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“I know I don’t. I want to. I really do,” I told him sincerely.
Titus wrapped his arms around me for a hug. His touch made me lightheaded. I couldn’t deny it. I was falling for Titus and I was falling hard.
Inside the aquarium, we watched the turtles and then took a ride on the glass-bottom boat. We both enjoyed it. After that, we played 18 holes of mini-golf.
“You know I let you win, right?” he said teasingly.
“Whatever you need to tell yourself to sleep at night.”
Titus laughed.
From there we teamed up to take down a party of ten-year-olds playing laser tag.
“Crushed them!” I said collecting my high-five from Titus.
And after that, we took a tour of the ‘Ripley’s Believe it or Not’ museum. Titus believed it. I did not.
As the day approached evening, we took a walk through the scenic town. No longer able to resist, I linked our arms. I had an explanation ready if he asked why I had. He never did. It almost made me think he liked holding me as much as I did him. Almost.
“Hey, isn’t that one of those DNA testing places?” I asked spotting a new storefront between the candle shop and antique store.
“You mean where they test your DNA to find out where your ancestors came from?”
“Or, find a long-lost brother,” I suggested remembering what he had told me on the drive from school.
Titus froze looking at me.
“I mean, if you want to. I just thought that if your mother doesn’t want to tell you anything about him, you might be able to find him on your own.”
Titus turned towards the business’s door and stared at it.
“Do you think that’s something you might want? If you don’t, we could keep walking. I was just thinking…”
“No. It’s a good idea,” he said not moving.
“Did you want to go in? It’ll be my treat,” I suggested unsure what I should do.
“What if I find out something about my dad that I don’t like?” he asked breaking his silence.
“How so?”
“I mean, you know how I told you that my father was a pilot who got shot down during the Iraq war?”
“Yeah.”
“What if that’s not true?”
“What do you mean? Did your father not get shot down over Iraq?”
“That’s what my mother has always told me.”
“You think she might be lying?”
“What if she just said that to stop me from asking questions about him?”
“You don’t believe her?”
Titus turned to me. “Doesn’t that sound a little too good to be true? Doesn’t every kid who never knew their father wish they were a pilot and war hero?”
