Better in the Long Run

Between You and Me

S: mom can you come get me?

J: pretty sure you're not supposed to using your phone at school. What's wrong?

S: girl problems

J: I don't get it

S: .... I am hiding in the girls bathroom because I got my period.

J: ah, gotcha. I'll be there ASAP

I called school on my way over and spoke to the secretary, "Yeah I'll be pulling Sutton out of school for the rest of the day. Yep she has an appointment. No her brothers can stay. Thank you." I parked the car and headed inside, "Hey we just spoke.." the secretary looked less than impressed with me.

"I called the teacher and she is sending Sutton down." I smiled and thanked her, deciding to wait in the lobby.

"Hey girl," I hugged her and she was stiff as a board, "let's go."

"Please." She climbed into the car and I wasn't sure if I should say anything. It was kind of awkward, but thankfully she broke the silence. "So, this is the rest of my life now?" I chuckled, "Don't laugh. It's true isn't it?"

"Yeah sort of. I'm not laughing at you babe. I have stuff at home. If it makes you feel more comfortable, just use my bathroom okay?" She nodded and we got home to find Hunter and Sam at the table.

"Hey Sutton," Sam said with a wave and she said hi quickly before rushing upstairs, "Hey Jen, congrats on the wins."

"Thank you Sam," Hunter looked at me puzzled and I gave him a hello kiss and whispered in his ear, "she just needed to come home early. Girl stuff."

He caught my drift and I excused myself to go upstairs. "You can find anything you need in this drawer," I showed Sutton where I kept the pads and tampons, "I would say just stick to using the pads right now. The tampons seriously suck and I hate them." Her eyes were wide, "how about you go grab clean underwear, put your clothes in the hamper and I'll handle it." I hugged her, "You okay?"

"I guess. Not really." She sighed and shooed me out of the bathroom. I grabbed her laundry basket and put in a load and Hunter came over.

"Okay so girl stuff means like, her period?" He whispered.

"She is a girl. It is stuff that happens." I leaned back against the washer, "Please don't make a big fuss. She's overwhelmed. Probably embarrassed even."

"Well Sam and I are gonna head back out," he kissed me, "should I go say hi?"

"She's your daughter who got her period not a leper. Go say hi, tell her you're going to work and you will see her later." I laughed and playfully swatted his arm. He kissed me once more before heading upstairs and out the door.

"Sutton babe," I called from the stairs, "I gotta go get your brothers. Come on."

"Do I have to?"

"I would like the company." She sighed and came down, "You can tell me all about the play." And that she did. She was a shoe in for the role of Wendy and had been doing lunch time rehearsals.

"I like doing theatre. I'm learning a lot about the stage cues, lights even."

"That is super cool. Grade ten and eleven drama were my favourite classes."

"I thought you were a science nerd."

"I was. But drama was fun, it let me exercise my creativity." I parked the car and went to pick up the boys.

"Mama where's Sutton?" Beckett asked.

"She's in the car sweetie. She didn't feel well so she came home early." Sutton begged me not to mention anything to her brothers and I promised. The evening was quiet, and I helped the boys with their homework and Sutton rehearsed her lines and songs with Hunter.

"She is really good, her memory for the lines, especially." He said as we pulled down the duvet. I heard a faint knock at the door and opened it to see Sutton.

"Can I use the bathroom?" I nodded and she scooted across the room into the bathroom, closing the door.

"I told her she could." Hunter nodded, and we continued catching up, "What were you and Sam working on?"

"Writing mostly. Got a few songs sitting out there for people to scoop up." Sutton emerged from the bathroom.

"All good?" I asked. She gave me a thumbs up and said goodnight, rushing back to her room. "Okay, awkward teenage phase has commenced. Welcome aboard." I laughed and kissed Hunter. He had a look of discomfort on his face, like he was thinking really hard, "You alright?"

"Terrible thought, but out of parental concern, when and how do you plan on talking to her about sex."

"Whoa there. First off, she's twelve and a half. She barely accepts me hugging her, I'm not quite worried about boys yet. And second, she just got her period which is horrific and confusing and she's all about that right now. I will open up the discussion. She's been so chill about coming to me for every thing. I want her to come to me."

"And this is why I wish our children stayed babies forever."

I smiled and kissed his cheek, "I agree. They were the cutest babies."