Page 28 of Truth Be Told
“Cereal? Every single morning?”
I stand, walk over to a nearby cabinet and pull down a box. “Yep.”
“Hey, wait a minute. I’ve got four eggs going here and I can’t eat all this by myself. I’m slaving over this, you know.”
I laugh. I think that’s the most spirited I’ve ever seen her, and I’ve seen her in a lot of varied situations. “Don’t worry. I’ll have whatever you’re making, too.” I lift the box to pour the cereal into the bowl, and the moment I do pieces that were once stuck suddenly come dislodged. The cereal floods the bowl and overflows onto the floor.
“Shit.” I look around at my feet where pieces are now spread around.
Stella looks at the ground, another smile growing. “That’s karma for you.”
“And also just my luck,” I say with humor in my voice. I bend down. I pick up the majority of the pieces and toss them in the sink. “The universe punishes me for needing an extra large breakfast.” It’s too early for this, and my slow movements prove that, but there’s nothing but lightness between us.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. The universe kicks everyone’s ass sometimes. Some more than others.” She flips an egg and then slides one off a spatula, onto an empty plate. “Here. Eat up.”
When we’ve finished breakfast, I pass her a dripping wet, now-clean plate. She takes it from me, wrapping the white clean dishtowel around the plate’s edges almost as if she’s being loving about it. Carefully, she finishes smoothing over the plate with the towel, and then examines it for any remaining drops of water.
“You’re pretty good at this,” I say as I start to rinse off the plate I had been using.
“We didn’t have a dishwasher when I was a little girl.”
“Really?”
“Yep. Every night my mom and I would gather around the sink and wash the day’s dishes by hand. We’d help each other, tell jokes and talk about our day over some nostalgic background music. It was nice. There was no fighting about anyone needing to clean their own, or any complaining about not being in the mood that night. It was always one of the best parts of my day. It was just… harmony.”
“It wasn’t always that way though.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, is it ever? Always so harmonious.”
She loses herself in thought, her hand slowing across the new plate. “Well, no, it’s not everalwaysharmonious. My mom and I have had our fair share of struggles, for sure.”
“Where is she now?” I ask because the way Stella talks about her mother screams that she misses her.
“She’s down in Florida with the rest of my family.” She looks away from me. I was right.
“And you’re the only one up here?”
She takes a breath. “I am. It’s not that big of a deal, though. I get to see them when I see them.” After another moment of silence, she reaches down into the sink and splashes me with a little water. Then, smirking, she dries off her hands.
As I finish up, Stella puts on her coat and slips her feet into her boots.
“What’s going on?”
“I have to go.”
“It’s still pretty nasty out there,” I say. “You’re welcome to wait it out here for a few more hours.”
“I know,” she sighs, sliding her fingers into a glove. “It doesn’t look much better out there, but I have to give it a shot.” Despite how direct she’s being, I think I catch a hint of sadness in her voice. “You know… things to do and places to be.”
“I get it. We all have stuff to take care of. Damn snow. Really makes me wish I’d vacationed in California this year.”
“Thisyear?” She pauses mid-zip of her coat. “You go on vacations for the entire year? What about your work?”
I shrug. “In the past I’ve taken it with me.”
She shakes her head and goes back to getting herself dressed. “I envy you.”
