Love isn't easy

Chapter 25: December 20, 2018

—

Roseanne stands barefoot on the couch hastily securing a few more pieces of tape to the enormous "Welcome Home" sign the girls had made for Lisa. She was hanging it even if it didn't exactly spell what it should. Roseanne was apparently not supervising the three-year-old too closely while she was "writing" - when by writing all Coraline really had to do was fill in the traces Roseanne had laid out for her - and now it actually looks like "Webone" rather than "Welcome". Roseanne knew Lisa wouldn't complain, matter of fact she was positive Lisa would love it, so she leaves it as is.

Roseanne jumps off the couch, grabs the tiny pair of shoes she had placed on the coffee table, scoops the twenty-one-month-old from where she lay on the floor across from the television, and perches her down on the coffee table while she sits on the couch. Annie immediately tries to get away. Roseanne manages to pull her back and hold her down with one hand while she struggles to undo the straps with her free hand. Once she has the shoe open she tries to slide it onto the nearly two-year-old's feet but the little girl sways her legs in every direction while also swatting the shoe away with her hands.

"Annie, please," Roseanne begs frustrated. "We're going to be late. Momma's flight lands in twenty minutes and we still haven't left the house."

"NO MOMMY! SHOE NO!"

Annie manages to knock the shoe off Roseanne's hand. It rolls and disappears under the couch.

"Ok. Fine. Sure. Barefoot it is. Coraline, can you please turn that off?"

Roseanne turns to look over her shoulder at the three-year-old behind her staring intently at the television. Coraline doesn't react.

"Coraline. I'm not asking you again."

Roseanne picks up the younger one and attaches her to her hip as she tries to hurriedly grab her bag and the girls' bag.

"Coraline...now!"

Coraline snarls under her breath.

Coraline was definitely her mother's daughter and they all but confirmed it when, as an eleven-month-old, the little girl was unhappy with what Roseanne was trying to force her to do and seeing as she was not yet able to speak and fully verbalize her displeasure, she chose to give Roseanne the unmistakable Lisa Snarl instead. Coraline hasn't stopped doing it ever since.

When Coraline doesn't immediately turn the television off, Roseanne stands by the open door and signals with her free hand to move it along. Coraline finally complies and stands with a huff.

"Thank you."

Roseanne pushes Coraline out the door and locks it behind her as she begins her race to the airport.

—

Lisa had gotten a text the moment she turned her phone on after landing.

TEXT: "We're running late. They're being impossible today. I'm sorry. Hang tight. I love you. Can't wait to see you."

Getting off the plane took longer than Lisa thought it should have. Although, there is also the possibility that Lisa was being irritable and impatient.

Once off the plane, Lisa rushed to make her way to baggage claim. The terminal is crowded. JFK usually is, but around Christmas time it's a real-life hell. Lisa hoped the sea of people isn't something she would have to endure for too long. She expected her family would be there by the time she got off the plane because beyond the inconvenience of the swarm of people, Lisa really couldn't wait any longer to see them. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't counting down the minutes to touch them, smell them, and kiss them. To confirm they were real. That they were alive.