Emily fell silent, unsure. James had a right to see his son, but she’d grown used to raising Ethan alone. And Ethan might take the meeting hard. She wasn’t sure she was ready for this twist.
“I don’t know,” she said finally. “It could be too much for him.”
“I’ll be careful, I promise,” James said. “I’ll keep it gentle.”
Emily nodded, deciding. “Okay, but here’s the deal. I’ll prepare him tomorrow morning, explain everything. We’ll meet, talk a bit. Afterward, I’ll talk to him alone. If he wants to see you again, we’ll figure out what’s next.”
“Deal. Any conditions. Tomorrow, 11 a.m., at the café?”
“Yes, but don’t forget—for Ethan, you’re a traveler, an explorer. You’ve been on expeditions.”
“Nice cover story,” James smiled. “Got it.”
Emily said goodbye and returned to her room but couldn’t sleep. Her mind buzzed with worry. How would tomorrow go? How would Ethan react? How would James behave? These thoughts kept her up until dawn.
“Mom, where are we going today?” Ethan asked, watching her put on makeup.
“We’ve got plans,” Emily said, turning to him. “Remember the man on the plane you thought was Dad?”
“Yeah, I remember.”
“You were right. It’s really your dad. He’s back from his travels, and he’s here in this town.”
“I knew it!” Ethan grinned. “Are we seeing him today?”
“Yes, he really wants to see you.”
“I wanna see him too!” Ethan beamed.
Emily exhaled, relieved by his excitement. It eased her fear that the meeting would overwhelm him.
“Where was he all this time?” Ethan asked.
“He’ll tell you himself.”
By 11 a.m., they left the room. Emily’s nerves grew. Doubts crept in: should she cancel while there’s time? Keep things as they are?
No, it was too late. She’d told Ethan, and canceling now would hurt him—the very trauma she wanted to avoid. They headed to the café on the hotel’s ground floor. James was already there and stood as he saw them, walking over.
“Dad!” Ethan shouted, unable to contain himself.
He ran to his father, and James hugged him with a smile.
“Hey, my boy.”
Emily greeted him reservedly and joined them at the table.
“So, tell me, how’s life?” James asked.
“It’s awesome, Dad! This place is so cool! Mom and I are having the best trip ever,” Ethan said eagerly.
“You guys are great.”
“I always thought about you,” Ethan continued.
“Really?”
“Yup. But Mom didn’t like when I asked about you. I think she was really sad. So I just thought about you quietly,” Ethan said with childlike honesty.
“Where were you all this time?” he asked, looking straight at his father.
James struggled to keep his composure. “I was far away,” he began, gathering his thoughts. “Mom probably told you some stuff. My job is exploring—cities, forests, lakes. It was a tough trip, and getting home wasn’t easy. We travelers don’t see family much, sadly.”
“Then why don’t you quit so you can be with us more?” Ethan asked, genuinely confused.
“Well… someone’s gotta do this job,” James replied.
“Let someone else do it—someone no one’s waiting for!” Ethan said, wise beyond his years.
Ethan’s words hit James hard, and he felt his emotions slipping. Excusing himself for a “call,” he hurried to the restroom to collect himself.
“See, sweetie,” Emily said when they were alone. “Dad’s job is tough. Even on vacation, it pulls him away.”
“Why does he need that job?” Ethan huffed.
“Everyone’s got their calling,” Emily said, though she wasn’t sure she believed it.
James returned, composed. “Sorry, Ethan, had to step away for a sec.”
Emily saw her chance to steer the conversation. “We were just talking about how your job keeps you so busy. You know it stops you from seeing your son, right?”
James hesitated, then took a breath. “You know, Ethan, I just quit my job. Over the phone, just now.”
“For real?” Ethan’s eyes lit up. “Will we see you more now?”
“Yes, I promise we’ll see each other a lot more,” James said, glancing at Emily. “But it’s not just up to me. It’ll depend on what Mom and I work out.”
“Mom, you wouldn’t say no, would you?” Ethan asked, surprised, looking at her.
Emily smiled. “Of course not, sweetie. I want you to see each other. But it depends on Dad.”
“I’ll do my best to be there for you as much as I can,” James said firmly.
Ethan thought for a moment, then asked, “Why can’t you just live with us again, like before?”
The question caught James off guard. He looked to Emily, hoping for help.
“Sweetie, Dad needs to rebuild his life, find a new job. It’d be hard for him to live with us all the time,” Emily explained, sidestepping carefully.
“But once he gets a job, he can live with us, right?” Ethan pressed, putting them on the spot.
“Let’s talk it over later, okay? Then we’ll decide,” Emily said, dodging a direct answer.
They talked for a while longer, about the ocean, their vacation, and future plans. Breakfast wasn’t the end of the day: they all headed to the beach together. James even started teaching Ethan to swim, and the boy soaked up his father’s instructions with ease. Emily was surprised—Ethan never showed such enthusiasm with her.
Watching them, Emily couldn’t help but recall the early days of their relationship, Ethan’s birth, and how simple and bright life seemed. The memories brought a pang of nostalgia, but she snapped back to reality. She couldn’t forget the pain James caused by betraying their family and breaking her trust.
Even if he’d changed, she needed to keep her distance. That evening, as the three walked through town, they looked like a happy family to outsiders. But Emily knew too many unresolved questions lingered beneath the surface. Returning to the past wasn’t an option.
As night fell, they returned to the hotel. At the elevator, James said goodbye, and Emily and Ethan went to their room.
“So, did you like spending the day with Dad?” Emily asked, smiling at her son.
“So much! I want us to do this every day, all together,” Ethan said eagerly.
“That won’t work every day,” Emily sighed. “We’re flying home tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? Already?” Ethan said, clearly upset.
“Yeah,” she confirmed. “But don’t worry, you’ll see Dad again much sooner this time.”
“Okay,” Ethan yawned, heading to bed.
As Emily prepared for bed, her phone rang. She stepped onto the balcony, closing the door quietly to avoid waking Ethan.