Noah’s face always lit up, his eager eyes darting past the giraffes and elephants, past the chatter of parrots and the trumpeting of the rhinos, until they reached the lions. For him, the entire visit built up to this moment.
“There he is, Dad!” Noah’s voice would cut through the noise as he tugged Daniel toward the railing. Among the pride, one lion always stood out. He was larger than the others, his mane fuller and brighter, glowing like molten gold when the sunlight spilled over the rocks.