On the fifth day of Miss Nin & Ti Ti's Excellent Adventure, Ti Ti had to wake up at 5:30am to go pick up the kiddos. They were off of school and their parents had to work, so Miss Nin and Ti Ti got to spend their last day together babysitting.
Miss Nin slept through Pookie's crying and the kiddos unsuccessfully restraining their excitement over getting to spend the day with her.
Finally, Miss Nin woke up...
and, there was much rejoicing.
There was also much playing with Pookie, making him smile and picture-taking.
Then, Pookie was beat, so he took his first nap in Ti Ti's bed.
Ti Ti cried a little.
Ti Ti, as we've mentioned before, is a big ninny.
Before they left for lunch, Ti Ti reminded everyone to potty. She also went to potty. When she did, she saw this.
She read it.
She cried.
Then, they loaded up the car and headed to Taco Bell.
They ate. They ate well. They used much taco sauce.
Then, Miss Nin and Ti Ti took a little nap while the big kids played in the back yard. Ti Ti felt ok about that...leaving the kids to play in the backyard while they napped for a few minutes.
She would later regret this.
All too soon, it was time to bring Miss Nin to the airport. Instead of sitting quietly, playing or drawing in the back seat, the kiddos decided it was a perfect time to behave like psychopaths. They fought, they yelled, they ignored adult instruction and correction, they back-talked, and they did all of that very loudly.
Ti Ti didn't get to chat with Miss Nin on the ride to the airport.
This made her sad. But, not as sad as actually having to say goodbye to her friend.
She cried as she parked the car. She cried as she helped get Miss Nin's luggage out. She cried as she walked to meet her friend at the curb. And, then, when she hugged her goodbye, she cried even more.
The tears welled up so fast, Ti Ti's face became red and hot and sort of shaky. And, though she wished with all she knew to wish that Miss Nin didn't have to leave, Ti Ti knew it was time, so...she let her friend go and watched her walk away.
And, there was much crying.
Miss Nin needs to take some remedial classes in texting.
Nevertheless, Ti Ti heard her friend's cry for help and rushed to rescue her. And, though plans on both Ti Ti and Miss Nin's side got all messed up and though she knew she'd just have to do the whole crying thing all over again the next day, Ti Ti was very happy to have a few extra hours with her friend.
Miss Nin was also delirious with happiness...or tiredness...or overwhelmedness.
So, Ti Ti and Miss Nin went back to Ti Ti's house and watched almost the entire first season of The Office.
It was the right thing to do.
Then, they said good night and went to sleep and immediately woke up again because Miss Nin's flight was at the butt crack of dawn. They drove to the airport in the dark, bleary-eyed, barely awake. They hugged again. They said good bye again. Ti Ti cried again.
And, as was bound to happen, the girl from Canada boarded a plane in New Orleans and headed home. Wearing flip flops. This would turn out to be a very bad idea.
Canada in November is not known for its flip flop weather.
Meanwhile, the girl from New Orleans drove into the darkness weeping. She was also wearing flip flops. There are very few months in New Orleans that are not known for their flip flop weather.
As she drove away, weeping, the girl from New Orleans thought about the few days she had with her friend. For real. In person. With hugs.
And, there was much rejoicing...and thanking God for his kindness in giving her such a friend and allowing her to travel such a long way just to see her. She thanked him for the laughter, for the unphotoshopped photos of them together, for time just breathing and sighing and thinking, for the photobooth in the mall, for sweet times with the family, for heart to hearts on the sofa, for getting to see her friend play the guitar, for all the new things her friend's love gave her confidence to try, and for the knowledge that this goodbye was not the end, but the beginning of an even better, closer, more connected friendship.
Then, Ti Ti cried a little more...because she is a big ninny.
No comments:
Post a Comment