“I’m sure you’ll get there soon,” Robert said, clapping my back then pulling me into a half hug.
“I know.” I winked at him and smiled.
“Okay, squirt, now that I’ve seen you, I can go to bed. I am pretty sure you want to go to the creek tomorrow.
I snorted and shook my head. “Promise not to get stuck climbing up that sad excuse of a wall we have over there.”
***
The next day was just as Robert had predicted it. We made our way to the creek, trading stories of the past years as we walked, and followed the winding stream to the railway tracks. We were laughing and pointing out things to each other, but some of the thrill was gone.
Everything looked smaller. I did not understand why it all seemed so huge to me just last year. Maybe it was because he looked all grown up. Maybe it was the
