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When Silvia arrived at work, she was feeling grateful for being there and for anything that was a diversion from her life plans and her family drama. She was especially grateful for the box of yogurt peanut clusters that had arrived just in time for her mid-morning snack. She struggled with her tired, lazy mind to keep her thoughts clear and simple for the day, but her efforts were of little use. Her mind continued to race and ramble throughout the day and to fill with clutter and complication, all while she rang up orders, filled bins with candy, helped customers, and ordered the next candy shipment. She was at work in body only. Her head was filled with questions and all of the questions wanted immediate answers. When would Frank’s mood turn bad again? Would it be before Vince’s graduation? Or, worse, yet, during the family reunion? Would she be able to stay at his house until she could move to Portland? Or should she get an apartment with Donna in Philadelphia? Or maybe she should just rent a room somewhere in the area? Should she go back to school in New Jersey, or try to get her residency in Portland and go to school there?
She couldn’t possibly answer all of these questions today. As Vince’s graduation was tomorrow, she decided that the reunion demanded more of her attention presently than her life plans. Her original enthusiasm for the family gathering had drained out of her, like water drained from a bathtub once the stopper is pulled. She thought of all of the energy that had been required to persuade her family members to be a part of the reunion. There was Vince, who wasn’t keen on family gatherings and much less keen on being the focus of such a gathering. And then, there was Donna, who originally suggested the whole thing and then, not only retired from the cause, but ended up against it. There was Angie and Cosmo, both hoping to avoid each other for the rest of their lives. And, last but not least of all, there was Frank, who was an energy drain just by being. Getting him to do anything, especially something that he didn’t want to do, was a feat beyond the capabilities of just about any person. So her present state of fatigue was more than understandable. But with the dinner tomorrow, she knew that she would have to refuel her original passion for this whole thing. If only she had some idea of how she could do that.