A Day in the Park

Chapter 3

Chloe will be up in a little bit and I need to start breakfast. It’s 7 in the morning; and you really wish that you could sleep in. You walk down the stairs to get the eggs out and start chopping green and red peppers. You hear a beep. Your phone has a new message. You look at it and notice that Liam had responded to your text last night. He asked if it was ok to see you and Chloe again.

I don’t know what to do. You think. I haven’t had anyone in my life since I got custody of Chloe. Kendal walked out because he wasn’t able to handle a kid that wasn’t his. I understood what that kind of feeling is but I can’t just let my niece go off to a foster home. You remember growing up in the foster care system. You and Kayla weren't separated which was a blessing. Some places where ok, with parents that really cared about us but there were some that had children of their own and hated you guys for taking space up in their lives. I was not going to do that to Chloe. She was the only blood family that I had left. I need her just as much as she needed me. What if Liam leaves with the band and Chloe can never see him again? She took such a liking to him. I don’t want her to lose more people than she has to at her age. You decided not to reply. 

Chloe comes walking down the stairs with tears in her eyes. “What’s wrong babez?” You ask. “I had a dream about mommy.” “Oh baby I am so sorry.” “It was a good dream pancakes. I just miss her.” “So do I babez, so do I.” You say. You pick her up and put her in her chair to eat breakfast. While eating you ask “What do you want to do today?” “Can we go see the fish?” “Of course we can.”

You take Chloe upstairs to get dressed. You tell her to go play downstairs while you get dressed as well. You put on a shirt and some shorts and put your hair in a loose pointy tail. With your slight wave it becomes a massive curl. You look in the mirror and notice that your eyes are dark. You never wear makeup so you go and search for your foundation and eye liner. You find it and put it on. Once done you head downstairs. You are about to open the door when you hear a knock at it.  You open up the door and see Liam and someone beside him. You are so shocked that you just stand there. Chloe comes running up and jumps into Liams arms yelling “Liammmmm!” You come back and shake your head. “Liam what are you doing here?” “I thought I would take you guys out for the day.” He says. “We were going to see the fish” Chloe says. Liam smiles and asks if it was ok that he could come with you. You think for a second and respond saying “Sure why not.”

You go and head for your car, but Liam stops you. “I have the car here to take us.” You just look at him with surprised eyes. You hear him chuckle and it takes you out of the frozen state you were in. He takes your hand while Chloe still in his arms and lead you to the car. He drops your hand and opens the door for you. You get in and Chloe slides in next to you. You fasten her seatbelt in the middle right beside you. After you get her settled you go for your seatbelt. Liam gets in next to Chloe and puts his seatbelt on as well.

 You guys have been driving for quite some time now and notice that Chloe is asleep leaning on Liam. You smile to yourself, but it fades when you realize that you should have been there by now. It was only a half hour drive. You look at Liam and ask “Where are we going?” He turns his head to look at you with a smile on his face and says “It’s a surprise.” You look at him like he had three heads. He chuckles and the movement makes Chloe stir. You both look at the sleeping 2 year old on Liams lap and smile. You didn’t know what to do. What is Liam trying to do? He wasn’t supposed to come over let alone spend the day with us. We were to have family time with the fish. Even when I was little the water and the fish was a place that I felt totally comfortable. The same was with Chloe when we first visited. It was a week after Kayla died and I needed to get out of the house. She looks at the fish and then looks at me and says “I feel like I can do anything here, pancakes. I feel like mommy is with us” with a smile on her face.

You notice that you are about to head into Chicago. You look over to Liam and he is looking at you with a smile on his face. You wonder how long he has been looking at you. “Are we going to the Shedd Aquarium Liam?” You ask in delight. He nods his head with a bigger smile spreading on his face. It was the one place that you had wanted to go to since you were a little girl. You woke Chloe up so she was able to see the sky line of Chicago. She just stares out the window with a heart full of joy.  You finally get there and look at the line. You become very sad. Liam looks over to you and just takes your hand and head over to the side door. He knocks three times. Someone opens it up and just lets you slip by him. You look back and see the guy with us; you think his name is Paul, giving the guy a pat on the back. I wonder if Liam had this plan before he even came over this morning. You head straight to the ticket booth and the lady just hands you your tickets. You and Chloe go running to the first fish tank you see and just stand there in awe. Liam walking up behind you guys is laughing like he heard something funny. You look behind you and ask what. “Nothing. Just that you are more like a child more than me when it comes to fish.”  He retorts. You shake your head with a pouty face.

You are in the aquarium when it’s time for the dolphin show. You and Chloe start running to where it is being held with Liam not far behind us. You all take the first row of the stage but Liam has another thing in mind. Someone comes up to you and leads you to the water to go under to change so you are able to swim with them. Since Chloe was still too young Paul said he would watch her while you go off and have fun. During the show you look up and see all these faces that you don’t know. You freeze. You didn’t know that was going to happen. Liam takes your hands and leads you to the side so no one can see you. “What's wrong Kenzie?” Liam says a little scared.  “I-I-I I don’t like to be in front of large crowds.” You respond with a small voice. He takes your face in his hands and make you look at him. “I will not let anything happen to you” He promises. You nod your head slowly. You both slowly return to where the dolphins are. Once you look straight at the dolphins your body starts to relax. Getting into the water you forget that people are there. The only one that you know for sure is there is Liam. He hasn’t let go of your hand since he pulled you off to the side.

“Kenzie that was breathtaking.” Liam excitedly tells you when you both go and change. You were the only one that would do much with the dolphins. You felt like they knew you and you knew them. It was like you were one and everyone saw that. You look at him with ecstatic eyes. You still weren’t off the high of the feeling. You walk up to Liam and take his face into your hands. You kiss him slow and gently. Liam shocked by your actions slowly moved into the kiss. When he knew you weren’t going to pull away he wraps an arm behind you and a hand on your face and kisses you more passionately. You wrap your fingers into his hair and don’t let go. You stayed this way until Paul walks in with Chloe in his hands. Paul clears his throat while Chloe claps.