbs up at his son in question, and Sam responds with a thumbs up and a smile.
Ryan exhales loudly again, but this time it feels calmer than before.
This is going well so far.
He stands there, watching the kids for a little longer, and then ultimately decides to step back.
Just as he turns around, he sees Colin right behind him.
“Everything alright back there?”
“Yeah, Mac and Kinley are doing puzzles and Sam and Claire are playing with legos.”
“Good,” Colin comments, leading them back to their table, which, as Ryan notices, now has a huge tray in the middle of it. There seems to be a slight smirk on Colin’s face as he starts distributing the items.
“One strong coffee,” he says, sliding the smallest cup in front of Ryan, who has to hold himself from just inhaling the scent.
“Three hot chocolates,” Colin continues. Before Ryan can do the math, his nose scrunches when it clocks his enemy of a scent.
“One mint tea,” Colin declares, sliding the tea cup to the part of the table that’s the furthest away from Ryan.
“And a babyccino for your little one.”
Ryan’s eyebrows shoot up as he inspects the cup, while Colin puts the tray away and sits down himself, opposite Ryan.
“What’s that?” he asks.
“Just some warm milk with froth on top. And some sprinkles. I figured a little sugar would be okay.”
Ryan looks up at Colin, then, once again observing the sheer kindness in his expression. But reality strikes him quite soon.
“Right,” he hurries to say, trying to dig out his wallet.
“Oh don’t mention it.”
Ryan looks up at Colin like the man’s crazy, which surely feels like now.
“Excuse you?”
Colin chuckles. “Please. This was my idea. I’m used to always just paying for two, this is no problem for me. And besides, I get a special discount for loyalty.”
Another one of those looks is shared, and Ryan is well past the point where he’d pretend not to be entranced by the man. So he lets himself be, because it’s not like Colin’s looking away either.
“Should we call the kids?” Ryan asks after a while.
“The drinks need a minute to cool down,” Colin says and Ryan nods. “But I would love to meet them.”
…
Ryan’s pleased with his kids actually behaving when meeting Colin. Mac was delighted by the mint tea, and so was Claire by her special drink. Colin and Kinley invite Sam for a hot chocolate cheers, and Ryan finally feels relaxed enough to take a sip of his coffee. He mulls the liquid over in his mouth, a content expression spreading over his face.
Colin notices and sends Ryan another smile. This one is perhaps more bashful than the ones they’ve shared before, but it means that much more to Ryan.
He doesn’t want to get ahead of himself here, but this man is warming up his way towards Ryan’s heart quite quickly. Much quicker than anybody else ever, actually.
Once they’ve all conquered their drinks, Kinley asks if she can go show Mac the books. Ryan delights in the way his daughter’s eyes are sparkling, and he lets her go.
Sam leads Claire back to the playroom to continue working on that tower, and Ryan looks back at Colin.
“Thank you,” he says. “We really needed this.”
Colin replies with yet another smile.
They sit there in a complainable silence for a bit, but then Colin speaks up and throws Ryan off just a little bit.
“So, what are your plans for Christmas Eve?”
The perfect bubble feels like popping, but Ryan takes a deep breath in.
“I don’t know,” he answers truthfully.
He doesn’t expect Colin to think he's a terrible father for not having any grand Christmas plans for his kids, but he also doesn’t expect him to… Smile?
“Good. Kinley and I have this tradition of going to the zoo the day before Christmas Day. I was wondering if you’d like to join us.”
Ryan opens his mouth to speak but closes it again.
“Before you ask, I am sure,” Colin says, and Ryan can’t help but smile at how well the man predicted Ryan’s reaction. “You also don’t have to decide right away. We still have a few days. And you have my number.”
Ryan’s smile widens at that.
“We would love to join you,” he says. He then leans over the table just slightly, taking in the look in Colin’s eyes, sensing no discomfort whatsoever. “But I’m paying.”