Page 32 of Pitch for You

Rich tossed a piece of popcorn into his mouth. “I’m glad to see everything working out for you. Honestly, I was worried you were never going to find someone.”

As if on cue, my phone buzzed with a response.

“She’s in,” I announced. “Max is ready to go already. Shoes on and everything.”

Rich chuckled. “Told you. Now all you’ve got to do is not screw it up.”

I threw a pillow at him, but couldn’t help laughing. He was right, after all. This was my chance to show Sofia and Max that I was serious about being a part of their lives.

Headed your way now.

“Alright, I’ll let you know how it goes. See ya.”

As I drove to Sofia's house, my mind raced. Max had an insatiable curiosity, especially when it came to prehistoric creatures.

I pulled up to the curb and saw Max's face pressed against the window, his breath fogging up the glass. Before I could even get out of the car, he burst through the front door, backpack bouncing against his back as he ran towards me.

“Hey, buddy!” I called out, kneeling down to his level as he crashed into me with a hug.

“Is it true? Are we really going to see dinosaurs?” Max's eyes were wide with wonder.

I ruffled his hair. “You bet we are. And not just any dinosaurs - we're talking T-Rex, Triceratops, the whole gang.”

Sofia appeared in the doorway, a soft smile on her face as she watched our interaction. She looked beautiful in a simple sundress, her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail.Oh-my-lanta!

“Thanks for doing this,” she said as she approached.

I stood up, suddenly feeling a bit nervous. “It's my pleasure. I'm just as excited as he is.”

As we piled into the car, Max rattled off dinosaur facts from the backseat. I caught Sofia's eye in the rearview mirror, and we shared a smile. This was it - my chance.

The drive to the museum was filled with Max's excited chatter and Sofia's gentle reminders to use his inside voice. I found myself relaxing, enjoying the easy companionship of our little group.

As we walked up to the museum entrance, Max grabbed both our hands, swinging between us. For a moment, we looked like any other family out for a day of fun. The thought made my heart swell.

“Ready for an adventure?” I asked, squeezing Max's hand.

He nodded enthusiastically. “Ready!”

Sofia leaned in close, her voice low. “Thank you for this. It means a lot to both of us.”

I smiled, feeling a surge of affection for her and Max. “There's nowhere else I'd rather be.”

As we stepped into the cool air of the museum, I knew that this day was about more than just dinosaurs. It was about building something real, something lasting. And I was ready for every moment of it.

The museum was bustling with excited children and their parents, but Max's enthusiasm stood out even in the crowd. His eyes were as wide as saucers as we entered the main hall, dominated by a massive Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton.

“Whoa!” Max exclaimed, his voice echoing in the cavernous space. “Look at its teeth!”

I knelt beside him, pointing out different features of the prehistoric predator. “See how the legs are positioned? That's because T-Rex was a biped - it walked on two legs.”

Max nodded, soaking in every word. Sofia watched us with a soft smile, her hand resting lightly on my shoulder.

We moved through the exhibits, Max leading the way with boundless energy. At each display, he'd read the information out loud, stumbling over the longer words but determined to understand everything.

“Hey, Max,” I said as we approached a hands-on area. “Want to be a real paleontologist?”

His face lit up. “Can I?”

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