“What if I skipped all thisother stuff, and just did it right away?” he asked. “Then I could come home.”
“No no no,” she said, almost in a scolding tone. She took a moment, tried to let the calm wash over her. “I know you’d like to come back. There’s nothing I’d like more. But we need to get these other things out of the way first. You mustn’t be impatient. There were times, when I was younger, when I was a bit impetuous, too impulsive. I know now it’s better to take the time to do something right.”
She could hear him sigh at the other end of the line. “I don’t want to screw it up,” he said.
“And you won’t. You’ve always been a pleaser, you know. It’s nice to have at least one in the house.” Half a chuckle. “You’re a good boy, and I love you more than you’ll ever know.”
“I’m not really a boy anymore.”
“And I’m no little girl anymore either, but I’ll always think of how you were when you were younger.”
“It’s going to feel weird…doing it.”
“I know. But that’s what I’m trying to tell you. If you’re patient, when the time comes, once the stage is set, it’ll seem like the most natural thing in the world.”
“I suppose.” He didn’t sound convinced.
“That’s the thing you need to remember. What you’re doing, it’s all part of a grand cycle. That’s what we’re a part of. Have you seen her yet?”
“Yeah. It was strange. Part of me wanted to say hello, say to her, hey, you won’t believe who I am.”