Chapter 15
I’m so happy to know your week is getting better, Evie! Something else you should check out when you get the time is this communities app, I’ll email you a link. I think it would be up your alley, I’m sure there’s at least one forum about woodworking.
Speaking of, I didn’t realize when you said you’d done woodworking that you did it in school. What was that like?
By the way, if these notes are going to be a regular thing I wanted to tell you, it’s okay if you write smaller! You could probably cut the size in half before I need my glasses.
–
“Mmkay,” I mutter to myself, pinching a spot on the string that I’m holding around my waist, so that when I pull it off of me again I have an accurate measurement. Then I lay it down on the blue fabric at my feet and make some marks with my little pencil. This would be so much easier if I had a pattern. But I think I’m making progress. I’m hoping to have the panels I need marked up before Aiden gets home so that he can help me cut them out. Then I can spend a good part of tomorrow sewing.
The playlist that I’m listening to runs out so I run over to my phone to pick out a new lofi video. The phone is bigger than any TV I’ve seen, almost as tall as I am and about twice as long. It’s been taking some getting used to figuring out how to best touch the screen so that it picks up on my small hands, but after a couple of days I’ve been getting the hang of it. I find something from a video game soundtrack and nod along with the beat for a moment before I get back to work.
I’m not exactly sure where my bursts of motivation are coming from. There was something about admitting to my giant friend that I was having a rough time that made the anxiety start to dissipate. Being vulnerable is so hard for me, I never know when I can take it too far and I don’t ever want to find out where Aiden’s limit is. But for now, I think… I’m doing okay.
–
Happy Friday! I can’t believe the weekend’s here. Do you think you can bring me into the kitchen again with you tonight? I want to show you how to make that homemade gnocchi and you can show me how to make your famous pesto!
To answer your question about the dress, I learned it from when I was nannying. For the babies I’d wear them in a sling sometimes, and I’d used this wrap thing that you loop around yourself and tie off. I just thought a few more loops and maybe I could make a dress or a romper! It’s been working great until I make better clothes.
You did a good job cutting that stuff out by the way, super precise. It’s been harder than I thought but I’ve been making progress on the sewing too.
–
I’m studying at my actual desk, for a change. It’s for a Hydrology course so Evie’s doing her own thing beside me, quietly tapping away at something on her phone. Though at one point she seems to get bored with that and ambles over. To my surprise, she leans her full body onto my wrist, peering over it towards my textbook. I go very, very still at her touch.
“What does drawdown mean?” she asks curiously.
My eyes flick down to watch her. She might technically be interrupting, but I’m so glad that she’s been less worried about “bothering” me lately. “I haven’t gotten there yet. I think it has something to do with elevation?”
She seems to notice how stiff I’ve gone and suddenly looks embarrassed, standing back up and taking a step away from me. “I’m sorry,” she says, “I feel like I’ve gotten so… touchy lately. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that this is actually your hand, and not just… I don’t know… something other than a human body part.”
I shake my head, hoping I’m not blushing too much as I smile. “It’s understandable. I think my brain does something similar. Maybe because we haven’t had much of a choice about me needing to carry you around since day one.”
I reach across with my opposite hand, carefully bracing my thumb against Evie’s abdomen and my forefinger against her back. And then I pluck her up and place her right onto my forearm, in a spot where she’s able to get a better view of the handout I’m using from the slight boost in elevation.
“I won’t make it awkward if you don’t. Think you could help quiz me on these terms?”
She hardly seems phased by me picking her up like that and smoothly settles into a cross-legged seat on my arm, looking happy to be of assistance. “Sure!”
–
In case I forget to tell you later - just as a head’s up I’ll be leaving a little early on Monday. Last-minute test run with my group members before the big presentation. Yay…
That show sounds really fun, I’d be down for checking it out. I think we need to start making an actual list of anime we should watch! I’ll take all the recommendations.
Oh my god I’m sitting in the class that I’m the TA for and some guy just dropped his drink and it exploded all over like five people in the row below him. I feel so bad but I’m trying so hard not to laugh right now. Actually, I’m sure I’ll just probably tell you about it when I get home. So never mind.
