Page 56 of Misfortune and Mr. Right

“How about we do both?” I suggest.

“Really?”

“Why not?”

We spend the afternoon making chocolate chip cookies, and while they’re in the oven I pull out the bin I keep in my coat closet for Cassidy’s visits. We take out watercolors and paint butterflies.

“What’s that, Aunt Olivia?” Cassidy points to the floor near the windows.

“What’s what?”

She hops off the stool at the kitchen island and walks over to the windows. She picks something up off the floor and brings it over to me.

A fortune cookie.

“It’s a fortune cookie!” she says.

“Probably from when I ordered takeout with Megan.”

But why would there be so many leftover cookies from that one meal? And why would they be scattered all over my apartment? And why would there also be cookies out in the hall and in Logan’s mailbox?

“Open it!” she squeals. “Can I open it?”

I stare at the cookie.

Cassidy doesn’t wait for me to give her permission. She rips at the cellophane wrapper and cracks the cookie in half, pulling the paper fortune out and handing it and half the cookie to me.

I read the words:Sometimes a gift is actually a gift.

A gift. Like my croissant? And those coffees? Obviously not. This is just a coincidence.

“What does it say?” Cassidy asks.

I read the inscription aloud. “It says, ‘Sometimes a gift is actually a gift.’”

“That’s silly!” she giggles. “A gift always is a gift. Silly cookie.”

“Yeah,” I agree. “Silly cookie.”

Lynette knocks at the door. “Hello?”

“Hi, Mommy!” Cassidy jumps up and runs toward the door.

“Mommy! Mama. Hot mama!” the bird next door squawks.

“What was that?” Cassidy stops in her tracks before she opens the door.

I pass her, letting Lynette in.

“My neighbor has a macaw. It’s a talking bird.”

“Can I meet him?”

“Maybe one day.”

“Hot mama!” the bird squawks again. “Mamasita. Whew-eeeeee!”

“He’s funny!” Cassidy giggles.

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