Running Back to You

The treehouse took most of a month to finish. Reese’s father came home from work with sleeves rolled up, measuring boards while Ryan’s dad grumbled about “deathtraps” and “insurance premiums.” They secretly installed the rope ladder anyway. Matthew’s dad contributed paint from the garage. Reese suggested green because it would blend in, but Matthew shook his head. “No,” he said firmly. “Yellow, like sunshine.” Some love stories begin with lightning strikes and grand gestures. Others begin with shared cookies in a treehouse.