“Oh, the Meryl Streep movie?”
“You know Meryl Streep, but you don’t know Anna Wintour?”
He shrugs, nonchalant. “Meryl Streep is a great actress. I liked her inJulie & Julia.”
Eden rolls her eyes. “Of course you’d watch a movie about cooking. Let me guess, you’re a fan ofRatatouille?”
“You mean the health violation movie? I might be impartial to it.”
Eden giggles. “You excited for today?”
“To stare at sushi? Of course.”
She rolls her eyes, but has a hard time keeping a straight face. “Don’t be such a party pooper. Come on. It’s going to be so much fun!”
He chuckles, already reaching to pull open the passenger-side door. “Alright, alright. Hop on in.”
* * *
The aquarium is as busy as one would expect for a Tuesday, which is not at all. Eden doesn’t mind, though. This means there are no lines or busy crowds to worry about.
And when she reaches over to take Alexander’s hand, he isn’t as inclined to shy away. He holds onto her firmly, almost proudly, willingly allowing himself to be dragged from display to display by his girl.
She can’t remember the last time she felt this carefree. This light and easy. And being with him... Being with him leaves her absurdly warm and fuzzy all over.
They visit the jellyfish, the dolphins, the little tide pool area where kids can gently pet things like starfish and minnows. It’s at the otter exhibit that Eden takes pause.
The habitat is lush with plants and crystal-clear water. At the center, floating about peacefully on its back, is a singular otter with light brown fur. Its paws and tail are tucked in upon its fluffy stomach.
“This is Kiera,” one of the nearby caretakers introduces.
“She’s adorable,” Eden replies.
“Where are the others?” Alexander asks.
The caretaker smiles sadly. “We normally have five other otters in here with her. Her partner used to be here, but he unfortunately passed a few months ago. She’s become quite aggressive toward the other otters, so we’ve had to keep them separate for a while.”
Eden frowns, watching the animal pitifully. The pang of something uncomfortable stings her chest. Kiera looks so lonely.
She, too, knows what it feels like to be alone. She knows what it’s like to wait. For years and years and years. Never knowing, but always hoping. Maybe if she’s good, maybe if she’s patient, she’ll finally find the answers she’s been looking for. But perhaps the truth scares her, too. Just a little. It’s only natural that the doubts would creep in.
What if her parents left her behind? What if they’re dead? What if—
Alexander gives her fingers a quick squeeze. “You daydreaming?” he teases.
She smiles up at him, squeezing his fingers back. “Just thinking about lunch. Hungry?”
He nods, once again allowing Eden to drag him off toward the sea-themed food court area located near the front of the aquarium. It’s nothing fancy. There’s a burger joint, a pizza stall, even a small Panda Express.
“A bastardization of my people’s food, but whatever,” Alexander grumbles under his breath.
They find a seat at an empty table a few feet away from a massive fish tank. “Can’t believe you got a fish burger,” Eden says with a chuckle.
Alexander shrugs. “It was the only thing that looked remotely appetizing.”
She rolls her eyes. “You and your high standards.”
“Nothing wrong with having high standards, sweetheart.”
