Single Parent-trip \\ Cashton

Chapter 13

"Aiden!" Calum called out, groaning as he tried to keep up with the boy. Aiden simply giggled, still running up the stairs, all the way to the top of the lighthouse. It was a big building and definitely a high one, almost a bit like a control tower, like the ones you find on airports.

The dark haired boy was quick to reach the top of the tower and find a place to sit on the benches in the room. The big light was on top of the room he was in now, the walls almost completely made out of glass so you could look over the whole island and the ocean. It was an amazing lighthouse, which was one of the reasons Aiden was so excited. The pretty views being another, since Aiden obviously loved pretty things.

Calum was pretty much out of breath the second he reached the top of the stairs as well, taking a minute to catch his breath again, before looking at Aiden a little sternly. "You can't just go off like that."

"Sorry." The boy apologised, smiling a little innocently. Calum huffed lightly, but then joined his son, shaking his head a little. "You're lucky we were the first ones here."

Aiden giggled, nodding and then looking out of the window behind him, taking in the ocean. It was calm today, only some soft waves hitting the rocks or the beach. It made the view absolutely beautiful and Calum could only imagine what it would look like with sunrise or sunset.

One by one, more of the group –who had chosen this excursion- joined on the top floor, soon everyone sitting on the benches and admiring the view, Ashton and another person being the last to arrive. It had made Aiden happy when the travel guide had greeted them and even happier when the answer to his question (if the travel guide was joining) was a 'yes'. Just like he had hoped.

"Buenos tardes, everyone. Welcome to the island's lighthouse. Today we will be listening to the story of it, told by Mr. Alvarez, and then there is the opportunity to ask questions and look around. Be careful when you go onto the balcony and don't forget to enjoy." Ashton told the group, who had fallen silent the second he had started talking.

The travel guide then told the man next to him, who was probably the Mr. Alvarez Ashton had told them about, to go ahead and he took the spotlight while Ashton went to sit down. Aiden was grinning widely and caught the man's eyes, patting the empty spot next to him. And really, Ashton couldn't say no, soon sitting down next to the boy.

Aiden scooted a little closer to the curly haired man, who chuckled when noticing, but kept his eyes on Mr. Alvarez, who started his story about the lighthouse.

At first, everyone was interested in the way the man told the story, his English laced with a Spanish accent and every word pronounced almost carefully. The story wasn't all that bad and it was interesting, but mostly at the beginning. Most kids started to get restless the longer it went on, shifting in their seats or whispering with other kids if they got bored too.

Aiden was sitting between two grown-ups and Aries wasn't here either, so he was left to entertain himself, not wanting to be rude and make his dad or Ashton pay attention to him instead of the man who was telling the story. He also didn't want to just get up and go outside to enjoy the view, knowing his dad would follow –and thus he would still move his dad's attention to himself- and knowing it was rude towards the man.

So, Aiden kind of ended up staring at things. He had started with staring at the ocean, because he found that really pretty. He then moved his eyes around the room, taking it in again and taking in all the people. There was one boy, who seemed a little younger than himself, dressed in a Ninja Turtle onesie, which he found cool, if he was honest. The boy looked back at him, smiling and showing he was missing a tooth too, one more to the side though. It made Aiden smile as well, before he waved at the boy. The boy waved back, kicking his tiny legs back and forth.