Page 19 of Broken Grump

“I know it’s hard, baby. But you’ll make new friends.”

Her mouth falls open. “I wasn’t even thinking about my friends!”

Oh, fuck.

She then pounds her fists against her thighs. “I don’t want to leave my friends!” Tears are starting to fall down her smooth cheeks.

I move the sleeve of my shirt down over my hand, and I blot her tears dry.

“But think about it, we’re going to get in a plane and fly all the way to our new home.”

Then, I see the littlest glimmer of a smile. “Plane?”

“Mhmm. We leave in just a few days.”

Her little fingers start rubbing her chin. “I’ve never been on a plane.”

I chuckle. “I know you haven’t.”

Her shoulders then relax down, and she happily stomps over to her bedroom.

Following her, I ask, “What are you doing?”

She opens a drawer and takes all the contents out with one big swoop. “I’m packing!”

I shake my head and think how amusing it is that a kid can change their mind about something so quickly and drastically.

Note taken. Always start with the plane.

I leave her to do her own thing, and I shuffle through the various mail I collected before and after my trip. I previously just set them on my dining table. Then, unexpectedly, I hear thebuzzto let me know someone is at the front door.

“Hello?”

“It’s Sam.”

I smile. “Awww, miss me already?”

“Well, of course. But I’ve also got vodka.”

Within a second, I’m buzzing her up.

“I thought you might need this,” she says with a smile after appearing at my door.

“God, yes.”

I pull her inside, and I get two glasses from my cupboard.

However, we soon both hear Luna singing some T-Swift.

“Well,” Sam mutters after swiveling around in the chair next to our island. “That doesn’t sound like a girl in mourning.”

I chug the liquor back and pour myself some more. “No. But wait a minute. I’ll get her to freak out again.”

Tip-toeing to her room, I then say, “Hey, Loones? Did you know that Mommy saw Taylor in concert when she was a little older than you? She sang country back then—”

“Oh, God! Mom! No!” She then slams the door.

“Told ya.”

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