Yesterday I got a call from my sister-in-law and my 9 year old nephew, Patrick. During the call, Patrick asked if it would be okay to visit this coming weekend. Being the cool Auntie, the answer is always, "Of course." Then, Sis-in-law and I tittered at Patrick's adorableness at asking such a question.
Patrick said, "Oh good. I will either be on the 6:30 flight Friday night or if I can't get on that one, I will be on the 10 a.m. one Saturday morning. I will call you when I land."
Still thinking he was playing, I said, "Do you have my phone number?"
At which, Patrick rattled off my phone number.
"When did you learn your aunt's number?" My sister-in-law asked. She wasn't tittering now.
Patrick replied, "After I looked up flights yesterday." Changing the subject he asked me, "Can we go to the diamond mine in Arkansas and the clock museum in Jefferson this weekend? I have to be back for school on Tuesday, so that's all we can probably do. Also, maybe I could sleep next to Luna. Do you think she'd mind?"
Before I could answer, Sis-in-law said to me, "Tell him he can't come."
"She already said I could, Mom," Patrick said.
"I did," I replied, no longer thinking Patrick was joking. If he'd worked out our schedule for the weekend, I figured minute details like how to get to Sky Harbor from Peoria was a forgone conclusion.
"You can't go!" My sister-in-law said in her sternest Mom Voice.
"Mom, you heard Auntie. She said I could visit!" Patrick argued.
"Gotta go!" Sis-in-law said. "Say goodbye to your Aunt!"
I said, "Bye Patrick."
He replied, "Bye Auntie. See you Friday night or Saturday morning."
As I hung up, I heard my normally calm and even-keeled sister-in-law say to her 9 year old genius son, "YOU WILL NOT GO TO TEXARKANA THIS WEEKEND. DO YOU UNDERSTAND? TELL ME YOU UNDERSTAND MY WORDS."
Meanwhile, back at the Sunshine house, we are taking even money Patrick will be calling tonight or tomorrow morning from the airport, ready to go visit the Arkansas diamond mine 60 miles from here.
No comments:
Post a Comment