One Night Love Affair *COMPLETED*

Chapter Forty Six

A swirl of thoughts invaded James's head. His mind was so full, he felt like he was going to explode. It didn't help that he decided that he wants to spend the day with his son out of the blue.

On one hand, it was totally reasonable he wanted to spend the day with his flesh and blood, but his situation was different. He didn't know the boy, and the boy certainly didn't know him.

"Did she even told him about me? Does he know he has a father?"

James asked himself countless times, during his ride through the city. He knew exactly where his son and his son's mother are going to be, the private detective he hired took care of that.

On any other day, if it wasn't him in the situation he was, James would be the first to say he was going insane. That what he was doing was going to help no one, especially not him if he wants to build a relationship with his son.

There was no real rush hour in New York City. The island of Manhattan was always busy, and the traffic was never of the side of a person in a hurry. To James it seemed like today, of all days, the traffic was really bad. It made him snappy, angry, and naggy to his driver, but at the same time, it gave him some time to think.

The ride was long enough to allow James to come to a few conclusions.

The first and most important being: Samuel James Reed, his son, is a priority now. Not his feelings, not his animosity towards his mother because of her lying, but his son.

He knew how much having a present parent who cares means in one's life. He experienced firsthand just how disastrous the consequences can be, when a child is thorn away from his parents. Even when they aren't the best parents in the world, it still hurts to see them leave.

Yes, Lana lied and deceived him, yes, it was wrong of her to do it, but was his revenge worth risking hurting his son's feelings in the process?

There was only one answer to this question, and James knew what it meant. He had to let go of the past and bury the hatchet.

James arrived at the front of the hotel where Lana and Sammy were staying, just as they were leaving it. For a moment, he sat still in the car, looking out the window at the mother and child. It was clear Lana was a great mother, just by the way Sammy stayed glued to her arm, while she animated them as they were waiting for someone.

Watching them made James regret the harsh words and he was detriment to make things right again. In his heart, he knew he wasn't this ruthless man he appeared to become during the past days, but people around him didn't. Lana didn't.

He got out of the car and walked right up to her.

"Hey there Lana!"

She was obviously startled, almost choking herself on the piece of chocolate she's been eating.

'She's cute when she's nervous.' James thought to himself.

He knew it wasn't exactly polite to just drop by the hotel where they lived, especially given the terms they parted on, and the fact she never told him where she was staying.

"Hey James." She choked out of herself, while tugging a curious Sammy closer to her.

"I got the results today."

Lana's face became pale in an instant. She threw her hand protectively over Sammy, like she thought he was there to take him away right there and right now.

'Maybe I shouldn't have started the conversation like this. She must think I'm a monster if she's holding so tight to her kid. No, to our kid. They could be practically glued together.'

Well you did told her you would take Sammy away from her, if she doesn't do as you want. What did you expect? That she'll come running into your hands and everything will be good? Yeah right; And unicorns are real and they poop rainbow.

All this talking to himself James was doing, made him think he was slowly loosing it.

"Look, Lana... I know what I said the other day, and while I still mean it, I know that I want to get to know Sam. I can do things the hard way and make it as complicated as it can get, or you can put a smile on your face and pretend I'm a friend of yours, who's going to take you and your son on a trip today."

Lana became even paler, if that was even possible. While his tone was friendly, at least for James it was, his words made it clear it was better for Lana to go in the car with him, and pray she made the right decision.

It was a small victory, but victory non-the-less, when Lana turned to Sam, who was just standing there, listening to them talking.

"Sammy, do you remember James?"

Sam only nodded, not saying a word. It made James nervous as hell, that he wasn't able to tell Sammy he's his father. After all, how do you behave around a six years old son you never knew you had?

"He's a friend of uncle Gabe and I, you met him back home?"

Once again, Sammy just nodded his head, not saying a single word.

James could tell Lana found Sammy's lack of verbal response odd, because of the way her face softened and her voice became gentler.

"Well, James here offered to take us on an adventure today. We'll have so much fun! We'll have ice-cream and eat hot dogs and pizza. We can even get some cherry pie, if you'd like."

The promise of a cherry pie finally got a response out of the little boy.

"I want two pieces."

He showed two of his little fingers to Lana, and she couldn't help but smile.

"You'll get two pieces buddy!"

She gently nudged Sammy towards James and whispered something, which James couldn't hear. At first it looked like the child won't do it, but Lana whispered something again, and it seemed to do the trick.

Sam took a tentative step towards James and reluctantly looked up at him.

"Mama said that I should thank you."

It seemed to James it would take a lot more than Lana's words to convince his boy to thank him. It was obvious he was a willful child.

'He's so much like me.'

James couldn't help himself but to be pleasantly surprised and mildly amused, as his own flesh and blood gave him another wary look. The kid was a spitting image of him all those years back.

"Where are we going?"

He said instead of thanking him, just as James predicted. When he was a kid, he was wary of stranger who talked to him mother as well. Didn't like sharing her one-bit.

The question turned out to be harder to answer than James initially thought. Because truth be told, he didn't think his plan to spend the day with them through.

"Have you seen the Zoo?" He was uncertain of his choice the moment he said it. The kid lived on a ranch, he was crazy about his horse, so maybe he should take them to Connecticut for a riding lesson. "Or is there something particular you wanted to see?"

"ZOO."

There was no excitement directed at James, but the moment he turned away from him to Lana, he started animatedly talking to her.

'He's happy with my choice. This is enough for now.' Were James's thoughts before they all got into his car and drove towards the ZOO.