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Cass was out and about today with his three year old son running ahead of him and stopping every few feet to tell everyone he looked like his daddy. He was so excited to have his hair like Cass’s that he didn't think his wife would be overly mad, though he doubted that she would let him take Al as well. Mercy loved her baby's curls, but Lu had been insisting on hair like Papa’s for a while and Cass had caved.
Lu toddled forward to another person grinning and spouting, “Hair like PAPA!” He pointed to Cass and patted his little head. Cass smiled and made his way over to scoop up his son and as he did he noticed the person Lu approached looked really familiar.
“Quinn is that you?”
Lu toddled forward to another person grinning and spouting, “Hair like PAPA!” He pointed to Cass and patted his little head. Cass smiled and made his way over to scoop up his son and as he did he noticed the person Lu approached looked really familiar.
“Quinn is that you?”
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Quinn had been outside, taking a breather and enjoying the weather. It was nippy out but then again it was still winter, but overall it wasn’t bad. The sun was out and it wasn’t horridly cold. Besides, he needed to stretch and get his mind off of work, as well as his other things going on. Who knew it would take this long to get answers. Granted he knew that he had given the PI next to nothing to go off of. It was still hard to just wait, and wait, and wait. The waiting was kind of driving him batty. So he had taken time to just drive and when that didn’t work he parked and went for a walk. It came as a complete surprise to him when he felt a tug low on his pants and when he looked down there was a little human.
The toddler shouted something, he honestly only got ‘papa’ out of it, and patted his head. It was cute, whatever it was, and Quinn smiled down at the kid. He glanced up to see if he could spot the parent, because no toddler should be wandering around without an adult, but that was rapidly answered when a familiar figure scooped the little human up. “Cass? Man, it's been a quite a while hasn’t it?” He extended a hand in greeting towards his old friend.
The toddler shouted something, he honestly only got ‘papa’ out of it, and patted his head. It was cute, whatever it was, and Quinn smiled down at the kid. He glanced up to see if he could spot the parent, because no toddler should be wandering around without an adult, but that was rapidly answered when a familiar figure scooped the little human up. “Cass? Man, it's been a quite a while hasn’t it?” He extended a hand in greeting towards his old friend.
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“Ha, yeah. It's been some years. I didn't know you were still in Destiny City to be honest, though you're probably surprised I’m still here too. Anyway this is my son Lucian. He’s three, my first born. Papa was over the moon. My wife and younger son are home. I just brought Lu out to get his hair done. He’s only three, but he has been insisting for a bit now.”
“Lu Buddy, say hi to Quinn. He’s an old family friend.”
Lu gave Quinn a grin and waved excited, “Hi, I Lu. Nice meet you.” She looked at his Papa and beamed. “I manners.”
Cass chuckled and nodded, “yes good manners, we’ll be sure to tell Mama what a good boy you were today.”
Lu looked at Quinn and again spouted, “I hair like Papa.”
“Lu Buddy, say hi to Quinn. He’s an old family friend.”
Lu gave Quinn a grin and waved excited, “Hi, I Lu. Nice meet you.” She looked at his Papa and beamed. “I manners.”
Cass chuckled and nodded, “yes good manners, we’ll be sure to tell Mama what a good boy you were today.”
Lu looked at Quinn and again spouted, “I hair like Papa.”
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“Yeah I finally got back a few months ago. It took a while to get a good grasp of the company and the various branches but things seemed to have calmed down some so figured it was as good as any to head back here.” He waved back at the toddler, making a face at the little man. It was strange to think of Cass as married with kids. God. It really has been a while hasn’t it. “Yeah you have hair like your papa.” He figured that one out.
“I heard about the wedding through the grapevine. Congrats man, you look happy.” He really did. Is this what it could have been like, he silently wondered as he absently made faces at the toddler. Could he have been like Cass if he had known about the kid before now? A father. He could be a father. He should have been there. For the first steps, the first words, the first haircut. All of it. He should have been there for it all. No point in getting stuck on what ifs. Quinn knew there was no way to go back and fix it, so he decided to, at least mentally, change the topic. “What are you up to in the city? Other than the normal, family man stuff that is.”
