The Firefly

11°

We arrived at the little park and the first thing I noticed was the almost total absence of children.

Perhaps school had already started, or perhaps the mothers in the neighbourhood, feeling the rather cold temperature, had simply not let them out of the house.

I had always liked that place, it was not that big but there was that little bit of green that was needed to get away from everyday life.

Often I would sit on a particular bench and watch the sky, when the weather was fine I would try to guess the shape of the white clouds floating in the blue sky, if what covered the city was nothing more than a silvery blanket I would try my best to spot every possible shade of grey.

-Are there a lot of people?- Jake asked me agitatedly as he continued to hold on very gently to my arm.

-No, there are just a few old ladies chatting on the benches.- I replied as I observed the few ladies laughing as they were probably talking trash about their grandchildren or what to cook for dinner.

-We've arrived, aren't we?- He guessed as he heard the rustling of the leaves and the noise of the cars becoming more and more muffled by the trees around us.

-Yes, I used to come here a lot when I wasn't working at the villa.- I said quietly, continuing to walk more slowly.

-You said we were close.- He paused and I noticed how he tried to hide his slight breathlessness.

-It's just because you're not used to it, we haven't walked that far.- I made sure to point out, then moved my attention around.

-Is this park even nice?-

-Yes, very. It's not that big, but it's unique in all of San Francisco.-

A grimace. -More than Golden Gate Park?-

-Absolutely.-

He wrinkled his nose straight, as if it was inconceivable that a small park in SoMa was better than the most famous park in San Francisco.

-Why?-

I put my hand in my pocket, breathing in the fresh air at the top of my lungs.

-Because even though it's small, it's also the most colourful, there are lots of different coloured flowers. Even in the little path there are some coloured pebbles since it is theoretically a children's park.-

I smiled as I stopped to pick one up, I looked at it for a while before handing it to Jake.

-this one for example is pink.- I said as he hesitantly felt it with his fingertips. A slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, but no matter how hard I tried, I noticed no pretense or forcing in his expression.

-What other colours are there?- He asked, putting the pebble in his pocket.

-Mm, green, blue and yellow.- I bent down on my knees and picked up a green one, I chose a bigger one than the pink one so that he could recognise it more easily.

I didn't want him to feel unable even to recognise two pebbles.

I held it out to him and when he took it in the palm of his hand he seemed to analyse it with interest.

-Guess the colour.- I urged him. His face rose slowly towards me.

-I don't know... blue? - He exclaimed, carefully holding the pebble between two fingers.

-how did you figure it out?- The last thing I wanted at that moment was to correct him.

-you are predictable.- He went back to using his usual authoritative tone again and pocketed that pebble as well.