Freestone's Flame

 This handsome 11-year-old struck up a friendship with a girl his age who was staying in the complex.  I don't know what they talked about, with Collin as Freestone's wingman, standing in the surf or floating in the pool, but it was fun to watch.

Fun and a tiny bit awkward.  On the way out of town, Freestone was texting Zoe.  I asked him what he was saying and he answered, "Oh, stuff like 'Bye.  I'm leaving now.'"

Girls, if you've ever wondered what boys are thinking, they're not, really.  Ha ha.  I mean, they are.  Just not to the degree of subtle nuance you are.  I can just see Zoe thinking, "What did he mean by 'Bye.  I'm leaving now'?  It sounds like he likes me.  Or maybe he's saying goodbye, like he doesn't like me and he wants me to stop texting.  Or does it sound like he likes me?"  Nope, he's just saying bye.

On the other hand, being the mom of boys, I know there is a lot going on under the serene surface.  Freestone texted Zoe all the way home.  He's so nonchalant about it, like of course he would go on vacation and strike up a friendship with a girl from Vegas.  And of course they would keep in touch.  That's what kids do nowdays.  When I was a teen, I had to write letters to the friends I met on trips.  I wrote diligently to a boy in East Germany for years, just because he was friendly to my friends and I at the hostel, and I got his address.  I wonder what ever happened to him and his girlfriend. I thought of them when the wall came down, the freedom and connection with the outside world that they could finally have.

But back to Freestone.  It is going to be quite a ride, watching him navigate these next few years.  He has the confidence to do it.  Lately, he has been able to speak up when talking to adults, and carry on intelligent conversations with them.  He surprises me with his maturity.  Every stage that comes up, there's a stunned moment of, "Already!?"  Going into junior high next year, I never would have predicted six months ago that Freestone would be ready for that.  And now he is.  He's there.  Of course I'll miss my little boy, but I can't hold him back with my wistfulness for the past.  All I can do is run alongside him, trying to keep up, until the day in the distant future, when a girl like Zoe takes over that role and I stop running and let him go.