Picture Day

I took a step towards the doorway, not across the threshold into the room. "No! Get away!" It was before dawn and I was slow, so I stood a second right there. "No! Don't come in!" Oh, she was speaking to me. But my husband had come into our room less than two minutes before to ask me to go to her room for special time. And so it goes. Good morning to me. 

There was an early appointment at the new doctor this morning to attend.  As they left I kissed her on the top of her head, not chancing any words to further set off my angry girl. I glanced at the chalkboard by the door seeing "Tues: C picture day" as they walked out. She was wearing jeggings from two seasons ago with a patched hole on the left knee. 

An hour later we walked down to the bus stop after she had written her name with ink on the back of the passenger side headrest on our way to drop her brother off at preschool. We had the dog with us only because she begged and I was simultaneously trying to give her control over some decisions and too exhausted to argue. It was Tuesday at 8:30am and felt like Friday at 3pm.

I glanced down at the jeggings as we approached the corner. On the opposite leg of the patch was now a gaping hole; one that no patch could fix. It mocked me and laughed, "It's picture day, ha ha ha".