Reunion -7days

On Monday, it seemed everything was cast against it, the family trip to the 20th high school reunion.

As he had several times before, Husband suggested again that I go on my own - flying to Detroit and then driving across state with Katie B. I refused it, as I had the other times, out of guilt.

But on Tuesday, after a particularly draining and fruitless session at the Passport Office as the only Valentine with a current passport, I let myself consider that option. I priced tickets (just over $800 or so) and let myself imagine a four day trip as a single woman. I thought about the books I might bring to amuse myself on the plane. (what are people reading now?) I rolled it around in my mouth, tasting the hours of peaceful window shopping between flights and the iced coffees I could have with no whining or tantrums. I thought of three nights in a bed to myself and three mornings without 6 AM wake up calls. I may also have imagined what going out free from that wakeup call might feel like, as well as a guilt-free distance run along the beach in the cool of the morning.

I thought I might like how that would taste.

But then Husband said that he did really want to go. And the tide was changed. We would make the drive after all, covering what is sure to be over 30 hours of driving in a four day weekend....

Besides. I'd have been lonely, right? And the ability to show my kids where Mama grew up and swim with them on the same beaches that I did at their age is worth all that.

RIGHT?