For one of the few times in my life, I’m speechless, so I open it. The card boasts “Happy Birthday” in bright, bold lettering across the front, and as soon as I open it to read it, one-hundred dollar bills fall out. Ten of them. “Mom . . . a thousand dollars?”
“Just read the card.”
A thousand times a day, we’re thankful for the amazing person you’ve become. A thousand times a day, we’re thankful for the opportunity to love you. Enjoy your birthday, sweetheart, because a thousand times a day, we’re thankful you were born. We love you more than you’ll ever know.
Love, Mom and Dad
“Mom.” I’m not going to cry. Damn it, I’m not Makenna. “I don’t know what to say. This is too much.”
“Oh, hush and take it. Your dad and I want you to have it. You’re about to start your last year of college, then comes the job hunt, so this may be your last chance at a vacation before you start teaching. We want it to be a good one.”
I drop the card on the counter and fling my arms around her waist. “Thanks, Mom. And tell Dad for me, too, when he calls.”
“You’re welcome, sweetie.” She rubs her hand up and down my back. “I want you to just rest and enjoy yourself. I miss my mouthy, opinionated daughter, so why don’t you see if you can find her down there and bring her back. Once your dad gets home, I’m going to need someone to help me keep him in line.”
She’s not kidding either. “I’ll see what I can do. Love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too, Cal,” she says, smacking a kiss on my forehead as the doorbell rings. “Come on in, Makenna.”
The front door swings wide open. “You and me, alone in Gulf Shores, baby!” Makenna sings, pumping a fist in the air.
My mom and I look at each other and shake our heads. “She’s way too sheltered,” I say. “You’d think a couple years of college would’ve remedied that, but clearly I still have some work to do.”
Makenna gasps and puts her hands on her hips. “Shut up! You know you’re excited.”
“I’m really excited, but I’m going to let you look like the idiot.” I feel a huge grin creep onto my face when her eyes grow wider. “But you’re my favorite idiot.”
“Damn, right I am!” She slaps a hand over her mouth. “Sorry, Mrs. Kristie.”
Mom laughs and kisses my cheek after slipping my card into the front pocket of my suitcase. “Bless her heart. Get Makenna out of here and hunt down some sailors to show her how to really curse. Have a good time and call me if you need anything. I’ll call you tomorrow and wish you a happy birthday.”
“Consider it done. Love you, Mom.” I call out to her while dragging Makenna with one hand and my suitcase with the other out the front door.
I’m beginning to wonder just how relaxing a week alone with Makenna will really be.
AS SOON AS I spot the turquoise water, the rest of the world just fades away. The beach is my happy place, and I’m not going to let any of my worries follow me here. Including our stops for gas and lunch, it takes us just a little over five hours to make it into Gulf Shores, and with every mile that we traveled, my tension level has decreased.
Of course, it could also be the fact that we’ve actually had a lot of fun on this trip. The entire time, we’ve had the radio cranked up, so we could sing along at the top of our lungs, which also attracted the attention of quite a few truck drivers along the way. Oh, and the old man that was staring at us, causing his wife to smack him with her clutch. It’s been quite an entertaining trip. And much needed. I haven’t smiled this much in a while.
Makenna flicks on her turn signal and stops singing. We both look down the narrow, sandy lane that leads to the familiar beach house. It’s been the same bright yellow color for as long as I’ve been coming here, but it appears to have had a fresh coat or two of paint recently. The garage is underneath the house, and there’s a flight of stairs you have to climb that leads to the main level of the house, which has a deck wrapping all the way around. The side that faces the ocean has a much larger deck, and the last time we came here, I spent a lot of time out there.
The inside is quite nice, too. There are all the usual rooms of a house on the main floor, but this place also has a bar area. Two small bedrooms are on the main floor, and a single flight of stairs leads to the master suite upstairs. It has a living room, bathroom, and huge bedroom with a balcony looking out over the ocean. Makenna’s parents have always let us have that room when we’ve come here before.