Quips, Quirks & Quandaries

Skipping Stones #SummerCountdown2023

    "She hates chicken so that's a no," Jess murmured, crossing off another line on her list.

    Sunshine poured through her room as she hurried around, throwing things from her closet into the center of the floor.

    She paused and glanced at her paper again, a pen dangling from her lips. "Chocolate milkshakes? Yes. Apple pies?"

    Her phone started to hum while she dropped to the floor and pulled everything into two bags.

    "No. She hates apple pies. Strawberry would be best."

    She shook her head as she stopped the alarm and crossed more items off. "I have some of her favorite CDs, books, some of my favorite sweaters of hers that I definitely didn't take on purpose..."

    "Jess, are you ready?" A voice called up the stairs.

    Jess zipped her bag and lugged the other over her shoulder as she hurried towards her door. "I'm coming, Cass!"

    "You better be! Or I'll drag ya down myself!"

     Jess giggled and followed her sister Cassie out to the car, pulling out a fresh piece of paper as they drove down the street. With the windows down and Stray Kids crooning out of the speakers, she bopped to the music as she titled her new to-do list.

    Cassie side-eyed her as they made their way through the drive thru. "If you aren't careful, I may have to limit your K-pop consumption."

    Jess laughed, scribbling across the page. "I find it funny that you think that's something you can control. Besides, Em loves it and you know it."

    "Mhm, sure she does," Cass mumbled, passing the bags of greasy goodness over to her, "but what're you writing over there?"

    "They're hobbies I thought we could try out," Jess whispered, a soft smile tugging at her lips "Em talked about doing them with us a couple years back, but we never really got around to it."

    Cass nodded, bringing the car to a stop before grabbing the bags from the back. "What kind of things?"

    "It depends," Jess said, adjusting her bag as they walked past blooming flowers and weathered gravestones. "I figured we could start the summer off by visiting her like this. Then, we could try out something simple, like water-skiing! Maybe start a lemonade stand or a kissing booth. Things teenagers think of doing at the end of their junior year, ya know?"

    "Not things like this, right?" Cass asked.

    The pair of them stared at their sister's grave for a moment before Jess let out a hoarse laugh. "Yeah, not like this."

    Jess squatted down to the ground, spreading some fries and strawberry pie around one side of the grave as Cass set the CDs and sweaters on the other side.

     Cass raised her cup towards Jess then tapped it gently against the stone. "Here's to trying to experience the summer for her?"

    Tears pricked at the corner of Jess' eyes as she raised her drink and tapped it against the stone.

    "For her."