Page 29 of Season of Mercy
Unwanted.
The unwelcome memory of being lost in the zoo resurfaced in the back of his mind.
Ethan prayed for Stevie, and by the way Mercy’s lips were moving, he could guess she was praying, too.
They reached the area with the huge aquariums quickly.
Ethan consulted with the map. “That way!” He pointed to the right.
He spotted Stevie’s small figure, his salad-green T-shirt and blue dungarees, from far away. Such a strong wave of relief covered Ethan that he could barely breathe.
Mercy dashed to their son. “Sweetie! I was so scared.”
She hugged the boy tightly, tears running down her face. She let him go, looked at him, then hugged him again, as if afraid he’d disappear if she let him go even for a second.
“We’re so glad we found you.” Now that the scare was gone, Ethan felt fatigued and elated at the same time.
“I wasn’t lost, Daddy. Why scared, Mommy? I went to touch the stingrays. Look!” The boy eased out of Mercy’s embrace, reached into the water, and stroked the top of a large ray. “Wanna touch it, Daddy? Mommy?”
Mercy shook her head, but Ethan obliged. The stingray’s surface felt like glue under his fingertips.
She grabbed Stevie in a hug again. “Don’t ever walk away like that. Please. I was scared out of my wits when I couldn’t see you. I love you so much.”
“Okay, Mommy.” Stevie shrugged out of her embrace. “I love you and you, Daddy. Can we go see the sharks now? Oh, and where are the snacks?”
“I dropped them somewhere.” Ethan smiled sheepishly. He’d left the stroller behind, too. No matter. He’d buy a new one. The main thing was that Stevie was all right.
Stevie’s lower lip stuck out. “No snacks?”
Ethan leaned to him. “How about we see the sharks and whatever other animals you want to see and then have a late lunch at Mamá Rosa’s? Today’s special is chicken mole. And I’m sure she can find some strawberry ice cream for you.”
“Yay! Chicken mole! Ice cream! But sharks first.”
“Aren’t you tired, sweetie?” Mercy leaned to Stevie.
The boy sighed. “A little. But I wanna see sharks.”
Ethan scooped him up. “Okay, let’s see sharks and then eat chicken mole and ice cream.”
Mercy’s lips tugged up, her smile warming his heart. “Sounds good to me.”
As they moved along a huge glass wall behind which sharks swam peacefully, Ethan realized something.
After the incident in the zoo when he’d been a kid, he’d always been afraid his parents would leave him. It was probably ridiculous, and he’d never allowed himself to think about it.
Just like he didn’t allow himself to think how much he was afraid to lose Mercy and Stevie.
CHAPTER FIVE
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AWEEK LATER, AS ETHANdrove to visit his father on Saturday, he sang along to the radio. Usually, he preferred Tejano music, but ever since hearing Tom Marks in person, Ethan had started listening to his CDs and the gospel radio station. He found each song encouraging and uplifting. Granted, he was no Tom Marks, but nobody could hear him in the car.
Ethan made a turn and drummed his fingers against the steering wheel in rhythm to the song’s beat.
With each day, he was drawn more and more to his wife, and spending time with Mercy and Stevie filled Ethan with joy. Stevie felt much better. The three of them had gone to a seafood restaurant, a pizzeria where kids could also play games, children’s movies, and Stevie’s favorite, a petting farm.
Ethan pulled into the neighborhood where he’d grown up. Maybe they should get a puppy for Stevie. Or two. Stevie had been asking for one ever since spending time with Ethan’s parents’ rescue, a large and friendly chow-chow.
