I placed Destiny in a chair near the bed and
slept comfortably up to the night before. when I had
been troubled about selling off Uncle Palaver's motor
home, and now I feared I'd be tossing and turning
most of the night again.
"Stop all this worrying," my voice thrown
through Destiny told me. "What will be will be," I finally fell asleep. Echo was very curious
about where I was going and why right after
breakfast. When she learned I was meeting my sister,
her face filled with concern. Even though she was
going off to school, she had harbored the belief I was
remaining behind to live with her grandmother.
Neither Mrs. Westington nor I had spent any time
telling her that. Most likely I would be leaving, too. Later. Echo stepped out on the porch to watch
me drive away. She looked so sad I was tempted not
to go. I signed I would be back soon and she smiled
and waved. I looked at her in my rearview mirror and
saw she didn't go back inside until I was turning out
of the driveway.
Our lives are filled with so many good-byes. I
thought. There were good-byes to our parents and
grandparents, of course, and good-byes to our other loved ones, but we also said good-bye to ourselves, to our youth especially. As I drove to the San Francisco airport to meet Brenda. I did feel older, almost battle weary, a scarred veteran of wars, toughened, perhaps more cynical, but certainly more self-confident. It was
something Brenda saw immediately.
She came walking out of the gate to meet me
and paused for a moment, her eyes blinking as though
she had to be sure she was looking at me before
continuing. She had her knapsack on her and carried a
small athletic bag. She, too, looked different to me.
She had her hair cut the same way and she looked to
be the same weight, but she wasn't as tall and