Page 44 of Secret Baby's Second Shot

Enzo reached over, his hand resting briefly on mine. “We’ve got this, Summer.”

His touch was warm, reassuring, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like maybe we could figure this out.

As the sundipped lower in the sky, Ava ran back to us, her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright.

“Can we get ice cream now?” she asked, bouncing on her toes.

“Only if you promise to share with Bunny,” Enzo said, crouching down to her level.

“I promise!” she said, giggling.

We walked back to the car together, Ava skipping between us, holding both of our hands.

22

ENZO

The parking lot outside the science fair buzzed with activity—families unloading strollers, kids chattering excitedly, and volunteers directing people toward the main entrance. I stepped out of the car, holding Ava’s hand as she hopped out, clutching Bunny tightly under her arm.

“Is it going to be big?” she asked, her eyes wide as she craned her neck to look at the tall banners flapping in the breeze.

“Very big,” I said, smiling. “There are going to be lots of cool experiments, games, and maybe even a few surprises.”

“Like what?” she asked eagerly.

“You’ll have to wait and see,” I teased, tugging her gently toward the entrance.

Inside,the convention center was alive with energy. Booths lined the walls, each one featuring colorful signs and interactive displays. Kids crowded around tables filled with beakers, magnets, and models of the solar system. Ava’s eyes widened as she took it all in, her excitement bubbling over.

“Can we go there first?” she asked, pointing to a booth with a spinning vortex of colored smoke.

“Lead the way, partner,” I said, letting her pull me through the crowd.

The demonstrator at the booth explained how the smoke vortex worked, using air pressure to create the swirling effect. Ava was mesmerized, her little hands gripping the edge of the table as she leaned forward to watch.

“It looks like magic!” she said, her voice full of wonder.

“It’s science,” I said, crouching beside her. “Even cooler than magic.”

She looked at me, her face serious. “Do you know how it works, Enzo?”

“I do,” I said, smiling. “But I think you’ll figure it out soon enough. You’re already smarter than I was at your age.”

Her face lit up at the compliment. “Really?”

“Really,” I said, ruffling her curls.

We spentthe next hour exploring the fair. At one booth, Ava tried her hand at building a bridge with foam blocks, carefully stacking pieces while I held Bunny for her. At another, she laughed as she made slime, her hands sticky with glittery goo.

“You’re a natural scientist,” I said as she proudly held up her slime creation.

“I’m going to be a scientist and a doctor,” she declared.

I smiled, my chest tightening. “That’s an impressive plan.”

“Do you think I can do it?” she asked, looking up at me with wide, earnest eyes.

“I know you can,” I said firmly.

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