But it buzzed.
At 4:47. While I was standing there with my coffee.
A text. The screen lit up. Even face-down, I could see the light glowing around the edges.
It buzzed again.
I turned it over.
I know. I shouldn’t have.
I’m not proud of it.
I turned it over.
The lock screen. A photo of Poppy and Jonah at Christmas.
Two notifications.
From my mother’s sister. My Aunt Linda. In Greensboro.
LINDA: Did you get there? How’s the beach house??
LINDA: Did you tell her yet about the house?? Or are you waiting till she’s settled?
Ezoic
The house.
I scrolled up.
I could see the preview of my mother’s message from last night. The one she’d been typing when she turned the phone over.
CAROL: We’re here!!! It’s even bigger than the pictures. 4 bedrooms! Melissa already took the big suite lol. Haven’t told her yet. Going to wait till morning. Phil says once we’re in, she won’t say no. She never does.
