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Milo was waiting along with a few other kids in the small yard in front of the school building when I arrived.
"What do you want to do, buddy? It's just the two of us today," I asked as soon as I strapped him in the car.
"I get to choose what we do?"
"Yes."
His face morphed into a strange expression, like he couldn't believe his luck. He and Lori had loved testing out new restaurants with me, so I thought he might go with that.
"Can we go to the toy store?" he asked.
"Sure. Does it have a name?"
"Simba's."
I googled the address, then used the GPS app on my phone for directions. Milo chatted my ear off the entire drive, informing me about the toys of all his classmates.
Simba's was hands down the equivalent of nirvana for a kid. Milo's expression was priceless. I felt like I was reverting to my seven-year-old self too. It had a warehouse feel to it, with rows upon rows stocked chock-full of toys.
"Can I have this truck?" He pointed to a miniature red truck.
"Sure."
He placed it inside the small cart I was pushing. Ten feet later, his eyes went wide, his little mouth formed an O when we came to a stop in front of an assembly of superhero figurines.
"Look at Thor," he said excitedly. "And Captain America."
"I'm Team Iron Man."
Milo took each figurine in his hands, inspecting it before putting it back.
"Do you want one of each so you have the entire collection?"
"All of them?"
"Sure, buddy. Buy whatever you want."
I realized something was amiss when his eyes went wider than I'd ever seen them. Did Lori have some sort of rule about how many toys he was allowed to buy? I had to remember to ask her... f
or another trip. No way was I letting the kid down now. We loaded one of each in the cart and moved forward, coming to a stop only a few feet later. Milo pointed to a fire truck. His eyes went wide again, and suspicion gnawed at me. I was being played. I was sure of it. But I still nodded.
The section of outdoor entertainment came up next. We were surrounded by slides, swings, and tents. Milo inspected a small tent, which didn't seem suited for any sort of camping. The slightest wind could blow it away. A family of three was inspecting the tent next to us, and when they moved away, Milo immediately pointed to it.
"Can I have a tent in my room?" he asked. That was where saying yes to everything got me.
"Would your mother be okay with that?"
Milo averted his gaze, which was answer enough. The tent was small enough to fit. I was pretty sure Lori would hand me my ass for this, but when Milo sighed and cast those green eyes at me, I knew there was no way I'd say no.
"Okay. We're taking this, but then we're heading straight home, okay?"
That grin right there? Yeah, it was worth it.
"Yes! Wow. I will have a tent. I will be an actual explorer. Maybe my uncles will help me build it."
"I can help you."
"Really? Like a real dad?"
