“You’re awesome, Uncle,” Cody’s wide eyes were filled with admiration.
Enzo laughed, “I’m just okay. Your dad also played with real guns when he was younger.”
Cody looked at Linford incredulously. He also knew how to shoot with real guns. Cody found it hard to believe.
Cristelle also didn’t expect Linford to be a shooter. Linford was now serious and decent. It was hard to imagine that he also used to be so wild.
“Uncle, are you bringing the real gun with you then? Can I take a look?” Cody asked carefully.
Enzo thought for a while and took out a gun, handing it to the boy, “Here.”
“Cody, give it back. I’m afraid you’ll break it,” Cristelle tried to stop it, saying that giving a gun to a little boy was too dangerous.
“Don’t worry,” Linford put a hand on hers, “It’s empty.”
The real gun was so much heavier than the fake one.
Cody loved it. He couldn’t put it down. He even forgot his meal as he asked Enzo carefully, “Can I dismantle it a bit, Uncle?”
Enzo cast a glance at Linford, smiling.
“You’ve even taught him that?” Cody looked quite proud of himself, “I learned it on the internet.”
“Cool. Show me your skills then,” Enzo laughed.
Cody sat back in his seat, starting to tear the gun into pieces in the right process. And then, he started to assemble it again.
Five minutes later, the gun was as good as new.
Enzo’s eyes lit up.
This boy was probably a genius.
Before he could say anything, Cody suddenly said, “Uncle, when I grow up, I want to be just like you.”
“Good. That’s a deal, then. I’ll train you myself,” Enzo just loved the boy too much.
Linford felt his heart warmed by the scene.
Cristelle only thought Cody was playing. But, to be entirely honest, she didn’t want her boy to do dangerous jobs like that. She only wished he could be safe and happy for the rest of his life.
She didn’t want anything else from him.
Cody only became closer to his uncle after the meal. They even got a call from Franco, complaining about why they wouldn’t go back and visit him during the weekend.
Linford thus dialed a video call. So Franco could see his great-grandchildren.
Candace and Cody made him smile. The babies promised that they would go back to visit next weekend. Franco thus felt much better.
“Uncle, are you working at the police station? Can I go look for you when I have time?” Cody didn’t want to separate from Enzo after the meal.
Enzo shook his head, sighing, “My job is pretty busy and dangerous. So you can’t come to find me. But I’ll come to visit you when I’m not busy. Deal?”
Cody was a bit down, hooking his pinky finger with Enzo’s, “Deal. Don’t forget to come to see me.”
Enzo nodded, smiling.
When he left, Cody felt a bit down. He liked his uncle. He wished he could be just like his uncle one day.
****
Candace was pretty tired today. She fell asleep on their way back. Cody, on the contrary, was giddy. He couldn’t stop talking about how awesome his uncle was.
Cristelle only wanted to laugh, “How did you know your uncle is awesome?”
Cody looked serious, “I don’t even need to see him training or shooting. I knew Uncle’s a real man when he stood there.”
Cody wasn’t wrong, though. That guy did give off a Don’t-mess-with-me vibe when he showed up.
Linford huffed, “It will take you at least 20 years to be like him, boy.”
Cody tipped his chin up, “I’ll be even better than Uncle when I grow up.”
“Okay. Can’t wait to see,” Linford arched an eyebrow.
So this was war again. Cristelle sighed and looked out of the window.
They went back home and took a break. Linford took both Candace and Cody to his apartment, knowing Cristelle needed a quiet place to work.
Cristelle didn’t stop them. She suddenly had new ideas when she came back. She sat by the window in her bedroom, scribbling her ideas down on a note. She immersed herself in her work, not noticing it was getting dark as she polished all the details.
When she picked up the phone, it was already 2 am.
The babies!
They didn’t come back. So they must be sleeping in Linford’s place.
Thought for a purse, Cristelle called Linford’s phone. She knew it was inappropriate to call him this late, but she was too worried.
“Hello?” Linford almost picked up the phone in a split second. “Are you still lying awake? How are Cody and Candace?”
Linford’s voice was low. But, if Cristelle listened more closely, she could hear the contained joyfulness in his voice, “They’re fast asleep now.”
“Oh, okay. Sorry, I forgot the time. I’m afraid you must take care of them for a bit.” Cristelle didn’t want to talk longer with Linford. She felt a bit lost when her babies were not around.
“Of course,” Linford cooed, “The wind is pretty cold tonight. Don’t forget to shut the window.”
Cristelle frowned, “How did you know my window is open?”
“I’m standing on the balcony right now,” Linford said.
Really?
Cristelle turned around, seeing Linford on the balcony. Linford waved at her, one hand still holding onto the phone. He was in a bathrobe. He looked as sexy and handsome as ever.
Cristelle whipped around, blushing, “How long have you been standing there?”
If he had stood there, he must have seen her working longer. “Long enough,” Linford threw the phone on a chair and leaned over the rail, his voice as gentle as night wind,” It’s getting late, Cristelle. Have a good dream.”
For some reason, Cristelle went deeply embarrassed as she thought about how long he stood there watching her work. She slammed the French window shut behind her, stomping toward the big room.
And then, she suddenly remembered she tended to leave her clothes dry on the balcony. Some of them were even her underwear. He couldn’t have also seen that, could he?