Brandon showed up at Cole's place just as Cole and Makiko were about to head out. But there he was, grinning ear to ear, lugging in a fish so big it looked like it could feed the whole neighborhood.
“Cole!” Brandon boomed, his voice brimming with energy.
Cole and Makiko shared a look. Seeing Brandon so pumped, they couldn’t bring themselves to break the news about their plans to leave.
“Dad, you’re here!” Cole greeted him with a wide smile.
“Cole, check out this outfit! Josie whipped it up for me. She says it’s a one-off—nobody else in the world’s got one like it.”
Makiko eyed the clothes with genuine admiration, her eyes lighting up. “Wow, Josie nailed it. It looks fantastic on you,” she agreed.
Then Cole’s gaze shifted to the fish. “Dad, that’s a whopper! Did you buy it?”
Brandon beamed with pride. “Nope, caught it myself.”
Makiko chimed in, “Wow, Dad, that’s incredible!”
Cole flashed back to the old days. Brandon always had a thing for fishing. It wasn’t about eating the fish; it was the thrill of the catch that got him. He could almost see his dad strolling in, showing off his catch to anyone who’d listen.
Bennett, their ever-faithful butler, chuckled. “Sir, why don’t you come on in and sit a spell? Let the staff take care of the fish. You’ve been lugging it all this way; your arm must be about to fall off.”
Brandon paused, acknowledging the truth in Bennett’s words. His arm was indeed feeling like jelly.
Makiko and Cole exchanged another glance, silently on the same wavelength.
“Dad, I…” Cole started, but Brandon was off on another thought.

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