Page 58 of Watercolor Skulls

“Hey, I’m going to go grab a bite, but I’ll see you tomorrow morning and we can work on your porch swing.”

“That sounds great. See you then.” I watch as he grabs a hot dog off a tray before darting inside.

Dan rubs his jaw. “You sure have him fired up. I’ve never seen him so excited about anything.”

“He and I see the world the same. Where some see junk, we see beauty.” I sit down in one of the lounge chairs, looking out towards the lake. It’s so beautiful here.

Dirk comes out of the warehouse his eyes homed in on Dan. He waves him over. “You okay here for a minute? Looks like Dirk is calling a meeting. Shouldn’t be long.”

“Yeah, I’m perfect,” I tell him, kicking my feet up on the rail surrounding the patio. Rachel walks over and hands me a glass of wine.

Dan shakes his finger. “Don’t get her drunk,” he warns, winking at her.

“Boo.” She flips him the bird before taking her boots off and tucking her feet under her.

Dan kisses me on the forehead and then disappears inside the warehouse.

“Did you have fun today?” Rachel asks, taking a sip of her wine, smacking her lips together.

“I had the best time,” I say dreamily.

Jackson runs up to us, holding his bug catcher. He thrusts it in my face, tears running down his chubby little cheeks. “It’s gone,” he cries.

My feet drop to the patio. I sit forward peering into the catcher. “Oh, Jackson, he’s not gone. He’s just in a chrysalis.”

Jackson sets it on the table between his mom and me. He chokes on a sob, wiping snot all over the sleeve of his shirt. “What’s that?” he says, hiccupping.

“See right there, hanging on the branch?”

He nods, lowering himself onto his knees to peer inside.

“The caterpillar is in there. It protects him while he grows.”

He looks at his mom and she nods in agreement.

“How long is he going to be in there?” he asks, his interest piqued.

“At least ten days, maybe a little longer.” I smile at him. “You must have taken good care of him.”

He nods proudly, his brown hair flopping over his eyes. My fingers brush it away. “He isn’t going to look the same when he comes out though. He’s growing into a butterfly.”

Jackson’s eyes go wide. “That sounds like magic,” he says in awe.

“Not magic. It’s science,” I correct but then I add, “It is pretty amazing though isn’t it?”

He nods. “I’m going to go show daddy.” He hops up, grabs the catcher and zips inside.

Rachel watches him before turning her eyes back to me. “He talked about you non-stop for the first two hours we were home the other night. Lily this, Lily that.” She laughs lightly before bringing her glass to her lips.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t be sorry. We haven’t seen Jackson stay on one thing for more than two seconds. One afternoon with you and he’s been carrying that bug catcher with him everywhere.”

Raffe joins us, laughing. “Your son needs his mom,” he says, plopping his butt down in the chair on the other side of me.

Rachel drops her feet to the ground, shoving them back into her boots. She sticks her tongue out at him.

“Hey, it’s your turn.” Raffe rubs his hands together like he won the lottery.

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