Time Alone
Posted by Danielle Bean in Family on Wednesday, October 08, 2008 12:00 PM
Yesterday afternoon, I locked myself in the bathroom to brush my hair and put on some make up before going out.
Technically, I didn’t need to lock the door to do this, but some small, selfish part of me wanted 5 quiet minutes alone.
I would not have it.
Soon after closing the door, I heard a knock.
“Mama? Are you in there?” came the call from my 7-year-old son.
The small, selfish part of me considered not responding, but that would risk having the lock “jimmied” with a butter knife from the outside.
“Yes,” I answered weakly.
“Can I have some candy corn?”
What candy corn? I wondered. But no matter.
“Yes,” I said confidently.
“I just found some left over from yesterday and it’s only a little bit.”
“Yes,” I repeated.
“Some of the other kids had cookies after lunch but I said they didn’t have to share with me and so I didn’t have any dessert at all today and I just found this in the pantry,” he continued.
“Have it,” I said, even louder this time.
“So, um, can I have it?” he asked.
“YES!” I shouted.
“It’s only a little and I can even share it with Rafe if you want me to. I don’t think he had any cookies.”
“HAVE it! PLEASE eat that candy corn! PLEASE DO! PLEASE DO!” I screamed from inside the bathroom.
I heard a sigh and a shuffle as he walked away from the bathroom door. I tried to apply mascara, but found I was twitching too fiercely. I exited the bathroom and found my boy returning the candy to the pantry. Wow, was he surprised when I “changed my mind” and let him have the candy after all.
Next time, I don’t think I’ll bother locking the door. My nerves can’t take the quiet.
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