Rex Draco Farm

Early the following day, a gentle tapping of a light rain awoke Arthur. Stretching and rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he made his way to the kitchen to find it empty. He smiled to himself. “I must’ve woken up early, that or Mia is sleeping in? She’s normally up before the sun.”

He started up the coffee pot before digging in the refrigerator and grabbing eggs and bacon. He stared out the window, watching the steady rain, as he began to prepare their breakfast. His first task was the bacon, which he sat to pan-fry. Careful not to get splashed with popping grease, he worked on their eggs. She preferred her eggs sunny-side up, while he preferred them over-hard. Thankfully, his eggs could be left unattended for a moment while he focused on hers. He wanted them perfect for her.

Once everything was ready, he plated up her food and poured her a cup of coffee. With a smile on his face and the drink and meal in his hands, he silently walks down the hall to her room. “Good morning, Mia.” He muttered just loud enough to wake her, though not enough to startle her. “I brought you breakfast and some coffee. Better eat it before it gets cold.” He sat the plate and mug down on the dresser near the door. As he left, he saw a sleepy yet happy smile grace her beautiful face.

Arthur walks back to the kitchen, sits down, eats his eggs and bacon, and finishes his cup of coffee as Mia steps into the room. “Did you enjoy your breakfast in bed?”

“It was nice, but please don’t make it a habit.” A big smile on her face as she fills a mug with coffee and pulls out a chair to sit down. “So we are going to the aquarium today, right?”

Putting down his cup, and looks out the window at the rain. “Well, of course, we are going today would not miss this day for the world.”

They collect their things and get out the door just as the rain lets up. Walking down the steps, Arthur looks down at the flower beds they worked on the day before. Stopping to take a closer look, “Hey Mia, did you move the little dragon statue?” Picking it up from the ground wet from the rain but still just as warm as when he first put it down, Arthur places it back where he had put it yesterday.

Walking to the car, they both get in, drive down the path to the road, and arrive at the aquarium two hours later. “Here we are, Posidons Jungle, so what do you want to see first, Mia?”

Walking to the doors and turning around smiling, “Well, maybe before we run off to look at everything, how about we pay for admission.” Walking through the doors and to the ticket booth, they pay and get their hands stamped with a little purple shark. With a squeal and jump of joy, Mia yells, “This is my favorite animal.”

“Well, if that is the case, we currently have several sharks on display from a traveling exhibit” The young lady behind the ticket booth points us down a hallway with all kinds of shark teeth lining the walls.

With a jump and a dash, Mia races down the hall and yells back, “Hurry up, slowpoke.” She rushes down the hall and disappears around a corner.

Arthur shook his head. He walked on by and saw the gift shop. Looking down the hall, jumping inside, and picks up a gift for later. Shouting down the hall, “Hold up, Mia, I thought we were going to view the animals together.” He races down the hall, catching up with her just as a massive shark glides past the gigantic tank on our left. His jaw drops “what on Earth is this shark it is massive?”

Bending over to read the plaque, “It says it is a great white shark and that it is one of two such sharks kept in captivity.” Looking up to the shark, her eyes round with excitement following the sharks’ movements. “look at how it turns just before it hits the glass.” Bending over to read the information on the plaque once again. “The great white shark can grow to be 13 feet for males and 21 feet for females and weigh as anywhere from 1200 to 2400 pounds.” Her jaw drops as she pushes her face against to glass wall of the tank as the massive shark silently glides past her face and a slight shudder runs down her body.

Looking over my shoulder, Arthur grabs her hand. “Mia, come here check this out.” Leading her two a massive set of jaws that could have belonged to a beast that could have eaten them both and had room to spare. “It says these are to show the jaws of a full-sized megalodon.” Grabbing a passing employee, we get several pictures taken.

Mia grabbing Arthur by the hand, leads him toward a section illuminated by strange neon lights inside the tanks Arthur and Mia were able to see fish from the deeper parts of the sea. “Oh Arthur, look at how this one has a little light on top of its head.” Her eyes grow wide as the fish opens its mouth and eats a piece of food.

Making their way to the top of the aquarium, they find a show getting ready to start with trained dolphins. Arthur grabs Mia by the hand, and they enter the stands for the show, not knowing they sat in the splash zone for the final trick of the show. Soaked to the bone and laughing, they exit the dolphin stadium.

Feeling the rumbles of hunger in their stomachs, they make their way to the food court, pick up cheeseburgers with fries, sit down, and enjoy the meal.

A smile crosses his face as he remembers the box from the gift shop. Arthur wiped his hands and swallowed the bite of food he had taken. Reaching into his pocket, he looks at Mia, and his heart skips a beat. He clears his throat and pulls out the little box he had picked up. Looking her in the eyes. “Mia, I know we have only just gotten back to knowing each other once again, but I was wondering if you would.” His voice trails off as he brings the little box into view.

A scream of joy broke from her lips. “Yes, Arthur, I accept.” Her eyes were glittering and her face aglow as the box opens to show a silver charm bracelet with a shark charm dangling from the end the second item in the package, a necklace with a single sharks tooth. With a smile illuminating her face, she closes her eyes and lifts her hair for Arthur to come and put the necklace on her. A cold pressure around her neck informs her that the necklace is in place, letting her hair down. She feels for the tooth holding it up she looks into it. Tears form in her eyes as she looks up to Arthur, who still stands beside her. A gentle tug at his sleeve brings him down to a knee at her side, a soft hand upon his cheek, and her gentle lips find his. “Thank you, Arthur.” A single tear of joy rolls down her cheek.

Taking Mias’ hand in both of his, he slowly puts the charm bracelet around her wrist, the silver chain standing out against the tan on her arm. “There we go now. If I must say, those look amazing on you.” Standing up, Arthur whispers in her ear. “Should we get going? We still have another hour before the aquarium closes?”

Dabbing her eyes with the edge of her napkin, she asks, “Could we go back and see the sharks again?” A smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes. Standing, Mia takes Arthurs hand in hers, and they walk side by side back to the hall of sharks.

Driving back home, Mia was glowing with joy from the top of her head down to her toes. When they arrive back at the house, she hops out of the car and rushes to the porch stopping on the first step. She notices a tiny sprig of green coming from the dirt, a scream of delight, and hopping down to the flower beds side; she looks at all the tiny plants that had already begun to grow. “Arthur, you have to come to see this.”

Coming over to join her, his eyes wide with shock, “How could they have grown so quickly we only planted them yesterday?” Looking over to where the unknown seeds were planted, a single tiny leaf was already sticking up. “This makes no sense, and why is this statue moved again?” Picking up the dragon, he noticed that it was hotter than it had been before, quickly putting it back down “ouch, the sun must have heat him up while we were away.”

Mia comes overs and takes Arthur by the hand. “Come on, let us go inside; it looks like it is going to rain again, and I do not feel like getting soaked right if we do not have to.” Leading him up the stairs, she whispers in his ear. “How about we watch a movie before bed?”

Smiling at her request Arthur follows her inside the house, closing and locking the door as the rain settles in for the night. As he closes the door behind him, a flash of lightning and clap of thunder sounds above the house. Looking down and, Mia. “Tonight might be the perfect time for a movie.” He kisses her and goes to grab a few blankets.