Day 63

This is two days late.

“Hello,” I actually speak first, a nervous habit that I have that hopefully she will remember. “Hello Mery?”

There isn’t an answer for a little while.

“Del?” There’s a crinkle that I can be either a break in reception or a snap in her voice.

“Yeah, is this a bad time? I don’t want to bother you.” That was just how I opened conversation. I never mean to say it, but whenever I get anxious I keep trying for the door handle to step out. I hadn’t talked to my sister in the better part of a year, after she had gotten married to the man who had gotten her pregnant two years ago. They weren’t going to get married, but when she got pregnant again there was a kindling there, some kind of unsaid incentive on both parties. I had watched them kiss with their eyes open, and he held her hand afterward.

“Its been a bad time to call for a long while.” She snuffles in a way that can be clearing a nose or can mean recent crying. You hear a lot of voices like that when you put animals down.

“But, I’m still talking, so, what’s going on Del?”

“I think I have a special dog.” I want to take the sentence back. I want to ask ‘How is Abel? How is your new baby coming along? How is anything but asking you if you remember a dog when you were six.’

“What? You mean from the hospital, did something happen?”There’s a whine in the background the noise goes garbled for a minute as I can tell Mery’s body moves from one room to another, the stamps of her feet are heard. “Hold on Del.” And she coos out and Abel must have fallen. I imagine him in the living room, the plush olive arm chair in one corner, its base cushion missing as he had tugged it off and landed hard on his butt. Abel had always been a grabby kid.

After a moment the line crinkles clear and Mery’s voice is back, but quicker, a little nervous. “Del, you there? I’m sorry, Abel just scared himself.”

“Yeah,” I say, and I notice that Hon is sitting on my bed and looks at me at eye level. “Are you okay? You sound a little stressed.”

There’s a laugh that might be a sniffle.

“You don’t know my half of it. Sang left a month ago. And everything has been falling out, or over. I can’t seem to keep Abel upright, well…” And she stops and Abel mutters something wild and Hon’s ears flux like radar dishes at it. I knew Sang-Ho wouldn’t stay, but I figured he would wait until this one was born. I thought that maybe I could talk to him, missed my chance I guess.

“Do you need some help? You want me to come by for the weekend?” I haven’t driven to New York since the wedding, but I can still remember the way.

There’s another silence for a little while.

“Hello?,” I say, “Hello, Mery?”

“Yeah,” she says back to me quickly. “Yeah, I need your help.”

“Do you mind if I bring a dog?” And Hon’s ears go straight again, he sneezes as the sun from the bedroom window comes out from the clouds.

“What?” she asks again, “What do you mean?”

“I have a dog, “ I say, “He’s special, I think you’d like him.”

Another silence and she agrees and I start to pack a bag next to Hon as he watches.