Last Days of Summer – Logan Cross, Dillon Stone
Mr. Stone got out of bed at dawn and woke his son Logan. With summer break coming to an end, they made plans to go on a hike together. Both father and son wanted to make the most of and really cherish these last few days – just the two of them.
The further they traveled through the valley and forest, Mr. Stone was quieter. He had gotten used to being around Logan again and really enjoyed getting to know the man his son was becoming. It was going to be hard not having him around. The realization gave rise to a melancholy mood.
Logan noticed that his dad was much quieter on this hike than most of the others they’d taken over the summer. Every time he looked back, his father’s expression seemed to grow more serious.
They came across a large fallen tree in the middle of the path. As they climbed carefully, Logan took a deep breath. He collected his thoughts; he knew his dad wasn’t one to talk much about his feelings, but he was starting to get worried that something wasn’t right. He leaned against the tree and asked his father if everything was alright. For his part, Mr. Stone was happy with the break – he knew he wasn’t the best at expressing his emotions. This was an opportunity. So he told his son how much he loved having him around.
Logan was shocked. At that moment, you could have knocked him down with a feather. While Mr. Stone expressed how much he would miss seeing his son every day, Logan was temporarily speechless. He was very aware of how their relationship had grown and developed in such a short period of time, but he was a little surprised to feel the depth of emotion that came from his father’s normally placid demeanor.
Mr. Stone could see the impact of his words. Logan looked up sheepishly and smiled. Those eyes, that smile — it was enough for Mr. Stone disappeared. He reached out to touch Logan’s face; the desire for her son came roaring back.
