That was all the invitation he needed.
It wasn't long before the three of them were laughing at the penguins' clumsy dives and pointing out the lazy lions sprawled under the shade. Axiel pressed his small hands against the glass at the aquarium, eyes wide as shimmering fish moved past. Clara found herself watching his reactions more than the animals. There was just something unfiltered about his excitement, something pure.
When they were leaving the Zoo, Axiel tugged at her sleeve, his voice hopeful.
"Can we get McDonald's?"
Clara hesitated, glancing at Sofia as if for approval. Would the Ashfords be fine with fast food? But Sofia only shrugged with a small smile, silently giving her blessing. Clara grinned.
"Sure. Today, I'm in charge."
They ended up in a booth by the window, sunlight spilling across their trays. Axiel demolished his burger, then his fries, and then, without hesitation, finished the nuggets Sofia had ordered for herself. Clara tried not to laugh at how proud he looked when he patted his full stomach.
Afterwards, they wandered into a nearby bookstore. Clara expected him to head straight for comics or colorful picture books. Instead, Axiel drifted toward the shelves Clara herself had once combed through as a child. There were stories of adventure, friendship, and strange lands.
"You like these?" she asked, curious.
"They look fun," he said with a shy smile.
She picked out a few popular titles suitable for eight year olds, and his face lit up like he had just been handed a treasure. At that moment, they found their first shared hobby. Reading. He couldn't stop talking about which book he would start first and how quickly he planned to finish reading them.
Their last stop was an ice cream parlor, where Axiel chose the largest cone they offered. Halfway through, his hands and face were a sticky mess, but he didn't care. He sat on the edge of his chair, swinging his legs and laughing at something Sofia said, his happiness so bright, it was almost contagious.
Sofia had been quiet for most of the day. When she first saw Axiel, she blinked rapidly, trying to hold back tears. Seeing Axiel again hit her harder than she expected. He had grown so much, yet there was no mistaking the blend of features from both Ethan and Clara. The shape of his eyes, the curve of his nose...so similar to Clara's it was almost impossible not to notice.