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Joins in on the conversations.
Ask questions – typically poorly phrased.
Why didn’t he this time?
Why’d he leave?
Why didn’t I fucking notice sooner?
“Lo!” I shout louder and crouch lower. “Lo!” Voices I don’t recognize compile on top of one another yet repeatedly move out of my way during my frantic search. “Lo!?” All sounds except my rapidly racing heart slowly fade away the further I get into the thick shrubbery. “Lo!” The thrumming in my ears increases with every step I take as dread drips itself along my spine. Pushes me closer to the ground. Threatens to collapse me under the weight of regret. “Michelangelo!” Falling to my knees is done next. Branches and vines cut my arms. Legs. Do their best to tangle themselves around me and trap me in place. “Michelangelo!”
“Yeah?” he innocently retorts from somewhere in the distance pushing me to move faster.
Ignore the fresh scrapes and bruises further.
“Michelangelo!”
“Dad,” my son whines the instant he’s in my sights, “you gotta be quiet, or you’ll scare the bunny.”
I prepare to bark out a retort when I notice the small sleeping creature, he’s petting in his lap.
Of course, he wandered off over an animal.
It fits him.
Ourtypical adventures.
Anytime we’ve ever been outdoors like this we’ve veered off course to explore and admire the wildlife.
Why would now be any different?
“Lo,” I quietly begin, heaving body plopping itself next to his, “you know you’re not supposed to travel by yourself yet.”
“But I saw a bunny.” His argument is attached to his stare lifting to mine. “And I needed a bunny for my trick.”
The line of simple logic to follow is almost unsettling.
That’s the thing about kids.
Everything is in the absolute most relative terms for them.
It’s both awe-inspiring and frightening.
“I was coming right back,” he insists while running his tiny fingers the length of slumbering creature’s body. “I’d never go on an adventure without you.”
Melting over his words occurs instantly. “I know, Little Critter. I just…” My frame stretches out to rest an arm behind him. “I got worried. I never want someone to take you away. I never wanna lose you.”
“You won’t, Dad,” Lo innocently croaks and leans over to rest his head against my ribcage. “Just like I won’t lose this bunny.”
Fuck. Me.
Are we about to smuggle home a bunny?
Is it smuggling if it’s done on a private aircraft?
Do geese and rabbits even get along?
My son angles his face upward. “You know what we need now, Dad?”
