(flashback)
Dan stared out of the car window, watching the trees go by as the rain falls.
"Why do I have to visit grandma and granddad? It's better at home." He complains.
He hears his mother sigh from the seat in front of him. "Daniel, you're father and I are going away for a while and you need to stay somewhere." She turns around to look at Dan, a smile across her face. "We can't have you just sit at home alone doing nothing all day, now can we?"
Dan furrows his eyebrows as he looks at his mom. "Yes you can! I'm old enough." He sighs resting his head on the window. "It would be more fun than grandma and granddad's house anyway."
"Hey." Dan's mom scolded. "It will be fun. I promise you Dan." She turns back around in her seat. "Besides, it'll do you some good to stop watching that TV all day."
"You should listen to your mother, Daniel." His father chimes in, keeping his eyes on the road.
Dan rolls his eyes, knowing exactly where this is going.
"You're 9 years old Dan. You should be going outside and playing with friends. Not spending all of your time watching cartoons. You know when I was your age we actually had to talk to people to get entertainment.."
After that point Dan decided to tune out everything she said. He's heard it all before, he doesn't need to hear it again.
Instead he watched the rain fall. He liked to pretend that the rain droplets are having a race from one end of the window to the other and he likes to bet on which will win. It's entertaining and relaxing at the same time.
So that's what he does. He watches the rain droplets race and continues to wish he was back at home.
-
"Come say hello to your grandparents Daniel." His dad says. Dan slowly walks over and goes behind his mom.
He waves, "Hi." He says quietly.
"Don't be shy, Dan, come on." His mom says in a soft voice. She puts her hand on his back and softly pushes him a forward.
His grandma smiles, "Oh you look so much bigger from the last time we saw you. That was only- um 2- no 3-"
"7 years mom. It's been 7." Dan's mom speaks up.
His grandma lightly laughs and smiles, "Right." There's an awkward moment of silence before she speaks again. "Well, we should probably get inside now."
Dan turns around and hugs his mother tightly. His mom pushes away Dan for a second and crouches down, holding onto his hands. "You're going to be a good boy, right Danny?" She asks.
Dan looks at his mom's brown eyes, "Yes I will."
She nods, "That's my boy." She brushes her fingers through Dan's hair before placing a kiss on his forehead.
When she pulls back Dan asks a question. "When are you guys going to come back?"
She gives a small smile, "You'll see us soon. I promise you." She waits for some type of answer which Dan doesn't give. "Okay?"
Dan nods, "Okay." Dan wraps his arms around his mom as she wraps hers around him. He buries his face into her neck. "Bye mom, I love you."
"I love you too sweetheart."
They pull away and Dan looks to his dad. Even though they didn't have the closest relationship, the young boy still wanted to say goodbye.
His dad looks at him for a moment before looking at the mom instead. "We better get going or we'll miss our flight." He begins to walk to the car. Dan looks down at his feet, feeling a wave of sadness hit him.
