“What can you see from where you’re sitting, Mommy?” This is how their game starts.
“I see clouds and ocean. I see the horizon and black space.”
“Is it nighttime?”
“No, it’s day. The clouds are very bright, and the bits of ocean are blue, like a robin’s egg.”
“That’s sounds pretty.”
“It is pretty. What can you see from where you’re sitting?”
“I see Kit-Kat on the desk by the window. She sees clouds, too. And blue sky in between. Hey, it’s like what you see!”
“How about that? We’re sort of looking at the same thing!”
“Except you’re looking from above and I’m looking from below!”
“That’s right!”
“Are you right above me, Mommy?” Her little voice was suddenly breathless. Longing.
Mommy hesitates. Truth or lie?
“Nav says we’ll be over you in a couple of hours.”
“But I’ll be asleep.”
“I will blow you a kiss. Kisses blown from space travel very fast. You’ll feel it on your cheek and smile in your sleep.”
“Okay. Can you blow me a kiss now?”
“Yes, but since I’m not right over you, it will take a few seconds longer. Let me plot its course… h=this, cosine of…, okay, ready? I’ll count down.”
A giggle. “Home Base is go!”
“Okay, here it comes. Mmmmmm, pwaw!” (Said with the best smooching sound Mommy could manage). “It’s off! 5.. 4.. 3.. 2.. 1..,”
“I got it! That was a BIG kiss!”
“It’s as big as how much I miss you. Tonight, I’ll blow you a gentle kiss, so you can dream I am with you.”
“I’ll dream that I am with YOU.”
“That would be perfect. I love you, sweet girl.”
“I love you, Mommy.”
“This is the ISS, signing off.”
“This is Home Base, signing off. Over and out.”//
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marlene Dotterer has an itchy soul. This means she’s always starting a new project, often before the previous project is finished. There is just so much to do and not enough time to do it all.
She went from bookkeeping to geology, nuclear waste, personal cheffing, teaching natural childbirth, web maintenance, and community volunteer. Oh, and writer. She’s written four novels in three genres, is working on five more novels, and has begun to dabble in short fiction.
Marlene is a member of the California Writers’ Club and an active volunteer with the Mt. Diablo branch. Her website/blog is at https://marlenedotterer.wordpress.com/.
About the Author
