Page 55 of Catching Dreams

“What did you do?” Tyler asked but was just shaking his head.

“I’m scared,” Pen added.

“Did you bring the tape?” Cooper asked. At Dominic’s nod, he stood up and got the tape out of the bag. They laid out different pieces of construction paper on the small kitchen table and doubled over the tape so it would stick to the wall. I tried to see what they were doing, but Tyler blocked most of my vision.

“Close your eyes,” my brother said and couldn’t hold back his laughter.

I had no clue what they were doing but closed my eyes and leaned my head against Tyler’s arm. He rubbed my back with his hand while I listened to the crinkle of paper and the laughter of our friends. Even Penelope was laughing. “She’s going to kill you.”

“Well, it’s probably a good thing she can’t get out of bed,” Cooper answered.

“Oh, man, once she is able to, you guys might be dead,” my husband said, but he was laughing as he said it.

“Can I open my eyes yet?” I asked. I was very curious and anxious to see what they had done.

“Not yet,” Cooper said. “Stone, make sure her eyes stay closed.”

“Molly, don’t forget, Pen, Ty, and I had nothing to do with this,” Hayden said. A minute after he said it, he let out a snort of laughter.

“Well, considering you’re laughing, you are now part of it,” I said.

After a few more minutes, I was finally told I could open my eyes. I slowly opened them to see construction paper covering all the flowers in the wallpaper. But on each piece of paper were sayings.

“No, you didn’t!” I cried.

“Oh, yes, they did,” Tyler answered.

I read the first sign I could see:

“Q: When a short person waves at you, what do you call it? A: a microwave!”

The next sign wasn’t a question but just a phrase.

“Sometimes, I want to make a joke about short people, but I don't want to stoop to their level.”

“You guys are ridiculous!” I said, but I couldn’t help but laugh. “I actually love it!”

“I knew you would!” Dominic said with a huge grin. “Look at this one! It’s my favorite!”

“I can’t see that far. What does it say?” I asked.

“Question: how does a short person reach the top shelf? Answer: They don’t!”

“That one really is true!” Tyler said and pulled me closer to him. “I’m glad you like them.”

“What does that one by you say, Pen?” I asked.

Penelope read it but had a hard time getting out the whole phrase because she was laughing so hard. “I'm starting a business to teach short people math. It's called ‘Making The Little Things Count.’"

“Holy crap! That is funny!” I said, and I noticed that Pen was laughing so hard she had tears coming out of her eyes.

“That was all Super Cooper,” Dom said and patted him on the shoulder.

“Awww, look,” Tyler said as he pointed at a red piece of paper near the motel door. “What is a short person’s favorite dessert?”

“Strawberry shortcake!” I cried out. “I love that one. I am definitely going to keep these. I might even frame a few of them.”

Cooper and Dominic gave each other a knuckle bump and were very proud of themselves.

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