Irreplaceable

Part 20: It's not a date!

Zoro was grabbing onto his mother's leg. She was making something on the counter, but he could not see and he really needed to know what was going on, but she refused to hold him so this was the second best option. He took a good hold and bounced up and down trying to get a better view. He stopped when Mommy looked down at him. He grinned, but it soon vanished when Mommy frowned at him. He opened his hands letting go of the fabric of her pants. He kept looking up and gently held her leg. She sighed, but smiled lightly before continuing what she was doing. Zoro accepted, that he could not see what she was doing, so he tried his best to listen instead. It was more boring, but could not be helped.
His concentration broke when he heard the out door make a noise and he just had to go take a look. He peeked behind the corner and saw his grandfather taking off his jacket. He ran towards him joyfully calling his name:

- "Pappa! Pappa! Pappa!"

Before Mihawk could even react Zoro had grasped onto his leg and was bouncing up and down. He looked at the toddler and smiled surprised. He knelt down to inspect what he was wearing.

- "So you're a panda today?" He asked as he lifted up the hood of his jumpsuit.
- "Panda." Zoro repeated and grabbed onto Pappas hand. "Up." Came a small demand.
- "Sorry, not right now." He rose away from him.

Zoro pouted and looked at what Pappa was doing. He was taking something out of his bag and gave it to him.

- "Pappa bought you a new puzzle. This one has a tiger in it." He pointed at a picture of a tiger on the package.
- "Tigel!" Zoro squealed happily.
- "Go show Mommy what you got." Mihawk turned him to face the kitchen.

Zoro started to run excited holding onto the precious box. Midway he stumbled and fell on his face. He stayed down a bit and Mihawk looked at him worried.
Finally he rose up. He sniveled a bit and looked at Pappa who was smiling encouragingly. Zoro grinned and a tear fell on his cheek. This time he walked carefully to his mother.

- "Mommy, look! Look! Tigel!" He waved the puzzle box in his hands.
- "That's so great, Zoro." Perona smiled, but then looked a bit worried. "Did you fall on your way here?"

Zoro lowered the box and let his mother take a look. His nose was red and eyes too.
Perona blew on his nose and kissed it.

- "There, all better." She smiled sweetly. "Let me open that for you."

Zoro was happy that Mommy had taken the hurt away, so of course she could take the treasure from him. Mommy removed a layer of shiny off of the box and then opened it. She took a puzzle out and removed a layer of shiny out of that too. She took hold of Zoros hand and moved him a bit further away so he wouldn't be on her way.

- "There you go."

She held out the new puzzle and Zoro was ecstatic. He dropped all the pieces on the floor and started to play with it. He solved the tiger one first, then a giraffe, an elephant, a zebra and a monkey. Once he was done he showed the puzzle to Mommy.

- "Well done, Zoro."

Getting praise from Mommy warmed Zoros heart so so much. He just had to redo the puzzle again.

Mihawk walked in the room and looked pleased as Zoro was busy with his puzzle. He turned to Perona and sniffed her cooking.

- "Smells good."
- "It's going to be good." She huffed.
- "Did you make Zoros onesie?"
- "It's so cute on him, isn't it." Her eyes sparkled of excitement as she quickly looked at Zoro and then Mihawk.
- "At first I thought it was store bought."
- "Aww, you!" She was happy and kicked his shin softly.

Mihawk hummed amused and went to sit by the table. Perona was certain he quickly looked at her with such warmth, it should not be possible for him. She glanced at him quickly to see him looking at Zoro play. Maybe it had been a figment of her imagination.
Her phone buzzed on the table and she dashed to look. It was from Chiffon, which slightly disappointed her. Law had not messaged her back and it was April already. She had tried to send him messages to explain herself, but he just did not answer. She sighed and checked what Chiffon had written.