Faint, crackling tones echoed in her ears. Like a phone call from the fifties. She knew it was a sign. A portent of something wonderful, but what, specifically, she couldn’t say. It lined up with the other important elements of recent days: news headlines, vaguely familiar faces on the street, and trending hashtags.
It could not be a coincidence, like her dad kept insisting it was. He poured doubt on all of her ideas. He never really supported her as a father should. Too many questions and not enough silence. She would have to stop letting him know the signs. Besides, it was all meant just for her. That’s why he couldn’t understand, even if he’d bothered to try.
She still needed to prepare her bags, or maybe only one of them. Yes, one made more sense considering the cloudy nature of the task. She would not want to keep track of anything unnecessary-essentials were key and the list was shorter each time she revised it. The rest of her things were already boxed up and neatly organized in the living room. Nobody would have to guess what to do with it all when she left.
The puzzle pieces would fit very soon. She was tuned in and waiting. “I’ll be ready. No matter what.”
© 2021 Jeff E. Brown. All rights reserved.
Writing and Photography by Jeff E. Brown 