And Next
Even after this next life-changer, it still felt like a regular Sunday morning on the way to church. Heavy rain. Mixed with souffles from St. Louis Bread Co. (Okay, that last part was out of the ordinary.) But I think it was probably because we were already so used to Jaya being part of the family, and because they were going to live in Creve Coeur, so nothing much was really going to change anyway.
The Big House. Sudabeh meowing for food on the porch. Carrie-Bri and Rose sprawled on the couches probably reviewing the weekend. Dad and Francis pummeling each other in fist fights. Leftovers on the counter. Things were definitely normal.
Anyway, Mom and Dad took a two-hour nap while Puck required another tick-removal. This was number three. Boy Scout territory is synonymous with ticks. Despite his frustration at seeing the tweezers come out again, he generously decided to grant life to the parasite:
“Put it outside, Dad, so it can live.”
Carrie tried to explain to him that ticks just had to take the bullet, but Puck refused the death sentence, announcing solemnly:
“I vow whenever I get a tick to let it go.”
Somewhere around the time Joe’s and Jaya’s ship had left Tampa, Florida, Ricky drove up after five o’clock to return a borrowed shirt to Francis and for the bonfire that Francis lit at six-thirty, once Zuni had also joined the party. Roasting hot dogs over a blistering fire, discussing baseball, the Caribbean, etc., climbing the treehouse, until Irish and Cherry returned from another bonfire down the road.
Carrie and I hunkered down behind the game inside to avoid mosquitoes hunting a tasty meal while El Oso met Boy for milkshakes and Mom and Dad took Rose and Ricky to the movies: Spiderman. Between innings, Carrie, Cherry, and Irish switched out roles in a shoulder massage train on the couch. Puck tried to sleep in the other room, but that wasn’t working too well. Especially when about six of Irish’s friends blasted over self-invited, giggling and smashing through the hall to use the bathroom:
“Why?!” Carrie demanded. “Why? Don’t they have someplace else they can go?”
“They like it over here,” Irish explained.
Cherry just rolled her eyes and settled back on the couch with a bowl of cereal and a mug of tea to finish up the game with Carrie. Puck, having never fallen asleep, returned home with us somewhat teary because he couldn’t stay.
And it seemed like everything was pretty much right with the world.