Chapter 15
We’reoneweektothe reunion and my anticipation, or perhaps anxiety, has done nothing but grow. I don’t know how to quell it, so I’ve learned to just live with it.
Today’s the day we decided to tell the kids. It’s not that we wanted to surprise them with it so much as their concept of time is still limited and we didn’t want to hear about it every day for three weeks. As it is, it’s going to make for a long week of asking if it’s the day.
While Trent whips up some breakfast, I gather the kids at the kitchen counter.
“Mommy, what do you need to tell us? We always sit here together when you need to tell us something important.” Sweet little Jessica, so astute.
“Well, how would you all feel about spending next weekend with Aunty Becca?”
All six eyes widen, and their faces turn to pure joy. “The whole weekend?” Kendall practically shouts. Sometimes I worry she loves Becca more than me.
“For the most part, yes.”
“Why? Where you goin’, mommy?” Sweet Charlie is probably the only one who will truly miss me.
“Mommy has something called a reunion. You know where Grammy and Pappy used to live before they moved to Florida?” The girls nod but Charlie just looks confused. He was just a few months old when they moved. “It’s at mommy’s old school out near their old house. So, mommy and daddy are going to go to the reunion and see some of mommy’s old friends.”
At the last part Trent snorts, and I turn around to swipe at his butt.
“What’s a renunion?” I turn back at the sound of Kendall’s tiny voice.
“It’s when people who haven’t seen each other in a long time get back together to spend time together. The people we’ll be seeing are people I went to school with when I was younger.”
“Like Lisa and Amy?” Jessica names her two best friends.
“Yes, just like that. When you get older sometimes you don’t stay friends with the same people you knew when you were kids. These are the people I used to know but haven’t seen for a very long time.”
“Like Gwammy and Pappy?” Charlie’s so observant, and it makes my heart pang that he’s clearly missing my parents.
“Yeah. Kind of like that, buddy.” I put my hand on his and squeeze. Then I look between the three of them. “So, does that sound okay with you? If Mommy and Daddy go to the reunion and you three spend the weekend with Aunty Becca and Robert?”
“Yeah!” Jessica and Kendall shout together.
“Okay, Mommy. Can I go pway now?” Charlie’s already getting off his chair so he can go destroy the playroom.
“Of course, buddy. Girls you too. We’ll let you know when breakfast is ready.”
All three of them go running into the other room, and I let out a puff of air, my shoulders slumping forward as I drag myself over to the coffee pot.
“That wasn’t so bad.” Trent wraps his arm around my waist and lays a kiss on my neck.
“Yeah. Except thanks for making fun of me.”
“Oh stop. If you can’t laugh at yourself, then who can you laugh at?”
“Your wife apparently.” Though I’m giving him a hard time, he’s not wrong and I’m not actually upset.
“Well not many of themwereyour friends, were they?”
“No, not really. Some were boyfriends.” My tongue pokes out of the corner of my mouth as Trent backs away.
“Ouch. You go for the jugular.” There’s a hint of pain with his words. With a shake of his head, he turns back to the stove, and I know I hit a nerve.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.” I wrap my arms around his waist and snuggle into his back. He puts one hand on my arm but doesn’t turn around to embrace me.
“Ishegoing to be there?”
