There are many moments in a boy’s life that are worth telling, and other moments are just mundane routines that wouldn’t be remembered even if written out. Kismet had more mundane days than eventful ones, but he didn’t mind, each day was spent getting to know Prestige and Shirley more. Once again, Kismet saw another four seasons pass and he was sixteen. Jovie was turning out to be a responsible and obedient younger brother and was at last old enough to learn the trades of business, fishing, hunting, and other privileges he had been too young to learn. Kismet became Jovie’s mentor and taught him everything his father had taught him.
Prestige even grew fond of Jovie and Kismet trusted Prestige to be especially watchful of Jovie. Sensing how protective Kismet was of his younger brother, Prestige assigned himself guardian of the youngest Whitmore, and watched him just as carefully as he had been with Kismet.
“How long will this last?” Jovie wrote out on the slate one morning on the banks of a stream. He tossed fishing line into the water and watched intently upon the floating bait. He looked up at his older brother and nudged him. He pointed to the slate and raised a questioning eyebrow.
Kismet cleared his throat and threw his shoulders back to open up his lungs. “Probably…not too long…but the money is still bad…no one is finding good work.”
Prestige squeezed in between the two brothers and settled down comfortably, placing his head on Kismet’s lap and left paw on Jovie’s lap.
Jovie giggled and rubbed his cheeks against Prestige’s fur. “You’re a good boy, Prestige.”
Prestige’s tail thumbed in acknowledgement and his ears pressed against his head in contentment.
“Shirley and I kissed,” Kismet mumbled through an uncontrollable smile.
Jovie sat up straight and his mouth opened in astonishment. He punched Kismet in the shoulder and wiggled his eyebrows. He grabbed the slate and wrote out excitedly, “How did it feel?” He shoved his question under Kismet’s nose.
Kismet snorted and whipped a strand of bangs behind his ear. He raised one eyebrow and made a zipper motion across his lips.
“Oh, come on, Kis!” Jovie begged, pounding the ground beside him with a fist.
“It was…good…it was nice,” Kismet finally replied. His eyes went hazy and his shoulder slumped in remembrance of that strange vulnerability he had felt when they had kissed. He was afraid to kiss her again in fear of ruining the first one.
“You love her?” Jovie signed by beating the side of his chest where his heart was.
“Yeah, I do…you reckon…I…should ask her?” Kismet pulled his fishing line out of the water and tossed it behind him. He put his full attention on Jovie and propped his chin on a raised hand.
It was Jovie’s turn to look out in front of him. After five minutes passed, Jovie nodded his head. He smiled a sealed smile and patted Kismet on the shoulder. “Yes.”
Kismet broke out into a huge smile and threw himself backwards. Prestige leaped to his feet and hovered over Kismet’s face, giving him lots of kisses. Kismet laughed and pushed Prestige off of him so that he could sit up.
“You think…Mama and Papa will mind?”
Jovie shook his head so fast, his features were a blur. “No. They like Shirley.”
Kismet mimicked Jovie’s lips as he spoke, and it wasn’t long before he realized what they words meant. “Sure…sure…I know they like her. I’m just…scared they say, ‘no.’ or…not yet…”
Jovie picked up the slate again and wrote the end of the conversation before picking up his line and suggesting they go home. “It’s more what Shirley’s parents think. But I think you two are good for each other.”
“Thanks,” Kismet whispered, standing up from the bank. He took his little brother by the shoulder and pulled him in for a hug. He ruffled up his hair and whistled for Prestige. The three of them headed home, each having caught two fish.
When they got home, Kismet spent the late night talking to his parents about him proposing to Shirley. After much consideration, tears, and long embraces, they approved. Kismet would wait till he was eighteen before he could ask her. It was a disappointing answer, and the thought of waiting seemed impossible, but Kismet found it worth it.
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The Wolf's Boy
AdventureKismet and Prestige are just as unusual as their names. Though one is a boy and the other a wolf, they both desire the same thing: love. Through the years, their friendship grows and they become inseparable. But when their town is hit by a natural...
