The Novelty of Existence

6

𝙽𝙱 ⋆ 𝙰𝚞𝚐𝚞𝚜𝚝 ⋆ 𝙿𝚊𝚕𝚘𝚖𝚊

"New invention idea," I said, rolling my head over on the beach chair, "Waterproof Uno cards." 

"That's sick," Wes responded, pulling down his glasses, "Uno in the hot tub."

I nodded. "Don't steal that though."

"Can you two stop laying around and get in the pool please?" Danny's shadow cast itself over us, dripping pool water. "I did not pay all this money for you guys to do what you always do anyways."

"Uncalled for."

"We're busy here," Wes waved Danny off, "Talking big ideas."

"Cards are already waterproof, you idiots."

Wes bolted up in faux anger. "Alright, that's it!" He ran up to Danny, who had started backing away, and picked him up, throwing Danny's smaller frame over his shoulder.

Wes had the strength and muscles of a boy that had been working the Halifax fishing ports his whole life. Danny had the slimness of a boy that went on a 6 am jog 5 days a week. He threw the both of them into the pool with a thundering splash. I ran up and jumped in after them, the blue water chilling on my skin, the sun sparkling off the artificial waves.

"Guys, cut it out we're gonna get kicked out again," Aiden said from the sidelines, arms crossed over his chest.

"That's rich coming from you, pal." Danny snorted.

As we splashed each other and raced to slides that day, I already missed us altogether. It was stupid, we were still together then. But, even as it was happening, even as we excitedly bought hotdogs and ice cream, I felt nostalgic for it.

These boys had become my family. A gentle breeze blew through my hair, and I watched the boys talk on the picnic bench. I closed my eyes for a moment, squeezing them tightly. Please, I thought, remember this moment forever.

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

𝙰𝚍𝚕𝚊 𝙹𝚞𝚖𝚊

When Adla moved to Canada, she became a full-time mother for the first time. She was happy to leave her job as a therapist and focus on her one and only son. Her miracle baby. Her husband Emmanuel was a hard worker, with a soft voice and a gentle strength.

To find out that they were entitled to historical land in Canada was a shock, of course. To see the acres and acres of land for the first time was a bigger shock. Going from a busy Boston to a quiet suburb was something Adla saw as a blessing.

When her son started to make friends, Adla's heart swelled. She had not been encouraged growing up to focus on friendships, but she had tried to instill the importance of friendships in her son. By the time he was 9, he had a tight little friend group. She loved to see him constantly learning about how these other cultures lived and still growing in his love for them.

So, that year, the summer between grade 4 and grade 5, Adla took the group to the waterpark for the first time. Aiden's Father was tough to convince, whereas Paloma and Wesley's parents were a little too easy.

She sat by the pool the whole day, watching the kids run past, jumping into the different pools, lining up for slides, laughing and screaming. There was a joy in seeing these children laugh and play that she wouldn't miss for the world. So different to how she grew up. And now she had the power to make these memories for them.