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It was a warm morning, luckily it was Angela’s day off. She decided this was the perfect opportunity to take Jack and Emmy shopping for Father’s Day gifts. Since Wesley had to work from the DA’s office today.
Jack was full of energy, already blurting out different gift ideas for his dad. Emmy, followed closely behind Jack with excitement and giggles still not fully understanding the holiday.
“Let’s go find the best Father’s Day presents ever.” Angela said, with a smile.
The drive to the store was filled with gift ideas. Most of them came from Jack. “Maybe we can get him a new briefcase,” he said seriously. “Or a puppy! Daddy would love a dog!”
Angela chuckled. “Baby, would the dog be for you or for your dad?”
“For both of us mami, a dog is a man’s best friend daddy told me that!”
At the store, Jack dashed ahead down the aisles, eyes scanning everything, while Angela pushed Emmy on the stroller.
“Oooh, this mug!” he shouted, holding up a bright blue ceramic one that read Worlds Greatest Dad in bold white letters. “He drinks coffee every morning! This is perfect!”
Angela nodded in agreement and added it to the basket. They made their way over to the tie section of the store. They had an assortment of different designs and colored ties. Angela and Emmy picked out a blue tie with white stripes. A beautiful shade of blue that matched Wesley and Emmy’s bright eyes perfectly.
Once they got home Angela pulled out an arts and crafts box from the closet. Jack was instantly in creative mode. He picked out a piece of red cardstock and folded it carefully.
“I want to draw Daddy making pancakes!” He said, as he drew a stick figure Wesley wearing a tie flipping a pancake. In big, wobbly letters he wrote: Happy Father’s Day! You are the best at making pancakes and giving cuddles! I love you, Daddy - Jack Evers
Angela helped Emmy press her tiny hand into a glob of blue paint and stamp it onto the inside of the card. Then Emmy, delighted by the mess, added a flurry of scribbles and heart stickers.
****
It was the morning of Father’s Day, Angela knew she wanted to make Wesley a breakfast in bed with the help of the kids. She slipped out of bed quietly, careful not to wake up Wesley. She tiptoed into the hallway, where Jack was already outside of her room quietly waiting.
“Are we making pancakes now?” he whispered loudly.
Angela smiled and put a finger to her lips. “Shhh, we don’t want to wake up Daddy,” she said as she scooped up Jack into her arms and took them into Emmy’s room.
“Okay, team, time to make the best breakfast ever, for the best dad ever.” Angela said, as she reached for the ingredients.
But despite her enthusiasm, Angela wasn’t exactly the most graceful in the kitchen. A small cloud of flour erupted into the air as she tried to measure it, coating the counter and her hair. The batter ended up a little too runny, and Jack dropped half a banana into the mixing bowl because he thought it might be yummy.
As Angela fumbled with the frying pan, trying to flip a lopsided pancake that half-stuck to the skillet, Wesley’s voice came from down the hall.
“What is going on here?”
“We’re making you a surprise you can’t come into the kitchen daddy!” Jack yelled.
Angela rushed over Emmy on her hip and gently pushed him back toward the bedroom. “No, no, no, get back in bed. We’ve got this.”
Wesley raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure? Smells like a burnt banana.”
“Jack and I are in charge of breakfast, Emmy is in charge of keeping Daddy distracted.” Angela said, as she handed Emmy off.
“Daddy daddy!”
“Okay, honey. Go distract Daddy.”
Wesley laughed as he carried Emmy back into the room. Emmy instantly cuddled into his chest as soon as he set her down on the bed.
By the time they carried the tray into the room Wesley was fast asleep with Emmy curled up on his chest. Her little fist clenched on to his old shirt.
“Happy Father’s Day!” They shouted in hopes of waking Wesley up.
He sat up, his eyes blinking back tears that were threatening to fall. as he took in the scene. He moved over in the bed making space for Angela and Jack.
Angela smiled softly as she slipped in beside him, Jack quickly following. Emmy wriggled between them, her head resting comfortably on Wesley's shoulder as he wrapped his arms around his little girl, then around Angela, pulling them both closer.
Wesley placed a quick kiss on Angela’s lips as the four of them settled into a warm, tangled pile.
After breakfast they made their way into the living room to hand Wesley his gifts.
Jack placed the card they made on the table and stood proudly next to it, holding the new mug.
Emmy ran over shouting, “Daddy new tie!” and handed him the gift bag upside down.
Wesley laughed, crouching down to give them both a hug.
“These are perfect,” he said, beaming. “How did I get so lucky?”
“Time for my gift,” Angela smiled as she closed the space between her and Wesley.
She handed Wesley a little jewelry box. Wesley’s fingers brushed over the soft fabric as he carefully opened the lid. Inside, nestled on a cushion of dark blue velvet, was a sleek silver watch.
“Angela you didn’t have to get me this,” Wesley smiled as he stood up.
“Flipped it over, you haven’t even seen the best part.”
Wesley carefully turned the watch over to reveal a custom engraving.
The back of the watch read in tiny letters: Best Dad Evers- Jack and Emmy ♡
For a second, he didn’t say anything. His thumb traced the words, as a lump formed in his throat. His smile grew as his eyes began to glisten. A quiet, stunned laugh escaped him.
He looked up and saw Jack and Emmy beaming at him, bouncing with excitement. He knelt down, arms open, and they rushed into his embrace, giggling as he pulled them in close.
“I love you guys so much,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
Jack pulled back slightly and looked him in the eye. “It’s okay to cry, Daddy. It’s your special day.”
