Page 70

A FedEx package shows up, and I sign for it, Captain panting happily by my side.

It’s July, full-blown summer, the new house will soon be under construction with money from Making Julia, the flowers are in bloom, and I’m taking Annaleigh outside more and more. She doesn’t like to touch grass. When I dangle her over it, her tiny legs withdraw like a frightened froggy and it’s so adorable, I nearly die every time. But she does love eating outside on the back patio, where I spread a picnic blanket and feed her bananas, her new favorite thing.

Sometimes Bob comes over when we’re out back and brings his specialty—tuna salad sandwiches. They’re surprisingly good. Captain whines at him, like he remembers that really good dog food Bob brought us that one time. I keep telling Captain, “He’s all out of the good stuff, bud! You’ll just have to make do with your normal food!” and Bob always laughs like my dog’s taste in food is the funniest thing ever.

Bob has also promised to install a sandpit for Annaleigh on the new property.

“Kids love dirt,” he keeps saying. “Gotta give ’em dirt.”

“Maybe in another year or two,” I say, because sandpit means sand in her hair and sand in her diaper and...that seems like a good next-year problem.

I scan the return address on the FedEx package as I go back inside. WekTech, Los Angeles. My heart starts racing.

I slit open the top in the foyer. A scrawled note in blue ink is paper-clipped to a stack of papers.

Dear Julia,

Going thru Andy’s office—found this.

Thought you’d want to have it.

XOXO EDEN

PS no worries, I’ve done a lot of thinking and you can keep it all

Under Eden’s note, the stack of papers is revealed to be a hand-drawn comic book, old by the brittle feel of the paper. I distractedly rub Captain’s head as I make for the living room couch, where I tuck my feet under myself and fling the FedEx packaging to the side.

The makeshift comic book is stapled together. The pencil lines faded but still visible. A breeze from the open window flutters the title page, which proclaims THE RED REVENGER! in childish, painstakingly made 3D letters.

I turn the title page over. The first panel shows a girl with red hair crying on a school playground. A bunch of bullies have cornered her, and an older dark-haired boy watches from behind a tree. The bullies shout, Stupid Laura! You suck and we’re going to kick your butt!

In the next panel, the boy is getting out a tool kit with a sly smile. The bullies are getting out of control, but Handy Andy has an idea! A wonderful, terrible idea!

He builds a robot-woman with long, flowing red hair. She wears a breastplate. Andy fits her with a superhero cape and says with a stern expression, Awake, Red Revenger! My sister is in trouble!

The Red Revenger flies to the playground and makes mincemeat of the bullies with plentiful BAMs, CRACKs and even a KAZOOM, her red hair flying, as Andy and Laura watch, their mouths shaped like happy O’s.

Andy and Laura cheer and hug at the end. Then, with the kids riding on her back, the Red Revenger shoots into the clouds, one powerful fist extended. The children say together, With the Red Revenger by our side, no one will hurt us again!

THE ENDis written in the same 3D script.

I hold the little book for what feels like a long time, absently stroking my hair, thinking thoughts and feeling feelings that run so deep, I can’t give them names.

Finally, I set the comic book on the couch cushion beside me. Half of me wants to keep it somewhere safe, the other half wants to burn it. But like my choice about the dampers, I don’t have to decide now.

Then, since it sounds like Annaleigh is awake, I head upstairs and retrieve her from her crib. We snuggle in the rocker. I pat her back and rub circles into her soft baby flesh as she drools on my shoulder. And finally, breaking over me like a sunrise, I understand Eden’s PS, which isn’t about the comic, is it?

You can keep it all.

Not that I needed her permission. But I smile anyway.