Page 6 of Where You Are

“Who cares? They’re both green…” she grumbles. Mornings are not my seven-year-old niece’s favorite time of day. But of course, that’s what I get for letting her eat her weight in ice cream and watching a Disney marathon during her sleepover at my house last night. But that’s what uncles are for: spoiling. Then I hand her back to my sister in this state. Forgive me an inner evil laugh.

“Luna,” I level with her the best way you can a kid her age. “Do you want the trees in the Forest of Friendship to look realistic or not? I need the Jungle Green to do the outer shading,” I say in exasperation while I continue to dig. When it comes to coloring books, I don’t fuck around. Some doctors recommend coloring to lower blood pressure, and with what I go through keeping the other guys in the band in line, it sure as fuck couldn’t hurt.

Years ago my sister, Kasey, got mixed up with the wrong guy that took off on her when she got pregnant. Our parents had long since relocated to Arizona because my mom was ready for a climate opposite of Michigan, and her wish is our stepdad’s command. That left her with no help but me. When money started coming in from the band, the first thing I did was make sure she and Luna were taken care of, including childcare for when I’m on the road. Okay, after that I converted the basement in my house to a studio and got a boat, but then I put the rest away and I try to pretend it doesn’t exist. Fame being a fickle thing and all that.

But when I’m home, I occasionally take my niece for a night to give Kasey a break to go on a date or out with friends. Plus, it gives me bonding time. What can I say, I kind of like the kid.

Before she can answer me on the importance of my coloring authenticity, there’s a brief knock at the front door, followed by it being pushed open.

“Mommy!” Luna happily cries and runs to greet my sister, who looks refreshed from her night off.

“Hey kiddo,” she returns, giving Luna a warm hug. “Did you have fun with Uncle Matt?” She leans back to look at her.

“Totally! He gave me mint chocolate chip ice cream and let me stay up sooo late,” she begins to regale her mom, ignoring the cutting motion I’m making across my throat. Traitor.

“Really?” Kasey straightens up with her eyes wide and giving me theI’m going to kill youlook that contradicts the enthusiastic smile she has in place for her daughter’s benefit. “Oh, you’re just going to be a peach around seven o’ clock tonight. Introducing her to the rock star lifestyle already are we, Matt?”

“Oh, because ice cream and watchingFrozenare totally going to send her down the path of destruction. You’re right Kase, what was I thinking?” I tease, smacking my forehead before crossing my arms.

“Go say ‘bye’ to Uncle Matt,” she tells Luna, “and thank him for your night of debauchery,” she adds under her breath.

Luna runs over to me, her brown curls bouncing around her shoulders, and throws her arms around my neck.

“See ya next time, Monkey,” I tell her, kissing her cheek before she disappears out the door behind my sister who throws me a wave with one more ‘thanks’.

After they leave, I clean up the coloring books and take them back to the spare bedroom decorated just for Luna with all her favorite things. After taking care of her cereal bowl and cleaning up the kitchen, I figure I’ll run to the store to grab a few things for the barbeque later and head out to my Jeep.

Sometimes I can get away with running errands without being recognized, but today, just in case, I put on my ball cap and sunglasses. It’s a nice Saturday morning without too many weekenders out running around yet. There’s not much traffic, and while it’s humid, the heat hasn’t gotten too unbearable yet, so I cruise with the top off.

My go-to alternative station is blaring my favorites as if they have my personal playlist on file, and I have to say this is a great start to the morning. I sit back and rest an arm on the window frame as I make my way to the store that I prefer about fifteen minutes away. I normally keep to the mom and pop grocery stores, and the one I have in mind has what I need. I’m about four blocks away from it, enjoying the breeze, the sunshine, and the music, sure as hell not expecting a human being to run out in front of my car, causing me to grip my wheel with both hands and slam on my brakes. The brunette girl jolts mid-stride and just barely grazes her hands on the edge of my hood, steadying herself. Then, to my amazement, resumes her pace in the same direction she was headed. I lean out my window and holler after her.

“Did they not teach you to look both ways in pre-school?!” My mouth shouts while my eyes check out her bewildering ass in her dark blue shorts with the LakeView U emblem on them. This gets her attention and she turns to look at me while walking backward, and pulling out one of her earbuds.

“Funny, I believe that’s where they also teach you what a stop sign looks like, dipshit!” She returns, and I look at the sign on the other side of the street that she waves her hand at.

Oh shit.

Okay, so she technically had the right of way, but she still should’ve been paying attention. I try to yell asorryafter her, but she’s already disappeared behind some shrubbery that lines the street she’s running down. Damn. She needs to watch where she’s going, but she wasn’t hard to look at for those four seconds. Too bad she had sunglasses on so I could see if the look in her eyes matched her snarky comeback. Oh well, time to shake it off. Good looking girls are a dime a dozen, and besides, there’s a special one I’m looking forward to seeing later today. The smile returns to my face as I continue on down the road, being extra vigilant of stop signs of course.

MELANIE

I swear, some people get their driver’s license from a Cracker Jack box. Oh well. It’s a beautiful morning and with the exception of almost getting smeared, it’s been an incredible run. According to the app on Sarah’s phone, I’ve gotten almost six miles in. She’s missed some calls though so I should probably get it back to her. Hopefully no screaming mother-to-be is crowning right now, although she said she was unequivocally off for the next three days.

As I’m making my way down her street, I see a truck I know well parked in her driveway. A smile spreads across my face as I pick up speed, trying to get there as fast as I can. As I get closer, Krasinski Construction can clearly be seen in dark green lettering against the white paint. I dash past it and through the front door.

When I find him in the kitchen with Mike, I run right into my daddy’s arms.

“Kiddo!” he shouts joyfully as he crushes me in a bear hug against his solid torso. I bask in the scent of sawdust and Polo aftershave that I haven’t smelled in over two years, but remember as if it were yesterday.

After a long hug to make up for the ones we’ve missed, he pulls away to get a good look at me.

“You look like you dragged yourself across the earth and back, kiddo.”

“Well you look like a man who still busts his ass building homes, even though two of his three kids are successful enough to support him,” I playfully rib back. Both Jack and Sarah have tried to get dad to retire by offering to take care of him with their exorbitant earnings, but he refuses them every time. To their dismay, he not only values hard work, he loves it.

“I’m a honey badger who loves to work kid. That’ll never change,” he defends as I roll my eyes.

We make the expected small talk, him asking how my flight was and all that before I rush to the guest room and grab the infamous book, bringing it back to show him all the places I hit on the map. His eyes go soft and we spend the next half hour catching up until Sarah comes home, loaded down with groceries.

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