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“I love you,” I manage to say. “You’re so cute.”
She reaches over and squeezes my hand. “Spoon,” she chortles. Then she adds, “I like this,” and points at the small black star tattooed in the middle of my wrist.
I nod. I’m happy she still likes that star. She let me get my first tattoo when I was fifteen under the condition that I also get one she approved of, so I chose a cliché skull for my right shoulder blade and she chose the plain little star for my left wrist.
Looking back, it seems kind of dumb that I made that bargain with her, but I trusted her not to pick a humiliating tattoo. She has always managed to be a fun but responsible and fair lady. It’s a big part of why she was such a great daycare owner.
Before I can stop myself, I ask, “Do you remember picking out this star at the tattoo shop? When I was fifteen?”
She frowns, then looks at my wrist more closely.
My stomach twists hopefully.Remember it, Lolly. Remember this piece of our past. Remember exactly who I am.
Soon, her eyes find my face. The frown deepens…for just a second.
Then her ever-aging yet ever-familiar features relax into a softer expression. “I’ll never forget it, Landon.”
The last word makes my heart swell.
This is the first time she’s said my name in…well, I don’t know quite how long.
Warm, wonderful emotion floods me, and I know this isn’t going to be a mere nice day like yesterday. It’s going to be spectacular.
I’m in such a good mood that when I leave Quiet Springs, I go back home instead of straight to work, for no reason other than to write out a happy note and tape it to Liv’s door.
Why not?
Life is short. Enjoy that shit.
|| 3 || Liv-Andria
“‘I’m hungry!’my tummy is saying,” Rae sings as we get off the elevator. School and work are over for the day and we’re almost back home. “‘I want some yummy chicken! It’s so yummy with corn and mashed potatoes and—and—’”
She goes quiet, likely trying to find a rhyme for her made-up song.
After a second, I offer, “‘…my plate I will be licking!’?” And I quickly realize how lame it is. Making a blubbery noise with my lips, I isolate our house key from the others on my keychain.
But she jumps up and down and says, “Yes! That’s really good!”
I pat her head while she adds that part to the song—or tries to, anyway. She has decided to sing the whole thing from the beginning, but she doesn’t remember the exact lyrics she used before, so she’s—
“What’s that?” she asks suddenly.
I focus on where she’s looking, which turns out to be our door. We aren’t to it yet, but I see just as she did that a folded piece of paper is taped to it. “Huh…I don’t know.”
She hurries over there, but the paper is too high up for her to reach. I grin at how cute she looks trying to jump up to it, and once I’m close enough, I tug it off the door and flick it open.
Hi, Liv! Just wanted to say I hope you guys are having a great day! -Landon
Oh.
“What does it say?” Rae asks with worry in her little voice. “Is it bad?”
At first, I wonder why she would ask me that, but then I realize it’s because I’m frowning at the paper. I blink and shake my head, then smile at her.
“No, it’s not bad! Not at all. Just surprising.” I unlock the door and swing it open so she can go through. “It’s a note from one of our neighbors. He wished us a good day.”
She perks back up. “Oh! That’s really nice!”
