“Hey Clem?”

“Hmm?”

“You ever look at our parents and realise just how old they are?”

I glanced up from my book, expecting to be met with Mike’s playful grin. Instead his lips sat flat, the usual gleam in his eyes dim. It caught me off guard.

“I…I mean, not really.” Orange light splashed into the car through the windscreen, the sun floating lazily to meet the horizon. I cast my thoughts to our parents. Our dad, who’s wide-frame glasses always sat steady on the bridge of his nose, and our mum, who’s curly hair often competed with her to see who could be more difficult.

“I came across a photo of them the other day, from when we were kids. It’s weird, because they looked pretty much the same. The only difference is now they have wrinkles. Until I saw that photo I didn’t realise just how big of a difference that was.” Mike tapped the indicator, peering at his mirrors before gently sliding into the left lane.

“Yeah well, that’s aging for you. It was always going to happen.” I tried to push the topic away.

“But this is our parents. And I didn’t even notice.”

I shuffled in my seat, the glow of the sun uncomfortably warm on my neck.

“So?”

“So, it’s scary. Can you imagine something happening, and neither of them are there to help you?”

I didn’t respond.

Mike sighed. “I guess I just wanted to make sure you knew. That they were getting older. So that it didn’t catch you by surprise. And I needed to get it out of me.” Mike stared forwards, his gaze glued to the road ahead.

“You know that when they’re gone we’ll still be here. Plus, we’re getting older too. By the time they’re getting ready to die we’ll be prepared for it.” My words bit irritably into the air, surprising me. I turned away.

The sun stared at me through the passenger window, heavy-lidded. Purple bruises were forming in the pool of orange that swished lazily through the car. I could feel them, cold spots that made my stomach feel weightless as they passed over it.

We would be fine. I stared out the window as Mike drove in silence.

Stars were peeking through the failing light. They stared me down, unblinking. How old are you, I wondered. How many parents have you watched die?  Would I ever be a parent? Would I even find a partner?

I sat, thinking in silence, and Mike’s words began to make sense.

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