Coming up for air

Kaitlin cracked open the book first. I was having trouble conjuring up the desire to read it, devour it and not come up for air until I reached the end. There was something sad about it being the last book - it was truly saying good-bye to an old friend who you won't be seeing again, ever. No dates to put in the calendar to mark when you'll reunite and stay up to the wee hours with. I also was hesitant in finding out if my suspicions were true...how the end would play out. Kaitlin was always pages ahead of me. That panda was peering over the pages at me - almost taunting me...until I took the plunge and dove right in. I was my old self again. I could not put the book down - holding my breath until, alas, I closed the book for the final time.