AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Arlo grins as he raises the tickets. "Can I tell you something?"
"Of course."
Arlo blows out a breath. "I never get free things, especially because I look so much younger than my age. I know I tricked the receptionist, but I really want some alien popcorn. Please don't hold it against me."
My heart swells as I take Arlo's hand in mine. "You made a mistake, boy. If the receptionist sees us kissing by the exhibits, she'll be very cross."
I bet she has many monitors behind her desk. She probably watches people get up to hanky-panky all the time.
Arlo blushes as he takes my hand. "We can be naughty. I don't mind."
I let out a groan as I squeeze Arlo's hand. Arlo is so dirty. The games he plays, the naughty jokes. This isn't something I'm used to.
I smile as I crush my lips to his. "Let's see the museum, boy." I drag my palm to his ass. "We can get up to naughty fun later. Right now, I want to show you some aliens."
Arlo lets out a laugh as he kisses me hard. "Yeah, Daddy." He pokes my chest. "There are so many awesome aliens in this museum! I did my research online. We're in for a treat."
Arlo tugs me toward the exhibits. I can't help but shake my head in amusement as people stare at us walking hand in hand, side by side. But I don't care. Arlo and I are having an innocent afternoon full of fun, and these people can think what they want.
Yes, Arlo is younger than me, and yes, I'm old enough to be his father. I'm pushing forty, for fuck's sake. But right here, right now, I just want to explore extraterrestrial life with him. What's so wrong with that?
I step in front of Arlo, and lead him to the first exhibit. "Look, boy." I squeeze his hand and tap the glass, pointing to a TV screen surrounded by spaceships. "This man claims he saw strange things in Arizona."
Arlo squints as he reads the captions on the screen. "Wow." He lets out a wolf whistle. "A spaceship visited him in his trailer park. It hovered over a cluster of saguaro cactuses and tried to steal his doggy."
It lights me up inside to see Arlo enjoying this exhibit so much. I squeeze his hand and gesture to the screen.
"He was also drunk that night," I add. "You missed the part where he had a twelve pack. Don't forget that."
"Hey." Arlo whips around and pokes my chest. "No questioning the sightings, Daddy. I believe in aliens and you should, too."
I bury Arlo in a hug. The cuteness is unreal. I feel like I'm accompanying my religious grandmother to church, but I force myself to listen to Arlo.
That's the thing about faith. It's easy to scoff at things that seem contrary to science, but you don't know what's true or not until it happens. If an alien came down this instant and ushered me into his spaceship, I sure as hell would believe in them. And then everyone else would be the "crazy" ones.
I'd especially love it if the aliens took Arlo with me. Then we'd be able to have snuggle forts in spaceships and no one could stop us.
Arlo spots an exhibit on the other side of the room. "Oooh." He quivers with excitement. "Can we see that one?"
I peek at a giant spaceship replica. Green lights project onto it and illuminates it like an emerald. Tiny aliens sit in the windows and stare at the museum-goers. Ominous music emanates out of dark speakers.
I nod. "Let's go, boy."
Arlo's jaw drops when we arrive at the spaceship. He buries me in a hug, then looks at the aliens and tries to stay in control.
"See this, boy?" I tap the speakers. "This is a space recording. Scientists captured deep frequencies that they think come from otherworldly beings."
Arlo squints as he reads the sign.
Scientists mapped sound waves from distant galaxies onto a speech transmission device. They created this ominous soundtrack that sounds like whales communicating underwater.
I pull Arlo close to me as we listen to the recording. It grows louder. The mysterious sound waves really sound like orca whales, and I can't help but question my disbelief in aliens.
I close my eyes and picture aliens and spaceships in the galaxy, visiting various planets, rescuing boys like Arlo, taking them to safe planets far away.
It's exactly what Arlo and I imagined in the bathtub last night. Kind aliens who care about making our universe a better place.
"These are the aliens I dreamt about when I wanted a strong wind to blow me away, Daddy." Arlo wraps his arms around me. "This is the same spaceship design and everything. I knew they were real."
