SHADOWS OF THE PAST

THE ZOO TRIP

Logan was pacing nervously outside the zoo entrance, glancing at his watch every few minutes. Today was the day. He was finally going to spend some real time with Ethan, and he didn’t want to mess it up. Maya had suggested the zoo, knowing Ethan loved animals, and Logan hoped it would be a good chance for them to bond.

A few minutes later, he spotted Maya’s car pulling into the parking lot. His heart raced as he saw Ethan hop out of the car, his little face lighting up when he saw the zoo entrance. Maya smiled at Logan and waved.

“Hey!” Logan called out, trying to keep his voice steady.

“Hey, Logan,” Maya replied as she walked over with Ethan. “Ethan’s been excited all morning.”

Logan smiled down at his son, who was clutching a small stuffed T-Rex. “Hey, buddy! Ready to see some real animals today?”

Ethan nodded eagerly, his eyes wide with excitement. “Yeah! I wanna see the lions and the tigers! And the monkeys too!”

Logan chuckled. “Well, we’ve got a whole zoo to explore, so we’ll see them all.”

Maya crouched down next to Ethan, smoothing his hair. “You’re going to have so much fun, Ethan. And Logan’s going to show you all the cool animals.”

Ethan looked up at his mother, then back at Logan. “Is he coming too?”

Maya smiled gently. “Yes, sweetie. Logan’s coming with us today. He wants to spend time with you.”

Ethan looked uncertain for a moment but then nodded. “Okay.”

Logan breathed a small sigh of relief. “Alright, let’s get going.”

They walked through the zoo entrance, and Ethan’s excitement grew with every step. He pulled on Logan’s hand, dragging him toward the lion exhibit. Maya followed behind, watching the two of them closely.

“Look!” Ethan exclaimed, pointing at the lions lounging in the sun. “They’re sleeping!”

Logan crouched down beside him. “Yeah, lions sleep a lot during the day. But did you know they’re really strong? When they’re awake, they can run really fast.”

Ethan’s eyes widened. “Really? How fast?”

“Faster than you can run,” Logan said with a grin.

Ethan giggled. “No way! I’m super fast!”

Maya chuckled as she caught up with them. “He’s been practicing his running lately. I Think he’s as fast as a cheetah.”

“Well,” Logan said, standing up, “cheetahs are the fastest, but I bet you’re close.”

Ethan beamed and grabbed Logan’s hand again. “Come on! Let’s see the tigers next!”

They spent the next hour wandering through the zoo, stopping at each exhibit as Ethan asked a million questions. Logan did his best to answer them, and Maya chimed in with a few facts of her own. Slowly, Ethan started to warm up to Logan, and by the time they reached the monkey enclosure, he was holding Logan’s hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Monkeys are so funny!” Ethan laughed as they watched one swing from branch to branch. “They’re like people, but with tails!”

Logan grinned. “Yeah, they are pretty funny. Did you know they’re really smart too? Some of them can figure out puzzles and even use tools.”

Ethan’s face lit up. “Wow! Can I have a pet monkey?”

Maya laughed. “I don’t think a monkey would like living in our house, Ethan. They need a lot of space to swing around.”

Ethan pouted for a moment, then shrugged. “Okay. But I still think they’re cool.”

Logan glanced at Maya, sharing a smile. It was going better than he’d expected. Ethan seemed happy, and Logan was starting to feel like maybe, just maybe, he could do this. He could be part of Ethan’s life.

“Hey, how about we take a break and get some ice cream?” Logan suggested.

Ethan’s face brightened immediately. “Yes! Ice cream!”

They made their way to a small café in the zoo, where Logan bought them all ice cream cones. They sat at a picnic table, enjoying the warm day.

Ethan licked his ice cream, his face smeared with chocolate. “Logan, what’s your favorite animal?”

Logan thought for a moment. “Hmm, I think I like wolves. They’re strong and they work together as a team.”

“Wolves are cool!” Ethan agreed. “They howl at the moon! Can you howl?”

Logan laughed. “I can try, but I don’t think I’m as good as a wolf.”

“Do it!” Ethan urged, giggling.

Logan grinned, then tilted his head back and gave a playful howl. Ethan burst into laughter, clapping his hands.

“That was funny!” Ethan said, still giggling. “Do it again!”

Logan howled again, making Maya laugh too. “You’re not bad at that, Logan,” she teased.

“Well, I’ve had some practice,” Logan joked. “Used to do it when I was a kid.”

Ethan wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Can we see more animals after this?”

“Of course,” Logan said. “We’ve still got a lot more to see.”

After finishing their ice cream, they continued exploring the zoo, stopping to see the giraffes, zebras, and even a few reptiles. Ethan’s energy never seemed to run out, and he was constantly asking Logan to tell him more about the animals.

As the afternoon wore on, they finally made their way to the dinosaur exhibit. Ethan’s face lit up as they walked through the giant skeleton displays.

“Dinosaurs are the best!” Ethan said, running ahead to look at the T-Rex skeleton. “This one’s my favorite!”

Logan smiled, watching him. “Mine too. Did you know that the T-Rex had teeth as long as your arm?”

Ethan’s eyes widened. “Really? That’s so cool!”

Maya walked up beside Logan, her voice quiet. “He’s really enjoying this.”

Logan nodded, his heart full. “Yeah. I’m glad we did this.”

Maya smiled softly. “So am I.”

As the day came to an end, they made their way to the exit. Ethan was tired but happy, clutching his stuffed T-Rex and yawning as they walked.

“Did you have fun today, buddy?” Logan asked.

Ethan nodded sleepily. “Yeah. Thanks for taking me to the zoo, Logan.”

Logan’s heart swelled at the sound of his son saying his name. “Anytime, Ethan. We’ll do it again soon.”

As they reached the parking lot, Maya helped Ethan into the car, buckling him in. She turned to Logan with a smile. “That went really well.”

Logan smiled back. “Yeah, it did. Thanks for giving me this chance, Maya.”

Maya nodded. “You’re welcome, Logan. I think we’re on the right track.”

Logan watched as they drove away, feeling a mix of emotions. Today had been a step forward, a small victory in a long journey. He knew there was still a lot to work through, but for the first time in a long time, Logan felt hopeful. He was becoming a part of his son’s life, and that was all he had ever wanted.