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16
“Daddy, look it’s a baby.” Savannah grabs my head and pushes my chin, forcing me to turn toward the giant enclosure. A baby giraffe leans its long neck toward its mother, resting its head against her silky fur and half closing its eyes. I watch my daughter looking at the creatures, completely taken and mesmerized by their elegance. She’s beautiful, and watching the world through her eyes reminds me how lucky I am. How precious these moments are, how much I still have to teach her, and all the things I need to shelter her from.
“Daddy, he’s looking at me. The baby is looking at me.” She shrieks and waves at the animal whose rich brown eyes study my daughter as if he too was intrigued and delighted by her.
I share a smile with Annie who’s has an arm around Libby’s shoulder, and for a short blissful moment, the world is perfect before Libby groans and whines that she needs to go to the toilet. Annie sighs as we make a wild scramble to the nearest toilets. Out of nowhere Savannah chimes in and starts to cry stating that she can’t hold it in for another second. My phone rings. It’s work. I shrug at Annie who rolls her eyes and shepherds the girls towards the nearest toilet block.
I swipe the screen, recognising Sergeant Williams’ number. “Hey.”
“Just thought you’d want to know the lawyer is getting him out on bail.”
“He’s what?”
“They won’t hold him.”
“But—”
“I know, I just thought you’d want to know.”
The line cuts off and I’m left with a silent phone in my hand. I shove it in my pocket, feeling anger rise inside me. It’s like steam; it seeps from every pore and every part of me. I try to shake it off as I make my way back towards the toilet block. The zoo is full of families, kids chewing on caramel apples and cotton candy in shades of pink, yellow, and blue, sticky fingers and red lips as they get on their sugar highs and tired parents chase them around. A woman pushes a pram in front of me. She looks haggard; dark bags under her eyes as she fakes a smile at the baby she pushes. I sigh and keep walking.
As I approach, I see my girls each holding a red balloon, smiling and laughing, and Annie is talking animatedly with the seller. The girls giggle and clap about something else and then wrap themselves around the stranger. Annie pulls out her phone and indulges them as she always does. Watching their faces relaxes me a little. I feel the tension roll off my shoulders with each step, with each small giggle that pierces my heart. I take another step and reach my wife. I take her hand and kiss her on the cheek. She frowns.
“You okay?”
I nod. “Work.”
“Daddy, daddy, look at my balloon.” Savannah is tugging my jeans, and I find her sweet face stretched in a delightful smile. “Amy gave it to me.”
I freeze. My gaze drifts away from my daughter’s face and to the stranger who just took a picture with them. Amy stands with a bunch of coloured balloons. Her chequered skirt is short and covers her thin waist. She wears a black crop top that’s way too revealing at the front, and subtle, natural makeup that brings out all her best features.
“Hi.” She smiles at me. “You have a beautiful family.” She extends her hand. “Amy.”
I take her hand in mine and squeeze far harder than I need to. “Joe,” I manage through gritted teeth. I can hear my blood gush around my head as my heart threatens to pound its way out of my chest.
“Nice to meet you.” She smiles and pulls her hand from mine. If I hurt her she’s not showing any signs of pain.
“Yeah, you too,” I mumble and turn back to my girls. “Who wants ice cream?”
“Me!” my two girls scream in unison, and Annie gives me a look. It’s not so much irritation as it is suspicion.
I shrug. “We’re celebrating.” I wink at my wife and give her a small peck, aware of Amy’s eyes on us. “Take the girls to the cafeteria, I’ll sort out the balloons and meet you there.”
Annie smiles at me and grabs the girls. “The usual?” she asks.
“Yeah.”
I watch her walk away and towards the cafeteria that I know is on the other side of the zoo.
“What’s the usual?” I hear Amy behind me, and the anger that has already tickled my skin from my previous conversation flames into fury.
I whirl towards her like a tornado about to decimate everything in its path. “What the fuck were you thinking? Is this some kind of sick fucking game to you, Amy?”
“What do you mean?”
“What do I mean?” I take a few steps towards her, and she backs up toward the toilet cubicle. She stops when her back hits the speckled white wall. “Showing up here. Giving my girls balloons, taking a fucking picture with them? Are you out of your mind? Why are you doing this? Are you trying to blackmail me?” I loom over her and stare into her green eyes.
“Don’t insult me, Joe.”
