فصل 32

CHAPTER 32

Screen Time

The day has been pretty good, and it just keeps coming. When I get outside, Mom and Travis are waiting for me in the car.

We’re going to head over to a friend’s house to use their computer to Skype with your dad, my mom says. We are all missing him so much, I thought it would be good.

• • •

The screen flickers at first, but then there he is. In his tan fatigues.

Daddy! I say, not able to hold it in and sounding like a little kid.

Ally Bug! You’re so big! How are you, sweetheart?

I’m good, Daddy. How are you?

I’m good but homesick. I sure miss you guys.

I think how there’s a word for him missing home but not a word for us missing him.

He holds up some of my pictures. I love the pictures you sent. I hang them up around my bunk. The other guys are jealous. He winks.

I can tell that Mom wants to cry, but she doesn’t. She says that being a soldier’s wife means being strong for him. She doesn’t want him to know how hard it is without him here. He has enough to worry about over there. I sometimes wish she would tell him. I sometimes wonder if he would come home if he knew.

Good, Daddy. I miss you. So much.

I miss you, too, honey. You know I do. How are things? More silver dollar days or wooden nickels?

Some of each, I think. But more silver dollars lately. My teacher is cool. He is . . . And I find I can’t even explain it in words. Great.

That’s terrific, sweetheart!

And I have two friends, Keisha and Albert. Keisha likes to bake and she’s brave. You’d like her, Daddy! And Albert is like a computer he is so smart. He’s a little nuts, though. He’s been telling us how he loves all of the standardized testing. He actually thinks it’s fun.

Fun? Testing? He sounds like a different kind of guy.

He is. And there’s a girl named Shay at school who isn’t very nice to me. I feel rushed, like I have to get everything in fast.

Well, you’ll always run into people like that. You can hold your own, I bet.

Mom pats me on the back. Have to give Travis some time, honey.

Okay. And I watch a movie of myself being strong and saying good-bye and not crying. But I want to be able to step through that screen and wrap my arms around my daddy. It feels like a part of us all is missing and we won’t be whole again until he’s home.

Hey, Dad says. Remember, Ally Bug, I love you. There isn’t anything in the world I love more than you, your brother, and your mom.

I nod.

Travis sits down next.

Hey, son! How are the big plans coming?

Not so great.

What’s going on?

Nothing, Travis says.

C’mon. Maybe I can help.

Travis glances at Mom and me. Well, this new manager came in at the garage. The old guy used to let me do my thing, you know. But this one hangs over me. Always asking me to follow the specs in the manuals. If I do something, he wants to know what page I looked it up on. I know how to work on different cars. I don’t need to look it up.

My dad takes a long, slow breath. Well, that does sound rough. Have you tried talking to the guy? Or having him talk to the old boss?

The old boss is out with back surgery for a while. Travis shakes his head. This new guy . . . he just doesn’t get me. His voice cracks.

My father leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. Now he looks like he wants to crawl through the screen. You’ll get there. I know you will. And this is temporary. Just try to work hard and learn everything you can.

Travis nods but looks at the floor. I hear him mumble, There are some things I just can’t learn.

I’m proud of you, Trav. You know that. He clears his throat. I’m sorry I’m not there with you.

Yeah. Travis looks up at the screen. Love you, Dad.

Love you, too, son. Hang in there. It will get better.

Travis nods, but I can tell he isn’t buying it. Then he stands. C’mon, squirt. Let’s give Mom and Dad some time.

Why?

He pulls me over. So they can talk mushy in private, that’s why.

We sit down at the kitchen table and Mom’s friend gives us sodas.

Travis cracks open his and takes a deep breath.

What?

I’m just so frustrated, Al. There’s so much I want to do, but . . .

I want to help him. Maybe we could head out to some junkyards like we used to and see if we can find something worth fixing up.

Maybe. I’d love to find another old Coke machine or something in someone’s barn. Buy it cheap and fix it up on my own. He looks at me. You know I can turn almost anything around for some good money.

The words are the same, but they are heavy. There’re no wiggling fingers or talk of being a genius. And my big brother looks so serious.

I know you’ll have Nickerson Restoration someday, Travis. And it will be part mine because of the name, right?

He turns back and laughs, but it isn’t real. He spends the rest of the time looking out the window, and I rack my brain trying to figure out what I can do.

Mom calls us back to say good-bye.

Dad puts his hand on the screen.

All three of us put our hands on the screen, too. Just as he flickers away, Mom leans over and leaves a lipstick kiss on the glass. Then she rests her forehead there and stays awhile.