Page 118 of Power Play

During the long/short walk to the mailbox my optimism and pessimism battled it out and I tried to give myself a pep talk and keep my expectations in check all at the same time.

It wouldn’t be there. Or it if was, it would be a rejection.

Sorry, it would say. You’re too old. Worse, we don’t take the daughters of convicted felons into our teaching program.

However, in the mailbox were three envelopes. Big ones.

All three of the schools I’d applied to.

My knees buckled and I had to put my hand against the mailbox and take a breath.

What was the rule? Thick envelopes were good? Thick ones were bad? Or was it the opposite. Or was it all bullshit?

I closed the mailbox and ran as fast as my flip flops would let me. Mike saw me coming and opened the door for me and I sprinted inside the house and skid to a halt in the kitchen.

Tess, her hair a tangled mess around her head, sat at the counter. Liam stood at the stove, spatula in hand, making pancakes.

“Morning,” I panted and kissed Tess’s forehead.

“What’s happening?” Tess asked. “Why are you out of breath?”

“Were there photographers?” Liam asked.

“No,” I said and put the envelopes down on the counter.

Tess beamed at me. “From the universities!”

Liam turned off the stove and took the frying pan off the heat. Still holding the spatula, he came to stand next to me at the counter. The three of us looking down at the envelopes like they were freshly hatched chicks.

“You going to open them?” Liam asked after a long, silent moment.

“No,” I said.

“I will!” Tess cried and tore into the first one. University of Maine. She opened the envelope and confetti poured out.

Some bubble of feeling, sharp and painful and too big to handle on my own, filled my chest and I turned into Liam. He wrapped his arms around me. He kissed my forehead and whispered in my ear. “It’s going to be okay.”

This was just such a sweet dream, and I’d had it for so long.

“University of Maine says yes!” Tess cried.

Liam laughed and kissed me. “Open this one, Tess,” he said, and I imagined him giving her the University of Southern Maine envelope. My secret favorite wasn’t so secret.

I heard the sound of the envelope opening and turned my head so I could see Tess’s face. She pulled out a big green folder and I saw on the front “Congratulations!”

“You did it!” Tess said, holding up the folder.

“You did it!” Liam said, his chest rumbling with laughter.

We did it, I thought. I wouldn’t have had the courage to apply without their love. Their support. Tears bit into my eyes and I wiped my face on the front of Liam’s Bruisers t-shirt.

“This needs a celebration!” Liam said. “Green drinks for everyone!”

“No!” Tess cried and I laughed, and because I never thought I’d have this much love and happiness, I also cried.

“Gross,” I said, leaning back. Liam kissed me and then kissed me again. One more time.

“I’m so proud of you,” he whispered against my lips.

“This deserves pie for breakfast!” Tess said.

Pie for breakfast was now our go to celebration treat.

“This is definitely pie for breakfast material,” Liam said.

We piled into the truck and drove to the only pie place open in the morning. I took the acceptance packet with us.

Welcome, it said inside.To the rest of your life.

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