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“As long as we keep our hands off of each other, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
“And do you think you’ll be able to do that?” Monica asks with a smirk.
Leaning my head towards her, I press a wet kiss to her cheek. “It’ll be hard, but I’ll manage.”
* * *
When we arriveat my mom's house, Monica stays in the car instead of joining me to get Archer. It would only lead to a barrage of questions that neither of us feels like dealing with.
Returning to the car, Archer's expression changes to one of surprise and excitement when he sees Monica waiting in the passenger seat.
"Monica, what are you doing here?" Archer asks, elated.
She glances at me, searching for guidance on what to say. "Well, Archer, Monica really wanted to see you, so I kindly invited her to come along with us," I quickly explain.
"I wanted to see you too, Monica!" Archer declares, wiggling with uncontainable excitement in his booster seat.
"Well, here I am. I'm lucky your dad let me come," she tells him, playing along with my explanation.
Archer doesn't seem to think anything is unusual as he chatters away during the drive to the aquarium.
"What are you excited to see, Archer?" Monica asks once we've parked the car and joined the ticket line.
"I want to see sharks, octopuses, dolphins, and starfish," he lists, and I imagine he would name every animal in the aquarium if he could right now.
As we enter, I remind myself that our relationship is a secret, even from Archer. The thought of not being honest with him makes my stomach uneasy, but I believe it's for the best.
"Look, Dad!" Archer exclaims as we reach level one, completely captivated by the sharks. He eagerly rushes to the tanks, pressing his tiny hands against the glass as he gazes at the creatures. I know I should probably tell him to step back, but his excitement is too adorable to spoil.
Monica and I stay behind him, our hands occasionally brushing against each other without interlocking. As much as I desire it, I can't risk having to explain our relationship to my son. Not yet.
"Can we have a shark?" Archer asks, his gaze fixed on the shark tank.
I chuckle at his question but admire his enthusiasm.
"I’m afraid we aren’t allowed to have a pet shark, Archer. But we can always come back to the aquarium to visit them," I explain, hoping it doesn't dash his dreams completely.
"Can Monica come too?" he asks, undeterred by my rejection of the pet shark idea.
"If Monica wants to, she's more than welcome," I assure him sincerely, secretly hoping Monica would be open to joining us again.
Archer continues to explore the floor, with Monica and me following his lead. It's a peaceful moment, and my heart feels full. I wouldn't mind at all if Monica joined us on future outings.
I can't even recall the last time Jessica and I did something like this with Archer. It was always just him and me going out, with Jessica often finding an excuse or simply not wanting to join us.
"I'd love to do something like this again," Monica says, earning a fist pump from Archer as he heads over to a tank of octopuses.
It used to hurt so much to see the disappointment on Archer's face whenever his mother didn't want to be part of our outings. But now, with Monica's assurance that she wants to do this again, I feel a deep sense of contentment.
Archer and I have been our own little family for so long. Even when Jessica and I were married, it often felt that way. But being here with Monica makes me yearn for something more, something I never thought I could have after separating from Jessica. Until Monica entered the picture.
The thought is daunting, considering the nature of our current relationship, but it holds a certain allure nonetheless.
"Archer, would you ever try octopus?" Monica asks, squatting down to be at his eye level as he stares at the tank.
"Eat octopus? No!" he exclaims, appearing puzzled by the suggestion.
"Many people enjoy it. Some find it delicious," she explains, maintaining a smile on her face.
