Page 4 of Love By The Falls

I put on a smile. “Nothing. Just remembering something from my past. But now is about the present, and enjoying it with you.”

Jane watches me suspiciously. While Sage is my roommate, I’ve known Jane since we were children. We grew up in Cedar Brook Falls together, whereas Sage moved here before college.

“Speaking of presents,” says Sage.

I laugh. “That’s not what I said.”

“You know what I mean,” she waves me off.

“I thought we were waiting until after dinner?” asks Jane.

“I can’t wait that long. Besides, this will cheer her up.”

“You guys didn’t have to get me anything.”

Sage flips her long, curly hair and her bracelets jangle. “We wanted to get you something you would always remember. Something you would never buy for yourself. And something you deserve more than anyone else I know.”

My brow furrows, intrigued by what this gift could be.

My eyes meet Jane’s and she’s smiling with her lips pressed together, barely containing her excitement. What could it be? A new purse? One of those fancy mixers? Oh, maybe they bought me a piece of costume jewelry with our birthstones or something sentimental like that.

When Sage hands me an envelope, I’m a bit confused. It’s feather-light, and I wonder if it contains cash, but their description sounded a bit more personal than that.

Sage claps her hands. “Open it!”

The envelope crinkles as I struggle to lift the flap. There’s a single sheet of paper inside and I pull it out. My name and birthday are on the top right-hand side of the envelope and my eyes run down to the lines below. There’s a date with a departure time from Newark Airport and my eyes drop further to read an arrival at Bradshaw International Airport in St. Kitts at 3:40 p.m.

“What’s this?” I ask.

“It’s an airplane ticket,” says Sage. “They don’t really give those out anymore. So, we made one on the computer.”

“Are you happy?” Jane asks, cautiously.

I stare at the ticket, and I truly don’t know how I feel about it. “Are you two coming?”

“Of course not,” explains Sage.

“Oh. Okay. Charlie and I will have some extra time together. That’ll be nice.”

How will I afford his ticket?

“Charlie’s not going, either.”

“You work in the evening, Sage. He can’t stay home alone after school.”

“Austin and I will take Charlie. He’ll love a week-long sleepover with Anthony. This vacation is just for you, Charlotte.”

“Just me? No one else is coming with me?”

Jane shakes her head. She isn’t smiling anymore.

She reaches across the table and grabs my hand. “Charlotte, for as long as I can remember, you’ve not done anything for yourself, and haven’t had a break since you were a kid. You went to college after high school, then straight to work, while raising Charlie through it all.”

“We want you to go wild and crazy on this trip like you would have in your twenties,” says Sage. “You’ve got one week to catch up on a decade. Just go nuts.”

The idea is so absurd, I can’t help but laugh. “What do you expect me to do, go all ‘Coyote Ugly’ at the bar or something?”

Sage shrugs. “Sure. Why not? This is the time to do it. Don’t be Responsible Charlotte, or Teacher Charlotteor Charlie’s Mom. Just be you. Whoever you want that to be.”

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