She can hear them outside. Laughing, stalking, trying to find her. They want her to make ice cream sandwiches for breakfast. And play tag, and tell them stories, and…
“Honey? Have you seen—”
…Find their old baseball uniforms so they can relive the highlights of their youth.
Something scratches at the door; the faulty latch clicks and it swings open. The baby looks in, smiles, then toddles by, wearing nothing but a diaper with a tulip (from the birthday bouquet her mother sent) stuffed down the back of it.
Three weeks, she thinks. Three weeks and it’ll be over. Summer will end. Hopefully, before I end them.
“How many times have I told you to not use your baby brother as a flower pot?” Three sets of giggles flee down the hall.
“There you are!” James pokes his head in. “Have you—“
Ripping open the dryer, she pulls out his uniform. He looks at her once, steals a kiss, the uniform and promises to be home by 1:00 .
She can’t promise, she thinks, opening the washer to find the clothes wrung out and stained purple, that home will still be here.
A quick fish through the damp laundry reveals a small, now empty, pot of Permanent Mauve oil paint.
“Three weeks,” she says.
It’s fast become a mantra.
11 comments:
I remember those countdowns to the start of school. Year-round school looked more and more attractive the older my kids got.
I always say that I'd make a lousy stay at home mom...too much Law & Order I'm sure. ;) But the way you wrote it was perfect, the quiet desperation, the tongue in cheek sarcasm, the yearning for the end of it...was so well versed.
I'd be terrible at it. I'd have barricaded that laundry room door, for one.... :)
And thank you.
Year-round school might be better for all involved. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" and all....
Good job making the desperation/frustration insidious, covering everything like the paint.
Ha, ha, I loved this. That central character (you?) seems just a tad harried.
This is a great snapshot of life and I echo Kir's comments. I could really picture the scene and her quiet longing for peace.
I got a little lost, as to whether that was a child's baseball uniform, or that of an adult, but I *really* like the thought of her ending them all! :)
You paint the chaos so quickly and so well! I get a very vivid mental picture of the scene and her state of mind. Nicely done, and good for a laugh.
Thank you.
Thank you. :) Not me. I just have four cats to be harried about. Don't know what I'd do with kids.
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