Page 8 of Finding London

“Speaking of trees,” I say to Paige.

“I thought we moved on to shoes?” She looks to me in question.

I laugh. “I can’t keep track with you. Anyway, I’m going to take this, and then we’ll pre-party.”

“Yay!” She claps her hands together. “I’ll get my shower out of the way.”

I love our pre-party ritual that we’ve perfected over the past four years. It consists of snacks, music, drinks, and a couple of hours to style our hair and makeup to utter flawlessness. Someday soon, when we decide to grow up and get real jobs—or employment, period—I’m sure these nights are going to be few and far between. But, for now, I’m going to relish in the joy they bring.

“Hey, Mom,” I say into my phone.

My mom doesn’t call often. She usually communicates through text, so I’m sure she has some news to share.

“Baby girl! How are you? How’s life since graduation? Anything exciting going on? Have you applied for any jobs?”

“No, not really. And, no, not yet.”

“Oh, that’s fine. You have plenty of time,” she says with sincerity.

Exactly. I’ve only been out of college for a month. My mom gets me.

“Have you heard from Georgia?” she asks.

My younger sister is spending the summer between her junior and senior year at Stanford gallivanting through Europe with a group of her friends.

“Not really. I mean, you follow her on Instagram, Mom. You see the same stuff I do.”

“I know. I just didn’t know if she’d called or texted you. She has an international plan. It wouldn’t hurt her to use it.”

I chuckle. “Mom, she’s having fun. She’s fine. She posts proof-of-life photos every day. She’ll call if she has free time, but I’m sure she’s just busy with soaking in new experiences.”

“I know. It’s just weird not to get daily texts from her. You know your sister; she always needs something.”

I can hear the smile in her voice.

“So, not hearing from her is a good thing. It means that she’s figuring things out on her own.”

“I suppose,” she sighs.

“How’s Dad?”

“Oh, you know, working himself to the bone, per usual.”

My dad has made a name for himself in the business world—or at least, I assume he has based on how much money he earns. He’s in the business of mergers and acquisitions. According to him, that means he buys, sells, divides, and/or combines companies in order to help them be successful.

My mom, on the other hand, doesn’t work—at least at anything that brings in money. She keeps busy though. Her social calendar is always full.

“Oh, that’s why I called. We’re moving.”

My parents currently live in New York City. They’ve actually been there for a few years, which might be the longest they’ve ever stayed in the same location. Growing up, it felt like we moved once a year on average. My dad goes wherever his job leads him, and my mom follows.

“Where to?”

“Louisville, Kentucky. We bought a house in a nice suburb outside of the city.”

“Oh, that’s great, Mom. How long will you be there?”

“Who knows? You know how it is.” She chuckles.

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