A Miracle or Two

Dancing Elephants prompt 6 of 52

My nephew was born with blue skin. I watched him emerge into this world and draw his first hopeful breath. I was relieved when he cried and then slowly blossomed into a soft pink thing.

His brother was deep pink from the beginning, flush with skepticism. They are a funny pair — yin and yang in some ways, Fred and George Weasley in others.

When I was pregnant, I worried that I might not love my own child as much as I loved my nephews. Honestly, it felt impossible. Such is the immense joy that I have felt as an aunt who is blessed with an abundance of her nephews’ time and smiles. They are treasures.

Gifts that keep on giving, they are also amazing cousins to my son.

Over the years, we’ve been on many adventures together. When I was teaching, we had the whole summer — playing mini golf, having lightsaber battles, drinking slushies, and splashing in the pool. Now we make plans on weekends and holidays, and I do my best to maintain my status as the fun aunt.

Lately, I’ve relied on the sweet confection of colorful candy for extra leverage.

We visited a sweets shop together this week, and I told the kids to choose whatever they would eat (no limit). We left with a big white bag full of rainbow goodness. We marched down the sidewalk eating sugary blue crystals and soft sour watermelons.

When our time together drew to a close, my older nephew — now a fair fawn thing with curly blonde hair — drove us all back to their house.

My, how far we’ve come.

“Who can take the rainbow? Wrap it in a sigh Soak it in the sun and make a groovy lemon pie…”

— Sammy Davis Jr., “The Candy Man”

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