Sunday

SUNDAY by; Suzy Theme

Sunday

Hi, my name is Susie. You can call me “Cottage.” Come along with me for a sweet family Sunday.

Honk. Honk!

I run to the front door & look outside. Tony—he’s my dad. He’s already waiting in the driveway, engine running, ready for all eight of us children & our mother, Evelyn, to get into the station wagon so we can go to Sunday Mass.. There are ten of us altogether, & Dad likes to be on time.

I call out for everyone to hurry before Dad honks again. Voices answer from different rooms.

“We’re coming, Susie!” “Tell Dad we’re coming!”

Shoes tap across the floor, doors open & close, & soon everyone is heading to their seats.

I sit in the front seat because I get carsick. I can’t say my siblings like that much.

Church is not far, less than a mile away, but everyone has an assigned seat. Before we pull away, we call out our numbers one by one so Mother knows all eight of us are in the brand new station wagon.

“One!” “Two!” “Three!” “Four!” “Five!” I call out. “Six!” “Seven!” “Eight!”

Two extra seats in the very back face each other so we can all ride as a family. We attend Mass every Sunday & other days too. We go to a private school, & church is part of our education. I understand that. I do not wonder if God is real. I like learning about it.

Dad was in the Navy, & now he is an engineer on the railroad.

Dad pulls up in front of St. John’s Church, & everyone gets out of the car. I love it. The neighbors are welcoming & friendly, & everyone is dressed in their best.

Hats, dresses, shiny shoes. Because Dad was in the Navy, we all wear outfits that match & shoes that shine. Even our purses match our coats, hats & dresses. My brothers wear suits & ties, & Dad & Mother are dressed really nicely too.

After Mass, we all stop to talk with the priest as we exit the church. “Nice family, Tony,” the priest says, shaking my dad’s hand. He looks at me & smiles. “How was your school week, Susie?” “It was very good, Father. I’m excited to go to the lake today!” “Enjoy your Sunday then,” he says. It feels nice to have a friendly chat before heading back home.

We go back home & change into our play clothes & bring our swimsuits. We are going to our new place on Lake Lorraine!

“Are the bikes secure, Tony?” Mother asks as she helps us with our bags. “Double-checked & ready to roll,” Dad answers.

There is a golf course there & a restaurant, & our new place is right next to our cousins. Dad hooks a flat trailer to the station wagon & loads our bicycles onto it. When we reach the dirt road, Dad stops & takes my bicycle off the trailer so I can ride instead of being stuck in the car.

“Who else is taking a bike?” Dad asks. “I am!” Terry & Shane shout, already grabbing their handlebars. “Me too!” Kathleen adds, hopping out. Today, everyone wants to ride.

We ride down the dirt road, red clay dust lifting behind our wheels. Dad & Mother follow in the station wagon, keeping an eye on all of us. We know how to ride bicycles in a group. At the end of the dirt road, Dad puts the bicycles back onto the trailer until we reach Lake Lorraine. When we get there, he unloads them again, & we ride on another red dirt road around the lake.

Lake Lorraine is so new to having cottages on it, & everyone is building one. When we look at the water, there are lily pads that need pulling.

“Let’s get these cleared out, team,” Dad says. “I’ve got the ones towards the dock!” I wave to my cousins.

We are taught to pull the lily pads to clear the waterway in front of our new place. We swim out to the dock & jump in again & again.

“Watch my dive!” Michael yells, hitting the water with a giant splash. “The water feels great today!” Mary Joseph calls out, surfacing with a grin. “Susie, come over here!” Maureen shouts from the water. “The lake is spring-fed! You can feel the temperature change right here. It’s freezing in some spots & warm in others.”

Bridget is already on the big tubes, kicking her feet. “She’s right! It’s like swimming through different clouds!” she says.

Everyone has fun diving, talking & swimming. Some of us snorkel, & the big tubes are fun as we float & laugh, playing in the water.

I swam close to shore & decided to get my swimsuit cover-up on.

The water glimmers in the sunlight, & I reach my right hand into it, stretching for a goldfish. “Come here, little one,” I whisper. My left hand swirls the water, trying to guide it closer. The fish twists, darting through the sunlight & ripples, teasing me, playful & quick.

I hold my breath & stretch, plunging my hands deeper into the lake. The sun sparkles on the scales, the water spins around me, & for a moment, it feels like the whole world is right here. Whether I catch a goldfish or not, the moment lingers. Sundays are full of wonder & adventure.

Later, we roast marshmallows on the shore, sticky & sweet. “Don’t let yours catch fire, Shane!” I laugh. “I like mine extra crispy, Susie!” she replies, waving her marshmallow stick.

Dad loads our bicycles on the trailer, & we head home. “All aboard, Cottages!” Dad calls out. We don’t stay in a cottage because we are the Cottages; that’s our name.

Thanks for coming along with me on this Sunday.

Susie Cottage