Good gracious, when was the last time I’d laid eyes on that? I took the book, the weight of which felt familiar and comforting in my hands. My fingertips grazed the glossy cover as memories flowed one after the other like gentle waves crawling over the sand on the beach.
I’d spent countless hours hunched over the pages within, doodling little drawings, my mind wandering in creative expressions when Mama had deemed it too dangerous to go outside because of a gang war or a drug deal gone bad.
“I’m going to hop in the shower.” Mama’s voice penetrated through the fog of times past, but only just.
I slipped my finger under the cover and turned to the first page. An over-the-top ball gown, complete with tiers of ruffles and bows lined the stark white page in steady lines of pencil graphite. A gasp of surprise passed my lips. Queen Arabella’s coronation gown. An event of my imagination, but I’d spent weeks designing the fictitious ruler a perfect dress for the occasion.
I turned to the next page. Five different designs for bathing suits. If I remembered correctly, I’d drawn these when we’d gone to Laguna beach for the day.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I collected a bead of moisture from the corner of my eye with the pad of my thumb, sniffed, then read the message.
Malachi:
It’s my turn to ask a question.
Jocelyn:
Is that what we’re doing?
20 questions?
Malachi:
I hope not because I
only have 1. For now, at least.
Jocelyn:
?Go ahead and ask.
Malachi:
Do you remember when
you asked me if I’d ever
wanted to do anything
besides ranching?
Had my wavelengths hitched a ride into the atmosphere and traveled to him, because hadn’t Ijustbeen thinking about that exact same conversation? Weird.
Malachi:
Anyway, I then asked you
if you’d always wanted to
work in finance but I don’t
recall you answering.
…
I’m doing a poor job of it,
but I’m asking you about
