In the country, he could look ridiculous and the country wouldn’t know. Or care. But out here, it was different. Out here, soccer moms stared at him with humor as he rocked out in his car.

The phone vibrated and Kevin answered it.

“You almost home?”

“Yeah. Almost.” He smiled. “I’m going to Target to look for a digital camera. Remember?”

“Oh, yeah,” she said.

He often joked that the twins were draining her brain cells, and Jenny half agreed.

“Do you want to pick up some dinner?” Jenny asked.

“Only if it’s something really greasy, since I’m eating for three,” Kevin said.

“You should be so lucky.”

They talked about options for several minutes. Jenny took a long time before not deciding anything. “You decide. You know what I like.”

Baby A is named Forgetfulness and Baby B is named Indecision.

“All right,” Kevin said, still amused. “See you soon.”

He wasn’t sure how this went, buying a digital camera for the kid named Thomas. How much was he supposed to spend? If they were on a budget, he might be able to nail down the exact amount. But it was a bit like asking a sailor how much he could eat and drink while going down on a sinking ship. The question seemed a bit ridiculous in light of everything.

After looking for twenty minutes, Kevin found a nice Canon that was about eighty bucks, almost half its original price. He could have gotten a less expensive camera or a less-known brand, but something in him wanted to do this.

Am I concerned that Thomas gets a nice camera or that I look good?

That question was even more ridiculous. Thomas would never know who was giving him these gifts. That was kind of the whole point, wasn’t it? Giving without getting anything in return.

Kevin had so much to learn and so far to go.

“Uncle Kevin?”

He hadn’t heard that term in some time. When he glanced up he saw the smiling face of his niece Kaylee.

“I’m sorry, do I know you?” he joked as he walked over and gave the sixteen-year-old a hug. “What are you doing here?”

“I love shopping here. Getting a new camera?”

“Uh, yeah.”

He thought back to the last time he’d seen Kaylee. A year ago Thanksgiving, since they traded off years between sides of the family.

Has it really been a year?

“You never reply to me on Facebook,” Kaylee said.

“I’m never on Facebook. Seriously.”

Kevin couldn’t believe how grown up the young girl had become. Kaylee was his sister’s only child. Jill had tried to have another but she had ended up having two miscarriages. He wasn’t extremely close to Jill, his younger and only sibling, and that meant that he barely knew this young girl standing in front of him.

She’s a young woman.

“How’s your mother?” he asked.

“She’s doing good.”

“And how’s school going?”