AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I love you!”
“Love you, too.”
I ended the call and tossed my phone onto my bed. I loved the woman, but she didn’t like to make things easy on me.
On my secondto last day of work before the trip, I had about a million meetings to attend and projects to wrap up, and the stress of my job was not helping with the stress of everything else.
I was the project manager for a major advertising agency in New York, and there was never a quiet moment in my office. I always had people coming in and out, asking questions, presenting ideas, and seeking advice about their tasks.
As much as I loved my job, I looked forward to this two-week break with eager anticipation every year. It was the only time I ever took off, and I needed it if I was going to make it through another year.
On this particular afternoon, I was presenting the marketing package for a new client to the CEO and other executives of the company. I put on my best black suit, my favorite pumps, and pulled my hair back into a neat twist.
These meetings used to send me into a panic, but after over a decade of working in the field, I felt very confident each time I stepped into the board room. I knew I was good at my job, and everyone else knew it, too.
After my presentation,which was flawless, I might add, I went back upstairs to my office to wrap up a final few things. When I looked at my calendar, however, I was met with a surprise. My boss had scheduled a meeting with me for three PM the following day.
Normally, it wouldn’t be a problem, but I needed to be at the airport with all of my luggage by five PM. I was going to need a miracle if I was going to make it in time. Unfortunately, there was no chance my boss would reschedule, as he was a very rigid man.
I packed my bag and headed home, preparing to call each one of my family members to make sure they were ready to go. I just needed to make sure none of them found out there was a chance I was going to miss my flight.
I startedwith my little sister, Sierra, who I knew would be the least prepared out of everyone. Despite being nearly 35-years-old, she was a scatter-brain and needed a lot of prodding to make sure she was ready for vacation every year. When I called, her 15-year-old daughter, Amelia, answered the phone.
“Hey, Auntie Skye.”
“Hi, Amelia, how are you?”
“I’m fine. And I’m all packed if that’s what you’re calling about.”
“Well, I knew you would be all packed, but how is your mom doing? And the littles?”
Sierra had had Amelia when she was in college, and then several years later when she got married, she had three more kids, who were all currently under the age of five. Ethan, and the twins, Eva and Mae.
“Um… well…”
“Uh oh, that doesn’t sound good.”
“I’m trying to help her, but you know how she is.”
“I know. Can I talk to her?”
I heard Amelia shout “Mom!” through their house, and when that didn’t work, she finally got her attention by yelling “Sierra Marie Clawson!”
“Hey Skye!”
“Sierra, are you packed at all?”
“Of course I am.”
“That’s not what Amelia tells me.”
“Oh, she’s always trying to get me in trouble.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. If I didn’t know any better, I would say Amelia was my daughter and not hers. She was just as organized and thorough as I was, and she thrived on strict plans and to-do lists.
“What do you still have left to pack?”
“Oh, just some stuff for the kids.”
