Remember When #featured #AllStars

Chapter 12

POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE

I woke up before dawn, a bundle of nervous energy, and hopped right into the shower. My appointment at the DMV wasn't until ten o'clock, but I didn't want to be a minute late. My father had agreed to let me play hooky from school so that I could go down and take my driving test. I'd waited seventeen whole years to get my license and there was no way I was going to wait an extra minute.

My dad knew that I was excited, but he was still surprised that I had gotten up as early as I did. I met up with him in the kitchen, where he was sitting at the table with a coffee and hidden behind the Star Ledger. He lowered the newspaper just enough to peek over the top.

He gave a quick glance toward the clock on the stove and said, "Well, if I didn't know any better, I'd think it was someone's birthday."

I kissed him on the cheek and said, "Not just any birthday, Dad. It's someone's seventeenth birthday."

He pretended to have forgotten. "Is that so?"

I grabbed a glass from the cabinet and answered, "Yep."

As I was pouring juice into my glass, Dad said, "Well, then I guess it's a good thing I bought this."

I looked over my shoulder to see him sliding a small, square box toward the center of the table.

The box was black velvet and sporting a little pink bow on top. I didn't know if it was on purpose, but pink and black were my favorite colors.

I pulled out a chair and joined him at the table. "Is that for me?"

Dad folded the paper and laid it next to his coffee mug. "Nope. It's for Bruce. You know how much he likes the color pink."

I rolled my eyes at his teasing. "Can I open it?"

"I don't know. Can you?"

"Dad..."

"Yes, of course. Go ahead."

We were both giggling as I cracked open the velvet jewelers box. Inside was a small, gold medallion on a thin chain.

"Oh, how pretty! Wow, Dad. Thanks."

I started to lift the necklace out of the box as Dad said, "It's a St. Christopher medal. The patron saint of travel."

I could already tell where this was going as he added, "I was hoping he could watch over you every time you get behind the wheel and keep you safe."

I don't know why, but I started to well up. I was able to hide my teary eyes under the guise of lowering my head to put the necklace on. I rubbed my fingers over it and said, "It's perfect. Thank you, I love it." And then, to avoid getting too sappy, I added, "Wow. You must have some pretty strong faith that I'll pass my test today, huh?"

Dad shook his head. "Don't need faith today, Layla-Loo. You've got this one in the bag all on your own."

At that, we high-fived and I got up in search of some breakfast.

After Dad left for the office- assuring me that he'd be back to pick me up by nine thirty- I was left to eat my cereal in silence.

The Thought came then, as it did from time to time, but always at my birthday or at Christmastime. The Thought- the one I'd played with in my mind for the better part of nearly five years- The Thought that maybe my mother, wherever she was, was thinking about me that day.

I wondered if even though she left us to start some big, new life, that maybe, just maybe, she hadn't completely forgotten about her old one. Did she remember that it was my birthday? Did she know that Bruce had started high school? Did she even think about us at all?