Happy Endings

07. park

"Maybe I'm still trying to see like a child does."

☼

"So Penny, what's rule number one?"

"Stay by Daddy's side the whole time."

"Uh huh, and the second?"

"Don't talk to strangers."

"Yes. And the last one?"

"Hmm... Oh! Be nice in the playground."

"Very good, Monkey. And what do we say when we see Mr. Vic?"

"We're so happy you're coming to the park with us!"

Kellin smiled at his daughter as she yelled happily and did a twirl, still holding onto his hand. He laughed and even encouraged Penny to twirl again, it was just the cutest sight ever.

The pair was heading towards Scott St. Park's main entrance, walking under the morning sun and enjoying the soft wind that came along with it. Kellin could already see the big cement columns that held up the arched railing with the park's name on it. It filled him with some nostalgia since he hadn't been there in a long time, but he believed it was a good time to go back. Even when it was for work.

Since it was a Sunday, lots of people were already making their way into the park. He could see families going in as well as different groups of friends and a couple of others looking ready to start their workout routines. And he could also see Vic Fuentes.

They didn't need to walk much further to encounter the brunette, who greeted them with the brightest smile. Quite literally mirroring the intense sun above them. Penny couldn't contain her eagerness and started jumping in excitement upon seeing her favorite teacher outside of school. She was so over the moon it made Kellin smile a little too.

"Welcome to our new office," Vic grinned after they said their hellos.

Kellin chuckled, "it's very... fresh."

"It is," Vic nodded and kept up his grin. "And here we don't need laptops or any tech devices, we just need to observe."

"But we can take pictures."

Vic gave him a teasing look and tapped his index finger to the side of his head twice. "With our minds."

Kellin raised an eyebrow.

"Nah of course, I'm kidding. We have to take pictures." Vic laughed and Penny did too, only because Vic did, and because she heard the word pictures and she loved to take pictures too.

"Daddy, can we take pictures now?" Penny asked, turning to her dad and pulling her best pleading face.

Kellin looked down at her and nodded. Who could say no to those enormous eyes? "Of course, sweetheart."

"Let's take it here," she expanded her little arms wide, the small action telling them 'look at this view, we must take a picture here'.

Kellin took out his phone from his pocket and asked Vic if he could take the photo. Vic was more than happy to help. And so Kellin crouched down to reach Penny's height and Penny wrapped an arm around his neck, pulling their faces close together. Vic counted to three and snapped all the photos he could.

The brunette couldn't help smiling too at the adorable sight. Penny was showing all her teeth and squinting her smiling eyes while Kellin kept a closed-mouth grin in all of the shots. Either way, it was rather cute. He hoped Kellin cherished these pictures for a long time to come.

"So, let's observe," Kellin said as Vic handed him back his phone, their little photo shoot over for now.

"Let's do it." Vic smiled.