510

Every year that passes by is the new busiest year of our lives. All of my cousins have already hit the university age, and the truth is, Friday movie nights and neighbourhood bike rides become less of a priority. Winter ice cream runs, rooftop star-gazing, reading comic books in bed and midnight adventures take a backseat until there's more time, as if it's actually possible to create more. People think I'm absolutely mad* when I say that I have times when I miss my cousins. I mean, they live right next door, so I don't blame them. But missing someone has nothing to do with distance or time. They're factors, not reasons. It has to do with that moment when you want someone there by your side. And honestly, there's rarely ever a time when I don't want my girls there with me, even at 1 in the morning on a Tuesday night when I want nothing more than to sleep, but they still insist on showing me very important videos of ducks getting blown over by the wind and playing QWOP**. Nights when our conversations go a little like this:

R: So I have this thing tomorrow... It's called school.
G: We'll leave after you drink your hot chocolate.
R: ...
G: Do you wanna make me a hot chocolate?
T: No.
G: Do you wanna make me a hot chocolate?
R: ....
G: Do you wanna hold Cookie while I go make a hot chocolate?
R: Do you guys want to GO HOME?

*I've been watching a lot of Harry Potter clips/interviews on Youtube, and I'm starting to think I'm British.
**Dumbest game in the world.