uptown girl

remember

  Dainty fingers turning yellowed pages.

  Softly.

  Scared to rip it with a single wrong move.

  Charlie's eyes scanned every page with complete awe.

  "What are you looking at, baby?" A soft voice chimed. She glanced up, shifting in place as her hands wrapped around the leather binding.

  She smiled back at her father.

  "This really old scrapbook I found. I knew you had old scrapbooks but Jesus this one is ancient!" She laughed, sifting carefully through its contents.

  Her father peered over her shoulder. "Jake's first day at school." He read under a picture of a clearly anxious looking child. He chuckled. "I remember that day.. Mostly because it had been exclusively traumatizing for me. I was such a momma's boy.."

   Jake took a seat next to his 19 year old daughter on the floor. Gently taking the scrapbook into his own soft hands. His heart filled with warmth at the sight of every picture of himself as a child. Days he wished to relive.. But at the same time forget.

  Her aqua hues examined her father's porcelain face. The honey glow in his cheeks made it clear her discovery made him very happy.

  "You didn't make that one, did you.." She felt a little stupid asking the question.

  The binding was different, as was the handwriting and the way the photos were taped in. Jake had a very particular way of scrapbooking. This felt different.

  He shook his head. "My mother made it. My mother helped me fall in love with scrapbooking.."

  He stopped at a page. Running his fingers over one Polaroid that made him grin ever so widely.

  "Jake's first friend.."

  He laughed. 5th grade. He looked less awkward in this photo. He was being strangled by a taller brunette boy who had the slightest hint of fangs growing in.

  'Mum said we were going to get them filed when I get older. Whatever that means.'

  His eyes gazed upon the photo with a sense of nostalgic love and gratitude. Then he heard the infectious laughter of his husband.

  "How are my gorgeous babies doing?" He bellowed as he made his way into the room. Charlie laughed and waved.

  Plopping down behind them, he wrapped his big strong arms around the two and peeked between their shoulders. "What are we looking at?"

  "Do you remember this, Ryan?" Jake pointed at the photo with a smile.

  Ryan grinned with his now fully grown in fangs. Mum never got them filed down did she. He nuzzled Jake softly, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

  "How could I forget, baby boy? You couldn't stand still. I had to hold you in place!" He laughed.

  Jake shook his head. Flipping to the next pages.  All the photos were now dominantly Jake and Ryan. Never again was Jake alone after that..

  Ryan sighed as he rested his head on his husband's shoulder.

  He'd always remember every detail of their adventure together..