-

“I do my best,” Alexander said as he ran a hand over the front of his shirt, his mind far away even as he swung gently on the swing, staring off into the distance. He turned to look at his companion with a small smile. “She’s nine months,” he said. “I’m constantly running around putting things out of her reach.” He laughed a little. “She’s constantly putting things in her mouth!” Alexander shook his head, but he felt the overwhelming love for his daughter warm him, even as the agony of losing Joshua once more crept in on the edges. He pursed his lips, and pushed the swing to carry himself a bit higher, a bit faster, a bit further away from his own thoughts.

“Naomi is a lovely name,” he responded when she introduced herself. He took the opportunity to lock away his grief that was poking around the edges of his mood, and instead offered a small, genuine smile at the competition. “Its not how high you can swing,” he said, voice teasing, “It’s how far you can jump!” Preferably without breaking a bone! He didn’t add that, but did lift his eyebrows and pumped his legs more, forcing the swing higher. Then he realised he would have to jump, at some point, and wondered what it was about the woman that prompted him to make such a challenge. He was too old to jump from swings in mid-flight. Alexander laughed, at the ridiculousness of the situation, but kept swinging.