Celestia

8

Evening settles over the cabin and Mom, Dad, Sawyer, and myself have dinner at the table like a distinguished family. Mom made street tacos, which taste as fancy as they look, and fresh cherry limeade to wash them down with. My real mother couldn't have whipped up a meal like that even if she had a recipe.

As we eat, the conversation remains mostly on Sawyer and I. I don't bother asking Mom and Dad many questions, because their answers likely won't be the truth, anyway. They are very happy to get the scoop on me and my relationship, though.

After dinner, the rain stops and the clouds clear out. We move to the living room for a two hour game of Monopoly, and then Mom and Dad announce that it's time to go. After an amazing evening, a pang of sadness hits me at the thought of them leaving, but I remind myself I can bring them back with the snap of my fingers. They're not my real parents, but they're the happy-go-lucky versions I dreamt of when I was young; the parents without the problems. Celestia feels complete with them here.

Sawyer and I stand near the door to see them off. They put their coats and shoes back on, and we all exchange hugs.

"I really enjoyed our visit! We'll have to do it again sometime!" Mom says happily.

"It was so good to see you, baby girl," Dad says as he squeezes me.

"It was good to see you, too," I smile. 

"And again, I know it doesn't make up for my being gone, and I wish I could tell you why I was, but I truly am sorry. Standing here now, if I could take that time back, I would never leave."

"I feel..." I struggle to find the words to express my newfound closure over Dad's absence. Three simple words come to mind that instantly make my heart swell and bring tears to my eyes.

"I forgive you," I say softly into his shoulder.

"Autumn," he whispers, his voice cracking. "I might not have been there, but there wasn't a day that went by that you weren't on my mind. You'll always be my one and only baby girl."

A tear slipped down my cheek. "I know, Dad."

Sawyer and I stand on the porch in front of our home, arm in arm under the dusk sky. We watch as Mom and Dad walk down the steps and into the forest, heading nowhere in particular except out of view. 

Mom looks back once and gives us one last wave. We both wave back. Then the pines swallow them and we're alone again. We both linger in the serenity of the moment, saying nothing, no movement. I stare at the dark mouth of the forest where my parents disappeared, then my eyes scan over the lake, royal blue and glistening in the moonlight. Crickets and cicadas sing. An owl calls out somewhere in the distance. I close my eyes for a brief moment, basking in the feeling of inner peace.

Sawyer sighs comfortably. "It's strange. I was about to ask what now, like we have to be doing something....but we don't have to do anything."

I look at him. "It's a beautiful night. Let's go sit on the dock."

He grins and nods his head. "Okay."

With my arm still wrapped around his, we walk down the steps and the dirt path to the dock. We sit down on the edge and I dip my bare feet into the water while Sawyer rolls up the bottoms of his pant legs before dangling his feet. We sit there in silence for a few minutes, gazing out into the night, his hand trailing up and down my left arm. Then he breaks the silence.

"You know something?"

I reply, "What?"

"We have a dock and no boat. What good is a dock without a boat?" He asks hintingly.