XVII

• Author: Lindsay Cameron
• Profession: Corporate attorney
• Pages: 157-171

157

17

I    train at North Station with my laptop in tow. It

was Christmas morning and people all around me were gathering

their bags full of festively wrapped parcels and slowly making their

way o the train. I cringed, picturing my plastic bag full of Duane

Reade’s nest sitting in my suitcase. ey weren’t even wrapped.

“Honey, over here!” Mom waved at me over the crowds. I’d almost

forgotten how chipper people could be outside of F&D. One look at

her cheerful face and my eyes prickled with tears. I didn’t realize how

much I missed her and Dad until I saw them.

“ere’s our big city lawyer,” Dad boomed, pulling me into a hug.

“Merry Christmas!” Mom chimed.

Being in Dad’s embrace felt so comfortable I didn’t want to let go.

It was like this one element was still frozen in time despite my life

surging ahead in New York. With Dad, I was seven years old and

problems could still be solved with pizza.

“You look wonderful, honey,” Mom gushed as she wrapped her

arms around me. “But have you gotten thinner?” She pulled back to

survey me, making a disapproving face as she poked my ribs.

“I don’t think so, Mom.”

“Well, I’ll put some meat back on your bones before you leave.

I made popcorn balls!” Mom always made my favorite Christmas

treat, even though nobody else in the family liked them. And I knew

she’d probably cleaned out my old room, put a bowl of my favorite

candies on the nightstand, and laid out fresh towels on the bed.

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