Iknowitiswrongtoenvyyourchildren.ButwhenIseemyson,TonioandhisyoungerbrotherSamgoingdownaslidetogether,one’sarmaroundtheother,IknowIhavemissedsomethingwonderful.NotonlydidIneverhaveabrother,butalso

　　Iknowitiswrongtoenvyyourchildren.ButwhenIseemyson,TonioandhisyoungerbrotherSamgoingdownaslidetogether,one’sarmaroundtheother,IknowIhavemissedsomethingwonderful.

　　NotonlydidIneverhaveabrother,butalsoIhadnofriendshipsliketheirs.Mysisterwasoldenoughtohelptakecareofme,soshewasmoreamotherthanaplaymate,andIwasmoreapestthanafriend.Abrotherwouldhavebeenwonderful,butitwasnotinthefamilyplanning.

　　NowIfinallylivewithbrothers,mysons,TonioandSam.IamwatchingthembuildthekindofrelationshipthatIoncedreamedabout.Theygotobedtogether.Whenonecomesintoourbedafteranightmare,mywifeandIknowthatbeforemorninghisbrotherwillfollow.

　　Sammanagestheworldwithmoreeasethanhiselderbrother,whosefrustrationsoftenbringhimtotears.Withasincere“Smile,Tonio,”Samistheonewhocomfortshim.Tonio,ontheotherhand,hasstoppedplayingwithboysathisagewhodon’tlikeplayingwithSam.Theyarealwaysbackingeachotherup.

　　Idon’tknowwhatkindofrelationshiptheywillhavewhentheygrowup.Parentsalwayswanttheirchildrentohavewhattheynevercould.Iwantthemtohaveeachother.SoIimaginethemgoingtothesamecollege,marryingsistersandlivingonthesameblock.

　　That’swhyIwassoworriedthedayToniostartedkindergarten.IfeltthatIwouldlosesomethingtoo.Asweheadedforschoolthatmorning,bothboysseemedrelaxed,asifneitherhadanyideathatthedaywasgoingtobedifferent,thatstartingthen,Toniowouldbeleavingbehindhisbrother,hisbestfriend,hisrightarm.

　　Tonio’sfirstdaywaschaotic,withhundredsofchildrenoutsidelookingfortheirteachers.Beforeanyofuscouldsaygoodbye,Toniodisappearedwithhisnewclassmates.Heturnedtowaveandthenwasgone.Itwassosudden.Samevendidn’tseehimgo.Althoughparentshadbeenaskedtoeasethecrazinessofthefirstdaybystatyingoutoftheschool,IliftedSamupandtookhimtoTonio’sclassroom,lookingforaglimpseofTonio.Samspottedhimfirst.

　　MywifeandIdidn’theadbackhomeimmediately,stoppinginsteadatacoffeeshoptotreatSamtohotchocolate.Weevenlethimeatice-creamwithhisfingers.Samwasstillquiet,soIaskedhimifhemissedhisbrotheralready.

　　Hedidn’tanswer.Insteadheaske