“I heard about the wedding through the grapevine. Congrats man, you look happy.” He really did. Is this what it could have been like, he silently wondered as he absently made faces at the toddler. Could he have been like Cass if he had known about the kid before now? A father. He could be a father. He should have been there. For the first steps, the first words, the first haircut. All of it. He should have been there for it all. No point in getting stuck on what ifs. Quinn knew there was no way to go back and fix it, so he decided to, at least mentally, change the topic. “What are you up to in the city? Other than the normal, family man stuff that is.”
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“I can understand that … It will be a while before Damien and I have to take over the company. I'm glad because it will require a move to Italy. I enjoy the enmity of being here in the states. Everyone knows me in Italy. Not so much here. The kids will have the freedom I had when I was here during the year.”
Lu burst into peals of laughter at the faces Quinn was making and making funny faces back at him. He stuck his tongue out the side and scrunched his nose. He grinned though at the mention of his hair and looked at his papa. “Best hair,” he said with a firm nod.
Cass tickled his son, “the same old same of Quinn, just less partying. Mercy and I tend to spend most of our time between the Boltnikovs, you know the major architecture firm family and the Jacobs, their parents are from the big consulting company that expanded overseas. The brother owns a pediatric clinic and the sisters two boutiques. It's all family for us right now. We’re all married with kids … Even Damien married one of the Jacobs sisters.”
“How are you though man? I heard about the accident.”
Lu burst into peals of laughter at the faces Quinn was making and making funny faces back at him. He stuck his tongue out the side and scrunched his nose. He grinned though at the mention of his hair and looked at his papa. “Best hair,” he said with a firm nod.
Cass tickled his son, “the same old same of Quinn, just less partying. Mercy and I tend to spend most of our time between the Boltnikovs, you know the major architecture firm family and the Jacobs, their parents are from the big consulting company that expanded overseas. The brother owns a pediatric clinic and the sisters two boutiques. It's all family for us right now. We’re all married with kids … Even Damien married one of the Jacobs sisters.”
“How are you though man? I heard about the accident.”
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“Got to love most people in this city not knowing squat about the company, nor caring, that's for sure. I can’t imagine how annoying it would be having to grow up in such an eyes on community as you did.” Quinn knew he was lucky since he pretty much had the best of both worlds. Relative anonymity and money. The only time his family’s name hit the news in the last decade was from the accident and once the vultures had something else gossipy to chew over they moved on. It meant he was able to go out without having people swarm him. “Yeah, the best hair,” He gave the little tike a quick hair ruffle before giving his father a shrug.
“I gave up drinking after that spell a while back so yeah. Alot less partying now.” He shoved his hands in his jacket pockets, absently fiddling with his keys, nodding along with Cass’ quick rundown of his life. “I need to give Xander a holler. Been so busy that I haven’t really had too much of a chance to stop in and say hi.” Or get his a** kicked via a form of training. Not something he was looking forward to. “Oh yeah? Dami, Damien? Like your brother Damien? Dam- Darn.” His eyes darted to the toddler and he quickly, though not quickly enough, corrected his swear word. “Guess a lot really has changed.”
The easy smile he had on his face dimmed a bit when Cass asked how he was doing. How did one really answer that? “I’m ok. Hanging on at least. I definitely get what my father used to go through on a daily basis now though. Being the boss is not fun.” He sighed and shrugged, “Yeah. The folks are doing ok, all things considered, but I’m still stuck at the top while dad enjoys his retirement.” That was the public view of things, Quinn knew his dad would never take back up his spot as CEO. Not unless he got out of his own head and that wouldn’t happen until Quinn revealed the truth to him, which would put him in even more danger. It was a real Catch 22 moment that's for sure.
“I gave up drinking after that spell a while back so yeah. Alot less partying now.” He shoved his hands in his jacket pockets, absently fiddling with his keys, nodding along with Cass’ quick rundown of his life. “I need to give Xander a holler. Been so busy that I haven’t really had too much of a chance to stop in and say hi.” Or get his a** kicked via a form of training. Not something he was looking forward to. “Oh yeah? Dami, Damien? Like your brother Damien? Dam- Darn.” His eyes darted to the toddler and he quickly, though not quickly enough, corrected his swear word. “Guess a lot really has changed.”
