What It Means to Grow Up

Not every definition is in the dictionary.

Timothy snatched the paper away from his little brother.

"Timophy! Give me back my drawing. Mommmmm...!!"

"Fine, here, twerp. I was only playin'." Timothy handed the paper back gently. "It's pretty good, Harry."

"You wike it?" Harry looked adoringly at his older brother. "Realwy?"

"Best horse I ever saw!"

"Timophy..!! It's not a howrse, it's a boat!"

"A boat?!" The older boy picked the paper up again and turned it back and forth. "I dunno. If it's a boat...Bet it floats!" He took a couple steps toward the door to the bathroom. Harry absolutely squealed in playful protest.

"Boys—? Harry, are you alright up there?"

Both boys froze as the woman's sharply worried voice floated up the stairwell.

“We’re fine, Mom,” Timothy called down. He winked at his little brother: "You got us yelled at, twerp!"

Harry whispered back, "Did not, Timophy!"

Timothy grinned at his brother, and they both chuckled. "Climb on, Cowboy Harry," Timothy said, getting down on all fours, carefully holding his brother's drawing so it wouldn't wrinkle. "We can play horsey if you'll quit squealing like a piggy."

Harry smiled like a man who struck gold. He climbed on his brother's back giggling. "Howrsey!"

Timothy crawled back to the bed and discharged his "rider." He stood, tucking a light blanked around the little boy, laying the back of his hand against Harry's small hairless head. "You should rest a little Cowboy. We'll play again later, okay?"

Harry had a sudden coughing fit, spat out a deep red wad of phlegm. He looked at his brother with suddenly tired eyes and nodded, settling back into the pillows.

“Inoperable” was the word his dad used. Harry was too young to know what it meant for him, but Timothy was not. He kissed his brother's forehead.

"Inoperable" meant "goodbye."

(Word Count 300)