While the sun is bright

 "I'm kind of scared about being here," Tristan shrugged. He didn't know what his friend Holden wanted to hear. 

"Why?" He laughed at him as if he would get used to being a home owner, even if he grew up in this home.

"But..but it will always be my parents' home," Tristan told him. "I don't want to burn it down."

"As long as you're not grilling," Holden reminded him he'd seen that fire he'd built on the Fourth.

Tristan laughed. "I would never do that again."

Tristan would be careful around fire. Although, it felt as if he was doing all the cooking lately. Dale was always off on assignment with the TV station. He knew to expect this, but sometimes it left him hanging, like now. All by his lonesome with Holden.

They looked through the garage. Naturally, Holden told him he needed to invest in a better lawnmower. "Maybe you should just get a lawn service." Holden said the yard needed work. Tristan just didn't see it. So what if it wasn't as manicured as Holden's. He had to wonder if Holden's dad would think that much of a lawn. Tristan's dad never did. 

"I'll think about it," was the best Tristan could say. The more he was around his childhood friend he felt they were less and less alike. But Holden's wife Dora was still Dale's best friend so at least there was that. 

Dora was already in the kitchen starting dinner. Hopefully, Dale would join them. Honestly, Tristan missed those days at the apartment when all the roomies would gather for supper. Maybe it was Nic's cooking he missed the most. And then he remembered. Nic was engaged.

"When are you getting married, dude?" Holden woke him up.

"What?"

"Now that you've got a house, you two should do it."

"Yeah, of course," Tristan squinted. Of course, it felt as if time what getting away from him. It felt as if Holden was light years ahead with his Animal Hospital practice. "So are you two going to have a baby, anytime soon?"

"Funny, that you asked that question," Holden smiled. "But let's wait and let Dora tell the both of you."

Tristan raked his fingers through his hair. He knew what his mother would say if she heard about this little revelation.