–
“You want to come study outside with me?”
Aiden’s hand is already reaching out for me hopefully. I stare at him for a second before I respond, “Like… in public?”
“Yeah, there’s this little courtyard just outside the apartment. Hardly anyone goes out there, and look – this shirt has a pocket in case you need to hide.” He grins down at me and nudges my leg with his finger. “Come on! I thought it might be nice to bring a snack and get some fresh air while we do Biochem.”
I give him a dubious look and then giggle as he continues to poke my leg, almost making me fall right onto his hand. “Okay, okay! That actually sounds nice now that it’s getting sunnier… Lead the way!”
–
Uhhh I guess when you lift me straight up and down that can still make me a little nauseous. But it’s really not that bad anymore. Crazy what you can get used to! Thanks for asking though.
Yeah it’s a weird last name, my friend Lynne (the one who got me into anime) would tease me about it all the time. It’s spelled “Ondine.”
So which of your classes is your favorite?? If I had to pick for me I kinda miss my Construction Technology class. Makes me wonder why I was focusing so much on chemistry in the “before times.”
–
“Hey Aiden?”
I’m sitting on the couch and glance up from my laptop, happy for a distraction. “What’s up?”
“Am I supposed to do anything to take care of the geode?”
I take a second to process the question, looking past her on the desk to the rock in question. “No, not really. We could get mineral oil for it, but it’s not a requirement. Especially since the edges are cut and polished on that one.”
“Oh, okay. Would it be bad if I dusted it?”
“I mean, it can’t hurt. I guess you might be able to see that kind of detail more than I would… Need any help?”
“Nah, I’m good. Just wanted to show it some love.”
Over the next ten minutes I keep glancing over to the desk, feeling very touched at the sight of little Evie diligently wiping away at the purple crystals that I’d given her.
–
Thanks for being understanding about Thursday, I don’t get to see this friend very often and that was the only time he could meet up. I’ll be home between school and dinner so I’ll make sure you have something to eat!
And thanks for the pep talk too. Teaching isn’t my long term goal but I still feel responsible for helping my students as much as I can, you know? I’m sure she’ll come around, she’s a smart kid who’s just going through a hard time right now.
OK now I have a very important question for you. I know it’s not even March but… what is your opinion on the appropriate time to put up Christmas decorations?
–
“Look what I’ve got!”
I’d been trying to crane my neck to see what Aiden was holding behind his back when he came home today. He brings it into view now, and at first I don’t even know what I’m looking at. Some kind of green and white box?
“It’s a mini fridge!” he says brightly, placing the towering structure on the desk. “Finally found one.”
“Aiden…” I whine, though I’m being mostly sarcastic as I’m actually really excited about this. “First the phone and now this?”
“No no no, see, I didn’t spend a cent on it,” he says insistently while I go investigate my new refrigerator. “I was overhearing this guy trying to pawn it off on his friend in class. Apparently it works fine but it’s defective because it’s too small. Like, he couldn’t get a can to fit inside. If this thing isn’t destined to be yours I don’t know what is.”
It’s still over twice as tall as I am, I have to reach over my head to get to the handle. But I manage to pull the door open on my own, and I think if I tie a rope or something to it I’ll be able to manage just fine.
I turn to grin up at my giant friend. “You rock. I love it.”
–
My birthday’s September 12th! What’s yours?
As for games, I’m into pretty much any kind of board game you can imagine. A lot of them I probably couldn’t play anymore, I guess. Or I could like… BE the pawn. Maybe that would be fun. But I still want to figure out how to play Magic with you! Watch out, I used to be really good. I might be rusty now but I bet I could still beat you!
And dude, I’m telling you, I can’t draw. There’s no way you’re worse than me. Now I want to play pictionary with you just to prove it haha. I’m sure we can find other ways to do creative stuff.
