Page 65 of Love Lessons: Expanded Edition

Chapter 11

Lena

The vibrating buzz on Lena’s dresser almost made her hand shake, but she pulled the eyeliner back just in time. She looked down at her phone.

It wasn’t a text, but a Facetime call from her sister. Or more likely, Maggie’s kids.

She was sure that she looked a fright like this, but Maggie and the kids wouldn’t care. She accepted the call to find, as expected, two grinning faces crowding into the small screen, one of them bouncing up and down.

Hey! I think I caught a Pokémon! She mimed snapping them up into a giant ball. Two Pokémon!

They giggled and Matt disappeared from the frame, probably running away from the concept of an imaginary ball dispensed from the other side of town through a video screen.

Matt crashed back into his sister. I escaped!

I’ll have to try harder next time. What are you guys doing tonight?

Watching Frozen. Meaning that Maggie wanted the kids out of her hair for a few hours so she could relax at the end of the week. On Friday nights their screen time restrictions were lifted. Lola’s mouth started moving in the shapes of what was undoubtedly “Let it Go.”

The kids were both fluent in ASL, something all of Lena’s siblings made sure of with their children. Because they were responsible like that. Her whole family was pretty good at doing the right thing and she was lucky to have them.

The cute part was that sometimes the kiddos still forgot that she couldn’t hear.

Lola paused mid-phrase, turned her head to ask something, and then turned back. Mommy says to ask you if you’re coming over tomorrow.

I think so. Maybe in the afternoon.

Then Lena was subjected to a nausea-inducing tour of the ceiling and underside of Matt’s chin as he took off with the phone. She turned back the mirror and finished up her eyeliner.

Maggie’s face appeared, looking a little tired but still beaming her perpetual smile. That was the way it was in their family. You just smiled and made the best of it, no matter how hard it was.

Maggie certainly didn’t have it easy raising two kids as a single parent. She made it look easy, though. Fun and effortless. Just like their parents always had with the seven of them. It was just something you learned to do.

Lena reminded herself that she should really hang out with the kids more often. Give Maggie a few more evenings to herself. She could surely fit that into her schedule.

Hey Lena,Maggie greeted her. It was weird to address people by name in ASL, a layer that was unnecessary since you could only communicate if you already had somebody’s attention. But Maggie always made a point of doing it. Letting her know that she saw her gender and identity, no matter who she was.

Hey, what’s going on tomorrow?

Not much. Shopping. Figuring out where to take the monkeys to get them out of the house. I just wanted to know if you were coming so I could figure out our day.

I have a lot of work this weekend, but if you need me, I can always make time.

Thank you, Lena. The kids have been asking about the science center, but no pressure.

She was such a sucker. But she had just said that she’d spend more time with them. I’ll be there. You can have some time to take care of yourself.

Self-care? What’s that?

Hell if I know. Lena laughed.

Do you ever realize that our family is a bunch of workaholics and, like, everyone else knows how to relax and have fun?

I relax and have fun. I’m going to have fun at the science center tomorrow.

Maggie shook her head. No, I’m serious. I’m, like, really trying to figure out how everyone else does it. To just, like, not take on as many projects and maybe not be such a perfect parent every second and have a moment to stop.

You’re my hero Maggie.