Page 25 of Punk Rock Reflection
“Come back here, peanut,” Alyssa called. “I can’t see you.”
Tessa stuck her face in front of the phone. “See? It has braids and plastic things.”
Alyssa laughed. “Now you’re too close. I can only see your cute little face.”
Jessi pulled Tessa back onto her lap so Alyssa could see the braids.
“They’re adorable! You look like an island princess.” Alyssa pulled her waist-length hair to the front, which was as black as Tessa’s. “Your hair is getting so long. It’s almost as long as mine.”
Tessa looked at the ends of her hair, which only fell a few inches past her shoulders. “No. That’s too long. Watch me sing. I haven’t put on any shows for you in forever!”
Alyssa placed her hand on her forehead and pretended to faint. The poor girl was subject to Tessa’s nonstop performances, but always gushed over them. “OK. I actually miss watching you sing and dance.”
Jessi, ever the proud mother, held the phone on Tessa while she put on a dramatic rendition of “Let it Go.”
“Wow,” Alyssa said. “I think she gets better and better. It’s as if she understands how empowering the song is.”
Jessi sighed, her chest filled with love and admiration. “That’s my amazing daughter.”
They listened quietly until Tessa finished, and Alyssa clapped loudly and cheered. “You’re a born star, sweetie. That was outstanding!”
While Tessa continued to dance in the sand, Jessi fell back in the hammock and crossed her ankles. “Anything interesting going on in New York that I should know about?”
“No. It’s raining and muggy.”
Jessi breathed in the warm salty air. “It’s gorgeous here. I could stay in Bora Bora forever.”
“Get that idea out of your head right now. I miss you, Jessi. And those babies. And Tommy. I even miss Angel and his overly dramatic exasperations. Where are they?”
Jessi walked over to where the boys sat on the lanai. “Say hello to Alyssa!”
Tommy and Lucas stopped playing and Angel stopped singing.
“What are you doing?” Angel asked. “I thought we agreed. No phones.”
“It’s nice to see you too, Angel,” Alyssa called through the phone, sarcasm playing on her voice.
“Tessa wanted to show off her braids. I couldn’t say no,” Jessi explained.
Angel gave her a skeptical look and held his hand out for the phone. “Hello, Alyssa. How are you?”
“Missing my friends. You have an amazing tan. Where’s my little miniature guitar god?”
Lucas stuck his head in front of the screen. “It’s so much fun here! I get to play music on the beach. The water is really blue. I can see all the fish and swim really far in the ocean with Papi. Say hi to my dad. Bye.” Then he ran off to play in the sand with Tessa.
“Hey, Alyssa,” Tommy said, smiling into the phone.
“What the hell is on your face?” Alyssa exclaimed.
“Holy shit.” Damien’s voice came through the phone. “Tommy has a beard! Look at you!”
Jessi leaned over Tommy’s shoulder and rubbed her face against his full blond beard. “Isn’t it awesome? I love it. Miss you, Damien!” It was so good to see his face, and she suddenly realized how much she missed everyone.
After they ended the call, Jessi asked Angel and Tommy if they were homesick. Their trip didn’t have a definitive end date. They had originally planned to be away for a month and then re-evaluate when they wanted to return, but they passed the 30-day mark over a week ago. Jessi missed her friends and her sisters, but she wasn’t sure she was ready to leave the tranquility of Bora Bora and relinquish their privacy.
“No,” Tommy answered right away.
“Yes and no,” Angel replied. “I miss my kitchen and gadgets and cooking a grand meal for everyone. But I’m not ready to leave.”
