The Truth About Life

-Benson: Chapter Thirty-Nine-

I am so pumped to leave for Haiti, this has been my dream for so long. I have one big duffle I’m taking with me. Its stuffed full of clothes, shoes, toiletries, and of course, my design book.

I can’t wait to help the people of Haiti, to implement some of my work into the school design plans. We have so much here, it’ll be good to give back.

I hear Taige calling for me. “Up here,” I yell.

She peeks her pigtailed head around my door, smiles her toothless grin.
“Your girlfriend’s downstairs,” Taige tells me, her voice all sing-songy.

I grin and grab her around the waist, tickling her until she cries uncle. Her skinny, twiglet arms wrap around my neck, she plants her lips on my cheek, and blows a wet, slobbery raspberry. I start laughing so hard, wiping my cheek off.

“Taige-girl, you're the best of us all.” I grab her hand as we head downstairs to meet Audrey.

Taige runs ahead and hugs Audrey around the waist. She bends down and envelopes Taige in a bear-hug.

“How are ya girlfriend? Are you excited for school to start soon?”

Taige’s pigtails waggle back and forth as she nods. “Yes! I’ll be in 3rd grade, and we went to the school last night to meet my teacher and he’s a mister, not a missus like last year.” She scrunches up her nose in concentration, “Mr. Stubble, I think is his name….”

"Streble,” I say

“Oh yeah, Streble. I saw where my desk is and it’s next to a boy that eats his boogers,” She says in disgust. “But my best friend Lizzy is in my class, so yippie!” And with that she skips away to the kitchen, yelling to mom that she’s starving.

“The cutest little whirlwind in the world,” Audrey laughs.

I look closer at her, her eyes are a little red and puffy, but she looks happy, at peace. We step out the front door and into the yard, meander down the street for a walk.

“I’m assuming by your smile the talk with your dad went well yesterday?”

She slips her arm through mine, lays her head on my shoulder. “It truly was good. When my dad hugged me, I’ve missed him so much that I just started to cry, and so did he.”

As we walk, she tells me all about her and her dads talk. The nuances in her voice are comforting, yo-yoing between excitement, sadness and awe.

I look over at Audrey, the sun glinting off of her hair, her dimple flashing, her eyes peaceful. I’ve never loved her more than at this moment.

She’s so brave and strong, wanting to talk open and honest is one thing, but actually taking the steps and having the talk takes courage and strength.

“I feel like this heavy, heavy weight has been lifted. Like I’m 50 pounds lighter. I have a better understanding of my parent’s relationship now and a new outlook. I can’t dwell on their marriage or what one did or didn’t do, I just have to love them for who they are, because I know that they love me for who I am, no matter what. And I need to give them that same love and acceptance. We all make mistakes, bad decisions, even as adults. It’s what we turn those mistakes into that counts.”

I look at her in wonder, “Well, well, who's the senior citizen now? That was amazingly deep, Audrey.”

She blinks at me, blushes a little. “I’ve had a good mentor these last months,” she says. She bumps her hip to mine, kisses the ball of my shoulder. “Race ya back to the house,” She yells over her shoulder, already running full speed.

I jog after her, I don’t mind at all watching her run away, her hair streaming behind her, her calves flexing and unflexing as her legs eat up the distance.

I make it back to my driveway; I can’t see Audrey anymore. I make my way around a big globe willow tree when a spray of water hits me directly in the face. I start hollering, holding my hands in front of my face.

I slit my eyes, see Audrey and Taige laughing their heads off, holding the garden hose. I run towards them, still being sprayed. I’m easily able to maneuver the hose away, then turn the spray on them.

Both are laughing hysterically, running around the yard. Eventually, the rest of my siblings pour out of the house and join in the impromptu water fight.

I stop for a second, take it all in. I’m going to miss this so much when I’m gone.