Series Book

1.8

Chapter 8: A Happy Family

Ava was thankful for living in 2020. The age of the internet where, if you had no idea how to do something, with one click of a button you could after ten minutes.

Though Ava had this advantage, she herself was the problem. She had watched different tutorials but she was still confused.

She was visible to the cars passing by and must have looked absolutely stupid. She groaned and put her hand through her hair, planting flowers could not possibly be that hard.

"How does Brendan do this?" Ava whispered aggressively to herself before crumbling onto the hard dirt.

The man who had watched her dig up the time capsule was once again writing furiously in his pocket notebook, before spotting Ava and walking towards her.

Ava started to panic. Why was this stranger walking toward her? Who was he?

She did not have time to think before the stranger appeared in front of her and pulled down his hoodie to reveal a

young man in a beanie and circular, gold rimmed glasses. "You look like you're struggling. May I help?"

Ava watched him suspiciously, wondering why a passerby would help someone like her with such a seemingly easy talk like planting flowers, "Uh- I just don't know how to do this."

The man knelt down in front of the plant pot, "I'm Zaiden. Zaiden Adows. I live a couple houses down with my young son and daughter."

Ava was a bit more relieved when she learned the man was a father, "Ava." They shook hands, "How old is your children?"

Zaiden gestured over to a line of trees in which a boy and his sister were sword-fighting, "He's 6 and She's 6 too, just she younger 3 months."

Ava raised her eyebrow in confusion, "Wait 3 months younger? How that possible?!"

"Well, is a long story, just for short I'm their father but they have different mother. Long time I date he mother it was romantic love story, I love her but sadly we have a small fight and her father doesn't me to marry her. So I moved on meet she mother we marry and having a nice family with our daughter. Just then I found out that I have son from my ex-girlfriend and he is 3 months older than our daughter. I have to take the responsibility to be a father for both of my children." Zaiden admitted the whole story

"Oh, I sorry for asking that." Ava apologized just shook from the whole story of his family. That must be a very hard time to fix it.

"Hey, is okay anyway Is always been my responsibility." Zaiden smiled to cheer up Ava from the sad truth.

Ava trying keep a smile even though she still feeling bad for why she asking just a question, watched the two young children play. "You took my dual Kanata sword and broke it! That sword was so important to me!" His son said as he slashed his foam sword toward his smaller, little sister.

His poor sister cowered slightly but swung her sword nonetheless, "It's just a Sword, Zion!" She said in a high pitched voice, but Zion was not giving in, he kept going at it, which highly amused Ava.

"Zion!" A woman with a soft voice called to him, "Play nice, please!" She seemed used to yelling at him for that reason

"But she took my-" Zion began to sputter but was interrupted immediately.

"It's a sword, Zion and Nyomi," The woman told him, "we can get another one easily."

Zion shook his head angrily, "It won't be the same." He complained, and his little sister rolled her eyes before dodging another sword hit.

"They seem close." Ava told Zaiden, and Zaiden nodded with a smile.

"I'm glad they do, if they don't that will be another story."

Zaiden seemed experienced with planting flowers, expertly burying the seed and watering as if he's done so many times in the past.

"Thank you." Ava sent a small smile to Zaiden, "I assume it's not that hard and I'm just extremely dense."

"No pro-" Zaiden began but his son ran toward him suddenly, tears in his eyes. "Daddy! He's here again!" The boy sobbed, collapsing into his father's arms.

"Who's here, Zion?" Zaiden comforted the young boy.

"Uncle!" Zion cried into Zaiden's chest, pointing to his far left.

Zaiden looked at Ava apologetically, "He's afraid of his uncle."

Ava was about to ask why when suddenly a man with a tall stature, boots, and hair with black highlights shouted, "WHERE THIS KIDS?"

Ava understood why Zion found him intimidating. He was terrifying and his voice boomed across the neighborhood.

"I heard a little someone is fighting people for a sword. If that's you, come here and fight me to the death!" The uncle shouted, before spotting Zion, "Was it you?"

"N-no" Zion whimpered but Allen moved closer, not believing his lie, "Okay yes. I'm sorry Uncle Allen."

Zaiden looked to the pink highlight woman, "Did you call him, Megan?"

Megan gave an apologetic look, "He was being mean to Nyomi, and this is the only way to stop him.

Uncle "Allen" grabbed the sword from Nyomi and marched toward Zion, "I'll show you what fighting for possessions looks like."

"AAAAAAH" Zion ran past Allen, who attempted to grab him but he was too slippery. He made a beeline to Nyomi, "I'm sorry, Nyomi."

"Is Nyomi her real name?" Ava asked Zaiden.

"Yes, Nyomi-Tan is her name." Zaiden explained, "What can I say, her mother the one who named her."

Ava nodded in understanding and looked over to the two playing kids.

Nyomi smiled, "It's alright Zion." She said before giving her big brother a hug. All was well.

"That was easier than I thought." Allen shrugged as he watched the child's embrace, "Bummer, I thought I'd actually get to fight a child." He threw the sword down before walking away.

Ava laughed during the whole situation, they seemed like such a happy family. A sting of jealousy filled up inside her. From seeing two children playing together as a friend, to Zaiden and Megan's hilarious parenting style, she wished she had grown up like that.

"Well I should go." Zaiden told Ava, "My father's coming in tonight for dinner, and he hasn't done that in a while so it's quite a big deal."

Ava smiled, "Nice meeting you and your family, Zaiden." He got up and brushed the dirt off his jeans, "I hope we'll get to talk again."

Zaiden yelled for Zion, "So do I. Have a nice day!" He walked towards his daughter, picking her up and grabbing his son hands to follow to get back home, it's was a nice day with a beautiful sunset view.