“Thank you, Cam,” I said while passing her the payment.
She didn’t unfold the bills to count it. She tucked it in her jeans and said, “You’re welcome. They were great.”
“Daddy, are we going toWonderlandnow?” Fee asked.
“We are.”
“Ms. Cam, do you likeWonderland?” Skye asked.
“I’ve heard a lot about it, but I haven’t had the chance to go yet,” Cam responded.
“Oh, it’s so much fun! You should come!” Skye said.
“Yeah, you can come with us!” Fee cheered.
“Oh! No, Fee. That’s not what I meant. This is time for you and your dad…” Cam looked at me for help.
“I don’t mind,” I shrugged. “But I’m sure Ms. Cam has other things she would rather do on her day off. You should plan things with people in advance, munchkins,” I finished giving Cam a way out.
“Aww, but it would be so much fun,” Fee pouted.
“You know what? I’m free. How about I follow you guys out there?” Cam relented.
“Yay!” both girls cheered.
I thought about giving her one more chance to back out, but I decided against it. I wanted her to go as much as the girls did.
Cam
I followed Morris’ truck down the highway toWonderland, which was a one-stop-shop for entertainment for kids and adults. There was a driving range to hit golf balls, a trampoline room, go-carts, laser tag, and arcade games for kids and adults. It also housed several high end and family-style restaurants. It was like a Chuck E. Cheese on steroids. I’d never been, but I’d heard a lot about it. Morris offered me a ride and said we could come back to the shop to pick up my car. But I declined. There would be no use in us driving past our complex back down to the shop to retrieve my vehicle.
I smiled, thinking about the funny things the girls did and said while I was doing their hair. I thought Fee talked more than Skye, but they both kept the conversation going the entire time they were at the shop. I didn’t mind at all. They were genuinely happy kids who loved their daddy, and their daddy loved them.
We pulled onto the lot ofWonderlandand drove to the back of the establishment.
“Hello?” I answered my phone, seeing Morris’ name popped up.
“We are going to pull into the covered garage back here. I didn’t want you to get concerned and not follow me in.”
“It’s okay for me to park back here?”
“Yeah, I told Roc we were coming. He told me to park back here.”
“Oh, okay. Cool.”
“So, follow me in.”
He pulled up to a code box and pressed several numbers before a door in front of him opened, and a security guard appeared. They exchanged words before Morris pulled in, and I followed behind him.
We walked into the establishment through the back door and walked right into a room full of sensory overload. Bright orange, yellow, and white colors bounced off the walls and the painted ceiling. There were escalators transporting people up and down three levels of entertainment. It felt like at any minute, Willy Wonka would appear and inform us that the wallpaper was edible.
“The girls want to eat at the pizza restaurant. Is that okay with you?” Morris said over the noise.
“Yeah, I love pizza.”
I followed Morris and the girls as he held their hands and maneuvered through the crowd. It felt like a small city complete with street signs and storefronts.
We arrived at the pizza restaurant and were greeted by a bubbly woman who showed us to a table. The girls sat together on one side, leaving Morris and me the other side of the table to share.