“Closed on Saturdays.”
She says it with so much authority that I don’t question it.
“Remember, Dad? We tried to go there before Wyatt’s karate class.”
“That’s right.”
I’d forgotten about his class on Saturday nights at the rec center. I shouldn’t have signed him up for it since he already has basketball. We’ve missed two karate classes, one due to Esther not bothering to take him and one due to a schedule conflict. I think tomorrow’s class is the last one. Thank goodness. His favorite part is the uniform, and he’ll get to keep that. He’ll probably use it for a Halloween costume.
Callie and I bounce possible Saturday plan ideas off each other until she gives a big yawn and rolls onto her side. I tuck her pink comforter closer up around her. She tends to kick out in her sleep until she has no blankets covering her at all.
Once I’m downstairs, I walk straight over to the calendar sitting on the desk in the kitchen. It’s not to check on Wyatt’s karate class schedule. I want my letter. Just because I think I’m bad for her doesn’t mean I don’t want every bit of Rosalie I currently get. Her letters are better than mine. Sunshine on paper. Even her handwriting is friendly.
Liam,
Go back and read all the sticky notes first and then start here --->
She knows me too well. I set the letter off to the side and go through the calendar. Wyatt’s basketball game is tomorrow at noon. Callie has a playdate with a friend, so we didn’t even need to haggle about plans. We’re out of bread. Rosalie put three tally marks on today’s calendar square to indicate how many times Wyatt asked about getting a dog. One less than yesterday.
She also added school shopping to the to-do list with a reminder that meet-the-teacher night is coming up and I need to make sure I’ll be home in time. I’m ready for that. Well, as ready as you can be when you’re sending your youngest off to kindergarten. My parents’ anniversary party is in three weeks, and Rosalie is going to watch the kids. It’s a stuffy, adults-only affair. Although it will be nice to see relatives and my parents’ old friends.
I have no idea why Rosalie asked me to read the sticky notes first until I see the last few. Rosalie wrote, “Remember you’re wonderful.” Underneath that is a sticky note from Wyatt, “Remember you’re wonderful smelly, Dad.”
Callie, who can’t write yet, filled out the last sticky note with random letters, the word cat, and a heart with whiskers and a tail. Here’s hoping she’s not asking for a cat.
I go back to the letter and read the next line.
Add sticky notes to your shopping list and remember you ARE wonderful. After they added their messages, the kids took the last of the sticky notes and covered each other with them. Pictures are in the drive.
Do you feel the last days of summer slipping away? I do. We always had a family reunion the last week before school, so I often showed up that first day sleep deprived and wearing the only clean shirt left in my drawer, one two sizes too small.
I think the teachers would have been more concerned if I didn’t look so happy. Cousin friends are the best kind of friends. They’re the reason I’m on Facebook. I like seeing their updates. Does Esther have any siblings with kids? I don’t see your brother getting married any time soon. That’s not mejudging him. He told me last Christmas, and I quote, “I’m not getting married any time soon.”
I’m not a fan of long road trips anymore, but if it’s a must, the snacks have to be top notch. My top three are Red Vines, pistachios, and Oreos.
Your nostalgic friend,
Rosie
After tonight, I wish I had a letter to give back to her. Something that will set things right between us. While the details are fresh in my mind, I write out the letter she’ll get on Monday. I tell her about how sending Callie off to kindergarten is every bit as hard as everyone said it would be. I tell her about Esther’s sister, who is three times as scary as Esther and thankfully not giving my kids any cousins. At least, last I checked. She’s still playing soccer in Europe and part of the reason Esther took off all those years ago to “find herself.”
Since Esther is so open about it with Rosalie, I have no reason not to be.
I tell her how Andrew and Marisol’s kids are the only “cousins” my kids might ever have and how I rarely see most of my own cousins and wish we were closer. My hand is starting to cramp, but we didn’t start out typing these up so I’m not going to change it now.
I end with my own road-trip must-have list and a little bit of heckling. I’d eat her snacks, but only if I didn’t have anything better. I despise Red Vines, pistachios are wrinkly, chewy monstrosities, and Oreos are mid unless you crush them up and layer them with chocolate pudding.
I can picture her squawking in outrage, and it makes me smile.
Chapter 15 – Cheesy Suspense
Rosalie
There are two new messages from Mr. Emoji when I wake up on Saturday morning. He wants to know if I like fondue. The second message is a bunch of cheese and bread emojis. I better relieve the suspense. What will he do if he doesn’t know the cheesy truth?
Rosalie: Yep, I like fondue. See you tonight at class.
Mr. Emoji: See u then!!!!!