how it should be

Eric had to look twice. He was from behind. That had to be Ian. But why would he be at this zoo?

He pushed the stroller onward in the throng of people waiting for burgers and hotdogs by the Lion House. He saw Ian turn. Someone was letting him try their ice cream cone. Eric grinned with his shades on. Ian was with a girl.

"Aren't their health regulations against that!" Eric said a bit too loud. Naturally, Syd wondered what he was doing. She was giving one of the kids a sippie cup of juice.

Ian finally saw him. He was holding hands with that girl... who wasn't exactly skinny, yet a little tubby. Maybe Ian liked fat girls, Eric was beginning to think.

"What are you doing here?" Ian acted as if Eric wasn't suppose to be here. As if maybe, he was trying to hide from something.

"No, the question is, what are you doing here?" Eric smiled. For one thing there was a much bigger zoo that Ian didn't live all that far from. Shouldn't he be there? This was the smaller one which was perfect for the little ones. There was a petting zoo, and of course, ice cream.

"Josie has never been to this one." Ian told him. Finally, he introduced her.

"You guys could come over, and we could grill some steaks when you're done here." Eric liked the idea. He wasn't sure Syd would.

"Yeah, sure." Syd was caught a little off guard, "Its been forever since..since, you've come over. How are you..guys?"

"Great." Ian lit a smile as if all was well with the world. "Just great."

Eric kept noticing how close the two were. He didn't mean to stare, but Eric couldn't help but be pleased about it. He hoped.

Ian and Josie walked with them. As if they should. Josie excused herself to go to the bathroom. Ian held her ice cream cone.

"We didn't mean to interrupt anything." Syd assured Ian. "Come by at seven. We'll have dinner. OK?" Syd kept smiling as if it was time for them to leave Ian alone. She looked sternly at Eric as if he better behave.

"See you then." Ian walked toward the restroom to wait for Josie.

"What did I do?" Eric looked at Syd stunned.

"Just don't over do it, with Ian. OK?" She kept her eye on him. "Don't make it anything more or less. Got it?"

"What are you getting at?" He looked over his shades then as he was standing there in his chino shorts and STEPKIDS Tee-shirt. His first chance for his pale legs to see the summer sun.

"Oh, you know, how you are." Syd held on to the bottle of juice that needed to go back in the diaper bag. "With Ian, don't ask so many questions. If you want to be the best brother in the world, you have to let him come to you. If he doesn't need anything, then...he doesn't need anything." She put the juice away.

"Yes, dear." He smirked as he pushed the stroller toward the train.