"You need to calm down, Kayla. The fact that you're stressing yourself over this is making me stressed," Amy groaned.
"How can you be relaxed about this, Amy? This is the same man that put you through hell. The same Cole that tried taking your child away from you, for crying out loud! How can you suddenly trust this man? What has come over you?!" Kayla questioned.
"His genuineness was what won me over. He meant what he said when he said he wanted to be part of Tris's life. So why don't we calm down and give him a chance?" Amy begged her.
Kayla didn't bother to answer her, but she still paced from one end of the living room to another.
Amy couldn't help but sigh at her restlessness. She was so bothered, anyone who didn't know them would think Tris was her own child.
Amy gave it some thought, and she decided that it was about time she formally introduced Cole to Tris as his father.
She still had her doubts, but she knew it was the right thing to do. Whether she liked it or not, she would have to do it at one point in the future.
Kayla, on the other hand, was not exactly excited by Amy's decision.
"After all the stress we went through trying to keep this boy to ourselves, you're just going to give him to the enemy like that?" She made a dramatic gesture with her hands.
"Kayla, first of all, Cole is not an enemy. I understand if you call him a jerk, but he's not our enemy. Secondly, I'm not giving Tris to Cole as a birthday present. I just want to give him a chance to make up for the time he lost in the boy's life," Amy explained, hoping she'd try to understand.
"But, Amy-"
Amy stopped her and held her close.
"Tris needs a father figure in his life. He's going to grow up to be a male wolf. I want to be the strongest and most charismatic werewolf he can be, and we can't give him that," Amy explained.
"So are you saying we're not charismatic and strong?" Kayla frowned.
"We are, but we are not men. He needs a man in his life, Kayla. If not anything, why don't you consider that? Besides, I'd be tagging along, so there's nothing to be scared of," Kayla assured her.
Kayla sighed in surrender. Her friend made a point.
"Fine, but I'll be texting you every two minutes to make sure you're alright, okay?"
"Yes ma'am!" Amy saluted playfully, and they had a laugh.
Just then, Tris hopped out of his room with a smile on his face. He had on a sky blue top and a pair of jeans to go with it.
"Mum, where are we going? Can we go now? I'm ready!" He beamed with excitement.
"You have to calm down, Tris. We have to wait for someone. He's going to follow us," she informed.
"But why can't we go without the person?" Tris whined childishly, and just as Amy was trying to calm him down, they heard a knock on the door.
Amy exchanged glances with Kayla before going to the door. She unbolted it to reveal Cole.
"Hi," he waved with a smile.
"Hi," Amy replied and took her eyes away from him, so she wouldn't drool. She got out of the way so he could get in.
"Mr. Stranger!" Tris squealed in excitement as he saw his nameless friend. If not for the fact that Kayla held Tris's hands tightly, he would've ran to hug him.
"How are you doing, young kiddo?" Cole squatted to greet him.
"Where have you been? I haven't seen you since you visited. Why didn't you visit again?" Tris shot him questions without waiting for an answer.
"Well, I'm here now. And I'm not going anywhere," Cole replied.
"Promise?" Tris questioned.
"Promise," Cole sighed.
He stood back up, and he eye's caught Kayla's gaze on him. Still, she didn't bother to look away.
He could tell from her cold eyes that she would've tried to strangle him if they were alone in the room.
"Hi, Kayla. It's been a while," he muttered.
"I wish it was more," she muttered coldly as she walked away.
Amy soon joined them.
"I have something to say to Tris," she said.
The living too turned quiet immediately, and everyone was suddenly serious.
Tris turned his gaze to her.
"What's that?"
"Look, I'm sorry I didn't let you know about this all this while. I was only trying to protect you the best way I could. I'm sorry I kept this from you, but... Mr. Stranger is your father."
Silence ensued in the house as she allowed Tris to digest the revelation.
"Mr. Stranger? My dad?" He muttered, his face looking shocked.
"Yeah," she responded, her heart racing against her chest. She was perplexed on how he would take the news.
"But... I thought you said I didn't have a father?" He questioned.
"I did, but... I'm sorry. I'm sorry I lied to you-"
"If Mr. Stranger is my father, that means I can now tell my friends I have a dad," he muttered, with a look of discovery in his eyes.
"What?"
"I can tell my friends that I now have a father! I don't have to be the odd one who lives with his mother alone!! I now have a dad!!" Tris exploded, jumping on the spot in excitement.
To say Amy, Cole and Kayla were surprised by his reaction was an understatement. They only stared at him in pure shock, but that shock was soon replaced by excitement for Cole.
"And you tell them that your father isn't leaving your life! He's here to stay!!" He jumped up and down with Tris.
His actions surprised both ladies, but most of all, Amy. To be honest, she found the sight of Tris jumping with his father, wholesome.
Kayla made Tris recite her number over and over, just in case anything would happen.
"And what do you do if someone forces you into a car?" She asked.
"I'll kick them in the groin!!" Tris replied like a soldier.
"Okay, that's enough. Let's go," Amy dragged her son from Kayla and out of the house.
She got Tris into the car, and just as she was about to get in, Cole stopped her.
"Let me…," he said as he opened the door for her and let her in.
"Stop being childish," Amy muttered as she settled into the car.
She acted like she wasn't amused by his actions, but her stomach was producing different colors of butterflies.
She'd never had someone treat her that way.