ROAD TRIP

“Okay, I’m going!” I called to my husband Steven. I’d just hung up the phone with my sister Liz, who now lived in North Carolina.

I was sitting in the living room when Steven popped his head around the corner from the kitchen. “I thought you said you couldn’t go.”

“I didn’t think I could.” I got up from the couch and headed to the kitchen. “But Liz’s friend Rita is driving down and it seems like a no brainier to join her.”

Steven nodded his head. “So, when are you leaving?”

“Day after tomorrow.” I leaned against the counter-top crossing my legs at the ankles.

“How long are you going to be gone?”

“A whole week!” I began ticking off, on my fingers, all the things I needed to get done before I left. “I need to water all the plants, change the hummingbird feeders, get all the laundry caught up, figure out what clothes I need to bring…” I was scanning the kitchen when our son Alex came into the room.

“Your Mom’s headed out on a road trip.” Steven said as Alex went over to the cabinet to get out the coffee.

“Nice.” He pulled out the coffee and a mug, putting them both on the counter. “Where are you going?”

“North Carolina to visit Aunt Lizzy.”

“That’s great. It’s been a while since you’ve seen her.”

“I know! I’m really starting to look forward to it.”

Alex went to the refrigerator and grabbed the gallon of milk off the top shelf. He shook it to show that it only had an inch left in the container. “I guess this needs to go on the grocery list.”

I groaned. “I’ll need to go grocery shopping to get you guys stocked up for the week.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Steven said. “We’ll do it.”

“Really?” I was relieved to take something off my to-do list.

“Sure.” Steven looked over at Alex. “It’s not like we’re going to be cooking.”

Alex laughed. “Do we have frozen pizza downstairs?”

I nodded. “We do.”

“Well, then we’re all set.” Alex put the milk back in the refrigerator.

“Sounds good to me!” Steven agreed.

“Awesome!” I turned around to head to our bedroom. “Now I just have to figure out what I need to pack.”

As I headed down the hall I could hear Alex ask Steven. “We aren’t really going to be eating frozen pizza all week, are we?”

“No, we’ll just order out.”

“Hey! I heard that!” I came back out to the kitchen. “Why is it I’m the only one who does any cooking around here?”

Alex and Steven shrugged their shoulders.

“Don’t you want to start packing?” Steven asked. “You only have a few day before you leave.”

“That’s true.” I turned around to head back down the hall.

“Nice way to change the subject.” Alex whispered to Steven.

“I can hear you!” I turned back around.

“Road trip!” they said in unison.

“I know!” I smiled as I turned around to head to our bedroom. “I’m so excited!”