SHADOWS OF THE PAST

NEW BEGINNINGS

The next day, Logan stood outside Ethan’s school, nervously glancing at the entrance. His hands fidgeted with the keys in his pocket as he waited. It was his first time picking up his son, and he wanted everything to go smoothly. He checked his watch again, making sure he wasn’t too early or too late.

As the bell rang, children started spilling out of the building, laughing and shouting. Logan’s eyes scanned the crowd, searching for Ethan. Finally, he spotted him, holding his teacher’s hand and walking slowly toward the gate.

“Ethan!” Logan called out, waving.

Ethan looked up, his eyes widening when he saw Logan. He let go of his teacher’s hand and ran toward him.

“Daddy!” Ethan shouted, his small feet racing across the pavement.

Logan knelt down, arms wide open, as Ethan jumped into his arms. “Hey, buddy!” he said, lifting Ethan up and hugging him tightly.

Ethan pulled back slightly and smiled. “You came!”

“Of course, I did,” Logan said, ruffling Ethan’s hair. “I promised, didn’t I?”

Ethan nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah! Are we going to the park?”

Logan chuckled. “Yep, we’re going to the park. But first, how was school today?”

Ethan’s face lit up. “It was fun! We did math, and I finished first in class.”

Logan raised his eyebrows. “Wow, that’s amazing! You must be really good at math.”

Ethan beamed with pride. “I am! Miss Harper said I’m super smart.”

“I think she’s right,” Logan said, setting Ethan down and taking his hand. “Let’s go to the park and you can tell me more.”

As they walked toward the park, Ethan chatted away about his day at school, his favorite games, and his friends. Logan listened, soaking up every word. It felt good to hear about Ethan’s life, even if it was just the small details. He had missed so much already, but he was determined to catch up.

When they reached the park, Logan spotted a bench near the playground and sat down while Ethan ran off to climb on the jungle gym. He watched his son play, a mixture of happiness and sadness washing over him. How could he have stayed away for so long? Seeing Ethan laugh and play now made it all feel real.

As Ethan climbed up the slide, Logan’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw a message from Maya.

Maya: How’s it going with Ethan?

Logan smiled and typed back quickly.

Logan: It’s going great. He’s playing at the park now.

A moment later, Maya’s reply came through.

Maya: Good to hear. Don’t forget, he has some homework to do later.

Logan glanced at Ethan, who was now swinging from the monkey bars. He wasn’t sure how much Ethan would enjoy doing homework after playing, but he was willing to give it a shot.

Logan: I’ll handle it. Thanks for the reminder.

Logan slid his phone back into his pocket and stood up, watching as Ethan ran over to him, slightly out of breath.

“Daddy, did you see me on the monkey bars?” Ethan asked, his face flushed with excitement.

“I sure did! You’re really good at that,” Logan replied, grinning.

Ethan’s chest puffed out proudly. “I’m the fastest on the playground.”

“I believe it,” Logan said, sitting back down on the bench. “Hey, buddy, how about we head home soon? You’ve got some homework to do.”

Ethan’s smile faltered. “Homework? But I don’t want to do homework.”

Logan chuckled. “I know, but it’s important. And after we finish, maybe we can watch a movie together.”

Ethan’s face brightened at the mention of a movie. “A movie? Can we watch the one with the talking animals?”

“Sure,” Logan said, standing up and holding out his hand. “But only if you finish your homework first.”

Ethan sighed dramatically but took Logan’s hand anyway. “Okay, fine.”

They walked back to Maya’s apartment, talking about all the movies Ethan liked. Logan felt his heart swell every time Ethan called him “Daddy.” It was a title he was still getting used to, but it filled him with a sense of purpose he hadn’t felt in years.

When they arrived at the apartment, Logan helped Ethan get started on his homework. It was simple math problems—nothing too difficult—but Logan enjoyed sitting beside him, explaining things when needed.

“Daddy, I don’t like math,” Ethan said, frowning at the worksheet.

Logan laughed. “I didn’t like it either when I was your age. But you’re really good at it. Look how fast you’re solving these problems!”

Ethan smiled a little, his frown fading. “Yeah, I guess I’m okay at it.”

Logan ruffled Ethan’s hair. “You’re better than okay, buddy.”

They worked on the homework for another fifteen minutes before Ethan finished. He looked up at Logan with hopeful eyes.

“Now can we watch the movie?”

Logan grinned. “You bet. Let’s go pick one out.”

They moved to the living room, and Logan let Ethan choose the movie. As the opening credits started rolling, Ethan snuggled up beside him on the couch. Logan put his arm around his son, feeling a warmth he hadn’t felt in a long time.

Halfway through the movie, Ethan yawned and leaned his head on Logan’s shoulder. Logan glanced down at him and smiled softly.

“Tired, buddy?” Logan asked quietly.

Ethan nodded, his eyes drooping. “A little…”

Logan chuckled. “It’s okay. You can fall asleep if you want.”

Ethan didn’t argue. Within minutes, he was fast asleep, his small body curled up against Logan’s side.

Logan watched the rest of the movie in silence, his thoughts drifting. He had missed so much of Ethan’s life, but sitting here now, with his son asleep in his arms, he felt a sense of peace. He wasn’t going to miss any more.

When the movie ended, Logan gently lifted Ethan into his arms and carried him to his room. He tucked him into bed, brushing a lock of hair off his forehead.

“Goodnight, buddy,” Logan whispered before quietly leaving the room.

As he closed the door behind him, Logan realized how much had changed in such a short time. He was finally becoming a part of Ethan’s life, and it felt right. He didn’t know what the future held, but for the first time, he felt like he was exactly where he needed to be.

Chapter Seven: Unexpected Encounters

The next morning, Logan woke up to the sound of Ethan running down the hallway, his feet pounding on the wooden floor. He rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the sleep.