After the shared moment with his babies he stood and turned to Angela. She hadn’t said any words, but her eyes said it all. Proud. Soft. Full of love. She smiled and opened her arms.
He walked straight into her embrace, pulling her close, the warmth of her grounding him. He kissed her forehead, then her cheek, then finally pressed his lips against hers.
As if on cue he finally let his tears fall as the love of his life held him tightly.
“Thank you,” he murmured against her skin, the words cracking. “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a dad to the most beautiful little babies”
“I love you, Wesley”
“I love you babe”
****
They decided they would spend the afternoon by taking the kids to Santa Monica Pier. Wesley loved to go there when he was little and he wanted to make some new memories there with his family. Jack was old enough to get on a majority of the rides, but Emmy would just enjoy looking at the lights.
They walked along the pier as Jack expressed his excitement. “I can’t wait to get on all the rides, I won’t be scared at all.”
Emmy’s bright blue eyes lit up with all the lights around her as she sat in the stroller.
They made a stop at one of Wesley’s favorite book stores from when he was Jack’s age. He was going to let Jack pick out a new book for bedtime tonight.
As the boys were off finding a bedtime book, Angela and Emmy were on a different mission. Angela knew how much Wesley loved his classic law books, there was one that he specifically had his eye on for a while now.
Angela handed Wesley a small, wrapped package as they stepped outside into the pier once again.
Wesley raised an eyebrow. “What’s this?”
“Just something for you, counselor.”
He unwrapped the paper slowly, and when the title revealed itself beneath the folds, his eyes widened. For a long second, he just stared at it, then looked up at her, speechless.
“You’ve been talking about it forever,” she said softly.
Wesley pulled in Angela by her waist as he laid a soft kiss on her lips.
Jack tugged on his sleeve, snapping them back into reality. “Can we read yours and mine tonight?”
Angela chuckled, looking from Jack to Wesley.“Don’t you dare read to my son any kind of legal books. I already have my hands full with you.”
Wesley laughed as he interlocked his fingers with Angela’s, as they walked deeper into the pier.
Angela and Wesley took turns riding with Jack as the other stayed behind to watch Emmy. Jack was so brave getting on all the rides, even the roller coaster.
They decided to end the night by getting on the ferris wheel, a ride they could all get on even Emmy.
The ferris wheel creaked gently as their gondola lifted off the ground, rising slowly into the warm night. Angela sat close to Wesley as her arm wrapped around Jack. He quietly sat in her lap as his fingers clutched the edge of her jacket, not out of fear, more in habit as he was his mami’s little boy always.
Wesley leaned slightly toward Angela, while Emmy nestled peacefully against his chest, her tiny hand tangled in the fabric of his shirt. Her tiny curls brushed against his chin.
Jack tilted his head up to look at the sky, where stars were beginning to peek through the fading dusk. He rested his head back against Angela, eyelids fluttering, caught between wonder and sleep.
Wesley glanced at Angela, their eyes meeting in a quiet moment that said everything words didn’t need to. She leaned in and smiled softly, against Wesley’s lips. Angela deepened the kiss as she tilted her head and placed a hand on his cheek.
****
By the time they made it home the kids were already fast asleep exhausted from the long day. Jack’s book would have to wait for another night as Wesley carefully tucked him in for the night. He placed a soft kiss on the top of his curls.
“Thank you for letting me be your Daddy,” he said as he walked out.
Angela had already put Emmy in bed and was sitting on the couch glass of wine in hand. Wesley cuddled up next to her laying his head on her chest.
“Today really drained them, bedtime was a breeze,” she said as she wrapped her arms around Wesley.
“Thank you so much for today Ange, and for the gifts.”
“You deserve it all baby. Thank you for being the most amazing Daddy to those kids. They way they look at you says it all.”
Wesley looked up at her, emotion building in his throat. “You know,” he said, his voice softer now, “I always knew I wanted to be a dad. Ever since I was a kid myself, it was just this feeling, but nothing prepared me for how incredible it would actually be. Watching them grow, hearing them laugh, seeing their little faces light up when I walk into the room. It’s so much more than I ever imagined. Getting to raise two kids with my best friend is what I always dreamed of. Thank you for giving me that gift. For giving me the most beautiful intelligent little babies.”
“You mean so much to those kids Wesley.”
“They mean everything to me, I love having a mini you and mini me running around.“
Angela smiled, “it’s like they took the very best parts of both of us and turned it into something even more beautiful. Your patience, your heart, your compassion and my loyalty, my fire, and maybe even a little bit of my sass and stubborn streak.”
“Definitely your sarcasm and messiness”
She laughed softly, brushing a hand over his cheek. “They’re our little miracles, Wesley. Every time I look at them, I see you, I see us. I see everything we have been through to be here, together as a family.”
“To think this all started from a stolen briefcase and an argument.”
Angela blinked back tears, her fingers brushing through his blond hair. “Thank you Wesley, for choosing to be their dad, for showing up every single day. You stepped up in ways most dads don’t. I grew up thinking that’s just what men did, come and go as they please. But then you came along and rewrote that story completely.”
She pressed a slow passionate kiss on his lips as she let the tears leave her eyes.
“Watching you bond with our kids has healed that part of me that wondered why I wasn’t good enough to keep my dad around. You have given Jack and Emmy something I never had, and I’ll never stop being grateful for that.”
“I hope our kids choose us in every lifetime,” Wesley whispered.
Wesley closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of her words settle deep in his chest. He held her a little tighter as he placed a kiss on her forehead taking in his favorite Father’s Day yet.