Harper & Lee Plus Three

Twenty

I woke up and dragged myself out of my lonely bed. I missed Lee and the rest of the kids so much. I brushed my hair, threw on a black crop top and leggings, then went into the kitchen, where I pressed the button on the coffee maker to get it started. While that was brewing, I got out the frying pan and mixing bowl so I could make pancakes.

    "Zozo! Wake up! Pancakes!" I shouted. Seconds later, my phone started buzzing on the counter. "Hurry Zozo! Grammy's calling!"

    I heard little feet pitter patter down the hall. Zozo took a seat at the little table in the dining area off the kitchen. I followed all the prompts on the menu, heard a crackling, and then a bunch of background noise.

    "Hey, you there, hun?"

    "I'm here, Mom. And so is Zozo!" I said. "Say hi to Grammy, Zozo."

    "Hi Grammy!" she said.

    I went and placed the phone on the table.

    "Hello Miss Zophia. How are you feeling?" she asked.

    "Good," said Zozo.

    "Tell Grammy what you're having done tomorrow," I said.

    "My tube taken out," Zozo said.

    My mom let out a very over dramatic gasp, which made Zozo smile. "You're getting your tube out? Because you're all done with your chemo?"

    "Yeah."

    "I'm so happy to hear that. That means I'll see you when I get home. I can give you hugs every day," my mom said.

    You have three minutes left.

    "I need to take the phone back now, Zozo. Say bye to Grammy," I said.

    "Bye Grammy!" Zozo said.

    "Bye honey. Love you!" my mom said. I took the phone over to the counter while I poured the pancake batter into the pan. "I didn't forget that it was your birthday. Happy first day of your twenties."

    "I know. Already."

    I took a deep breath. I was twenty today: March first. Zozo and I were going home in three weeks, the babies were turning one in six weeks, and my mom was coming home in eight weeks.

    "Oh, and I forgot to tell you last time, but I finished my GED!" I said.

    "Wow! Look at you go! We gotta do something for your graduation," she said.

    "Nah. I don't want to make a big deal about it. It's an online GED. It's nothing. I was only able to get it because I'm here and not home with all nine kids."

    "But you still did it, so I'm proud regardless."

    You have one minute left.

    "Thanks Mom," I said. "You doing okay over there?"

    "Yeah I'm good. Back in Gen Pop as you can hear. It's nice to be back with my friends. I'm not worried. I got all my girls to protect me."

    "If you say so. I'll talk to you next week. Stay safe. Love you."

    "Love you too, hun."

    The line disconnected. I finished the pancakes and put them on the table with a cup of juice for Zozo and a mug of coffee for me. I just couldn't believe how big she was getting. She could sit at the table without a booster seat and drank out of glasses instead of sippy cups.

    "Look at how fuzzy your head is getting!" I said, running my fingers through her little prickles of hair growing in. "You'll have your poofy pigtails back in no time," I said.

    "I can't wait!" Zozo said.

    After breakfast I got her changed into a cute pair of shorts and a sparkly purple t-shirt. I put a matching headband with a bow in her hair. It was bright and sunny: a perfect day to be outside. I took her down to the playground, where she climbed up and down all the platforms. We went down the slide and swung on the swings together.

    After the playground, I brought her down to the music room for her piano lesson. I ran upstairs and threw my laundry in the wash, then came back for the last ten minutes of the lesson.

    I peeked in from the doorway as Zozo sat with Lizzie, the instructor, who guided her hands over the notes. Lizzie gave me a smile when she saw me. Zozo looked up and did the same.

    "Mommy! I did a song!" she said.

    "Really? You did?" I asked.

    "How about we show Mommy Hot Cross Buns, Zozo?" Lizzie asked her. She nodded. "Okay, ready?"

    Lizzie slowly sang the song and pointed to the keys, which Zozo was hitting probably a lot harder than she should on that beautiful, and very-expensive looking, grand piano. Lizzie and I clapped for her at the end of the song. She was beside herself. She loved the piano so much that Lee had one on order. It would be waiting for her when she got home.

    "Okay, star pianist, it's time to have lunch," I said. She hopped off the bench and ran back over to me. "Thanks again, Lizzie. We'll see you next week."

    "Any time. It's always a pleasure," she said.

    I walked with Zozo to the dining hall, waited in line for our food, and sat down with another family at one of the tables. It was always pretty busy and we usually didn't get a table for just the two of us.

    In the middle of our conversation, someone started banging their spoon on a glass. Everyone looked over and saw one Eli, of the volunteers, standing on a chair.

    "Attention everyone! We have a birthday today!" he said.

    The lights dimmed. Oh no. Not me. How did they know? I wanted to find the nearest exit, but the lights were dimming. A big sheet cake was being rolled out from the kitchen. Everyone was singing. I forced a smile as they brought the cake over to me.

    "Happy Birthday dear Harper! Happy Birthday to you!"

    Everyone clapped. Eli handed me a cupcake with a candle in it so I wouldn't be blowing all over this cake for kids with compromised immune systems. It was what they always did on a birthday here.

    "Mommy, make a wish!" Zozo said.

    "Okay, hold on," I said.

    I had so many things I wanted to wish for. How was I going to pick just one? I looked at Zozo's smiling face and closed my eyes, taking in a big breath.

    I wish that Zozo would stay in remission for the rest of her life and never have cancer again.

    I blew out the candle and everyone clapped even more. I ate my cupcake and Zozo had a piece of the sheet cake, which said, Happy Twentieth Birthday Harper! I seriously couldn't believe I was out of my teens already.

    "Mommy, what was your wish?" Zozo asked.

    "If I say it, it won't come true. That's how it works with birthday wishes," I said. "So I'll never tell."