A Different Time, A Different Place

An Unexpected Turn of Events

Nervously, he ran his comb through his hair once more and raised a skeptical eyebrow while looking at himself in the mirror. Yeah... he had definitely overdone it with the product. But even so, he couldn't resist a cheeky grin to himself. He was still devilishly handsome, what could he do about it?

Before heading back downstairs, he decided to stop by his children for a word. Evan was sitting in front of his PlayStation, while Millie was coloring.

„Evan?"

He didn't look up from his TV. Colin usually hated when he was playing video games so late at night, but today... it would be a welcome distraction for the boy.

„Remember, you're going to watch your sister tonight, and if there's anything at all you come downstairs and let me know, okay?"

„Yeah, whatever..."

He sighed, then Millie looked up from her coloring book. „What are you doing tonight, daddy?"

„I'm gonna have a visitor and we're going to make dinner and then sit on the couch downstairs and talk for a bit."

„Who's the visitor?"

„It's, uhm... it's Lana, actually", he had been hesitating to tell her because he most definitely didn't want Millie all over them tonight, but he also didn't want to lie to her, after all, Lana wouldn't be hard to miss. And who knew... maybe she'd even spend the night.

Obviously he'd much preferred not to have the kids around tonight, as it had been the plan. But something had come up for Helen last minute, and in the end, he hadn't been able to weasel out of his fatherly responsibilities.

Now, he saw his little girl's eyes light up. „Lana?! I want to have dinner with you too, can I? Please please please??"

He shook his head. „It's just for grown ups, sweetie, huh? It's going to be very, very boring for you."

„But I could..."

„Shut up, Millie!", Evan said, „They want to make out and stuff, they don't want you there."

„Evan!", Colin said, „Unnecessary."

„Well, are you?"

„Are we what?"

„Making out? Are you, like, dating or something?"

„Well, I mean, I... this is not a conversation we're going to have right now, okay? And how do you even know about all this?!"

Evan sighed, still not looking at his father standing in the door. „Whatever."

„Yeah, you said so already... Alright then, I'll be downstairs. Like I said, come down whenever there is anything, but... I'd appreciate it if you didn't. I'll see you later."

He closed the door behind him and went back downstairs into the kitchen, once more checking on the ingredients for the pasta dish and salad he was planning to make together with her tonight and making sure the wine was chilled and breathing.

He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, a classic light grey, which he wore with a black pair of jeans. He had taken an inhumanely amount of time in front of his closet trying to put together an outfit for the night that was chic and classy, but not too overdressed for a casual dinner at home all at once, he had even briefly started to understand what women meant whenever they complained about not having anything to wear even though their wardrobe was bursting at the seams.

There was no doubt about it, he was nervous. Happy nervous, though. Excited. He couldn't wait to see her again, hug her, hold her and kiss her. He hadn't really, since Paris. Yes, of course they had seen each other and talked briefly when he had picked up Millie from her place on his way home from the airport, but she had had to get ready to go somewhere and was in a hurry, also he hadn't wanted their reunion to get too heated and emotional in front of his little daughter.