–
It’s bulk cooking day today (I like having freezer meals at the ready for evenings when I don’t have time to cook) so I spend a few hours in the kitchen with Evie on the counter. I’ve been working on a batch of soup and have sausage and vegetables roasting in the oven. The latter we plan to have for tonight’s dinner as well, and while I mess around at the stove, my shrunken roommate has offered to make a side salad for it.
I’ve opened the plastic bag of greens and she transfers them, leaf by leaf, into a nearby dish, washing or tearing off any dirty spots she comes across. Would it be faster if I just dumped it onto the plate myself? Of course. But I’d much rather she feel useful – not to mention her tiny eyes are sharper than mine for catching any iffy spots in the greens, so it’s a win-win.
We’ve started accruing some little kitchen tools like smaller bowls, a mini whisk, and a spoon and fork made for toddlers, with wooden handles so they’re not too heavy. So when it comes to the dressing for the salad, I do help by measuring out some ingredients according to her instructions into a bowl. But then she brings over her whisk, still half her height, intent on mixing it herself.
“You got it?” I ask, a little skeptically, as Evie hoists the utensil into the small bowl.
“Yup!” she says, and she begins to make wide turns with the whisk, so that it looks more like an oar. “It’ll take a while but we will have a vinaigrette soon enough.”
“You sure it won’t separate before you’re able to combine it?” It doesn’t look like she’s able to stir it nearly as fast as she needs to.
“That’s what the mustard was for. It won’t separate, it’ll emulsify.”
I grin down at her. “Look at you using science! Carry on then, little chef.” I decide I don’t need to question her cooking techniques after all.
–
Yeah I’m really bad at explaining it since I’m still figuring it out. Maybe I sneak you into class one of these days?? (just kidding)
Hmm, that’s a good question. I do like rockhounding, but I’m also pretty happy with my collection. Something I’d really like to get into one day is gardening. I can’t wait to have a backyard and grow my own vegetables or something. I’ve thought about getting a house plant but just never got around to it.
It’s supposed to be really nice weather on Saturday, how about we actually go on a walk? There’s the park on the north side of campus, some of the flowers are starting to be in bloom right now. No one should be there since there’s the football game, we should go!
–
“Ow ow ow ow ow,” I say with a hiss as I carefully try to extricate my hair from where it got stuck on a piece of tape. I need to add that to the crafting list… a hair tie. I’m sure if I could get some kind of small elastic I’d figure out how to make a scrunchie.
But that’s not what I’m currently working on. I’ve been spending most of my afternoon on a new project - taking a post-it note and bending up the sides of it to form a little open box. The hardest part has been trying to get pieces of tape to hold it all together. I now have sticky patches all over my body from where the adhesive got caught, and a growing pile of crumpled bits of tape off to the side. I’m going to need to take a bath after this.
It’s about then that Aiden gets home. I don’t even really flinch when I hear the keys jingling now, it’s just a normal part of our weekday routine. I’m still happy to see him every time, though.
“Ooo, whatcha working on today?” he asks as he ambles over.
I gesture dramatically at my paper box. “Tadaaaa… It’s a mailbox! We’ve been penpalling for weeks now, I figured we could use a proper– whoa! What the hell, man?”
He just shoved me in the back. I take a stumbling step forward, before glancing over my shoulder at his hand in confusion. He’s holding a tiny piece of tape between his fingertips.
“Sorry,” he laughs. “You’ve got a couple of these on you. Hold still?”
Now knowing what’s coming, I brace myself, digging my heels against the desk’s surface to try and keep my balance. With one hand he uses a finger to carefully push my hair aside and with the other he yanks two more bits of tape from my clothing. “Thanks,” I say, “I got it all over my skin too… Think I have time to wash up before dinner?”
“Go for it,” he says with a smile, “Oh wait, first! The inauguration of our beautiful new mailbox.”
He pulls out the latest of our long series of notes, holding the folded paper between index and middle finger. He does a little flourish with his hand before delicately placing the letter in the open box. Like a proud parent, I beam up at him and give him a satisfied nod, thankful for him humoring me.
Yeah, I’m doing okay. In fact, somehow, I think I can say I’m doing well.