Up to Speed

(Author's note: You have all been SO patient with me so there will be four posts this week. One every day for the rest of the week, excluding the weekend, so check back often! Thanks for bearing with me!)

Molly and I went shopping and I told her all about Anna and the twins.

“Wow! I can’t believe stuff like that still happens!”

“I know!” I said, “I was telling my mom about it and she was surprised, too. My mom is a twin and there weren’t any reliable ultrasounds when she was born so she was a surprise just like Weatherly was.”

“They decided on Weatherly, huh?”

“Yeah. I like it. It’s unique and pretty. Jennifer is also a good name, but it’s pretty common.”

“I like it, too. Are Theo and Anna absolutely exhausted?”

“Oh, of course,” I said trying on a pair neon green heels, “but they’re managing. The gift Zoey arranged with Anna’s work friends is really what’s saving them, I think.”

“That was SUCH a good idea.”

“I know! I think it’ll definitely be something I try to give whenever someone I know is about to have a baby.”

“No more diaper cakes?” Molly joked.

“I don’t think chasing rolled up diapers down a busy street is really my thing.”

I didn’t end up getting the shoes but I did end up getting a nice pair of jeans and some new underwear sets.

“Oh, Sean is going to like that one.” Molly said pointing to a black lace bra I threw over my arm.

“Yeah….”

“How are things going with you two?” She said carefully.

“Uh…well…fine. He’s going on tour soon, though, so that’s sort of the elephant in the room we sort of avoid talking about.”

“Oh. How are you handling his impending departure?” She asked.

“Actually…” I said thinking about it, “I think I’m fine. I think Sean is the one that’s worried. He’s been really busy preparing for the tour so I don’t think he’s been able to really think about his feelings but at the same time he’s being constantly reminded of the tour and the fact that he needs to kind of sort them out before he leaves. I’m used to being away from people I love, I mean my brother has been in Afghanistan for months and my dad was deployed a lot when I was a kid, so this isn’t my first ball game. Plus, Sean will be able to visit sporadically which should help him deal with the distance, I think.”

That’s good! How is your brother doing, Faith?”

We left the store at that point and headed across the street to a sandwich place for some lunch.

“Oh, he’s doing okay. He’s a bit bored, though, as usual. I’ve been sending him regular care packages but the word on the street is that he should be heading out, soon. We’re expecting him home in mid-April sometime. My mom is pretty worried, though.”

“Why?”

“Well, with everything that’s been happening in Egypt and now Libya, we’re not sure if he’s going to be sent there on a humanitarian mission. She’s worried that he’ll come home and then have to leave within days to go somewhere else.”

“But there are minimum time requirements before deployments, aren’t there?”

“Yeah,” I said taking a bite of my sandwich, “but if he came home and then was sent somewhere like Egypt it wouldn’t be considered a deployment, it would be considered a humanitarian mission so the minimum time requirements don’t count.”

“Do you know if that’s likely?”

“I have no idea, my brother says it’s possible but I think the situation in Libya would have to get really bad before we sent in troops. My brother’s specialty is sort of important. Who knows at this point? One thing is for sure, though, this stuff in Libya is going to get worse.”

“Oh, I know, the guy in charge is totally batshit crazy.”

“Molly, you have no idea. We’re publishing a story tomorrow that talks about just how crazy he is. There’s suspected drug use, all sorts of weird statements, and don’t even get me started about his all-female guard that never leaves his side. He’s like a soap opera character.”

“Ew. That sounds so creepy.”

“I know!”

Molly and I finished lunch and continued shopping. She picked up some cute summer dresses and I found a nice pair of wedge sandals and a pleated skirt that will go with some nice work-clothes I’ve got lying around.