Z and I were supposed to be camping this weekend. It was her birthday present. We went camping in the backyard instead, in the giant tent my parents bought for us about a week ago.

I got sick about three weeks ago with a persistent low grade temp and a stuffy nose. Z was with her dad, so she stayed there instead of coming to me at the end of the week. My parents freaked out. To be fair, I did too. I talked my mom out of buying a plane ticket at least three times. I think the point that finally did it was that if she came to see me, I wouldn’t be able to see Z for another 28 days.

Three phone appointments with Kaiser and a negative COVID test later, they diagnosed a sinus infection and prescribed antibiotics.

My parents sent a giant, ridiculously expensive tent that probably cost more than the plane ticket would have.

Z stayed with her dad a total of three weeks. We video-chatted about an hour a day. Sometimes more. Sometimes three calls in a day. Each time, she told me to rest up and get better, because she had to be with me for Mother’s Day.

She woke up this morning and ran from the tent to the house to get my present. My parents helped her buy it – she’s been planning this since July, when she asked for their help. I sat in the tent with her and opened the little package that she was oh so proud of. In it was a silver locket, the kind of jewelry I never wear, and it was perfect.