Juliana kisses me on the cheek just as Louise walks in the back door. She’s shocked to see me at first, but the way her eyes dart between Juliana and me confirms she already knows the score.
“I’ll make breakfast. You can help Isabelle get dressed for school.” Louise pats Juliana on the shoulder and starts pulling food out of the refrigerator.
Once Juliana is upstairs, Louise turns her attention to me. “She’s been trying to find a way to break it to you. She’s been worried more about how you’ll react than about herself.”
“She should already know we’ll get through it together, whatever it takes.”
Louise nods and turns back to the stove. “Isabelle will be happy to see you. She has missed you.”
“I’ve missed her too.” But at the moment, I can’t stop thinking about my little sister.
Isabelle walks into the kitchen, sees me, and flies into my arms, squealing, “Uncle Rod!”
“Good morning, munchkin. Guess what? You and I have a date after school.”
“Yay!” She sits in my lap while she eats then Juliana shoos her toward the door for school.
After my girls leave, I retreat to my home office to work and try to focus on something other than the fiasco my life has become, seemingly overnight. When it’s time for Isabelle to get home from kindergarten, I’ve accomplished nothing more than taking a shower and a nap.
Spending the evening with Isabelle isn’t work for me. She and I are thick as thieves. We have a standing date, one we both look forward to when she comes to stay with me. We can be whoever or whatever we want to be. She’s in this phase where teatime from Alice in Wonderland is the best pretend game ever. We even use horrible English accents.
Okay, so I’m wrapped around her little finger and never want to be cut loose.
Sue me.
“I’ve made tea, finger sandwiches, scones, and petit fours. If you don’t need me anymore for now, I have a few errands to run.” Louise gathers her personal effects and starts for the door.
“Thank you for getting all this food ready. You’re a lifesaver, Louise.” I kiss her on the cheek as she walks by me.
“What you do for those two little ladies, it means more to them than you’ll ever know, Rod. You’re a generous man with an incredible heart. You need to let it show more.”
“Those two ladies are the loves of my life. You know what Juliana went through as a child. Then what happened with Isabelle. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to take care of them.”
“It’s more than just taking care of them, Rod. You’re their rock, their stability. They look up to you. They need you.” She pats me on the shoulder as she leaves. “It’s past time for you to meet someone, settle down, and have a family of your own, though.”
“Now why would you wish something like that on me after all those kind words?” I openly gawk at her as if she’s lost her mind.
She laughs while looking me square in the eye. “Rod Stone, if you think today is the first time that I’ve said that prayer over you, then you don’t know me at all. Your time is coming when you least expect it.”
“I’m crushed you would say such a cruel thing. I thought you loved me, Louise. But the truth eventually comes out. What’s sad is it’s always those closest to you who betray you the worst.”
“Yes, I’m such a terrible person for wanting you to have the best life possible. How will I be able to sleep at night?”
That’s a rhetorical question, apparently, because she walks out of my home without the common courtesy of giving me a chance to answer her.
“Uncle Rod!” I hear my little munchkin yell as she steps through the doorway. “Do you know what time it is?”
“Time for high tea, my little love. Everything’s ready. Get a move on before it gets cold.”
“You know I have to change clothes first. I can’t have tea dressed in these old rags.” She rolls her eyes at me and I burst out laughing.
“Don’t even look at me like any of this is my fault. This is all on you, big brother.” Juliana shrugs and drops Isabelle’s book bag beside the table. “You’re the one who takes her shopping and spoils her with everything you find.”
Yeah, that may be true. No sense in confirming her accusation, though.
“I wonder if she’ll let me in the palace with my T-shirt and shorts on.”
“I’m sure she will. You can do no wrong in her eyes, Rod. That little girl is crazy about you.”
“The feeling is mutual. What time do you think you’ll be back?”
“My treatment may run a little long today. They’re fully booked. There’s no need to call the police to track me down, again, if you don’t hear from me for a little while.”
“Define ‘a little while.’ Because if I don’t hear from you for several hours, the police will raid every doctor’s office in the Atlanta metro area until they find you.”
“Or, you could do what normal people do and use the app on your phone to find me. What do you do for a living again? Software developer and professional hacker, isn’t it? Surely you know how to use the GPS in my phone to figure out exactly where I am.”
“Of course I do. I can even tap into your phone and use your camera to check your surroundings if I wanted to, but it’s much more fun to use the police force to prove the lengths I will go to just to keep you safe and sound.” I waggle my brows at her, knowing this is a complete double standard, but not caring.
She didn’t raise me. I raised her.
Enormous difference. Huge.
“I love you, Rod. I don’t tell you enough how much I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, and for Isabelle, our entire lives. Have fun with Isabelle and try not