“Daddy! Daddy!” Ethan’s voice echoed through the small apartment.

Logan sat up just as Ethan burst into the room, jumping onto the bed with a big smile on his face.

“What’s going on, buddy?” Logan asked, stretching his arms.

“Guess what!” Ethan said, bouncing up and down on the bed. “Mommy said we can go to the zoo today!”

Logan raised an eyebrow, surprised. “The zoo? Did she say that?”

Ethan nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah! She said if you’re okay with it, we can all go together!”

Logan paused for a moment. It was unexpected. He hadn’t spent much time with Maya since he moved back. Their conversations were usually short, focused on Ethan. But now, the thought of spending the day together—like a family—made him feel both nervous and excited.

“Well, if your mom’s okay with it, then I am too,” Logan said, trying to sound casual.

Ethan’s eyes lit up. “Yay! I’m going to get ready!”

He scrambled off the bed and raced out of the room, leaving Logan alone with his thoughts. Spending the day with Maya wasn’t something he had planned. He wasn’t sure if she wanted this to be an easy day out for Ethan, or if she had something else in mind.

A few hours later, Logan stood by the front door, dressed and ready. He heard the sound of the keys turning in the lock, and Maya walked in, carrying a small bag over her shoulder. She gave Logan a brief smile.

“Hey,” she said.

“Hey,” Logan replied, nodding. “Ethan’s excited about today.”

Maya sighed lightly. “Yeah, he wouldn’t stop talking about it. I thought it might be nice for him… you know, to spend time together.”

Logan noticed a slight hesitation in her voice but decided not to press the issue. “Yeah, I think he’ll love it.”

Just then, Ethan came running down the hallway, his shoes barely on his feet. “I’m ready! I’m ready!”

Maya chuckled. “Alright, slow down, we haven’t even left yet.”

As they headed out to the car, Logan and Maya both helped buckle Ethan into his seat. It felt strange—like they were falling into old routines—but with a distance between them that wasn’t there before.

The drive to the zoo was filled with Ethan’s excited chatter. He kept asking about all the animals he would see, listing off lions, tigers, elephants, and every other animal he could think of.

“Daddy, do you think the monkeys will be funny?” Ethan asked, his eyes wide with excitement.

Logan smiled. “I think they’ll be the funniest ones there.”

Maya glanced at Logan briefly, her expression softening as Ethan continued talking. It was the first time in a long while that they had done something as a family, and despite the awkwardness, it felt good to see Ethan so happy.

When they arrived at the zoo, Ethan was practically vibrating with excitement. As soon as they walked through the gates, he grabbed both Logan and Maya’s hands, pulling them toward the nearest exhibit.

“Come on! I want to see the lions first!” Ethan exclaimed.

Maya laughed. “Okay, okay, slow down!”

They spent the next hour wandering through the different sections of the zoo, stopping at each exhibit as Ethan marveled at the animals. Logan couldn’t help but feel a sense of warmth seeing Ethan so full of joy. He glanced over at Maya occasionally, catching her smile as she watched their son.

At one point, as Ethan ran ahead to look at the giraffes, Maya turned to Logan. “He’s really happy today.”

Logan nodded. “Yeah, he is. I think this was a good idea.”

Maya hesitated for a moment before speaking again. “Logan, I know things have been… hard between us. But seeing him like this, I’m glad we’re doing this.”

Logan met her eyes, sensing the sincerity in her words. “I am too, Maya. I know I wasn’t there before, but I’m trying to make up for that now.”

Maya gave him a small nod, her expression softening. “I can see that. And I appreciate it.”

Their conversation was interrupted by Ethan’s excited voice. “Mom! Dad! Come look at the giraffes! They’re so tall!”

Maya and Logan walked over to join Ethan, who was standing by the fence, pointing up at the giraffes with wide eyes. Logan stood beside him, watching as the tall animals moved gracefully across their enclosure.

“Wow, they’re huge,” Logan said, smiling down at Ethan.

Ethan grinned. “I wish I could ride one!”

Logan chuckled. “I don’t think they let people ride giraffes, buddy.”

Ethan pouted playfully. “Aw, man!”

They continued exploring the zoo, and for the first time in a long while, Logan felt like he was part of something whole. It wasn’t perfect, but it was something. Maya’s presence felt less tense as the day went on, and Logan found himself enjoying the simple moments—like watching Ethan’s face light up when he saw a zebra for the first time or hearing him giggle at the playful antics of the penguins.

As the afternoon stretched into the late hours, they decided to take a break and sit down for some snacks. Ethan munched on his popcorn, his eyes still scanning the zoo for more animals to see.

“Are you having fun, Ethan?” Maya asked, reaching over to brush a strand of hair out of his face.

Ethan nodded eagerly. “Yeah! This is the best day ever!”

Logan smiled at his son’s excitement. “We still have time to see more. What do you want to see next?”

Ethan thought for a moment, his face scrunched up in concentration. “The elephants! I want to see the elephants!”

Maya laughed. “Alright, elephants it is.”

They finished their snacks and headed toward the elephant exhibit. As they walked, Logan felt a light breeze brush against his skin. It wasn’t just the wind, though—it felt like a breeze of change. He wasn’t sure what the future held for him and Maya, but today was a step in the right direction.

When they reached the elephant exhibit, Ethan gasped in awe. “They’re so big!”

Logan knelt beside him. “They sure are. Maybe one day, we’ll come back and see them again.”

Ethan looked up at Logan, his eyes filled with hope. “Promise?”

Logan smiled, ruffling Ethan’s hair. “I promise.”

As they stood there together, watching the elephants, Logan felt a sense of peace. For the first time in a long while, things felt like they were falling into place.