"Daddy! Come on, hurry up!" shouted Raphael and Gabriel together and looked at their Daddy who was really so slow. The two of them were already in front of the door, with their hands holding the doorknob but not yet opening it.
Michael, who was carrying a large backpack, only looked at his two kids who looked ready with their jackets and hats and ear cover because it was already winter.
The man then turned to Sarah who was standing beside him.
"I really think you should come with us," Michael said slowly and with a sad facial expression.
Sarah smiled at that.
"It's gonna be fine. I heard your mom won't be coming. You men go have fun," said Sarah.
Michael sighed when he heard that.
"Okay. Then give me a hug," Michael said softly.
Sarah just shook her head and then finally opened her arms and hugged Michael.
After their date a week ago, her relationship with Michael had definitely gotten better and she didn't set too many boundaries. She sometimes hugs or kisses Michael, she still said no to sleeping in the same bed at night, though.
Seeing their parents hugging each other, the twins, who had been near the door, immediately ran over to their parents.
"Daddy! What are you doing!" Raphael protested then immediately grabbed Michael's shirt, telling him to let go of his Mommy.
While Gabriel also did the same thing, he helped his older brother to pull his daddy.
How dare their daddy hug their mommy!
"Why? Daddy wants to hug Mommy!" said Michael with a big smile on his face, teasing his kids.
"You can't! Let go, Daddy!" they both shouted in unison, pulling Michael harder.
Michael finally let Sarah go when he saw how brutal his kids were. The two little puppy then stood in front of Sarah and stared at their Daddy with an annoyed expression on their face.
Michael just sighed when he saw that. What's wrong with the two kids? Were they seriously jealous that he was hugging Sarah? He is their Daddy!
While Sarah just laughed at her kids' behavior. She felt good about it.
"Alright. Grandpa is waiting for you. You should go!" Sarah reminded them.
Michael then immediately walked towards the door and was followed by the twins after hugging and kissing Sarah.
***
"Grandpa!"
Mr. Collins, who was sitting in a chair, immediately turned and stood up when he saw his two grandkids running towards him. A smile immediately appeared on his face when he saw them..
He then immediately squatted down and hugged his two grandkids and kissed their cheeks alternately.
"Dad," said Michael, nodding his head.
"Sarah isn't coming with you?" asked Mr. Collins when he saw that no women had come with them.
"She's busy," Michael answered, trying to cover Sarah who seemed to feel awkward being the only woman.
Mr. Collins just nodded hearing that.
Michael then lowered the backpack he was carrying and took something.
It's a tent.
A few days ago his father called and asked Michael to go camping with his kids. Michael quickly agreed to that. It had been so long since he'd camped with his father, and it wouldn't hurt to bring the kids along.
He often went camping alone with his father when he was little because his mother didn't really like camping. It was done until he was in elementary school, then stopped when he was a teenager.
Despite that, Michael has fond memories of camping with his father, and he hopes to build on those memories with his kids.
"What is this, Grandpa?" asked Raphael, pointing to something near Mr. Collins bag.
"It's a fishing rod. We'll be fishing later!" replied Mr. Collins excitedly.
"Really? I love fish!" Gabriel said excitedly while licking his own lips. Suddenly, he felt hungry.
"What are you doing, Daddy?" Raphael asked his daddy who seemed to look busy.
"Daddy is putting up the tent. Does Raphael want to help Daddy?" asked Michael gently with a smile.
Raphael nodded.
"Okay! Did Raphael see that?" said Michael, pointing to the edge of the tent which was still folded. "Please open it up like this. Do it like this," continued Michael while giving an example.
Raphael then immediately did what his daddy told him to do.
Meanwhile, Gabriel just stood aside holding his grandfather's hand and watching what the two of them were doing.
"I've opened them all, Daddy!" Raphael reported with a very satisfied facial expression.
"Okay. Thank you. Can Raphael stand by Gabriel for a moment?" Michael said, telling the little boy to stay away.
"Watch this," Michael said, then pulled the automatic tent pole.
The sound of the tent flapping made the two little kids a little surprised, before their faces lit up when they saw the tent. Smiles appeared on their faces.
"That's really cool, Daddy!" Gabriel said then immediately let go of his grandfather's hand and walked closer. Michael then opened the tent door and told them to come inside.
After setting up the tent, Michael took out the sleeping bag, pillows, table and chairs he had brought and started setting them up. The two young kids looked excited to sleep in the new bed.
Michael's face smiled at that. He was happy to see them both happy.
"Let's go out first and go fishing," Michael called when the two kids were playing in the tent. The two of them then came out and joined together with Michael and Mr. Collins to go to the lake in the camping area.
***
"I'm bored!" Gabriel said while bending his face. He had been staring at the lake in front of him, but it seemed that there were no more fish to be caught.
So far his grandfather had caught two fish, and his father had caught one.
At first, it looked fun when there were fish that could be pulled by the fishing rod and they danced in the bucket, but after a while, he started to feel bored.
The little boy then stood up and approached his older brother who was sitting near his father.
"Rapa, how about we go take a look at the fish the others have caught?" asked Gabriel, asking his brother. Apart from them, there were indeed other people who were fishing.
Raphael didn't answer, but he just stared at his father, trying to hear if he would allow it.
"You can go, but make sure Daddy can still see you. Understand?" said Michael who could see that Raphael also looked bored.
Well… adults sometimes think fishing is boring, let alone kids.
The two kids nodded, then started their adventure.
"They are full of energy," said Mr. Collins suddenly, looking at the two kids who were walking away from him.
"Yes, you're right. Sometimes I even have trouble coping with their energy. Thankfully there are two of them, so sometimes they can play together," replied Michael with a smile on his face.
Mr. Collins just nodded hearing that.
The atmosphere between the two men then became silent. Both of them looked at the lake which looked calm.
"How are you with Sarah?" asked the man suddenly.
Michael was a little confused by the question.
"We're fine," Michael replied then looked back at the lake when he saw his father wasn't looking at him.
Mr. Collins's forehead creased slightly when he heard that answer. The expression on his face was dissatisfied.
"You don't intend to re-marry her?" asked Mr. Collins who was now looking at his son.
Michael turned when he heard that. His facial expression looked doubtful whether he should answer his father's question.
After all, this is his personal matter, right? Why did he have to tell this to his father?
However, seeing the look his father was giving him with the look like you should answer that before I hit you, Michael finally opened his mouth.
"I want to, but…" Michael paused because he suddenly felt he didn't have to say this. He then sighed when he saw his father's gaze.
"Sarah wants our relationship to take it slow."
"She said so?" Mr. Collins looked surprised to hear that.
Michael nodded.
"So you have proposed to her and she turned you down?" asked Mr. Collins again wanting to know the situation more clearly.
"Ah no. It's not like that," Michael replied, shaking his head. It seems that his father misunderstood.
"I just asked her about our relationship, and she said so," Michael explained.
Suddenly, Michael felt something slap him hard on the back. It was his father's hand.
"Why are you hitting me?! I am no longer a kid, Dad!" Michael protested, rubbing his back. He didn't expect that at this age, his father would still beat him up.
"Because you are so stupid!" said Mr. Collins looking frustrated. "This is why you shouldn't marry young and date a lot. Even after the divorce, you only dated that model!" said Mr. Collins with a sigh.
His son may have a smart brain, but he doesn't understand women at all.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