His cannon camera clicks in the distance. I'm taken by a small pink jellyfish bobbing around its tank. I don't stop to think that he's taking a picture of me, until I take a glance over my shoulder and he is. I wonder if this is a new hobby? He never took photos with me, he'd claim that he doesn't do photos. "For someone who doesn't do photos you're sure taking a lot of them." I've raised my brow. I don't like having my photo taken, but I'll always smile on a selfie.
"I want to remember this, just incase" he is staring at my intensely. I know how loaded that statement is. I choose to bite my lip and not challenge him.
We continue through the aquarium. I'm presently surprised at how good it was considering where we are. We walk through the gift shop. I love collecting like memorabilia from outings. Regardless of where and who they are with, he knows this. He use to mock me for spending my money on pointless tokens, I'm curious what his opinion is now. I find a soft octopus plushy and a cute mug. I love a tacky mug. I walk to the tills to pay. The cashier is a young boy, he's probably working a part time job here. "Is that everything?" "Yes thank you" Jace interrupts stalking forward from the back of the shop "not quite, these aswell please boss" Jace hands the boy a very large T-shirt it's black and for the most part plain apart from a small logo on the bottom left corner, he also has a charm from a charm bracelet set, it's a small stingray. Both are nice items. He pays after I try to pay for my own, of course he doesn't allow it and takes the bag from the boy. We walk out and to the car. The car park is busier now so I assume they are back open for public. I blush at how it must have seemed to those poor employees. Jace notices my unease "what's wrong?" "I just..I just can't help but think what that looked like. Us, you renting the place for me. They probably thought you were going to ask me to marry you." My cheeks flush an even deeper shade of red why did I say that? "Did you want me to?" "No absolutely not" I reply too quickly. Jace looks a little relieved " well I'm glad about that, one day though baby, one day" I brush this off, it's not that I don't think it'll happen, it's that I have to much self respect to let him just waltz his way back into my life. I change the subject "Are we going to the art gallery now?" He nods and smiles "Yeah sure."
The person Jace has been today is the polar opposite to the person in Chicago. When we went to Seattle aquarium he barely showed we were together, not a hand hold not a smile or a photo. He mocked my enthusiasm when the sharks were fed and laughed at how cute I found tiny seahorses. Today he was different? More mature and thoughtful rather than his usual thoughtless. Whilst I appreciate this new Jace I loved the old one. He was a lone wolf but had plenty of friends when he needed them. He was handsome and sexy but cocky and new it. I'm pretty sure before me he'd probably slept with half of Chicago. Has he slept with anyone since me?
" Jace, I don't think I can be bothered to go to the art gallery, maybe some other time?" He glances over and nods. "Do you want to end our day together early or do you just not want to go to the art gallery?" "I enjoyed the aquarium, I'm not feeling great and would like to just watch some Netflix, drink some wine and eat chocolate." This is true. Over the last few hours I've began feeling a bit drained. I must be due on or something. "Sure, we can go via the store if you want?" I laugh at his Americanism. "We can go to big Tesco, I love it there, I might even get some PJs" he rolls his eyes he already knows they will be fluffy and awful. He plugs Tesco extra into his fancy sat nav, we are only a few miles away. We pull in and I climb out the car, as I stand I feel faint, what is wrong with me? I grab the car for support but before I know it Jace is at my side. "Grace, are you okay? Can I help?" I nod and smile "no I'm fine don't worry I just lost my balance" I stand up tall and walk to the entrance. We browse the PJs and I chose a nice lounge set and some fluffy boot slippers, I throw too much chocolate and cake into the basket. Jace is browsing the vegetable isle, I'm pretty sure he's planning his meal for tonight. He comes and finds me once he's finished stocking the trolley full of so much food. "Are you feeding the 500?" "Hah..no? I just don't know what I fancy so got plenty of options." We go to the check out, argue whose paying, once again he wins this battle. He loads the boot and returns the trolley while I slide into the passenger sleep. We were barely out the car park when I fall asleep.