9.18 What If

Late one afternoon, Sasha went out for a jog. She usually jogged around the block, but this time she decided to jog in Callie’s neighborhood so she could stop by after and meet her new nephew. Coincidentally, Callie was outside gathering the mail as Sasha jogged by. Callie smiled widely and threw her arms around her. “Why hello, little sister!”

“You look great,” Sasha said.

“I guess motherhood agrees with me. Come! Let’s sit and talk.”

Callie led Sasha through the gate of her white picket fence and sat down on the bench in the shade of a tall, beautiful tree. Sasha sat and let out a satisfactory sigh as she welcomed cool gentle breeze and break from her run.

“It must be so nice to have your own house and family to take care of,” Sasha said.

Callie looked at her sister. She saw a beautiful young woman sitting beside her. Although Sasha celebrated her young adult birthday quite some time ago, it was sometimes odd for Callie to see her in a matured light. She would always be her “little” sister, but her little sister was all grown up now and longed to follow in her footsteps.

“Sasha…are you seeing anyone?”

Sasha sighed. “No…”

“Don’t you think it’s time?”

“Of course! But…I don’t know…”

Callie felt there was something more to her sister’s hesitation. “What is it, Sasha?”

Sasha took a moment before answering. This would be the first time she ever confessed it. “Dexter…”

“Your friend from the concert? I didn’t know you were still keeping in touch.”

Sasha smiled. “He’s my best friend.”

Callie smiled too. She could tell that Sasha’s friend was very important to her. “That’s wonderful, little sister. So…what does he have to do with you not dating?”

“I feel…connected to him somehow. I mean like, we’re friends, and I’m ok with that. But, I…feel. I know that probably doesn’t make any sense.”

“I believe I understand what you’re trying to say,” Callie said.

“I get so excited when I receive a message from him. We know each other pretty well now, and the newness of our friendship faded a while ago, so I know it’s not that. Lately, he’s been in my head. I just…I feel like…I feel like what if? You know? Like, what if I dated someone? What if I dated someone and I still felt connected to Dexter? Or, what if I dated someone and he felt connected to me?”

“It sounds like you two may need to spend some time together again and figure this out.”

“We’re talking about it. I suggested he come here this time. I’ve met his family. He should meet mine.”

“I think that is an excellent idea,” Callie said and smiled. “Everything will work itself out in the end, and you will be with whomever you’re supposed to be with. So…speaking of meeting families…I assume you came by to see Derek?”

Sasha’s face lit up. “Is he here?”

“I left him doing homework, but he’s probably in front of the television,” Callie said as she got up. They walked through the front door, and there he was exactly as Callie thought he would be. “Someone is here to see you, pumpkin. This is your aunt, Sasha!”

“Howdy, Aunt Sasha!”

Graham quickly cornered Callie to explain how and why Derek was no longer doing homework and was now watching TV. Needless to say, he was the “nice one,” and Callie was the strict one.

“Hey there, cuteness,” Sasha said. “How adorable are you!”

“Well, quite adorable if you ask my teacher and all the girls in my class…and my mom. Everyone loves me!”

“Ohhh,” Sasha said. “You’re very sure of yourself, aren’t you, little nephew.”

“I’m a ham! That’s what my mom says. What’s a ham, Aunt Sasha?”

Graham and Callie were super embarrassed. But, they loved his big personality.

Sasha glanced at his parent’s embarrassed faces and sat next to her nephew. “Well, Derek, a ham is someone who, ummm, someone who enjoys a looooot of…love!”

“Like Llama Man? I LOVE Llama Man!”

“Do you? High five, nephew! You and I are going to be very good friends.”