Zachary & Ciara Ch. 03

"Colin!"

Colin turned around when, he heard, the excited sound of Emilee's voice and saw her sitting in the living room looking at television, as she turned her wheelchair towards him.

"Emilee!" Colin replied meeting her halfway, giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I'm so glad to see you."

"I'm glad to see you too," Emilee told him as she hugged him.

"What're you watching?" Colin asked wheeling her back into the living room in front of the television.

"They have some of my favorite shows here in London," Emilee said. "I thought I wouldn't be able to see them here."

"I'm glad to hear that," Colin said. "You find anything new you like to watch?"

"MI-High," Emily replied. "I wish we could get that back home."

"So, you like spy shows," Colin said.

"Yes," Emilee replied. "I like the gadgets they use."

"What brings you, by today?" Ciara asked joining the conversation. "Shouldn't you be working?"

"I came by to see if you and the little munchkin were up to going out and seeing the sights?" Colin said. "As for work I took the day off to make sure the two of you had some fun. I know how busy Zach's been lately with working and settling his father's estate."

"That's nice of you," Ciara told him feeling a little guilty about Colin taking time off his job to take her and Emilee, sightseeing.

"Please, mom can we go?" Emilee whined. "I want to go outside. We've been inside for a whole week."

"I don't know, Emilee," Ciara said thinking about how difficult it would be to get her daughter on and off the elevator. "Maybe we should wait until Zach is here to help put you on the elevator."

"I can help with Emilee," Colin said flexing the muscles in his arms, "I'm really stronger than I appear to be."

"I didn't mean to imply that you weren't strong enough," Ciara said. "I just didn't want to put you out."

"You won't be putting me out," Colin assured her. "I came over because I wanted to take you and Emilee out to have some fun."

"Please mama," Emilee pleaded again adding puppy dog eyes for a dramatic effect.

"Alright," Ciara said. "Let me call Zach and let him know that we're going to be out sightseeing with Colin."

"You don't have to do that," Colin said. "We'll probably be back here before Zach, heads home."

"I wouldn't feel right leaving home and not letting Zach know that we're going out with you," Ciara said.

"Are you saying you don't feel safe with me," Colin teased.

"It's not that I don't feel safe with you," Ciara explained. "It's the responsible thing to do."

"You're behaving as if you and Zach are an actual married couple," Colin said chuckling.

Ciara's reaction to what Colin said let him know that he'd said the wrong thing. Her body tensed and all the fun of the moment left her eyes.

"I didn't mean that the way it sounded," Colin said quickly explaining himself, trying to repair the damage he'd done. "I was teasing with you Ciara. I said what I said as a joke. I swear I didn't say it or mean it to be disrespectful."

Ciara looked at him trying to decide if she should go with him or if she and Emilee should stay home. Colin held his breath as he watched her emotions flow over her face, hoping he hadn't screwed up, and she would decide not to go with him. Deciding to believe him, Ciara decided she and Emilee would go with him.

"Give us about thirty minutes, and we'll be ready," Ciara said pushing Emilee's wheelchair back towards their bedrooms.

When Colin was sure he was alone in the living room, he took a deep breath and plopped down on the couch. 'You almost blew it, you, bloody idiot,' he said to himself. 'You really need to be careful about what you say.'

Ciara and Emilee were dressed and heading back to the living room when Emilee asked her mother a question.

"Can I give Colin the picture I drew for him this morning?" Emilee asked.

"Sure," Ciara replied. "I'm sure he'll like it. Why wouldn't you let me see it?"

"It's a thank you gift for Colin for holding your hand on the plane," Emilee said. "I want him to see it first."

"I guess I'll see it after he sees it," Ciara said.

"He's not going to show it to you," Emilee said.

Ciara stopped pushing Emilee's wheelchair.

"Is this a vision?" she asked.

"Yes," Emilee said, "it's something that Colin needs."

"I want to see it," Ciara insisted.

"I can't mama," Emilee said knowing that her mother wouldn't approve of the picture."

"Why not?" Ciara asked.

"Because, you won't let me give it to him if you know," Emilee said.

"Is it dangerous?" Ciara asked feeling silly asking her eight year old daughter such a question.

"No," Emilee said meekly.

"I'm going to allow you to do it this, this one time," Ciara said. "But, you have to promise me you won't do it again."

"I promise," Emilee said a smile spreading across her face, happy that her mother was going to allow her to give Colin the picture without seeing it.

They found Colin standing on the balcony looking out over the city. Ciara went over and tapped on the sliding glass door. Colin turned, smiled and made his way back into the penthouse.

"We're ready to go," Ciara said, "I just have to call Zach, and we can head out afterwards."

"Why are you calling me?"

Everyone turned around as the door of the penthouse opened and Zach entered the room.

"Zach!" Emilee said holding her arms up for a hug.

"Hey, little munchkin," Zach said giving her the hug she was requesting.

"You're home early," Ciara said putting the phone back on it's base.

"I left work early because I knew you and Emilee, had been hold up in here for a week, and I knew the two of you had to be going bonkers by now," Zach said looking over at Colin surprised to find him in his home and wondering why he was there. "I thought you and Emilee might like to go out do a little sightseeing, and we'd have dinner afterwards."

"Well, it would appear that great minds think alike," Ciara said. "Colin came over to take us sightseeing. Why don't you go with us, and we can have dinner afterwards like you wanted."

