"Where are we?" She took her gaze off of me and looked at the building before us. Large and framed with glass walls, it was a box-like building reaching a couple stories high.
"The aquarium," I replied cheerfully. "Man, I can't believe we've never been here before."
Too quickly, Gora coughed. "Actually, Mama used to take me here all the time. Couro here even joined us a few times, though I doubt she was old enough to remember." He turned to her, asking if she recalled with a mere look. Couro took a moment to shuffle her memory before shaking her head. Gora fell back into the seat and shrugged. "Pity."
Nervous, I gripped the steering wheel. I truly had no clue this place had any significance to either of them. Kutu used to mention it occasionally and we visited maybe three times in total. But in my mind, that was all. Obviously, I was mistaken.
Only reason I brought them here was to attempt to strike an important conversation. After seeing the flag in Gora's room, it hit me that I never really talked to him about that kind of stuff. I wasn't sure exactly what I planned on saying, but I just wanted him to trust me a bit more. So I went online and looked up ways to start dialogues like this. A suggestion was to head over to a zoo and show how different animals are, yet that they're all important and loved.
We didn't exactly have a nearby zoo, so I drove them over to the aquarium. A decision I was already regretting. Still, I took a deep breath, unlocked the car doors, and walked out. Couro reluctantly followed suit, but Gora remained stubborn in his seat.
I knocked on the glass and he opened the door a crack. "I'm not going in," he stated. "I don't know what kind of bullshit you're up to this time, but I want no part." Just like that, he pulled the door shut. Refusing to look at me, he continued his pouting charade until I found myself at the end of my rope.
"Gora."
From inside, he yelled, "I don't wanna do this."
"I don't wanna do this!" Slapping my hand off his arm, Gora huffed, "For the thousandth time, just leave me alone!" With a bit of bribery, threats, and pure yelling, I managed to mandle the restless teenager out of my car and dragged him all the way into the aquarium. Sure, he cursed me the whole way through, but I was honestly impressed with myself for getting this far. At some point and just followed me, but alas, dreams don't come true so easily. Pure rage boiled in Gora's eyes, "Why the hell are you doing this?"
I gripped Couro's fragile hand and answered as calmly as I could, "I need to talk to you two about something."
A small voice intervened, "So why not just tell us?" Couro looked up at me, waiting for my response.
Almost jumped, Gora screeched, "This!" A nearby security guard turned her head just slightly.
Nervously, I gulped and attempted to hold my composure together. "I want you to see something first." Luckily, all I got was an eye roll and Gora actually followed me. I took them to the biggest room in the building. It was fairly popular for having the most variety of fish and other sea creatures in the whole aquarium. A huge box like room with dozens of sea life swimming in the glass walls framing it. Above it, was a sign that said "Our Mini Oceania." Couro looked more than excited to enter and was even bouncing on her feet.
"In here." Just as I thought I'd finally done it, Gora paused. I'd followed Couro's eagerness inside and didn't notice my son at first. When I turned, I didn't see him beside me, but rather at the door. Right outside the door frame to the room, he froze and looked up at the sign. Releasing Couro's tiny hand, I walked up to him. "Gora."
"...No." For the first time in a long while, he looked at me dead in the eye. Slowly, he backed out. "I absolutely fucking refuse."
There was no way I was about to let all my effort go to waste. I came too far for it all to end up meaning nothing. I grabbed his elbow, dragging him in. "Gora, I didn't ask." All I want is to be a good father for him. But I can't do it alone. If only he could just--
He pushed me. "Neither did I." Stumbling back, a saw a bit of his exterior wear off. He looked apologetic for a moment.
"Hey, hey, break it up." Security came up to us, a black baton rolling around in his palm. He chewed a piece of gum and mostly eyed me as I stood back up. "Unless you want to be thrown out." Pausing, I looked at Gora. I waited to see what he would do, if he could cooperate just this one time.
"I'll meet you by the car." He turned on his heels and didn't look back.
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