He was free to roam all over and his parents never worried. One of his favorite places to go was the swimming hole in a creek about a mile away in the...middle of the mile section. It was a small creek most spots were a mere inches deep, but there was one spot right after a bend that washed out to 10 ft deep. The ridge above the spot was 15 ft above the water. On the inside of the bend was a sand bank that stayed dry unless the creek was flooded. Tommy had just turned 18 this spring and was going. "No, darling, where's Cully, where's Cully-boy?" I saw her speak thru her dresser mirror next to their bed. She was white as a ghost, the tan lines all but gone.He did not venture an answer, just calmed his own intent and nestled in by her neck and ear.Thru the reflection Girl crooked her finger beckoning me back to bedside. She would tell me first chance: "He told me Cully; he whispered that he loved me and that it was time. But, I didn't want him to do it to me again until you were there and. It's not a rule or anything, but it's considered good manners not to."I nodded, "Thanks, this is all so new it's kind of embarrassing to get sucked in so easily."She smiled, "Try to immerse yourself, this can be as real as you want it to be. The main thing though," she looked conspiratorial and whispered, "Is to have fun and lots of it!"I smiled at her obvious enthusiasm and we walked towards the far end of the cavern. As we reached the halfway mark, it became apparent that we could go no. I had finished my education with a Master's degree, as the lure of creating things had begun to outweigh the desire for further education. Jason, on the other hand, was in the throes of finalizing his Doctorate in Robotics. Clara had become 'the next big thing in art and design' and was just about to open her new gallery as the artist in residence. She was also a partner in a boutique that sold the latest in fashion, with her as the principal designer. Jason was so proud of her that he carried.