Making our way into the first exhibit, we see the hippos, jellyfish, and octopus. Cameron seems to be fascinated with the color display the jellyfish exhibit has. He never lets go of my hand the whole way through as we weave between the crowds. When we get to the shark exhibit I pull away and walk up to the glass, placing both hands against the glass. They are predators but they still live in a community. It’s amazing to see the workings of that up close.
Turning, I look to see that Cameron is watching me with a smile on his face. “Seeing you here, it’s as if I’m on the inside of those walls with you, getting to see you clearly,” he says and my heart melts. The ice princess he’d called me out on being the day we met has become less and less that since he walked into my world. Leaving the glass, I walk up to him, wrapping my arms around him.
“Oh my God,” a girl screeches from next to us and her eyes are locked on Cameron and me. “You are Cameron McAlister from Ten Ways Gone,” she says, getting louder as she goes on. Cameron gets protective and tries to get me out of sight, but I don’t budge. “And you’re Fate,” she yells, and I slightly flinch, but I don’t think Cameron notices. “You guys are so freaking cute together!” This girl looks like she is going to pass out from the excitement. Cameron is tense and I know he doesn’t know what to do or say because I’m with him.
Screw it world, I’m here. “Thank you,” I say with a smile on my face. “Would you like me to take a picture for you with him?” I suggest, and the girl almost faints right there.
“Really?” She is jumping up and down. I have to laugh because it is so strange to see something like this. “Wait.” She waves to a woman who must be with her and hands this person her phone. “Can I get a picture with both of you?” What?
Come on, Fate, can’t back out now. “Of course,” I say, smiling and I look at Cameron, who is just watching me with an odd expression. We pose for the picture and the girl thanks us before heading off on her way again.
Cameron is still looking at me oddly. “What’s wrong?” I ask.
“Nothing is wrong, I just can’t believe it.” He shakes his head with a little chuckle. “I was panicking thinking you were going to shut down because someone recognized us, but you just soared. I know you don’t want to go public yet, but when you do they are going to care for you just as much as I do.” His carefully chosen words warm my soul because every day we find new triggers and he just rolls with those punches. He is careful of his words and actions so that I feel at ease. I’m in deeper than I could have imagined.
“So where is the French Angel Fish?” Cameron asks and it takes me a moment to know why he’s asking about that particular fish. “I want to see what we have. I bet it will be amazing to watch. I’m sure the world is jealous of us,” he says, joking.
“Well, I’m not sure if they have any here. They don’t have every fish or marine animal. Each aquarium has different things to attract different audiences. Plus, there is just too many in the ocean to cram them into one aquarium,” I say as we continue walking through the exhibits. Cameron sees something and begins pulling me in another direction. I have no option but to follow him away from the walls of the sea turtle exhibit I was currently looking at. When he pulls me in front of the exhibit, I feel my chest tighten.
“We might not have the monogamous French Angel Fish but we do have these. The book you gave me talked about them as well. They share the load of life’s hardships so they both can survive. I know these aren’t the exact ones from the book but my meaning is the same.” Looking through the glass, I feel every bit of his words. Penguins.
Tears begin to sting at my eyes, then start to break free. There are people around going about the attractions, but I feel like we are alone here. “Some things are far too precious to let go and they know that too,” he says and a few tears slip out. He wipes them away and just stares at me.
“Actually, most penguins are monogamous. These African Penguins can be too, but the Emperor Penguin is the most monogamous penguin,” I blurt out, and he chuckles.
“I know, I read about them. Something like fifteen percent stay together in the next mating season but that’s due to circumstances of being torn apart by death or the elements.” I look to him in amazement. Never has someone taken such an interest in something so close to me. “We are that fifteen percent, Fate, because I’m not going to let anything pull us apart.”
“I’m sorry to interrupt such a beautiful moment.” Turning, I see a lady in her late fifties looking at us with tears in her eyes. She has a uniform on, indicating that she works here and the penguin pin tells me this is her exhibit. “We do have French Angel Fish, they are in the exhibit right down that hall on your left.” Cameron snickers and I can’t help but smile at us being caught in our crazy fish moment. Cameron grabs my hand again and turns me to him. He lightly presses his lips to mine. “Most certainly a monogamous creature you have there, miss. You enjoy your day here at the aquarium.” Cameron continues to lead me through the exhibits and my world finally feels complete with him here with me in my other happy place.