Of Waves That Are "Wild" & A Heart To Heart Talk~

My friend’s 8 yr old son, Hazel Eyed Boy comes out of the ocean, runs to where we are sitting, finds his towel and wraps it around him tight. 

He’s been swimming with his sister Brown Eyed Girl and his cousins, including Miss Pink Girl & Powder Puff Girl, but because he is the skinniest and lankiest of the crew, he’s the first to get cold and the first to  emerge from the sea. 

He looks down at me sitting in my beach chair and I open my arms to him and say: Want to sit with me and get warm? 

He smiles and nods his head yes, plops himself down to sit in my chair and snuggles as I wrap my arms around his shoulders to give him a hug and warm him up. It’s our beach ritual that we’ve been doing since he was 3. 

I shift his body weight a bit and move my insulin pump to the left side of my V-Neck bathing suit, directly under my shoulder. He knows what I’m doing without even looking and instinctively leans onto my right shoulder,  grabs my left hand, looks up at my face and says: The waves were wild out there, Kel. It was awesome!

Me: I bet! 

Hazel Eyed Boy: The waves were so cool, Kel.  And when I wasn’t riding my boogie board I was diving under the waves. 

Me: I saw. 

Hazel Eyed Boy: I found a crab in the ocean - A big one.

Me: Why didn’t you bring it to me, we could have had a crab sandwich for dinner. 

He smiles and laughs. 

Hazel Eyed Boy: I think I killed it when I stepped on it - right before I found it. Why didn’t you come in the ocean with us? 

Me: The air is way too chilly for me - And I forgot my rash-guard. 

Hazel Eyed Boy: Yeah, it is chilly. 

He looks up at me at stares for about 5 seconds and then says: 

Ever since I’ve known you, you’ve always worn your insulin pump - My whole life.

Me: Yep, that’s true - Good observation, kid. 

Hazel Eyed Boy: And you will always have to wear it... right? 

Me: Well, I could take shots of insulin - like needles. but I prefer the pump - But yes, I will always have to inject insulin one way or another. 

Hazel Eyed Boy: So you can turn your food into energy. So you can stay aliii...Always be here.... with me... with us. 

Me: Yep, something like that.

Hazel Eyed Boy: Then I’m glad you have it. 

Me: Me, too!

But I can see a hint of worry flicker in his eyes, so I hold on to him tight, smile and start to whisper a phrase that I know will make him smile - it's our phrase & we've been saying it since he was two years old - except we continually update it with his current age: So who’s my favorite just turned 8 year old boy?? 

Hazel Eyed Boy: ME. 

Me: And who do I love?? 

Hazel Eyed Boy: ME. 

Me: And who loves me? 

Hazel Eyed Boy: ME. 

And then he hugs me tight and we both stare out at the Atlantic from our chair until Hazel Eyed Boy falls asleep and I kiss the top of his head and hold him tight.  

No... I am not a mother and I don't know if I ever will be. But I am maternal - And I love this kid, his sister & his cousins something awful.