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I open the card to find a picture on the inside of a wooden dock surrounded by blue, wavy water and a yellow sun in the sky. The water is done really well, despite being done in magic marker. She’s drawn and colored it with different shades of blue, and I can tell she used a ruler to make the planks of the dock before coloring it in with a light brown. Damn good for a nine-year-old.
What appears to be jumping off the dock is a stick-figure. It’s got dots for eyes, a proud smile, it’s stick arms are stretched in front of him and he’s wearing a super hero cape. In the water is another stick figure, this one with a brown, wavy pony tail coming out the top of its head. Her stick limbs are sprawled out and she’s wearing a frowny face.
I feel a laugh erupt in my chest but do everything in my power not to let it out, but I do let the accompanying smile pull across my face. I look at it another moment before looking back to Luna, who’s still sitting there with a shy but expectant look on her face.
“Luna, this is amazing,” I tell her, and she lets out a breath as her eyes crinkle in a smile. “Seriously, you did a really good job on this. I love how the water looks.” I keep looking between her and the card so she can see how appreciative and fascinated I am, and before I know it, her little arms are wrapped around my neck. With no warning whatsoever, I’ve been assaulted with a hug. I quickly determine that my head won’t explode, and intent on not hurting her feelings, tentatively hug her back, lightly patting her back.
Over Luna’s shoulder, I catch Kasey frozen in her place, mouth slightly open, and hands absently tousling the waves of her client’s newly styled hair. I shoot her a nervous half-smile, and her cheeks stain a light pink.
When Luna pulls away, I return my attention to her and give her a gentle smile.
“Thank you,” I say again as she beams at me. “I’m never getting rid of this, it’s an amazing card,” I declare softly as I hold it up.
“I’m not so good at drawing people,” she shrugs as she returns to her chair, propping up on her knees again.
“Neither am I,” I reassure her, “but you did an amazing job with the water and the sun. The clouds, too.”
“Aunt Melanie taught me some things,” she casually informs me as she picks up a turquoise colored marker.
“Oh yeah, she’s a great artist. I’ve seen her work,” I reply, referring to Melanie’s graphic designs that I’ve seen.
“Do you like my Aunt Melanie?” She looks up with an inquisitory look, her eyes slightly squinted as if she’s been deeply pondering this.
I let out a soft chuckle at how abruptly the question comes out. That’s kids for you.
“She’s my best friend,” I state gently. “Do you have one of those?”
She sets her marker down thoughtfully and looks up at the ceiling before back to me with a nod. She totally got that from her mom.
“Yeah, my friend Brayden. We’re in the same grade and we both go to basketball camp, and we ride bikes and stuff. Yeah,” she nods as if confirming it more to herself than me. “Yeah, he’s my best friend.”
“Perfect,” I say holding my hands out. “That’s what Aunt Melanie is like to me.”
She nods, seemingly satisfied with my explanation before her brown eyes light up in question again.
“What about my mom? Do you like my mom?”
This time I take a few seconds before answering. It’s something I may not want to admit myself, but there’s no way I’m going to tell this kid I don’t like her mom.
“Yeah,” I nod and realize I’m not just pacifying the kid. I’m telling the truth. The word feels comfortable and right, so I say it again with more conviction. “Yeah, I like your mom. Is that okay?”
She doesn’t answer but gives me a faint smile and slowly starts to nod, as if this is a concept she hasn’t had to consider before, and I’m dumbstruck once again. I can’t believe what comes over me next…
“Have other people liked your mom?”
Fucking-A, I’m grilling a kid about her mother. Someone please kick me in the ass.
“Yeah, she goes on dates and stuff,” she fills me in as she picks her marker back up and resumes working on her masterpiece, oblivious to the jealous pang her answer just delivered to my gut.
“Do you like the guys she goes out with?”
“I don’t know who they are, I never meet them,” she shrugs, not looking up from her paper.
Huh. Kasey goes out with men but never introduces them to Luna. My jealousy takes a backseat to the puzzle I’m now trying to piece together. Does Kasey only have casual relationships on purpose? Or do they just never make it to the point where she feels ready to introduce them to Luna? If that’s the case, I’m blown away all over again.
“Hey,” I hear Kasey’s familiar voice and look up to see her approaching us.
“Hey.”
