Page 13 of Back to Willow

“Can you guess what day it is today?”

“What?” His voice is still groggy.

“It’s Mummy’s free day. We’re going to the park!” I excitedly tell him.

For a moment, he doesn’t react, but then…in slow motion, as if his brain just registered my words, his eyes widen, and he jumps into a sitting position.

“I forgot!”

Of course.

Muffling my chuckle, I shake my head in amusement. Dylan gets up, and I watch as he, in all of his clumsiness, notices the set of clothes I laid out for him on the desk and dashes for it.

Not wasting time, I see.

He starts getting dressed by himself, with that ever-present desire to be a grown-up. Just witnessing his antics puts a smile on my face. This boy is so genuine it hurts sometimes. Slightly more impulsive than I’d like him to be, but he makes up for it with how tender and loving his heart is. Not to mention he’s got spunk and a lot of attitude on top of that.

Some kids love to be loved; my kid loves to show some love. Even if he goes about it the wrong way and has me running after him to correct it or downplay his dramatics once in a while.

He definitely got the dramatics from his uncle, though…

“Mummy, how do I look?” he asks, turning around to show me his outfit.

With practice, his dressing abilities have been improving. The only thing he can’t do by himself yet is tying shoes and, depending on the day, he can struggle with the buttons of his jeans. Dylan has always been very independent from the beginning. Since holding the bottle on his own from as young as three and a half months to starting to walk even before being one year old.

It tugs at my heartstrings, though. He grows too fast.

“You look handsome, baby. Let’s go brush your hair.”

“But I did it last night after showering,” he pouts.

With a slight glare from me, he gives in, groaning a “fine”.

Fifteen minutes later, we’re ready. Breakfast has been eaten, and Dylan and I wait for Nana to be ready. There’s a basket of food hanging from my arm, so we can have some food while spending time in the park. As soon as she arrives, we head for my old car, and they get in as I place everything inside the trunk.

From the corner of my eyes, I notice a head of blonde hair approaching, knowing right away who it is.

“Good morning, Ms Hanlon.” The little girl smiles sweetly at me before looking at Dylan. “Hey, Dylan.”

“Hey, Abby.” He waves back at her with a wide smile and a heavy blush on his cheeks.

She blushes back, looking away from him, suddenly acting all shy. Abby is such a cutie with long, curly blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Her light skin tone gives her this sweet porcelain doll look.Adorable.

“Are you leaving?” she asks me, hands behind her back and curious doe eyes.

All it takes is one look at Abby’s unknowing begging eyes because five minutes later, as the sun shines bright, the four of us are driving together to the park, towards what I hope is a relaxing and fun day.

The drive is quick, and we’re swiftly engulfed by the vibrant greens, deep blues, and dazzling yellows of the park. Dylan is quick to pull Abby with him to play football while Nana and I choose a place to spread a blanket over the grass, watching them.

It’s the city’s biggest green area, literally called the City’s Park. Trees, flowers, and bushes surround us, as well as people strolling by. Once in a while, I see a squirrel running around, and the birds chirp happily while flying above us. The soft prickles of the grass tickle my feet, and the fresh air softens the warmth that the sun expels. Sometimes, depending on how close to it you are, you can listen to the ocean’s strong waves. It couldn’t be more relaxing.

“How’s school been, Lo?” Nana sparks a conversation after a few minutes of enjoying our surroundings.

“Tiring, for sure.” I nod. “One of the classes has been harder than I expected but nothing I can’t handle.”

Well, that’s one way of putting it.

“I noticed how tired you’ve been. Much more than usual,” she sighs. “I know you always avoid asking for my help for fear of overworking me. I know I’m old, but I am not an invalid yet. Dylan’s easy to take care of, feel free to ask for my help whenever you need it. Alright?”

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