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“We were just catching up, buddy,” Liam answers him. “Tell me, which one is your favourite?”

“The dolphins,” he exclaims. “Mummy told me they love their mummies, that they are clever and fast, just like me,” he gloats, and we both laugh.

“He loves all animals. He wanted to get a zebra when we went to the zoo last time. And he went crazy when we saw the lions,” I comment.

“They are cute. I still want one,” Dylan mumbles.

“If it were up to you, I’d have the entire zoo at home, Dylan. I’ll let you have a dog when you are old enough to take care of them,” I tell him.

“I am old enough to take care of them.” I roll my eyes at his whining.

“Why don’t you have a dog? That house has a good space for one,” Liam chimes in, and I glare at him in return.

He smiles sheepishly but stays put while Dylan gets excited.

“See? See? He agrees with me!”

“Sure, will you clean his poop? Take him at ungodly hours of the night for a walk? Remember to feed him and not give him our food?” With every word, his face falls with the realisation that having a puppy is not only playing around.

“I definitely don’t have the time to do that with work, school, and taking care of you. Just wait a few more years, baby.” He nods, and I ruffle his head.

“Look, the shark is coming closer.” Liam’s voice brings Dylan’s attention back to him, and he enthusiastically sits back down on his lap.

I notice how shiny his eyes get when Dylan doesn’t hesitate to get close to him, even if he’s doing it absentmindedly. I know the proximity affects him, and it tugs at his heart as much as mine.

I get that confirmation when he looks at me with an expectant expression. Then he smiles widely before directing his attention back to him.

The soft blue hues of the aquarium’s water cast upon their shadowed faces, highlighting their smiles. My heart beats louder under my ribcage at the sight before me. This is the family I used to dream about, and it’s bittersweet to think that there is a fifty-fifty chance of it being like this—my teenage dream or the worst-case scenario.

Dylan’s shrieks bring me back to the present, only to squeeze my heart even further. Liam is carrying Dylan around, closer to the glass wall and back, threatening to feed him to the sharks, probably because of something cheeky he told him.

They’re bonding.

THIRTY-TWO

Willow

Iamstilloncloud nine over that day we spent together. Dylan got accustomed to Liam pretty easily and even asked him when he was coming back to see him again. After that first tough kid act he had going on, he warmed up to him.

It could have been because Liam bought him everything he asked for and did everything he wanted. He carried him on his shoulders, bought him a giant dolphin, and even took us for some ice cream before taking us back home.

In a matter of a day, he has spoiled the kid I have been trying hard to teach how much life costs. But in all honesty, I didn’t mind it. My son needed it, and from the looks of it, Liam did, too.

Hell, even I did.

On Monday, the battery I had ordered finally arrived, and Liam offered to install it. Which I didn’t even know he could, but in the end, I was so thankful because it saved me a lot of money and time. This means that today—Tuesday—I drove to school.

The car door unlocks as soon as I pull the button on the manual lock. That’s when a slight movement from the outside catches my attention.

Arthur.

“Good morning.”

“Hey,” he greets back. “How are you doing?”

“Fine. You?

“Yeah,” he answers. “Just wanted to make sure you finally took care of that battery.”

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