Rise Up

Lin

Sebastian had been crushed when I told him Talie wouldn't be coming home for a couple months.  He cried for a good fifteen minutes as I tried to distract him with his favorite stuff.  Trains.  Ice cream.  Stories.  I gave him a bowl of chocolate ice cream with syrup and he cried as he ate.  It was kind of adorable.

I was sad too, but I think this was the best thing for Talie.  She needed her father.  I'd been glad to step in to help her, but if she could be with her dad then she needed to be.  I was proud of how brave she was being, moving to another country, and I told her. 

Vanessa was a little sad as well.  We'd all grown close to Talie and definitely missed her.  Slowly, the rest of the school year passed and it was finally summer break.  The kids didn't realize the teachers were probably just as relieved, if not more, than the students to have a break.

Summers were amazing.  I got to be with the boys all the time.  We did all sorts of things together.  The park, museums, the zoo.  I felt that I was able to make up for my lack of quality time with them during the school year over the summer.

It was a bit odd timing, but Talie's school finished up at the beginning of August.  Their school year was different over there.  As Talie was finishing her school year, I was about to start mine.  I tried to work ahead in anticipation of her visit, so I could spend as much time with her as possible.  I helped Sebastian made a paper chain countdown, like the kind we made at Christmas, to count down the days until Talie came back.

Finally, we got to the last ring.

"Talie's coming today!!" Sebastian screamed as he ran into the living room in his pajamas.  I was laying on the couch, watching a video on my computer.  I grinned and set it aside.  Sebastian jumped onto me and wrapped his arms around my neck.

"She is!" I said, hugging him tight, then tickling him.  "She's gonna be surprised how much you've grown?"

"Uh-huh," he said, sitting up on my chest.  "I've been eating my vegables."

"Vegetables," I gently corrected him.  "Yes you have.  And now Cisco's starting to walk."

"She's gonna be so surprised!!" he said, hopping off me.  Sebastian decided he needed to make Talie a coming-home picture.  He sat down at his little table and got to work with his crayons.  He asked me how to spell Talie and I patiently spelled it out for him.  When he was finished, he proudly showed me and I praised him. 

Talie's plane was set to arrive around 4:00 in the afternoon.  I didn't want her to have to lug her luggage around and mess with the subway or a bus, so I took the boys to go pick her up.  Sebastian brought his drawing with him.  We waited patiently at the arrival gate, and soon we saw her walking along, her backpack over her shoulder.

"Talie!!!" Sebastian screamed.  Talie looked towards the noise and broke into a smile.  Sebastian let go of my hand and ran for her.  She beamed and knelt down as he crashed into her arms.  She kissed him all over his face and then picked him up. He gave her the paper he'd made and she praised him. I caught up with my son, carrying Cisco in my arms.

"Hey, kiddo," I greeted her, opening up my free arm for a hug.  I kissed her head and took a good look at her.  She'd gotten a bit taller and she'd dyed the tips of her hair blue.

"Lin!" she hugged me tightly after she'd put Sebastian down.  "I missed you so much!"

"Me too," I said.  I handed over Cisco and he gurgled.  Talie fussed over how big he'd gotten.  I told her to set him down so he could show off his walking.  She gushed at him and he smiled and laughed.  Finally, we made our way down to baggage claim.  Talie pointed out her suitcase as it came by and I grabbed it.  I managed to carry Cisco and wheel out her suitcase.  I hailed us a cab and soon we were on our way home.