The zoo. Same place Una worked. Ben made a mental note not to suggest a trip there with Melody anytime soon, for obvious reasons. It would be easy to avoid, though. It wasn't like adults went to the zoo that often. Briefly, he considered offering it as a neutral meeting place for Elliott's mother to bring Elliott to meet him, but of course that was a terrible idea for all the same reasons taking Melody there would be.

"I could've worked at the zoo," Ben said absently. "I had Aldous convinced I was writing a book on magizoology for two years."

Convinced was perhaps a strong word, and Ben wasn't sure he would've been able to keep the charade up under the closer scrutiny allowed by being home, however, so it probably wouldn't have worked out, after all.

"I think liquor is more my thing," he added, polishing off the glass.