Unbroken Threads by Jennifer Klepper

Author:Jennifer Klepper
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing
Published: 2018-08-20T16:00:00+00:00

JESSICA ATTACHED THE scanned photos to the email, hit Send, then dialed her mom.

Her mom picked up on the second ring and immediately expressed surprise at the call. Jessica hadn’t been the one to reach out for some time, which aggravated her existing guilt over the distance between them. Her guilt felt like interest accumulating on interest to the point that what may have started out as a small debt seemed impossible to repay.

“How is it going with Oma’s things?” her mother asked.

It didn’t sound like an accusation, but Jessica was embarrassed there were still stacks of boxes in her parlor. “I’ve been busy and got sidetracked with some other things.”

“That’s not what I meant. I don’t expect you to be done already. Have you found anything interesting?”

“That’s why I called. Cricket and I were going through Oma’s photo albums yesterday, and I just emailed you some pictures I scanned.”

“Hold on.” Her mom’s voice sounded like it was in a tunnel. She’d switched to speaker mode as she checked her email. “Oh my. What a blast from the past. No pun intended! Ha! The rocket one... I had forgotten about that. Oh my goodness, I had so much fun with the rockets. Blew up the garage once, even.”

“I’m sorry, what?” That had escalated quickly. “What are you talking about?”

Her mom switched back to receiver mode. “You sure you have time?”

Jessica winced. “Yes, of course.” She closed her laptop and moved to the couch. “I’d like to hear about the rocket. And the garage.”

“The space program was all anybody could talk about back then, and rockets fascinated me. It was so exciting! Then one year, your uncle Robert got a rocket set for Christmas. I, on the other hand, got red cowboy boots and a matching red-fringed suede skirt because... well, I don’t know why. I guess cowboys and westerns were a big deal, too. Gunsmoke and all that. Oh boy, was I jealous when he opened that rocket set.”

Jessica could almost see her mom crinkling up her nose that way she did whenever something didn’t go her way. As a teen, Jessica dreaded that expression of disapproval and dissatisfaction, but now she wished she hadn’t been away from it for so long.

“But as soon as Bobby realized he actually had to build the rocket? That it wasn’t just a toy? Ha! I promised him he could launch it if he let me build it. We didn’t tell Daddy. That’s why that photo you sent shows me standing by as Bobby sets the launch.”

“Did you let Uncle Robert wear your red cowboy boots and skirt?”

“No, but I would have if he’d asked!”

Jessica could envision that, remembering how her uncle used to sneak on a long, curly blond wig to try to convince her that eating bread crusts turned hair curly. She had diligently cut off her bread crusts for a year, hoping her hair would straighten, but it never did.

“I’m surprised you couldn’t tell Gramps you liked rockets.” Being Gramps’s “lucky charm,” Jessica had always believed she could do anything.

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