Page 33 of Letting Go
I hoped starting school and a new routine would somehow help Eloise’s nightmares but they haven’t. I found new therapists for Eloise and me, and even though we have to drive into Nashville to see them, I think they’re a good fit. It helps they’re in the same practice so I can schedule our appointments concurrently. The therapists have both told me to continue what I’m doing,providing a consistent routine, and the nightmares should eventually stop all together.
It’s just going to take time. I’d love to have a full night’s sleep, even if I still share my bed with her every night, I just hate waking up to her screams for her daddy. Even when she sleeps through the night, any little noise wakes me up.
Today we are meeting Daddy for lunch and the school is just down the street from our little local diner, so I park and walk over to get my girl. Eloise is waiting on the playground and runs into my open arms as soon as I’m inside the gate. Her hugs are some of my favorite things in the entire world, and I squeeze her a little tighter, loving the way my baby girl feels in my arms. We wave to her teachers and walk hand-in-hand back down the block. In a small town like Forrest Falls, there are limited restaurants, so the diner is a popular lunch spot. As we near the front doors, Chase and Chloe walk out.
“Hey ladies,” Chase greets us with a friendly smile. “Off to enjoy the best food in town?”
“Hey y’all, we are indeed. We’re actually meeting a lunch date,” I reply while Chloe looks at me as friendly as a pissed off porcupine.
“I recommend the chocolate shake, no matter what you get, it goes great with it.” He gives a thumbs up to an ecstatic Eloise, who clearly thinks that’s the best idea ever.
“Come on, babe.” Chloe tugs his arm and doesn’t even bother to pretend to play nice. What a peach.
“Have a great day, y’all!” My tone is overly friendly, because regardless of Chloe’s behavior, I need to show my daughter that manners matter.
Chase slightly shakes his head at Chloe’s behavior. “Thanks, have a nice lunch! I saw your daddy in there with Ryan already waiting for you ladies.” Chase lifts his chin as I wave goodbye to them.
Walking in, we quickly spot Daddy sitting with one of my brothers.
“Mama, who was that?”
“That was an old friend of Mama’s and his girlfriend.”
Eloise scrunches up her nose at the word girlfriend. “She looked crabby. I think she needs a nap.”
“You know what, baby, maybe she does.” I try not to laugh. Daddy and Ryan both stand to hug us before letting us scoot into the booth. Eloise gets right to coloring on her children’s menu as I sit across from her.
“Hope you don’t mind me crashing your lunch date, girls,” Ryan says with a big smile. He is the Chief Financial Officer at the hospital in Forrest Falls, and I’m sure one of the most eligible bachelors in town. I seem to have a few brothers on that list. I know for the last year or so, Jack has been trying to get Ryan to join him at our brother’s streaming company and run the financials for him, but so far Ryan has been able to dodge his efforts. Jack launched an entertainment streaming service while in college with a few friends and it took off in ways that’s even hard for me to comprehend sometimes. It is convenient to have a brother with a private plane though, especially when he was generous to let his sisters borrow it to visit each other when I lived in Chicago.
“Of course, the more the merrier, Ryan.” I lean in to bump my brother’s shoulder with my own. He’s four years older than me, and as the youngest of the family, I only have big brothers.
“And how are two of my favorite girls today? Was it a great day, Eloise?” Daddy asks.
“It was a good day for a great day, Papa,” Eloise responds with a smile.
“That’s my girl!” Daddy laughs and gives her a high five as Eloise parrots his tagline back to him. “Just before you got here, I saw Chase and Chloe leaving,” Daddy says as Ryan rolls his eyes.
“Yeah, we ran into them on the way out,” I replied.
“Is that awkward for you?” Daddy asks. “With your history, it would be understandable, and Forrest Falls is a small town.”
“Honestly, no, at least not with Chase,” I reply. “Chloe makes it super awkward, but that’s more because she has a terrible attitude toward me.” I shrug. “I don’t get it. Chase and I broke up years ago, I married someone else. I’m not pining after my high school boyfriend. The two of us are both able to be friendly toward each other. In fact, now that I’m older and wiser, I don’t think I ever even loved him more than a friend. We were just really good friends and high school sweethearts.”
“And now he’s stuck with a girlfriend who has a giant stick stuck up her giant—” I jab my brother in the ribs to interrupt him with a head nod to my daughter, who is half listening to him. “... nose. Stuck up her giant nose,” Ryan corrects himself. I laugh at his recovery attempt.
“He’s a good man, even if his current girlfriend is a piece of work,” Daddy replies. “I remember when you and Chloe would run around together when you were in junior high but she wasn’t my favorite friend of yours. I always thought she had a bad attitude. Your mama didn’t care for her much either, she wasn’t a nice little girl.”
“I guess some things never change, right?” I replied.
“There is nothing new under the sun, baby girl. But speaking of Chase, I got the best news this morning from his Uncle Frank. They found a match! One of his nephews ended up being a match!” Chase’s Uncle Frank has been one of Daddy’s best friends since their childhood. I know this transplant match is quite literally lifesaving news.
“That’s awesome! Did he say which nephew matched?” Ryan asks.
“Frank wasn’t sure, the doctor’s office just said one of the familial tests came back as a match from the last round, and this last round was just his nephews. He’ll know more at his appointment next week with his nephrologist and care team.” Daddy grins.
“That’s wonderful, Daddy,” I say. Frank lost his wife a few years ago so Daddy and Frank do a lot together. Daddy has been driving Frank to his dialysis appointments to sit with him and play card games to pass the time.
We each order cheeseburgers and Eloise convinces her Papa that she does in fact need a chocolate milkshake with her lunch. While we wait for our food, Eloise continues coloring as Daddy, Ryan, and I visit.
