Page 120 of Keepsake
“Right here,” May called, producing a small box. “Open it, Zach. It’s from all of us.”
I took the box. It was wrapped in shimmering green paper. I never unwrapped a gift before I came to Vermont, and it always made me a little self-conscious. This one was smaller than a cigar box, but not heavy enough to be a book. It kept me guessing ’til I got every scrap of paper off. Even when I saw the box, I wasn’t sure it was real, because sometimes boxes were repurposed.
But not this one. When I lifted the close-fitting lid, there was a shiny smartphone inside. “Wow,” I said. “Fancy.”
“You need this!” May crowed. “To text with Lark.”
“And Skype,” Griffin added under his breath.
I lifted the sleek thing from its package. “Geez. Thanks. I’ll activate it soon,” I said slowly. But phone plans were pricey.
“Nope!” Daphne said. “It’s already activated. On our plan.”
“You shouldn’t,” I said immediately.
“It’s not even expensive,” Ruth said. “We put you on our family plan, because you’re family.”
I pressed the power button and the phone blazed to life in my hand. “Thank you. Seriously. This is so cool.”
May sat down beside me and put an arm around my shoulders. “You’re welcome. Time for your first selfie. Come on. It will be the two of us.” She poked the icon for the camera. “I know just who we can send it to.”
I lifted the phone and took our smiling picture.
Lark: You got a phone??? I love the selfie.
Zach: I did. I’ve joined the 21stcentury.
Lark: Does this mean you’ll send me a dick pic later?
Zach: Let’s not get carried away.
Lark: ??
Zach: How do you make that smiley face?
Lark: Oh honey. I’ll show you in person. When can I visit?
Zach: Soon. May doesn’t want you to get the pukey flu. Everyone is waiting for Grandpa and I to start hurling.
Lark: You feel sick?
Zach: Nope. And I just at six pancakes. How about New Year’s Eve? I’ve never kissed anyone on New Year’s.
Lark: Okay. It’s a date. I should tell you about a New Year’s Eve tradition I adopted one year in Spain. You’re supposed to wear red underwear for luck.
Zach: Shut the front door.
Lark: I’m not making this up. Guess who’s all prepared to visit you in four days?
Zach: This just became my favorite holiday.
Lark: I <3 you.
Zach: I
Zach: How do you make the heart?
Lark: ??
