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The shining light is that she loves Willa, Isla, and Sadie. All three have been by regularly. We thought it important for them to acclimate to each other. Callie will be staying over at Willa’s starting tonight, since I leave early in the morning. Callie wasn’t keen on a four AM wakeup. Can’t say I blame her. Since Willa doesn’t have classes tomorrow, she’s offered to take Callie shopping for everything she’ll need for school. Other than the basics she could pack into a large suitcase, she didn’t bring much with her.
“That’s not how you do it, Z.” Callie pushes my hands away and takes over seasoning the steak.
“How do you know, squirt?”
“Because Mom actually taught me how to cook,” she says, rolling her eyes. “You can’t call me that around other people, you know.”
“I know,” I reassure her. “It’s my secret nickname for you whenever you’re being a pain in my ass.”
“Can I say that word, too,” she asks, wide-eyed. Only my dad cursed in my house and only when drunk. Which was often enough, of course.
“Callie, you’re almost fifteen. You say whatever words you want, but only at home with me. No disrespecting anyone.”
“Okay. Do you at least know how to peel a damn potato?”
Her face reddens when she tries out her first four-letter word, so foreign coming out of her own mouth.
“Yes, squirt. I know how to peel potatoes.”
“Well, get busy then. Willa will be here soon.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I say. “I didn’t know you were so bossy.”
“Sorry,” she says.
“Don’t be. Nothing wrong with you being assertive. Especially when you know what you’re doing,” I say. “And you get to put me in my place when I need it. Got it?”
“I’ll try. It’s weird though. You’re my brother, but kind of my dad. And sometimes you seem more like a kid than I am.”
“I’ll try to be more mature from now on,” I say, then stick my tongue out at her.
“No.” She laughs. “I didn’t mean it in a bad way. Only I think because you were always gone with hockey stuff, you didn’t ever learn basic stuff. Like how to cook.”
“For sure,” I agree. “How about you teach me the stuff I don’t know? In return, I’ll teach you a thing or two. Like how to throw a punch.”
“I could use that, I guess. But you don’t owe me anything. You know that, right?” Her eyes water as she looks up at me. “I’m just glad to be…”
“Cal, I owe you the world because I love you. You’re the most important person in my life,” I tell her. “Don’t ever forget it, and don’t ever be scared to ask me for anything. Or talk to me. Okay? We’re a team.”
“I’ve never been on a team. Can we name it?”
“Sure. We can be Fane Fish.”
“No! Fane Flamingos.”
“Hard pass,” I say, aghast. “Fane Flies.”
“Better than fleas, but not by much,” she says, filling a pot with water and starting the burner. We’re making steak, mashed potatoes, and a garden salad. The salad I could probably handle on my own. But the kid is right, I don’t have a ton of skills in the kitchen.
“Flounders?”
“Oh my gosh, you’re so bad at this!” She giggles. Genuinely and carefree. Something I want for her always.
“Frogs?”
“Hmm, I kinda like that.”
“Frogs? You like Fane Frogs,” I ask with feigned outrage. “How is that better than Flounders?”
