Leslie had just finished her first year at the University of Connecticut and what a long first year it had been! Between all of her school work and the loads of extracurricular activities she was participating in, her brain and body felt like mush. She was so glad that the year was over and was looking forward to the summer break for relaxation and a little self exploration.
Daddy and Mom had called the previous day and told her that they were going on vacation to the Virgin Islands for two weeks to celebrate their 25th anniversary together. Obviously she knew she was not being invited by the way they had told her the news- great, so her parents wouldn't be home and her best friend was going with her parents for three weeks on a Bahama cruise! What luck she had. The summer didn't look promising.
As she was packing the remainder of her clothes in her dorm room, her mother called her on her cell phone.
"Hello?" she greeted.
"Hello sweetheart, how are you?" her mother asked.
"Just fine Mom. I'm almost done packing and I think I'll be out of the dorm by noon. You and Daddy leaving for your vacation at three right?" Leslie questioned.
"That's right honey, but I just wanted to call with some promising news..." her mother replied.
Leslie smiled to herself. What possible good news could there be?
"Uncle Tom is home from his latest trip to Paris for a few weeks. I told him that you were coming home for the summer and how awful your father and I felt about leaving you here all along. You've been working so hard sweetie this past year and we thought that it would be a great idea if we sent you down to Las Vegas for two weeks to be with him. You know you've always wanted to go there honey."
Leslie smiled once more. Things were finally looking up for her! Her mother's brother, Uncle Tom, was a real busy guy. The last time she had seen him she had been seven. Now she was nineteen going on twenty. She hardly remembered what he looked like or if he still looked like the picture in the photo album they had. But Leslie was still willing to find out! A free trip to Las Vegas for two weeks? Leslie was so excited about her new found fortune.
"And sweetheart, we'll leave three hundred for you on the counter in an envelope marked trip money. So when you come home today, you take that with you on the flight tomorrow morning. Think of this as Daddy and I's gift to you for working so hard sweetheart. We really are proud of you." her mother finished. Leslie was beaming.
"Thank you so much Mom!" Leslie exclaimed on the phone. "I'm so excited!"
"I hope so darling. Uncle Tom said he's pretty excited to see you too. You know he hasn't seen you in a long time. He said he's curious to see how well you turned out." her mother laughed on the phone.
"I'm nervous about seeing him, I mean I hardly even remember him at all."
"Don't worry sweetheart, when you get home, why don't you give him a call and get updated. He already knows when the flight is and will be waiting for you tomorrow afternoon."
"Okay Mom. Thank you so much." Leslie sighed, her insides danced as she smiled to herself.
"You're welcome sweetheart." her mother replied.
"Have a great trip and tell Daddy I love him."
"I will honey." her mother replied.