“Be a good girl while we’re gone, honey.” mom said, as she hoisted her final piece of luggage into the trunk.
“No promises.” I said with a grin, and she offered a warm smile in return, the skin around her eyes framed with gray wrinkling.
“At least try not to burn the house down.” dad added gruffly as he slammed the trunk shut and settled into the car.
“Yes sir.” I offered, and he flashed me a friendly smile in the rear view mirror as mom clambered into the car.
Even now, well into their late fifties, mom and dad were going strong, and this year, as always, they were off on their yearly honeymoon and anniversary celebration, coming as it did three months after the madhouse cluster of birthdays me and my thirteen sisters shared. In years past, they had sent me off to my sister’s place for the week, to stay with her and her two kids my own age, but this year they had decided to turn the house over to my care while they were gone.
As the car pulled out, mom gave a friendly wave, and soon my phone buzzed in my pocket.