The easy smile he had on his face dimmed a bit when Cass asked how he was doing. How did one really answer that? “I’m ok. Hanging on at least. I definitely get what my father used to go through on a daily basis now though. Being the boss is not fun.” He sighed and shrugged, “Yeah. The folks are doing ok, all things considered, but I’m still stuck at the top while dad enjoys his retirement.” That was the public view of things, Quinn knew his dad would never take back up his spot as CEO. Not unless he got out of his own head and that wouldn’t happen until Quinn revealed the truth to him, which would put him in even more danger. It was a real Catch 22 moment that's for sure.
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“It's good that you gave up drinking, definitely not something you want to have weighing on you while you're trying to run a company.” He chuckled though when he mentioned Xander, “I shouldn't be surprised that you know Xander. He’s very busy these days, with his business, two significant others and three kids.”
Lu thankfully was more interested in his uncle’s name than the curse word that Quinn almost said, “Unkie Xan Xan … go swim swim Papa.”
Cass shook his head at his son, “no Lu, not to today, you dont want to mess up your hair do you?”
Lu looked wide-eyed and smoothed his hand over his hair.
“Yeah I dont think anyone would think Damien would get married, he was the bachelor of bachelors more so even than me. I'm glad to hear your folks are doing okay. I couldn’t imagine the change that would bring upon you … I’m sure it was hard.”
Lu frowned tugging on one of Cass’s locs, “Papa, I is hungry.” He pouted pointing to his tummy.
“Oh right, we were going to get some lunch, want to join?”
Lu thankfully was more interested in his uncle’s name than the curse word that Quinn almost said, “Unkie Xan Xan … go swim swim Papa.”
Cass shook his head at his son, “no Lu, not to today, you dont want to mess up your hair do you?”
Lu looked wide-eyed and smoothed his hand over his hair.
“Yeah I dont think anyone would think Damien would get married, he was the bachelor of bachelors more so even than me. I'm glad to hear your folks are doing okay. I couldn’t imagine the change that would bring upon you … I’m sure it was hard.”
Lu frowned tugging on one of Cass’s locs, “Papa, I is hungry.” He pouted pointing to his tummy.
“Oh right, we were going to get some lunch, want to join?”
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“Some days I really do regret going dry but overall, yeah. Being drunk and in charge is not a good thing that's for sure.” Quinn chuckled at the little guy’s reaction to hearing Xander’s name, and Cass really had no idea just how well he had known the Jacobs’ prior to his ‘promotion’. Lilly’s right hook still made him flinch. That girl fought dirty, that's for sure. “I’ve got a good team working with me. It makes things easier that's for sure but it's still pretty large shoes to fill. I’m managing,” He shrugged again, “for the most part.”
Quinn hesitated a moment, checked his phone, and then mentally tossed the rest of what he was planning on doing that day out the window. “Sure. I’ve got the time.” He didn’t, well not really. The things he was putting off could be done later, it was just going to be harder to pull off later. “So what's for lunch, big guy?” He asked Lu.
Quinn hesitated a moment, checked his phone, and then mentally tossed the rest of what he was planning on doing that day out the window. “Sure. I’ve got the time.” He didn’t, well not really. The things he was putting off could be done later, it was just going to be harder to pull off later. “So what's for lunch, big guy?” He asked Lu.
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Cass nodded, but he knew Quinn would be better for it and didn't comment on what he said. “If you ever need any help with the company, let me know or you can give Papa a call and he’d give you some advice. You know he would Quinn, me and Dami too.”
Lu was excited when Quinn asked him what he wanted for lunch, he gave a wide grin and shouted, “pizza and pasketi.”
Cass laughed outright, “Italian huh, I think we can make that happen.”
Lu was excited when Quinn asked him what he wanted for lunch, he gave a wide grin and shouted, “pizza and pasketi.”
Cass laughed outright, “Italian huh, I think we can make that happen.”
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“Sure. I’ll keep the offer in mind if it ever is needed,” He smiled and gave a general response to the offer of help. He had no idea if it would ever come in handy but it never hurt to know he had others he could get help from.
When the little tike offered up his desire for pizza and ‘pasketi’ Quinn joined Cass in laughing. “Like father, like son. After you my friend,” He gestured for Cass to take the lead as they headed off to lunch.
When the little tike offered up his desire for pizza and ‘pasketi’ Quinn joined Cass in laughing. “Like father, like son. After you my friend,” He gestured for Cass to take the lead as they headed off to lunch.
Fiction1119
