My kids face-timed me last night. At the same time.
Firstborn: ” Hey Mom, what’s going on? I miss you!” Brilliant blue sky framed his face, his dark sunglasses now part of his SoCal uniform.
I smiled, as I noticed in my periphery, the winter white snow blowing outside my window.
A few minutes into the call, I get a video call request – it’s my not so little G.
“Hold up Mom, I can let her in” said my boy… and in she popped. Her face in frame, from her shoulders I could tell she’s in her usual uniform. Pyjamas.
“I’m being surrounded by crows! What the heck – there are like a dozen of them around me – maybe it’s the new stuff I put in my hair!”
His sister: – “…yeah, they probably think you’re food. They’re coming after you! ”
Me: “I doubt you know this, but reminds me of the movie “The Birds” (which honestly, was made before I was born. I remember the iconic scenes of the birds chasing down Tippi Hendren. Tippi being the mother of Melanie Griffith, and grandmother of Dakota Johnson – who my kids don’t even know. Dating myself and digressing…)
I love the banter that followed, as my son made his way back to his apartment from the rooftop.
“Gonna make dinner now! See this (he opens his fridge) … it looks like sh#t but it’s actually salmon marinating in miso sauce!
“Yum”. says my daughter. I know that she just made tofu and beef for dinner, she had texted me earlier.
Me: “What is up with this, you both cook so well when you’re on your own, but at home ?”
“Adulting while away. But kids when we’re home, Mom. That’s just how it is”.
Well, partly true. They’ll always be kids to me.
Random facetiming. The best.
At a time 
The Girl with Nowhere to Go – a book review
The Girl With Nowhere To Go by Louise Guy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A story about unresolved trauma, divided families, buried family secrets that starts out with a mysterious 16 year old orphan girl, with nowhere to go. Bec is a recent widow, dealing with the loss of a beloved husband and mother of twin teenagers. She’s had a long rift with her parents – lying to her kids even about their existence. Skye is the young girl who shows up at Bec’s program – Bec’s business helps people reclaim/ rebuild their lives. Bec’s program offers an alternative to detention as long as Skye, who has had run-ins with the law and difficulties with foster care, shows up for scheduled sessions. Anna runs a counseling centre, and Bec decides to involve her in helping Skye. When Bec realizes that Skye is homeless, hungry, and is not staying with her fosters; her kids convince her to let Skye stay with them temporarily. We learn more about Anne life and her past as well. Eventually it becomes clear how their lives intersected unknowingly many years ago.
This was a super quick read – I read it in a day as the plot moved along quickly. I was emotionally vested, even if some of the plot twists were rather convenient. But I could sympathize with the main characters. There was foreshadowing which was enough for me to figure out the natural conclusion.
This is the first book I read by this author. I would read another.
This just published on January 28. I would recommend this 4/5 . Thanks to the Boldwood Books, the author and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a review.
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