It had been exactly four years. Four years since you brought your son into the world. And with that, you had made Rafe the happiest man alive.

Nolan. Rafe’s first kid, first son — his whole pride.

You would’ve paid money to see Rafe’s face again when he saw your son for the first time. He literally had tears in his eyes.

The first year flew by. It was beautiful. Your favorite evenings were the ones when you all danced in the kitchen to soft music at night — you, Rafe, and a sleeping newborn against his bare chest. It was a picture-perfect moment.

Then came the first steps, countless times Nolan fell because his little legs didn’t yet know how to walk — it was too cute. His first word was, of course, “dada.” Yeah, he was definitely a daddy’s boy.

But once Nolan could say more than just one word and walk properly, he literally sometimes drove you crazy. And Rafe? Rafe was on his side. It was almost like Nolan was a tiny, little version of Rafe.

Whenever you were debating something with Rafe, Nolan would stand next to him, hands on his hips, pretending to join in the discussion. And in those moments, any argument was forgotten because you and Rafe couldn’t stop laughing at Nolan’s behavior.

Nolan copied everything from him — the way Rafe’s face moved, his mannerisms, his walk. He even always wanted to wear the same outfit as Rafe.

Today was his fourth birthday, and he had only one thing on his mind: the ocean.

“I want to go to the sea today! Please, please, please, please, please,” Nolan begged, bouncing up and down.

Rafe, overprotective as always, folded his arms. “No, buddy. You’re not swimming today. The water’s too cold, it’s dangerous—”

“But Dad, listen,” Nolan started, in that tiny, serious voice that somehow made every argument sound like a pros-and-cons list. “If I go to the sea, I can build a big sandcastle, and then I can jump over the little waves, and I can put seashells on it, and I’ll wear my floaties, and—”

“No, Nolan, you don’t understand—” Rafe tried to interrupt.

“I said, listen to me!” Nolan shot back, wagging his finger with absolute authority.

And both of you laughed, Rafe finally seeing it too — your little boy was already a perfect little copy of him.