Tuesday, April 15th
Email from Mom

From: Ellie Kavanaugh
To: Greer Kavanaugh
Subject: Plotting husbands and daughters should beware!

Dearest Daughter,

I have a bone to pick with you. Imagine me tapping my foot with crossed arms because that is what I’m doing in my head right now. It seems you and your father have been talking, discussing… plotting is more like it. Against whom you ask? Why me, that’s who! But you already knew that. Picture me giving you the evil eye in combination with the above actions. What happened to girl code?

Love,
Mom

From: Greer Kavanaugh
To: Ellie Kavanaugh
Subject: Dramatic Much?

Mummy Dearest,

Your cryptic message has me confused. What have I done or conspired to do with dad? You left that part out…

Love,
Greer

From: Ellie Kavanaugh
To: Greer Kavanaugh
Subject: Play the Innocent Card Much?

Dearest Daughter,

Confused. HA! You most definitely know what I’m referring to. The man sleeping on the couch (otherwise known as your father) decided it was time to have a talk with me. He said he was worried. It’s been six months since our move from Kansas, and I haven’t tried to meet anyone or make friends. He has asked me to try and people. I don’t like to people. And during said conversation, he let it slip that he’d been talking to you about it and you agreed with him. He also told me you agreed with him and I should put myself out there.

Daughter + Traitorous Act = Mother Betrayed.

Hence your descent into girl code breaker. How could my favorite daughter do such a thing? You could’ve warned me what was bouncing around in that head of his. I could have planned but alas… I was caught off guard and before I knew it, I was promising him I would try. Trying to people is hard. I’m quite happy in my cocoon. It’s warm and cozy here. I’d rather be reading…

Love from my hidey-hole,
Mom

From: Greer Kavanagh
To: Ellie Kavanaugh
Subject: Poor Dad!

Mummy Dearest,

You’re favorite daughter? I’m you only daughter… and poor dad. You banished him to the couch?

And yes, dad reached out to me. I’ve been keeping him at bay for months. He wanted to talk to you about it much sooner. While I didn’t say anything to you, I SO kept to girl code and I had your back. I didn’t know dad talked to you. Come to think of it, he threw me under the bus.

Note to self: must have a chat with dad…

Besides, it’ll do you some good meeting people. Just try. That’s all he wants. He’s worried about you. If it doesn’t work out, so be it, but give it a chance.

And yes! You love reading. You’re a writer. See if you can find people out there in the military spouse world who have the same interests you do. It might help.

Love,
Greer

From: Ellie Kavanagh
To: Greer Kavanagh
Subject: Favorite daughter status not so bleak anymore

Dearest Daughter,

First off, Please tell me when you added insightful to your resume, you phenomenal woman you! It’s not a bad idea. I’ll consider it.

No, I didn’t really banish your father to the couch… but it is fun to fantasize about after this latest stunt of his. He knows my introverted ass gets all kinds of anxious over meeting new people. How many company events have we been to? All the new wives I’ve met at previous duty stations? Creating those bonds isn’t easy for me. They take time, and right when I start feeling like it’s possible, they come up on PCS orders and the process starts all over again. The struggle is real. Sometimes it feels easier to stay in my hidey-hole and not come out.

Here I go… out into the world. Here’s hoping I don’t break it.

Love,
Mom

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            You can say Ellie has flair, after all, she’s spent my whole life writing about new worlds, or as she likes to call it, “making shit up.” She’s either in her office writing something new or she’s wrapped in a book world created by another author. So, it’s true. If she’s not writing, she’d rather be reading. As Ellie embarks on this new adventure into the local military wife communities via internet spouse pages… all I can say is: look out world, here comes Ellie Kavanaugh.

Photo created by Ainsley Elliott using Canva.com