The Love of Jury Duty

Cant Be Late

The sun was barely peaking above the horizon when the alarm went off. It blared loudly and I groaned grabbing my phone and pressing snooze. Just a few more minutes I thought.

I pulled the cream colored, Egyptian cotton sheet up to my chin and cuddled the very old stuffed bear I slept with. My eyes closed and I sighed getting comfortable all over again.

It wasn't long before the alarm blared again and I had to get up. I couldn't be late. Sitting up slowly I watched the sky go from dark to a dusky shade of orange as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

"Jacob! Wake up please!!"

I shouted from the closet while trying to find a suitable outfit for today. I looked at the clock and yelled again

"Jacob!!! Now!! Wake up! You're wasting time!!"

I dropped my dark blue boot cut jeans and black and white 3/4 sleeve blouse in the bathroom and opened the dog door and let the dog out.

I was a single mom and it wasn't easy. I had to make sure the house ran like 2 adults lived here. I was barely an adult myself most days. Looking at the clock again I groaned.

I dug around in his dark mahogany dresser for his underwear, socks, favorite shirt and pair of shorts to match.

"Please get up Jacob!" I pleaded shaking him "you're going to make me late. We don't have time for breakfast now."

"Nooooo" he whined pulling the soft white blanket over his head

"If you get up and get dressed I'll let you play with the iPad and take it to nonnie's house."

"Ok!!"

He shot up out of bed excitedly and got dressed faster than anyone I'd ever seen. I made a face and handed him the iPad and a pediasure milkshake before retreating to the bathroom to change.

I looked at the clock and gasped. I had no time for a shower. I barely had time to put on foundation and powder if I was lucky. I threw on my clothes and started brushing my teeth. My head poked out of the door and I yelled with a mouthful of toothpaste

"Jacob!!!! Find your shoes! We've got to go!!"

"You do it!!" He yelled

His smart mouth was not needed this early in the morning. It was my only day off for the week and I was spending it down at the courthouse for jury duty. I spit the peppermint toothpaste in the sink and found his shoes and tossed them at him

"Put them on."

"I caaaant!" He whined

"You're five! Of course you can. Do it. I need to finish getting ready."

I shut the bathroom door and started quickly applying foundation to my face. I heard loud whining and the sound of shoes hitting the hardwood floor. Great. I muttered finishing up.

"I hope those shoes are on."

I said walking down the hall for my own shoes, cell phone charger and sun glasses. The white New Balance shoes went on quickly as I stumbled down the hall to grab my keys

"Jaaacoooob!! Why aren't your shoes on!?!? We have to go!!"

I was starting to whine and stress out. I had to drive 30 minutes in rush hour traffic to get to the next city. Jake was staying with my ex husbands mother and I hated dropping him off there. It was uncomfortable and awkward. We'd been divorced for three years now and she still hated me.

We started to leave and Jacob started crying from the breakfast table

"But I'm huunnngry!!"

"I know you are. So am I! But we don't have time for that right now. Nonnie will give you breakfast. I'm late. Please. Grab the iPad and your kitty and let's go."