“I’m aware. That’s rather the point.” I scooped Maggie from her playpen. She grabbed at my collar, gurgling happily. “Everyone, get your shoes. We’re leaving in ten minutes.”
“What about lunch?” Brody asked, his voice tight. “It’s supposed to be at noon, and it’s already eleven-thirty?—”
“We’ll eat at the zoo.”
“But what will we eat? Mrs. Kowalski has the menu planned?—”
“Whatever we fancy. Hot dogs. Ice cream. All that terrible junk food they sell at concession stands.” I adjusted Maggie on my hip. “You’re allowed to be children occasionally, Brody. The world won’t end if we deviate from the plan.”
The twins exchanged uncertain glances. Eoin bounced on his toes, already sold on the idea. Even Alec looked vaguely interested, though he was trying his best to hide it behind sullen indifference.
“Can I bring my book?” Alec asked.
“No. No books, no schedules, no structure. Just the six of us and whatever animals we encounter.” I headed for the stairs. “Ten minutes. And Eoin, help your brothers find matching shoes. Both feet, mind you.”
The Oakland Zoo was heaving with families on a sunny Sunday. Bairns shrieked on the playground near the entrance. Parents pushed prams while juggling nappy bags and sippy cups. The whole place thrummed with messy, unstructured energy—the exact opposite of our quiet, ordered house.
It reminded me of Theresa’s kitchen. I wondered what she was doing right now. Probably corralling Rome away from something breakable while Paris tried to negotiate a treaty over the TV remote. The thought made me smile.
I paid for admission and grabbed a map. Maggie was strapped to my chest in the carrier, her head swiveling to track every movement.
“Where do we go first?” Carson asked.
I looked at the map, then folded it and shoved it in my pocket. “You lot decide. What do you want to see?”
They stared at me as if I’d spoken Cantonese.
“Come on,” I prompted. “What animals interest you?”
Another long pause. They genuinely had no idea what to do with unstructured freedom. What had I done to them?
“Tigers!” Eoin finally shouted. “I want to see tigers! They’re fierce and they have stripes and they’re brilliant!”
“Tigers it is, then.” I started walking in what I hoped was the right direction. “Everyone stays together. If you wander off, I’ll leave you to be raised by the monkeys.”
“You wouldn’t really,” Cory said, but he sounded uncertain.
“Try me and find out.”
We found the tigers—sleeping in the shade, naturally. Eoin pressed his face against the glass, anyway, determined to will them into action.
“They’re supposed to be fierce,” he said, disappointed.
“They’re cats,” Alec said from beside him, the first voluntary words he’d spoken all day. “Cats sleep twenty hours a day.”
“How do you know that?”
“I read.”
“Reading’s boring.”
“You’re boring.”
“Oi.” I kept my voice mild but firm. “Both of you. We’re here to enjoy ourselves, not bicker like fishwives. Save that for home.”
They subsided, and we moved on to the elephants. A massive female stood near the viewing area, using her trunk to spray herself with water. Eoin squealed with delight when she trumpeted.
“She’s enormous!” Cory breathed.
