Jane sighed in relief. Thank God the child wasn't hurt...the woman made a mental note to add that bit of thanks to her prayers for tonight. Jane prayed every night, always for something different, but never for anything for herself. Her prayers were always that of thanks and praise, asking of things for other people, making sure others were taken care of, as she was raised.
The group walked on, stopping at many tanks and exhibits, Sammys favoite being the Otters. She watched them for almost an hour, laughing as the baby otters played and the big otters came straight up to the glass to put their noses against where Sammys hand was. The little girl would squeal with laughter, smiling brightly and clapping each time. She had even asked her father to bring one of them home as a pet.
When Jane felt Taylor getting tired on her shoulders, she bounced a little to lighten the mood for him and to wake Taylor up a bit. "Hey, Taylor, see that school of
red fish?" Jane pointed to a group of red black and yellow fish. "They're called flame angelfish. You wanna hear a cool story?"
Sammy, being utterly content in her father arms, nodded. "Thammy wanna hear the thtory, Janey!" Jane smiled at the little girl and pushed a piece of hair out of her face. In the process, her hand brushed Darrins, and she blushed slightly, pulling her hand back. "Tell Thammy and Taylor the thtory, Janey," The little girl smiled and cuddled into the crook of her daddys neck, yawning.
Jane smiled, looking back at the fish. "There was a time, a long long time ago, when God said that the water needed more beautiful things in it. There were a group of angels who found the ocean so beautiful, so full of life, that they offered to become fish to enhance the beauty in the water," Jane smiled up at Taylor, who was now watching a group of
black and
parrot angelfish as they swam around. "Well, each angel that God chose to become a fish was special and beautiful in his or her own way, so God couldn't allow them all to look the same. He made flame, black, parrot, blue, yellow, white, and orange fish of his beloved angels, and released them into the ocean. He then called them angelfish, and let them keep their wings,"
Sammy laughed. "That not true!" She giggled, poking Jane right on the nose. "Daddy says God is just a made up story!" Sammy looked at her father, still smiling. "Right, daddy?"
Jane looked at Darrin, a slight look of confusion on her face. "Oh." Was all she replied. The young woman didn't look shocked, but rather...hurt? Almost as if he had personally insulted her. When she met his eyes, Jane flushed and looked away. She looked at her watch, then back to Sammy. "Hey, Sammy, if you still want that stuffed fishie, we better hurry. The store closes soon, as does the aquarium,"
Sammy's eyes went wide. "Let go then!" She poked her fahters arm, then toward the exit. "Daddy promithed Thammy a fithy!" Sammy looked at Taylor and laughed. "Taylor and Thammy both want fithies!" Jane laughed, looking up at Taylor.
"Is that true, buddy?" She asked Taylor, smiling as she walked toward the exit. Sure, her shoulders hurt, and her back was a bit sore, but she didn't care. She was happy that the little boy was coming out of his shell a bit, and she liked that he could talk around her now. Jane turned to see Darrin following her as she walked toward the gift shop. It was about 430 in the afternoon and she knew she needed to get home to make dinner.
Once done in the gift shop, about a hundred and fifty dollars later, both children had t-shirts, each had a stuffed fish, Taylor had a shark toy, Sammy had a stuffed Otter, and they'd gotten a picture book with all the fish in it. "Can Janey bring uth here every day, Daddy?" Sammy asked as they walked back to the car.
Jane lowered a nearly sleeping Taylor from her shoulders and buckled him in, making sure he had his fish and shark. She then ruffled his hair gently and got into the car, laughing at Sammys request.