over to catch his breath.
"Oh, really? How big?"
"Bout like that," Mac said, gesturing with his hands to indicate a foot or so.
"Gaw," Drew said, looking down the shore for it. "Is it nasty?"
"Yeah, real nasty. It was all puffed-up and full of air and sand."
Drew made a sound of disapproval. "Gross. Well maybe some bird will get it and carry it off." He motioned for Mac to follow him as he turned around. "I was going to tell you it's time to head back this way, anyway."
"You think a seagull will eat a dead jellyfish?" Mac asked, thinking about what Drew said.
"I don't know, to tell you the truth. But I know it won't be there forever. Either the tide will carry it off, or a bird, or maybe even flies."
"Naw!" Mac said thinking Drew meant flies would carry it off all at one time.
Drew didn't explain. His mind was on other things. They walked next to each other for a few steps before Mac took off to investigate some seaweed and driftwood. He came back to Drew when he noticed it hadn't changed since the first time he saw it.
"Hey, you know how Mom's out of town and you're staying with Nana and Pap?" Drew said.
"Yes sir."
"Well, if me and your mom got married sometime, you know, me and you would be living in the same house and everything. And if she ever went out of town like this, I mean, you could just hang out with me the whole time." Drew never dreamed he could be so nervous talking to a four-year-old. "I mean, I'm not saying you wouldn't stay the night at Pap and Nana's anymore, but you know, we'd be at the same house, me and you, and we'd be a family and everything. We might even have to stay in Houston a little more when I'm working. But I want you and your mom to stay with me. Would you be okay with that?"
"You already told Ms. Harris you were my dad, so I guess you are." Mac shrugged nonchalantly, looking straight ahead as he walked.
Drew grinned, but instantly made his expression serious when Mac glanced back at him.
"We need to talk about it with your mom," Drew said.
"Mom already told me we would live with you if you're my dad."
"So, you and your mom already talked about this?"
"Yes sir."
"What'd she say?"
"To don't ever ask you if you're gonna be my dad."
"Why'd she say not to ever ask me that?" Drew said.
Mac looked at him and shrugged. He caught sight of a piece of a sand dollar near the edge of the water, and he ran over to it and picked it up.
Drew jogged over to catch up with him. "Tell me what she said," Drew said, even though Mac was probably more interested in the broken sand dollar than he was in the conversation. Mac smiled and started running when he noticed that Drew was going to run with him.
Mac had to take two strides to Drew's one, so Drew easily kept up with him, even when he was jogging, Mac was sprinting. Mac ran and laughed at how easily Drew out ran him. He pushed a little harder, but he just couldn't outrun Drew. Drew noticed when Mac started to lose a little steam, and he ran behind Mac, scooping him up, and causing Mac to giggle uncontrollably.
Drew stopped running, but he held onto Mac, tickling him a little more before setting him down. It was a nice big laughing fit—one that had them both laughing even after Drew set him down.
Drew sat down in the sand, and Mac came to stand next to him, holding onto his back like a little monkey. "I'm going to ask your mom to marry me, Mac. And me and you are going to be partners after that."
"After what?" Mac asked as he came to the side of Drew and plopped down next to him.
"You know, you and me, I'll be your dad, like you were saying."
"I know," Mac said. "I already told it to Ms. Harris because I knew you were gonna say that."
Drew turned and looked at him. "Don't tell your mom we had this talk, okay, though?"
"Why not?" Mac asked, scowling and wrinkling his eyebrows.
Drew smiled at the fact that Mac didn't want to keep anything from her. "Because I really want to surprise her," Drew said. "I think she would really love that. But it won't be a surprise if you tell her