Summer bliss

He just loved bonfires. Bonfires at the beach on the fourth of July, barbeque, staying up late, happy people and even fireworks. What could be better? BOOOOM! Giant red and green sparks drizzled over the night sky, and he was craning his neck to watch the last embers of it. BANG! An enormous, golden star whizzed to life over the marina, hanging there for a long time before fading. When he closed his eyes, he could still see it outlined in his vision. He opened his eyes, and smiled exuberantly at Abby. "Oooh, look, there's another one!" he shouted excitedly.

"Henry, Henry" - his little brother was pulling his sleeve, "I'm scared, it's so loud. Is the sky exploding?"

He patted JD's head absently – JD was always scared of something, and a real nuisance and a bother. But he cared a lot for the little guy. It wasn't his fault that he was so small, so everyday-mainland-like and so ill. His asthma was getting worse, and sometimes he could hardly breathe without his medication. All this was JD, and just something to be dealt with.

"Henry! I want Mom, isn't she coming?" JD started wailing.

Henry shook his head: "Mom's at work, she's at the restaurant. You have to stay here with me, JD."

"MOM!" JD was almost louder than the fireworks, and Henry hated it when JD cried. Mostly, it was because of people staring. Kindhearted grown-ups would stop, inevitably asking: "Where's your Mom or you Dad?" Then Henry would have to explain that they were at work, and that he was looking after his little brother. He simply detested the look of concern on their face, seeing that they thought him way too small to look after a three-year-old kid. After all, he was seven, and a big boy. That's what Mom and Dad said, but the other grown-ups obviously didn't believe it.

This time he was lucky, though, because Mrs. Mills lifted JD up, comforting him. He smiled gratefully at her, and she smiled back at him. "You're a good boy, Henry", she said softly, "taking so good care of your brother". All of a sudden, tears welled up in his eyes – Mrs. Mills was so nice! And she wasn't like the other grown-ups, she saw that he took good care of JD. Still, he was happy when she signaled to him that he could go play with Abby and leave JD to her.

Xxx

He just loved fishing. It was almost as good as the bonfires. Lying in a small boat that he and Abby had "lent" - that is, they'd never asked the owner – he had his fishing rod out, and yes – there was a fish on the hook!

Abby snorted, saying: "I bet my fish is bigger than that".

He grimaced at her, annoyed that she had caught a such a big fish earlier in the day. Scrunching up his face, he concentrated on bringing the fish up. Yes! It was a big one!

"Wow, that's got to be the biggest fish I've ever seen!", shouted Abby, excitedly helping him to land the fish in the boat. Then came the part that she never helped with – she never even took the head off her own catch, he always had to do it for her. Henry whacked the fish over the neck expertly with his pocketknife, and like that it was dead, not wriggling anymore. It was always strange – at first the fish was alive and wriggling, then dead and not moving, just because he had done some little thing to it.

Xxx

He just loved Harper's Island. Exploring the woods, swimming in the sea, playing at the beach, climbing the hills and the trees. Watching the boats and the fishermen, and sometimes they even got to go out at the sea with a fisherman who was friendly with Abby's dad. He could do it every day of his life, he thought, just running around, and then go home to Abby's for a snack when they were hungry. Her mother baked the best cookies in the world, and she was always nice to them. They would eat in the tree hut that Abby's Dad had made for her, and if it rained, they'd just stay up there reading comic books. That is - he was teaching Abby how to read, as she couldn't read very well yet. Hearing a soft rain spatter on the leaves outside the tree hut, while sitting close to Abby squinting at at the letters was so peaceful, safe and comfortable. Eventually, they'd both fall asleep, nestling close to each other on the floor.

Xxx

He just loved Abby.