Author's Note: For those of you who have made it clear to "Z", thank you! Your compliments and encouragement have been very helpful in keeping me motivated to finish...albeit on a rather long-term schedule. I am very proud that this is the first long writing project I have ever actually completed let alone shared with an audience. For the time being, I'm done writing in Emily's world. I've personally come to terms with what I think the future of the characters looks like, but I look forward to reading other people's versions of the end of the story. If you feel like leaving one final comment, I'd be interested in knowing which of the 26 shorts was your favorite.
"What do you think they are thinking?" Muses Emily out loud to her family as they stand looking at the giraffes.
"Mmmm, I could really go for some leaves" says Micah in what Emily can only assume is his impression of a giraffe's voice. Personally, she thinks it sounds more like a lion, but she decides not to comment.
"Oh no! I wonder if there's a lion around?" adds their son, doing his best to imitate his father's giraffe voice. "Like father, like son," thinks Emily as she watches the two exchange a high five.
"Tell me a story, Mommy!" chimes in their daughter, choosing to voice the thoughts of the baby giraffe she has been fascinated with since they reached the exhibit. Unlike her father and brother, the little girl's voice is appropriately high and squeaky. "Perfect for a baby giraffe" thinks Emily happily, smiling to herself at discovering another similarity she has with her daughter.
So far, it had been a perfect day at the Denver Zoo. They had arrived just as the zoo opened and enjoyed a picnic lunch about an hour ago after a busy morning strolling through the zoo grounds, admiring the exhibits. While Micah had been reveling in discussing the biological make-up of each specimen with their son, Emily and her daughter had been happily cooing over baby animals and plotting out which would make the best pets.
"It's your turn, Mommy." she hears Micah say, interrupting her thoughts.
"What?"
"You didn't tell us what you think the giraffes are thinking." explains Micah. Both children look at her expectantly.
"Alright" says Emily, looking back at the giraffes and thinking hard for a minute.
"I wonder what those people standing over there and watching us are thinking," she says in a high squeaky voice, looking back at her family and smiling at her own cleverness.
The children laugh as Micah just looks at her, an amused expression on his face. "That's what you think a giraffe's voice sounds like?" he asks incredulously.
As she sticks her tongue out at him, she feels a tug on her sleeve. "Mom, can we go look at the one over there?" asks her son, pointing to a giraffe standing apart from the others, near the other side of the exhibit.
"What's the rule?" she asks.
"Stay where I can see you" he says dutifully.
"Okay." She says with an assenting nod.
"Come on!" says the boy excitedly, dragging his sister along by the hand, her blond hair flying in all directions.
"Did you ever do anything like this when you were a kid?" she asks Micah, as they follow the children at a more leisurely pace.
"Go to the zoo?" asks Micah, looking at her. "Sure."
"No" says Emily, clarifying. "Skip a day of school to spend time together as a family."
"No" says Micah, smiling gently. "Mom was a rule follower, and even if she had ever had the inclination, I don't think she could really have afforded to take a day off work for fun. What's the matter? Are you still feeling guilty?"
"No!" says Emily, defensively. "Yes." She finally admits when he raises an eyebrow at her. It's no secret that Emily is also a "rule follower".
"It's been a perfect day." He says, taking her hand. "We needed this."
"I know" says Emily sighing. "And I promise to work on the guilt thing. Look how happy they are!"
"We've done well" agrees Micah, sneaking his arm around her waist as they stand together watching their smiling children talk animatedly to each other while observing the giraffes.
"Thank you" Micah says gently.
"For what?" asks Emily, a little confused as she turns to look at him.
"For making sacrifices in your career ambitions to stay in Denver with me and be a mother to our kids." He says sincerely, looking into her eyes.
She shrugs and looks back at the children, a little embarrassed. "I didn't really give anything up" she says. "I just….changed the plan a little."
"It still means something." He says sincerely.
"Well then thank you for the sacrifices you have made too." she says, looking back at him. "I can't even imagine what my life would be like without you."
Despite his sudden desire to embrace her, neither of them is overly fond of public displays of affection, so Micah simply reaches out to fondly tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Happy Anniversary, Emily." He says quietly.
"Happy Anniversary, Micah" she says back, with a smile.
The spell of the moment is broken by the sound of their children laughing happily at the sudden comical movements of the giraffe. Emily and Micah look towards them and then back at each other.
"So how are we doing on time, Master Planner" asks Micah, his voice light again. "I know we're on a tight schedule."
He's only partially kidding. True to form, Emily had polled the family days ago for their top zoo priorities and carefully organized an agenda for their trip, creating an efficient flow to the day and making sure that even with a break for lunch, everyone in the family would be sure to see their favorite animals and ride the carousel before it was time to go home.
"Oh! You're right. We should probably start heading to Predator Ridge." Says Emily, checking her watch.
"Come on, guys! Let's go see some lions!" Micah calls to the children. "You said the sitter is coming at 7:00?" he asks Emily as the children say goodbye to the giraffes.
"Yes" says Emily. "You still won't tell me what we're doing?"
"Nope! It's a surprise." says Micah with a sly smile and a wink, as their children join them.
Hand in hand as a family, they wander further into the zoo.