“Let’s see if he passes out.”He starts walking, and I take over pushing the stroller.
We walk a little more, see a few exhibits, and Tanner is still awake, although his eyes are drowsy.We point out the elephants, the gorillas, and a lot of the larger mammals before we head into the Nocturnal House with the hopes that the darkness will allow Tanner to fall asleep.
“Gonna be honest, this isn’t my favorite.”I peek at Tanner and see he’s finally succumbed to sleep.“But it worked, he’s out.”
“Then let’s get out of here,” Easton says.
“Is Easton Bailey scared?”
“No.”But his footsteps are a little faster as we walk out the doors.
I giggle as he puts Tanner in the stroller, and we use the shade to block as much of the sun as we can with the hopes he stays asleep.
Easton tickles me, and I jump.
“Jesus!”I shout, giving him a death glare.
He only laughs, pushing the stroller away.
“Not funny.”
“It was a little funny.”He still can’t stop laughing.
As I watch him walk ahead, I’m reminded that this is us.We’re good together as friends and teammates.
“I’m starved.What do you want?”he asks.
After we grab a pretzel with cheese, my choice, and a hot dog and nachos, his choice, we find a spot away from everyone on a bench by the Lily Pool.
“I have to tell you something.”The tone of his voice makes me pause mid-bite into my pretzel.“I’ve decided to try to find Tanner’s mom.”
“Oh.”I put my pretzel back in the plastic tray.This ping in my chest shouldn’t be there.This is good.Good for Easton and definitely good for Tanner.I want him to have his mom in his life, of course.“I’ll help.”
I repeat my words in my head a second time, wondering where the hell they came from.He probably doesn’t want my help.
“You don’t have to.”He dips a nacho chip into the cheese and tosses it into his mouth.
“I want to.”I put my hand on his thigh.“For Tanner.”
“Well, I started a list without names—just places and vague details.I’m trying to put out feelers with the guys I was hanging with when I was with these women.”
He looks almost ashamed that he can’t point out one woman and that he doesn’t know her name.
Something twists in my chest.I never gave much thought to what or who Easton might have been doing when I wasn’t around, back when we were just hooking up.Now, picturing him with other women just makes me feel… well, I’d rather not think about it.
“Well, I’m happy to do whatever I can.”I plaster on a smile.
He nods.“It might be for nothing, but I want to try.”
I pick up my pretzel and dip it in the cheese.“I don’t blame you.I’d do the same.”
We eat for a few minutes, silence descending on us.He checks in on Tanner, who is still out cold.
“Are you gonna share that pretzel?”he asks, as if a switch has been flipped.
I tear off a piece and dip it in the cheese before handing it to him.He opens his mouth and I lift it, but a little bit of cheese falls on his chin right as I place the pretzel in his mouth.
“Whoops.”I swipe the spot of cheese and lick it off my finger.
