Send Me In Orbit

Movie Night

Bret saw the pink streamers, the pink bows, and the little girls dressed in pink tutus and walked out the door. Jude grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back.

"Where do you think you're going?" He hissed.

"I'm outta here. Look at all that pink! No way am I going in there. No way!"

"She's going to look for you!"

"Tell her I feel sick. It's true. All this pink and rainbows is gonna make me puke."

"Uncle Bwet! Uncle Jujude! Let's goooo!" A little bundle of pink came running at them and grabbed each one of their hands.

Jude looked at Bret but they were both powerless to resist the adorable little girl dragging them into their version of hell.

James was already inside with Sam and Henz, who looked even more miserable than Bret.

"Found 'em, Daddy!" Audrey exclaimed.

"Good job, Princess." James picked her up and grinned at his friends. "Come on, our table is waiting."

The guys scowled at him but when Audrey turned her head to look at them, they all grinned.

"Uncle Henzy!" She reached out her arms for him and Henz willingly took the four year old from James.

They were shown to their VIP table, where Audrey had a specially decorated sparkly pink princess booster seat made just for her, her Dad and Uncles all seated around her.

"Smile," Jude muttered to Bret as multiple cameras flashed at them. "Don't ruin Audrey's night."

"Why do we have to be here?" Bret whined through a forced smile for the cameras. "The girls should be the ones here!"

"They have a 'grown up' girls' night today."

"So they get to drink booze and dance but we're stuck at some kiddie party? Seriously?"

James came over and threw an arm around each of them, smiling for the cameras in front of them. "Stop whining, Bret. Audrey might hear you."

"You. This is your fault." Bret would have glared at him if the photographers weren't instructing them to smile. "You and your impossible to resist adorable little spawn. I could be at Palace right now you know."

"It's Girls' Night," Jude said. "That's why the girls are there now."

"Exactly! Girls' Night is Bret's Night if you know what I'm saying."

"Daddy! Daddy!" Audrey came running over and James lifted her, much to the cooing and fawning of all the people in front of them and cameras flashing.

"So cute naman!" Someone said. "Little Nadine! Kamukhang kamukha o. Audrey, where's Mommy? Bakit hindi niyo kasama?"

James opened his mouth to answer but Audrey beat him to it. "She has a Mommy's Day Off!"

Everybody laughed.

"Wow, nagpahinga si Mommy. Are you excited to watch the movie, Baby?" The microphone was put right in front of her but Audrey didn't flinch in the face of the TV Patrol camera and various other ABS news cameras now in front of her.

"Opo," she said.

"Ang ganda naman ng dress mo, Audrey. Alam mo kung sino nag-design?"

"Yes po. It's designed by my Mommy!"

"Wow!" There were murmurs of surprise and appreciation.

James set her down on her feet so that she could model her dress. Audrey twirled around to everyone's delight. The dress was light pink with small white flowers stitched onto the skirt. It hugged her torso with the skirt flowing out in a princessy effect, the thin fabric flowing elegantly around her. Her hair was french braided with white flowers in her braid to complete the look.

"Designed by Mommy and made by..." Audrey looked up to James for help.

"Mak Tumang," he supplied. Nadine had briefed them both on what to say.

"Audrey, ang dami mo naman escorts," someone else said. "Parang line up sa debut! Bukod kay Daddy, sino pa ang mga ka-date mo?"

"Uncle Bwet! Uncle Sammy!" Audrey pointed to each of them in turn. "Uncle Jujude and Uncle Henzy!"

She pointed to each of them and they waved at the cameras, except for Henz, who just pulled his hat down lower over his eyes. James picked up Audrey again.

"We go wherever she goes," he informed the reporters. "Sa first date niya, kasama rin kaming lahat."

Everybody laughed at James' joke, though the boys knew he was only half-joking or really, not at all.

"No Nadine tonight, James? Baka naman hahabol si Mommy?"

"No, she deserves a break. That's why this one begged all of her Uncles to come."

"James, is Nadine going to expand her clothing line to include clothes for little girls as well?"

"I can't speak for Nadine but I think it's very possible. I know that Audrey has been inspiring her a lot lately. But I don't know, you have to ask her!" He laughed.

"Thank you, Audrey! Thank you, James! So cute naman ang father-daughter tandem. Bakit hindi niyo kasama si Kuya?"

"He don't like!" Audrey pouted.

"Hindi siya maipilit ni Audrey," James said. "Nandoon siya ngayon sa mga Lolo at Lola niya."

"Ah, so it's really Princess Audrey's night. Enjoy the movie, Babygirl! Enjoy boys."

Bret and Henz grumbled, not looking forward to the princess movie they were about to watch, but willingly filed into the theater and away from the press and cameras. They were happy that there was popcorn and soda waiting for them at their seats. Audrey's seat was VIP and specially decorated. She was the main invitee with James and the boys as her guests.

"Can you believe this is our Friday night?" Henz muttered as they settled into their seats.

"Stop complaining," Sam leaned over and hissed at him. He looked at Audrey beside him but she was busy talking to James on her other side.

Jude grinned. "Easy for you to say. This is practice for you."

Sam simply smiled and leaned back in his seat happily. Kiana was pregnant with their first child and they had just announced a week ago that it was a girl. He was still on Cloud 9 and was the only one, other than James, who had accepted Audrey's invitation without force.

"Just because they're all domesticated doesn't mean that we," Bret gestured to himself, Henz, and Jude "couldn't have gone to Palace instead."

No one dignified that with a response. They all knew that for all of Bret's talk and complaining, he was just as powerless to resist Audrey as they all were. The little girl was just too adorable, with her Dad's eyes and nose, her Mom's lips and cheeks and brilliant smile, and long flowing silky black hair like Nadine...The Reids were being endlessly wooed by brands and endorsers all wanting Audrey as their model. James was vehemently against it. He and Nadine maintained that their kids could go into showbiz if they wanted to, but only when they were old enough to decide for themselves. Until then, they wanted them to have as normal a childhood as possible. Aside from her parents' looks, Audrey had inherited Nadine's charm and bubbly personality. Her Kuya Xander was quiet like his Dad, his silly side only comes out with ones really close to him. But Audrey was outgoing and had the ability to charm anyone and everyone. When she asked her Uncles Bret, Henz, Jude, and Sam to watch a movie with her, a new cartoon princess Disney movie, they knew they were all clearing their Friday night.

Bret fell asleep ten minutes into the movie, Henz used his hat to hide his tears that were definitely from allergies not from the movie (he wasn't sad at all when the puppy ran away, shut up), Jude had to resist checking his phone every five minutes, Sam hummed along to the songs, and James barely watched the movie at all. He was too busy watching his little girl laugh and sing and enjoy every minute of the movie. One day she'll be watching movies only with her friends and then, God forbid, on dates with boys. But right now, the only people she wanted to go to the theater with was him and her Uncles. He was cherishing every second. There was nowhere else he would rather spend his Friday night.

A/N: The names Audrey and Xander were taken from Jadine Bibes. Sorry for stealing, I just love your posts and can't imagine any other names for Jadine's kids now. ☺️ I'm not connected to or affiliated with Jadine Bibes in any way, just a fan!