Page 33 of The Accidental Text

I pull Instagram back up and scroll down to see a picture of me sitting inside my dad’s Lamborghini. This was from last year when we were doing Drives for Dreams. The car is wrapped in a bright-blue vinyl with our logo printed on it, similar to what you’d see on a race car. I’m in a racing suit, also covered in the Cooper’s logo, and wearing a Cooper’s baseball cap. I only sat in the car for the picture. I never race … we let Devon do that.

My smile in that photo looks pained to me now. I remember that day well. Mom was supposed to be there with us, but she wasn’t feeling well, so she stayed home. That was two months before her diagnosis.

Sometimes I hate looking at these pictures.

Maggie:It’s my dad’s

Chase:Are you for real right now?

Maggie:It’s for work

Chase:What does he do?

Maggie:We have a family business—Cooper’s. We vinyl wrap cars.

Chase:That car … wow. So cool.

Maggie:It’s not as cool as it looks

Chase:Stop trying to ruin my dreams

Maggie:That’s what I’ve been called. A dream ruiner.

Chase:I wouldn’t have thought that about you. So sad.

Maggie:Right?

Chase:Who are the two little girls?

He must be looking at the picture of me with Alice and Avery. One of my favorite pictures of the girls and me. It was a month before my mom died. I needed a break from the hospital visits, so I volunteered to watch them while Chelsea ran some errands.

It was one of my better ideas. For a few hours I was able to put aside all the hard things and just play. In the picture, Avery has her little arms around my neck and Alice has a pout on her face. That’s a normal look for Alice: pouting. I love her so much, my sassy little Alice. I love Avery too. She looks just like my mom did when she was her age, and she gives the best hugs, just like her nana used to.

Maggie:My nieces

Chase:Where do you land in the sibling order?

Maggie:Middle. Chelsea is older, Devon is younger.

Chase:Oh right. Chelsea is stubborn and bosses you around, and Devon is a player.

Oh, gosh. Did I write that to my mom? It sounds so crass coming from him.

Maggie:Chelsea is a typical older sister, but she has her heart in the right place. And Devon … well, he’s a player. But I love him. I feel bad that I wrote those things.

Chase:I’m not judging

Maggie:Thanks. I appreciate it.

Chase:So, how old are you?

Maggie:You never ask a woman that.

Chase:My bad. I’m a little rusty. Been a while.

Chase sends the sweating/smiling emoji.

Chase:My guess is you’re in your thirties.

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