The Milestone Tapes by Ashley Mackler-Paternostro Page B
Authors: Ashley Mackler-Paternostro
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your own end. That’s why I’m here , to help you, not give you more worries.”
“Even if everything was fine, I’d worry. I’ve always worried. When you were living with Mom and Dad, I worried; living with Grandma, I worried; when you left Illinois and went South, I worried. It’s just how it goes, and while you may wish I could just put that part away, I can’t. Sorry.”
“Thank you Jen, I needed that.” Sophia patted Jenna’s hand lightly, and waved the waitress down for their check.
The children were exhausted as Jenna guided them through the door. Mia’s eyes were sliding closed automatically, and her feet shuffled against the smooth hardwoods, her plump, pink thumb latched between her lips.
“I’m going to put Mia down for a rest guys,” Jenna called over her shoulder to the three boys who were making their way to the inviting, overstuffed couches in the family room. She scooped Mia up and made her way towards the bedroom.
Everyone would be asleep in moments, she was sure. Their tired eyes betrayed them on the drive back from town, leaning against each other in companionable silence. Sophia had dropped them off. Rushing back for an appointment in town with a glass artist, she’d waved goodbye.
If Jenna and Mia had been alone, she would have pulled her little girl into bed with her, snuggled deep beneath the soft, down comforter and taken a long nap. But with Caleb, Harlen and Thomas in tow, such a luxury was not possible.
She settled Mia under the covers, smoothing her fine, curly hair against the pillow before drawing the shade and tip toeing from the room. The house was cool and dark, the sun had slipped back behind its cover of clouds and the afternoon stretched out before her. Checking on the boys, she found them huddled in quiet slumber against the overstuffed pillows of her couch, so she silently pulled a thick throw blanket off the back of the couch and covered their sleeping forms. She snapped the plantation shutters closed, darkening the room even further, and made her way to her office.
Pulling out a thick, finely bound leather journal, Jenna pulled a pen from the recesses of her desk. It had be a long time since she sat in here, behind her desk, with any real purpose. She flipped open the journal and began to think.
Ten important times, it seemed simple enough. She wrote quickly, crossing off and underlining, as thoughts flashed in her mind overruling others, as she highlighted the pivotal moments of her daughter’s coming life.
1. Becoming A Mother
2. Your Father Getting Remarried
3. College Graduation
4. Your First Love
5. Your Wedding Day
6. High School Graduation
7. Your First Broken Heart
8. Leaving Home
9. The First Time You Have Sex
10. If You’re Ever In My Position
Ten tapes, ten corresponding milestones her daughter would pass in her absence. It made her heart seize and shatter. She laid her head in her open palms and sobbed.
August
“Jenna?” Gabe called out as he did every day.
“In the bedroom!” she trilled from the depth of her walk in closet. She could hear Gabe greeting the children who screeched in laughter; she could imagine him hoisting them over his shoulders, tickling them into fits of surrender.
The warm scent of stew bubbling on the stove wafted down the hall.
“Babe?” Gabe wandered into the room, the thick carpet swallowing his footfalls.
“Getting dressed, give me one minute! How was work? Good?” Jenna slid the sheath of her black dress over her trim figure, fluffing her hair and straightening the hem. She felt sexy, the thin fabric hugging her hips and falling lightly just above her knees.
“We’re going out?” Gabe mused, leaning heavily against the door frame, looking her up and down appreciatively.
“Soph told you?” Jenna feigned a pout, before wrapping her arms around his middle and nuzzling into his chest.
“More or less. She had a pile of videos on the counter and kid friendly food on the
“Even if everything was fine, I’d worry. I’ve always worried. When you were living with Mom and Dad, I worried; living with Grandma, I worried; when you left Illinois and went South, I worried. It’s just how it goes, and while you may wish I could just put that part away, I can’t. Sorry.”
“Thank you Jen, I needed that.” Sophia patted Jenna’s hand lightly, and waved the waitress down for their check.
The children were exhausted as Jenna guided them through the door. Mia’s eyes were sliding closed automatically, and her feet shuffled against the smooth hardwoods, her plump, pink thumb latched between her lips.
“I’m going to put Mia down for a rest guys,” Jenna called over her shoulder to the three boys who were making their way to the inviting, overstuffed couches in the family room. She scooped Mia up and made her way towards the bedroom.
Everyone would be asleep in moments, she was sure. Their tired eyes betrayed them on the drive back from town, leaning against each other in companionable silence. Sophia had dropped them off. Rushing back for an appointment in town with a glass artist, she’d waved goodbye.
If Jenna and Mia had been alone, she would have pulled her little girl into bed with her, snuggled deep beneath the soft, down comforter and taken a long nap. But with Caleb, Harlen and Thomas in tow, such a luxury was not possible.
She settled Mia under the covers, smoothing her fine, curly hair against the pillow before drawing the shade and tip toeing from the room. The house was cool and dark, the sun had slipped back behind its cover of clouds and the afternoon stretched out before her. Checking on the boys, she found them huddled in quiet slumber against the overstuffed pillows of her couch, so she silently pulled a thick throw blanket off the back of the couch and covered their sleeping forms. She snapped the plantation shutters closed, darkening the room even further, and made her way to her office.
Pulling out a thick, finely bound leather journal, Jenna pulled a pen from the recesses of her desk. It had be a long time since she sat in here, behind her desk, with any real purpose. She flipped open the journal and began to think.
Ten important times, it seemed simple enough. She wrote quickly, crossing off and underlining, as thoughts flashed in her mind overruling others, as she highlighted the pivotal moments of her daughter’s coming life.
1. Becoming A Mother
2. Your Father Getting Remarried
3. College Graduation
4. Your First Love
5. Your Wedding Day
6. High School Graduation
7. Your First Broken Heart
8. Leaving Home
9. The First Time You Have Sex
10. If You’re Ever In My Position
Ten tapes, ten corresponding milestones her daughter would pass in her absence. It made her heart seize and shatter. She laid her head in her open palms and sobbed.
August
“Jenna?” Gabe called out as he did every day.
“In the bedroom!” she trilled from the depth of her walk in closet. She could hear Gabe greeting the children who screeched in laughter; she could imagine him hoisting them over his shoulders, tickling them into fits of surrender.
The warm scent of stew bubbling on the stove wafted down the hall.
“Babe?” Gabe wandered into the room, the thick carpet swallowing his footfalls.
“Getting dressed, give me one minute! How was work? Good?” Jenna slid the sheath of her black dress over her trim figure, fluffing her hair and straightening the hem. She felt sexy, the thin fabric hugging her hips and falling lightly just above her knees.
“We’re going out?” Gabe mused, leaning heavily against the door frame, looking her up and down appreciatively.
“Soph told you?” Jenna feigned a pout, before wrapping her arms around his middle and nuzzling into his chest.
“More or less. She had a pile of videos on the counter and kid friendly food on the
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