Stray Heart

Mike and I have decided to take Sean to the zoo where we had our first date. We pay for our tickets and walk in to the entrance.
'Do you remember the last time we were here?' I giggle, holding Sean on my hip.
'Oh God that was great - our first proper date.' He says, smiling at the memory.
'You said you loved me for the first time.' I remind him and he smiles again fondly.
'You said the same to me.' He grins and I kiss him as we walk. We arrive at the ape enclosure and there is one sitting right next to the glass. Mike takes a picture of it and laughs as it taps the window. Sean laughs at it and stretches his tiny arms to the glass. Mike clicks the camera again of Sean looking utterly entranced by the monkey.

Mike is holding Sean now, and after a while we stop to buy some lunch. The elderly cashier serves us.
'What a beautiful baby!' She coos and we laugh.
'Thankyou.' Mike nods, putting the money down on the bench.
'Haven't you got a lovely brother, taking you and his girlfriend out to the zoo!' She says in a baby voice to Sean and Mike frowns.
'Actually, I'm his Dad and this is my fiancé.' He corrects her and she flashes a smile as she turns red.
'Oh my I'm so sorry!' She says, handing us our food and change.
'It's nothing, we get it a lot.' I reassure her with a smile. Her grin returns and she gives us our change as we go to sit down. I take a bite of my sandwich and Sean begins to cry.
'Looks like someone else is hungry too!' I smile, taking him from Mike and retrieving the bottle from my bag and feeding my gorgeous little baby, who by the way has my nose and Mike's eyes. He finishes drinking, as Mike finishes his sandwich, and he takes Sean off me so I can eat my food. I finish and we put Sean in his pram, each of us putting an arm around each other's waist and our free hand on one handle of the pram.

We stop for a minute and Mike whips out his phone as it rings.
'Sup. Oh hey Beej. Yeah. Yep. Uh huh. Um hmm. Cool. See ya then.' He says, and hangs up the phone. I give him a questioning look and he smiles at my confusion. 'Beej and 80 are gonna come round with Lilly at six.'
'Ah cool.' I nod, and I kiss his cheek.

We tour round some more attractions and at about 5 we sit down on the hill that overlooks the fields on the other side of town. I lock the pram and sit on the floor in between Mike's legs. He wraps his arms around me and pulls me closer, resting his chin on my shoulder.
'I love you.' He whispers into my ear, sending shivers down my spine. I turn round and look him in the sparkling blue eyes.
'I love you too.' I smile and we kiss, watching the sun drift behind the clouds and out again.
After a while, in a comfortable silence we take a sleeping Sean back home, just in time for Billie Joe and Adrienne to arrive. They put Lilly in the cot with Sean and they both gurgle a bit before falling asleep. We all sit down on the sofa at once and I snuggle into Mike's side.
'So how are you guys? It's been a whole day and a half since we last saw you.' I laugh and Adrienne smiles.
'We've been amazing thanks, and you guys?' Mike answers for me whilst putting his arm protectively around my shoulder.
'Yeah, awesome.' Billie Joe remarks, his bleached blonde hair in tight curls.
'So guys, I needed to talk to you all. I was thinking, and I want to go to university. It'll only be a year long course, Tuesday through Thursday.' Mike explains, and Adie gives me a look as if to say 'Did you know about this?' - which I didn't until now. It all stays silent for a moment.
'The fuck dude?!' Billie almost shouts. 'We're supposed to be going on tour in six months, and you're getting married in one. You have a fucking kid.'
'That 'fucking kid', meaning my son, is the reason I'm doing this! What happens if the band doesn't work out huh?! What am I supposed to do then? I need something to fall back on, so I'm doing engineering, and we can go on tour after that. If the band fails, I have to still bring in some sort of money.' He says desperately, I see why Billie Joe is getting so worked up about it, but personally I think it is a great thing that he wants to get some qualifications as well as doing the band.
'Well you know what dude, fuck you. This is exactly what fucking John did! You hated him just as much as I did after that, but look at you now!' Billie screams, and Adrienne runs off to check on Lilly.
'That is not the same thing! I'm not quitting the band, I'm just also trying to get some qualifications.' Mike defends himself. But Billie's had enough, he runs forward and swings his fist at Mike, right in the face. Suddenly, some sort of instinct kicks in and I fucking punch him back, right in the nose.
'Touch him again and I swear to God...' I growl, opening the front door. 'I think it's time for you to leave.' He scowls and scurries out of the door.

I turn to Mike and see that he has tears in his eyes. I pull him down to my height and rest his head on my shoulder, hooking my arms around his shoulders and swaying slightly back and forth. My shoulder dampens and I realise he is crying. I have only ever see him cry once before, and that was when Sean was born. Adrienne sneaks past with Lilly and puts a hand on my back. She gives me a sympathetic look and I look back at her with a smile and apologetic eyes. She leaves and I sit Mike down on the couch.
'Look, honey, you're doing the right thing. Ignore that dickwad, he's just upset, but he'll come around.' I promise Mike and he smiles a little.
'Thank you baby. I honestly don't know what I would do without you.' I pull him in to another hug and I kiss his shoulder.