Between Then & Now || Currently Editing for Wattys 2022

8.

When I pull into the driveway, my mom is already outside, running down the driveway, barefoot per usual.

Emerging from the front door, Sarah crosses her arms up on the porch. "Oh, god, please tell me that's not what you spent Papa's inheritance money on."

"Sarah!" Aunt Rivers appears in the doorway after her, elbowing her and shooting her that look that only mothers seem to be able to give.

"What? I'm just saying."

"Well, I love it." My grandma is the next to emerge from the clown-car-esque doorway. She pulls her signature oven mitt off her right hand and stuffs it in her apron pocket. Her smile is soft and warm as she looks down at me, taking a moment to scan the van behind me. "And I think your Papa would, too."

I can't help it–I shoot the cousin look at Sarah. She rolls her eyes, going back inside to probably just get on another business call.

"For the record," I tag on, anyway. "I actually traded them my car and only had to pay five-thousand. Figured there was no need to have two vehicles."

My mom nods, eyes twinkling, and tugs my hand. "Come on, show us, show us." She practically bounces up and down, and I can't help but laugh.

Up at the top of the driveway from where my mom had run, Kai shakes their head, nearly appearing out of nowhere as they always do with their quiet presence. They softly chuckle at my mom but nevertheless follow her giddy energy to the door of the van, shooting me an exasperated look with a matching shrug on their way there.

I laugh. "Okay, okay. Let's go."

My mom hurries ahead, the door rumbling as she pulls it open, and hops inside, her muffled shriek of joy following shortly after. Kai chuckles, climbing in after her. My aunt and grandma both burst into laughter from behind me and I snort, looking back at them as they walk down the driveway and hold a hand out to help Babcia step into the van. Aunt Rivers just stands by the door as I climb in and shakes her head.

"It's okay, there's not enough room. I can watch from out here." She chuckles at my mom inside, winking up at me. "I kind of just want to see your mother's hysterics."

I laugh, shaking my head but understanding exactly what she means. "Free entertainment."

"Exactly." She smiles, peering into the van as I turn around to show my mom around as if she can't already see absolutely everything there is to see.

"So, there's the bed..." I go about pointing everything out in the van and answering all my mother's questions about storage and cooking and showering, and all of Kai's questions about the solar panels on top, and all of Babcia's questions about how I'm possibly supposed to bake Polish kolaczki with that counter space and no oven. In the doorway, Aunt Rivers occasionally laughs, and, just as I conclude the tour, helping Babcia step down from the van on her way out, Connor steps out of the front door, shirtless, as always, and rubs his eyes. After a moment, he finally seems to see us–and the giant van behind us. He blinks.

"Okay, how the hell did I miss that?"

"Connor."