Special moment

Her eyes sparkle as she hands me the thick rectangular card.

“I made you dat picture!” she cries.

“Thanks baby” I reply. Everyone calls my chubby cheeked sister baby. Leaning towards her, I gently grasp the little treasure, carefully holding it towards the gleaming sun. The colours are perfect. Bright pinks, neon greens, fluorescent yellows…

“Dats me,” she continues, “and dats you!” She points to the pair of stick figures with huge smiles and wide open arms.

“Wow babes, you’re getting really good at this! Look at that! Is that Booboo?” I use her version of the cat, Bella’s, name.

“Yup. Dats Booboo!” she grins, glowing with pride.

I smile too, a surge of affection forcing the smile into a beaming grin that rivals her own. “Let’s race to the tree house!” I cry.

“Yessssssss!” she yells, flapping her arms like a wild goose.

We bolt for the backyard, running barefoot through the warm summer grass.