I help clear the table after another great dinner. There’s silly talk about people at the Ta’amus’ church and ridiculous coworker stories. Big laughs when Kennedy gives Caleb and his sisters a hard time. They flip it right back and Kennedy puts on a show like he’s scary angry—and the scarier-angrier he gets, the louder Caleb and his sisters laugh and Rita apologizes for her family’s behavior, like she’s afraid I think they’re all too crazy.
The Ta’amus are crazy in the best way possible.
When Caleb and I finish for the night, he heads up to bed. I read some chapters in my book, then put my stuff away. I grab blankets and make my bed on the sofa and crawl in and turn out the lights.
And in the dark and quiet, I miss home. I can’t even say why. But I do.
I pull covers up tight. Close my eyes. And just as a Manny dream kicks in …
BUZZZZZZZZ!
I throw off blankets, spring from the couch, and dive for that phone.
FRI APR 10 12:07 A.M.
Wendy: Sorry it’s been a while.
Wendy: I was mad at you.
T: I’m sorry. I was insensitive.
I know it’s hard with your mom.
Wendy: It’s just us. So everything gets
amplified. But, Teodoro, I’m
sorry I shut you out. That was
stupid. And mean.
Wendy: It wasn’t you. I was oversensitive.
T: It’s all right, Wendy.
Wendy: Teodoro, this is new territory.
Unexpected. Not part of the
master plan.
T: What isn’t?
Wendy: Feeling very much like for a
person. That domino isn’t
supposed to fall yet.
Wendy: Maybe a ton of patience is in
order.
T: I have two tons of patience.
Wendy: Is there a chance you have 3?
T: I think so. Hold on. Recounting …
T: Whoa, I was way off. Looks like I
have 1,476 tons of patience.
Wendy: I really missed you, Teodoro.
T: I missed you too, Wendy.
SAT APR 11 12:57 A.M.
Wendy: May concert coming up …
T: I’m going to see ya tuba?
Wendy: Yabba Dabba Dooba!
Wendy: Whoa, that was corny.
T: I wasn’t going to say anything.