he peers up at me from the bottom of the stairs, a moth flying just above him. it reminds me of the way a moth is attracted to a flame.

he wrinkles his nose just a little bit, the way he does when he is concerned.

"are you sure you'll get to sleep okay?" he asks me. he is caught halfway between wanting to make sure i get to sleep and wanting to fall into a near-coma sleep himself.

i drink the sight of him in, the pale yellow light from the porch shining down on him like a spotlight. he is tired, but he is too worried about me to show it.

i nod again. "i'll be fine. go to bed!" i admonish him. i make a little shoo-ing motion with my hand.

he grins tiredly and nods, turning to jump back into his car.

i wave as he starts the engine and begins to drive home.