Life in a 3x3 Frame

Part One

Hello

“What do you think, Jackson?”

“Don’t know.”

“Do you want to hold her??”

“Don’t know.”

“Well… daddy and I are thinking about her name. Do you want to help?”

“What name?”

“Maybe Annabeth?”

“Nope.”

“Mommy likes Annabeth. What about Taylor?”

“My friend’s named Taylor. He’s a boy.”

“Taylor can be a girl’s name, too.”

“Taylor is a boy.”

“Well, we have one more - June.”

“June. Junie!”

“Sure, we could call her that.”

“Can I hold Junie?”

I Missed You

“Mom! Over here!”

“Hey Junebug! How was camp? Have you had fun? Make friends?”

“One question at a time. Good, yes, and yes - we’re going to write to each other.”

“Fantastic. I want to hear all about it.”

“Dad couldn’t come?”

“He had a meeting.”

“Oh.”

“Listen - you better find a way to do STEM camp from home, because you can’t leave again. Preferably ever.”

“You might change your mind when you see the petri dish I’m growing in my suitcase.”

“Your what?”

“His name is Harold.”

Goodbye

“Toothbrush?”

“A pack of them. I can buy them there, anyway.”

“The book box?”

“In the trailer.”

“Kaylee will have the bedding, except-”

“-except the comforter, which is in the white box labelled ‘Christmas decor’.”

“Right.”

“Listen, if I don’t have something, you’re coming in two weeks.”

“Sixteen days.”

“Dad.”

“Sorry, sorry. I know: sooner than I think.”

“Don’t let Jackson show up in the jersey, okay?”

“I’ll do my best, but there’s really no stopping him. I mean, you were there on Christmas day with the pie and Nana’s bathtub.”

“Exactly, which is why he cannot show up wearing that! I’m serious, I won’t be seen with him.”

“It’s gonna be different around here without you. It’s surreal.”

“I know, Dad.”

“Can’t believe I’m old enough to be sending you to college. Can’t believe you’re old enough to be leaving me behind.”

“Are you trying to make me cry?”

“Is it working?”

“If I say yes, will you stop?”

“Nope. Can’t. It’s a dad thing. I love you, ya know?”

“Love you too, Pops.”

Part Two

Hello

“Ooof!”

“Oh, shit - I didn’t see you! Sorry. Let me help.”

“That’s okay.”

“Oh - you’re a student here?”

“Yep! You?”

“Yeah!”

“What’s your major?”

“Um, well. Nautical archeology.”

“That’s...different.”

“That’s pretty much the reaction everyone has. What about you?”

“Psychiatric epidemiology.”

“Wow. What’s that like?”

“Um.. crazy, ha. I like it though - careful asking me about it, I’ll talk your ear off.”

“Would you like to?”

“I’m sorry? Like to…?”

“Talk my ear off. I can replace that coffee, too.”

I Missed You

“Honey?”

“In here.”

“Hey. Sorry I didn’t see your call.”

“It’s okay. How was the meeting?”

“I mean.. It was pretty bad.”

“What happened?”

“The board can’t see the reason to expend funds on a cognitive training research department.”

“But the-”

“I know.”

“What about-”

“Nope. “There’s no significant evidence.” Nevermind the fact that we don’t have significant evidence because they refuse to look for it.”

“Damn.”

“Yeah. Damn.”

“Well… dinner’s ready. Want a plate?”

“Do we have hot sauce?”

“Bought some today.”

“Then yes.”

“Be right back.”

“Hey, Glen?”

“Hmm?”

“Missed you.”

Goodbye

“We should take pictures.”

“What?”

“Of the house.”

“I mean, we have some.”

“I know. I just mean, like, the crack in the bathroom wall and the book under the desk leg.”

“Why?”

“I just think it might be neat to look back on. People take pictures of their first cars and stuff. Didn’t you?”

“Well, yeah. But I liked the car.”

“But it wasn’t good, was it?”

“Hell no. The seat was ripped and the AC only worked half the time. My dad called it the ‘Draggin’ Wagon.’”

“But you loved it, right?”

“Sure.”

“Well, I love the crack in the ceiling and the book under the desk like you love an old car. And just because I love our new house and the family we’re going to raise in it doesn’t mean I’m not going to miss this one.”

“Okay. Let’s do it.”

“Right now?”

