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Following the oceanarium show, we head over to the Polar Play Zone to watch the beluga whales and the penguins. I’m mildly disgusted when we arrive at another touch station, and Weston bullies me again into touching a starfish.
Finally, we head off to the gift shop. Ethan is wild about the giant octopus on the ceiling. He goes crazy over all the stuffed animals. Weston and I nip at his heels, amused. The great thing about seeing the excitement in a child is that it reminds you to stop going through life on auto-pilot, and take a minute to enjoy the simple things.
Ethan spots a large stuffed sea turtle. He’s madly in love. I like it too. It’s one of those pillow type stuffies that you can lay on as you lounge and watch TV. I’m not so impressed when I see the price tag though. It’s sixty dollars. But since Weston has kindly paid for all the tickets, I can afford it. They’re only young once, as they say.
Weston insists on paying for the turtle and we have quite the dispute about it. Finally, he relents and lets me buy my boy his toy. I scowl at him all the way out of the aquarium.
Ethan hugs his turtle like it’s about to leave for college. When I attempt to pry it from his pudgy little hands, he screams. Weston kneels down and explains the situation. “See all those steps, Ethan?”
Ethan stares down the giant stairway dotted with people, walking up and down.
“You can’t carry that big turtle and walk down the stairs at the same time,” Weston explains. “You’re too small. You might fall and hurt yourself.”
Ethan raises a brow, pondering what he’s just been told. He doesn’t say much, but he seems to understand everything. He’s smart, like his dad.
“Do you want me to carry your turtle for you?” Weston asks. “I’ll give it back when we get to the bottom.”
Ethan nods repeatedly and hands the giant turtle to Weston.
Following a long walk down the steps, I spot Weston’s town car, waiting for us in the distance. Ethan stretches to the tip of his toes and grabs at his turtle. Weston gladly hands it back.
We say hello to Edward, and all hop in the car.
As soon as we’re all settled in, I lean back and close my eyes. I’m thoroughly exhausted.
The ride doesn’t feel too long, and when we finally arrive, Edward helps us out of the car, and I thank him again. Weston takes my hand and Ethan’s too as we head into Orchard Heights. “I have a surprise for you.”
“Oh, I don’t know if I can take any more surprises, Weston. I’m exhausted.”
He smiles, but doesn’t say a thing.
“And I still need to go cook dinner and give Ethan his bath.”
“Well, that’s my surprise,” he cheers. “We’re making you dinner. At my place.”
“Really?” I’m liking the sound of this.
“How does veal piccata with capers, pasta, grilled eggplant and homemade bread sound to you?”
“Well, I don’t know about the eggplant, but the rest sounds delicious.”
He presses the elevator button. “It’s all taken care of.”
We all step into the elevator, and as I reach for the 2 button, he stops me. “We’re all going up to the penthouse.”
“Right now?”
He smiles. “Yes, Ashton and Lizzie are working on dinner as we speak.”
“You have them for the weekend?”
“Yes, Bridget was kind enough to tweak the schedule. I wanted them home tonight. I want all of us to spend time together.”
“They’re making me dinner?” I ask, flabbergasted.
He takes my hand. “Yes… they like you a lot, Gretchen. They know what you and Ethan mean to me. We talk about you all the time.” He smiles. “They were on to us straight from the beginning. They’re happy for me.”
