Episode 836: He's So Fine

“We’re not that old, you don’t have to be old to go for a walk,” Bowie pointed out. “People walk because it can be relaxing, and I’d say we’re in dire need of relaxation right about now.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Lila agreed. “There won’t be much relaxing for the next little while what with tomorrow being the first day of school. It’s always hectic somehow even though we’ve been through it a ton of times, you’d think we’d be used to it. Though, I mean, this year isn’t quite like normal, Nate doesn’t seem as as excited about the school year as usual. I guess everyone finds school a drag at some point, but it just feels like it happened so suddenly with Nate, I don’t really get it.”

“Yeah, it’s really tough to fathom why he isn’t feeling so enthused at the moment,” Bowie said, throwing his wife a pointed look.

“He’s probably nervous because last year went so well in mathletes,” Lila said, “so this go round there will be expectations.”

“That’s not it, you know that’s not it.”

Lila gave him a stare as if to say I know what you’re getting at, leave it alone. “It’s a big school year for both boys I guess, with Nate challenged to follow up his mathletes success, and Jesse, well it’s, time for him to really take school seriously, start thinking about his fut-” That did it. Lila couldn’t fool herself a second longer. Her eyes filled with tears.

Bowie wrapped his arms around her.

She broke away after a moment, swiped at her wet cheeks and fanned her face. “Mmm,” she said, needing a moment more before she could form an actual word. “I don’t know why I would fall apart like that. Silliness. It’s going to be fine, of course, he’s going to be fine. We’ve all been tested. One of us will be a match. It’ll be fine. He’ll be fine.”

Episode 837: I Need You