“Right now.”

“I’ll grab the camera!”

Part Three

Hello

“Come here often?”

“Honestly? No. Tonight’s a first.”

“I can show you around, if you want.”

“Around… the bar? It’s twice the size of my living room. What is there to show around?”

“Okay, so you’re not in the mood to talk. How about a drink?”

“If I say yes, are you expecting me to talk to you?”

“No.”

“I’m married.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yep. What’re you drinking?”

“Um… an Old Fashioned, I guess.”

“You heard the lady. One Old Fashioned. I’ll have the usual.”

“You’re a regular, then?”

“Only on days that end in ‘y.’”

“Funny.”

“Well thank you. Looks aren’t everything. I’m Randy, by the way.”

“June.”

“My favorite month.”

“I bet you say that to every calendar name that comes your way.”

“Only the pretty ones.”

“Right.”

“So, uh. About that tour… wanna sit at my booth?”

“Opposite sides?”

“Sure.”

“Okay.”

I Missed You

“Can I ask you something?”

“Is it about….”

“About him.”

“Oh. I guess.”

“Did you ever… Did you love him? Even a little?”

“Do you want me to give you the honest answer or the one that’d make you happier?”

“The honest answer would make me happier in the long run.”

“Probably not in the moment, though.”

“That’s kind of an answer in itself.”

“So I don’t have to give you any more, then?”

“No, I still want to hear it.”

“What can I say, Glen? It’s like anything that’s bad for you. I guess I loved him, yes. In his own way, he had a part in my life that can’t be erased. And it mattered.”

“Okay.”

“It wasn’t the same as you, though.”

“But you still did, right?”

“Here we go. I told you it would upset you.”

“I mean, am I supposed to be happy about it?”

“No.”

“Then don’t get frustrated at me. ‘Not the same’ doesn’t mean much. Love is love.”

“It’s not, though.”

“No?”

“No.”

“How?”

“I told you, it’s different.”

“You’ll have to do better than that if you want me to understand.”

“Okay. Fine. I loved him like… like a drunk loves to drink. In a way I couldn’t help. I was out of control.”

“Jesus, June, so you were addicted to him? That doesn’t make me feel any better. At all.”

“Glen! That’s not… You know what? I know you. I know how you act when the weather gets bad. I know what you did to your brother in eighth grade. I’ve seen you lose it on a waitress for bringing us the wrong food. Remember the Phoenix airport?”

“Vividly.”

“How about the summer the kids ruined your dive equipment? Remember the mood you were in for weeks?”

“Yes.”

“I know all these things about you. And I still choose you. Out of my own free will.”

“So I’m shitty and you’re still around.”

“No. You’re human and I’m still around. I’m human and you’re still around. I love you because I can. Not because I’m… out of control. Do you understand? Because I’m in control and because I want to be with you. I can’t take back what I did, and I’ll always feel bad about it. But I’m here, now, and if you’ll have me, I don’t want anyone else.”

“Okay.”

“Mad at me?”

“Come over here.”

“What do you want? Gonna smother me with the pillows?”

“I want to kiss you, goober. Come here.”

Goodbye

“She’s awake, if you’d like to see her.”

“How is she doing?”

“Mr. Potter…”

“Please, it’s Glen.”

“Glen… If there’s anyone you think would like to see her, I recommend getting them here soon.”

“I understand.”

….

“Honeybee? It’s me, Glen.”

“I… Glen? Do you know me?”

“I know you. Would you like to know what I know about you?”

“Yes.”

“Your name is Madison June Potter. You’re seventy six years old, although if anyone asks, you’ll tell them you’re not a day over twenty. We have three children, and two grandchildren.”

“Grandkids?”

“Ani - like Anakin, from Star Wars, and Zelda.”

“Fitzgerald?”

“A video game.”

“Oh.”

“But you love Tender is the Night. We spent a month reading it together before bed. You liked to sit by the fireplace, feet in my lap, with a mug of tea and a blanket. I’d read until we got tired - or bored.”

“Sounds fun.”

“It was. Some of my favorite… memories. We made a lot together, Junie.”

“Have we.. have we met?”

“Yeah… yeah, we have. It’s kind of a funny story. If you want to hear it, I’ll tell you.”

“Okay.”

“Okay. Back in college, you see, I never drank coffee. Ever. But this one morning…”