𝐷𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐸𝑦𝑒𝑠

3

"Auntie! Where have you been?"

I grin as Ollie runs up and throws his arms around my legs.

Aww.
It feels good to have someone who's happy to see you.

"Hey, buddy. Sorry I haven't been around much, I've been setting up my new apartment."
I explain, ruffling his hair affectionatly.

He cries into my legs.
"It's been like 30 months!"

I roll my eyes.

It's only been a week.

Kids and exaggeration.

"Aww. I miss you too."
I laugh as he lets go and folds his arms, glaring up at me.

"We should totally do something today. How about I take you out for ice cream as an apology?"
I compromise with a dramatic sigh, smiling a little.

His brown eyes light up almost immediately.

He's just the cutest. I can't wait until the new baby is born, I wasn't around as often when Ollie was a baby and I regret it.

"Ice cream!? Yeah! Can we go to the park, too?"
He begs, skipping around my legs happily.

He's always so full of energy, it's ridiculous.

"Fine, okay. But only because I like to see my favorite nephew happy."
I say reluctantly.

He laughs.

"I'm your only nephew, silly!"

I order a Rocky Road ice cream cone for Ollie and a chocolate chip double-dipped-in-caramel cup for myself.

It's a guilty pleasure of mine.

Ollie tells me about his new little sister's room as we wait for our order to get done.

"Mommy says I can help her paint tomorrow. She says I'm a big boy and it's my role to be the bestest big brother in the world."
He chatters, resting his chin in his hands.

I sigh.

"She shouldn't be doing so much."

"Yesterday at the dinner table she dropped a plate accidentally and when it broke, she started crying really hard. Papa got scared."
He says distractedly, tracing the Braums logo on the table.

"Your mom is probably just overwhelmed."
I explain.

"Everyone gets overwhelmed from time to time."

"What is overwhelmed?"
He questions, frowning at me.

I play with the strap to my watch absentmindedly.

"Overwhelmed is a feeling you get when stuff happens too fast for your mind to catch up and you feel like you can't handle it."

"Oh. Like just before a spelling test."
He wonders out loud.

I can't help but laugh a little.

Kids.

You just have to love how innocent they are.

Until they grow up and learn that the world is a scary place.

It's a lonely place too.

But only for people like me, Im sure Ollie will be fine. He's braver than me.

.

.

.

"This is a nice little setup."
I marvel, finishing off the last of my ice cream as we walk up to the park.