"Please, Zach?" Emilee said.

"How can I turn down such a pretty face," Zach said looking down at Emilee loving the big smile on her face when he agreed to join them. "Let me change my clothes, then I'll be ready to go."

"Would you like something to drink while we wait for Zach?" Ciara asked Colin after Zach left the room.

"A glass of water would be nice," Colin replied.

"I'll be right back," Ciara said heading to the kitchen.

"I have something for you," Emilee said pulling her drawing from behind her back and presenting it to Colin.

"What's this?" Colin asked as he unfolded the picture.

"I drew it for you," Emilee said proudly.

Colin looked at the picture. It was a drawing of horses running on a race track. It was a crude drawing, the horses had square bodies, with stick legs and necks, with circles representing their heads. Stick men with stick bodies, sat on each horse representing the jockeys.

The drawing appeared to be of the end of the race with the winning horse crossing the finish line.

The first horse to cross the finish line was wearing the number one, the second horse was wearing the number three, the horse that finished third was wearing number eight. Written across the top of the drawing in red crayon were the words; Race #1.

After looking at the drawing Colin looked at Emilee his eyes full of questions.

"It's to thank you for holding my mama's hand when we were on the plane," Emilee said. "Use it tomorrow."

"Are you saying these horses are going to win the first race tomorrow?" Colin asked.

"They did in my vision," Emilee replied.

"Which track?" Colin asked.

Emilee had trouble saying the name of the racetrack but Colin understood what she was saying.

"Thank you, munchkin," he said a big smile on his face.

"You're welcome," Emilee said.

"You like the drawing?" Ciara asked walking into the living room with a bottle of water for Colin.

"I love it," Colin said looking at the drawing once more.

"May I see it?" Ciara asked. "Emilee wouldn't let me see it when I asked her saying she wanted you to see it first."

"I don't think so," Colin said rolling the drawing up before Ciara could see it. Somehow he knew that she wouldn't approve of it. "If Emilee isn't sharing, I'm not sharing either."

"Spoilsports, the both of you," Ciara said not surprised at Colin's refusal to let her see the drawing.

"We're not spoilsports," Colin said. "We're just two friends with a secret."

"That's right," Emilee said, "two friends with a secret."

"Okay," Ciara stressed. "I'll let the two of you have this one secret, but no more."

"There won't be anymore secrets, mama," Emilee said.

"Who's being a spoilsport now?" Colin teased. Zachary returned to the living room after he'd changed his clothes. Colin surprised at what Zachary was wearing had to swallow a joking comment that almost left his lips.

Zach was dressed in a denim faded, rolled sleeved, light blue, cotton shirt and a pair of jeans that fit his body very nicely.

"I'm ready," he said tugging on the collar of the shirt, he was wearing letting everyone know that he was uncomfortable in the clothes.

Ciara didn't say anything, she just stared at him.

"Is something wrong with the way I'm dressed?" Zach asked.

"No," Ciara replied still staring at him. "I'm just not used to seeing you dressed so casually. I didn't think you owned a pair of jeans."

"Of course I own a pair of jeans," Zach said.

"Jeans are an essential part of anyone's wardrobe. I don't see why my wearing a pair would surprise you."

"You're right," Ciara agreed, "jeans are an essential part of a person's wardrobe. But, I've never seen you wear anything but a suit the entire time we've been here. Even, when you dress down you do it by removing your jacket. I'm not used to, seeing you dressed so...so casual, so relaxed."

"Mama's right," Emilee said staring at Zach, as if she didn't recognize him, "you wear a suit all the time." "Well, I decided to dress down a little today," Zach said heading over to Emilee and pushing her wheelchair towards the door leading out of his penthouse.

That's when Ciara noticed the price tag dangling off the back pocket of his jeans.

"Are you sure those aren't new jeans?" she asked. "They look as if they've never been worn."

"No, they're not new," Zach said.

"Alright," Ciara said reaching over and pulling the price tag off the back pocket, "I guess you forgot to remove this when you put them away after purchasing them."

"I did," Zach said taking the price tag from her hand and putting it in his back pocket. "Now, can we leave?"

"I'm going to have to call off until another time," Colin said making his way over to the door of the penthouse, edging pass Emilee's wheelchair and making his way out into the hall. "I just remembered something that I have to take care of."

"You're not coming with us?" Emilee asked.

"I'm sorry little munchkin," Colin said, "but I have something that I have to take care of. I promise I'll visit you again real soon."

Not waiting for Emilee's response Colin made his way over to the elevator and pressed the down button for the lobby.

"I wonder why he's in such a hurry?" Ciara asked.

"He going to use the gift I gave him," Emilee said.

"Gift?" Zach questioned. "What gift?"

"I drew him a picture," Emilee said.

"How can he use your drawing?" Zach asked.

"To make himself happy," Emilee said smiling.

Zach turned and looked at Ciara hoping she would understand what Emilee was talking about.

"It's a secret between her and Colin," Ciara said. "She wouldn't even let me see the picture."

"Are we still going out?" Emilee asked trying to change the subject.

"Yes, we are," Zach replied. "If you ladies still want to go."

"I still want to go," Emilee said.

"So, do it," Ciara replied.

"Then ladies, let us be on our way," Zach said.

The trio left for their sightseeing tour of London and dinner afterwards.