She was lingering at the window, leaning against the support pole with her arms folded. Being lost in thought did not stop her from hearing heavy footsteps on the rough floor, but Lucia had only to lift her head for a moment to identify the newcomer. Her thoughts were confirmed when he piped up and asked, "What are you looking at?"
"Hugo," she told him, shifting enough out of the window for him so that he could see for himself.
Sgt. Joe padded up beside her and squinted out the window. "Ah," he said sagely.
"I don't know why he does that."
Her son was outside with his friends, laughing at something Lulu or Aila perched on a nearby rock had said. He was hanging from a tree branch by his knees, Fubar hovering beneath him, watching him steadily. For all his odd upside-down perch, Hugo seemed oblivious to anything strange about the picture.
The duck said critically, "Boy's getting to that age. He needs to start worrying about what other people will think of his actions more than worrying about what they think of his looks."
She watched Hugo for a moment longer, and then turned a faint smile on Joe. "He's growing up." Light words that meant so much-- that hit hard, although Lucia shouldered that blow stubbornly. She was the mother of an adolescent. Hugo was so good, so earnest and serious, that it was easy to forget his youth.
"He's been growing up all along," Sgt. Joe said, ruffling his feathers with the gruff disdain that meant he was trying not to be sentimental.
Lucia smiled for him, for his caring. She wondered what Hugo would be like as an adult-- quick to smile, or withdrawn, private? He was too much like her already, needed too much to be in control of things. Don't grow up so fast, Hugo. Enjoy yourself. Be a child a little while longer...
"Oh," the duck said, turning to leave. He tossed her a deadpan wink over his shoulder. "I overheard him telling Fubar about it. He's hanging from the tree because he thinks it'll make him taller. He's a little worried about his height."
Lucia stared out the window, watching Hugo swing nimbly, gymnastic swaying from his knees onto his hands and then over the branch and back to dangle upside-down. She couldn't allow herself to smile, not when he could look up and catch sight of her at any moment; but she wanted to, desperately.
Lucia, Sgt. Joe: "Halcyon Days"
"Hugo," she told him, shifting enough out of the window for him so that he could see for himself.
Sgt. Joe padded up beside her and squinted out the window. "Ah," he said sagely.
"I don't know why he does that."
Her son was outside with his friends, laughing at something Lulu or Aila perched on a nearby rock had said. He was hanging from a tree branch by his knees, Fubar hovering beneath him, watching him steadily. For all his odd upside-down perch, Hugo seemed oblivious to anything strange about the picture.
The duck said critically, "Boy's getting to that age. He needs to start worrying about what other people will think of his actions more than worrying about what they think of his looks."
She watched Hugo for a moment longer, and then turned a faint smile on Joe. "He's growing up." Light words that meant so much-- that hit hard, although Lucia shouldered that blow stubbornly. She was the mother of an adolescent. Hugo was so good, so earnest and serious, that it was easy to forget his youth.
"He's been growing up all along," Sgt. Joe said, ruffling his feathers with the gruff disdain that meant he was trying not to be sentimental.
Lucia smiled for him, for his caring. She wondered what Hugo would be like as an adult-- quick to smile, or withdrawn, private? He was too much like her already, needed too much to be in control of things. Don't grow up so fast, Hugo. Enjoy yourself. Be a child a little while longer...
"Oh," the duck said, turning to leave. He tossed her a deadpan wink over his shoulder. "I overheard him telling Fubar about it. He's hanging from the tree because he thinks it'll make him taller. He's a little worried about his height."
Lucia stared out the window, watching Hugo swing nimbly, gymnastic swaying from his knees onto his hands and then over the branch and back to dangle upside-down. She couldn't allow herself to smile, not when he could look up and catch sight of her at any moment; but she wanted to, desperately.
He still has childhood ahead of him yet.