Him

Mother Mother

"Do pages 57 to 60, copy everything down, word for word" Mr Nelson explained to half the class that was paying attention.

I looked down at the blank page of my Maths book. I look around the class, looking at all the distracted faces. The tired eyes, doing everything but their work.

"Sir, may I go to the bathroom?"  I ask raising my hand

"No"

I sit back down and look at the window, the grass is getting greener, filling with flowers, colour.

My phone lights up in my bag, I take it out, there's a message, from miss McCain: 'Hi Astrid, Matt got sick today, it would be really appreciated if you could fetch him as soon as you can.'

'I'm on my way' I reply simply.

"Sir, may I use the bathroom?" I say a little more agitated than last time.

"No, Astid." he says annoyed

"Sir if I don't go to the bathroom now I'm gonna piss myself" I say loudly getting looks from the class.

"Fine " he sighs

I grab my bag and rush out the door, straight to the parking lot.

Walking down the street to Matt's daycare, I take in the early noon atmosphere, chaos that's going on in everyone's lives. No one knows exactly what's happening yet, everything just is.

I walk to the daycare, miss McCain see me and smiles sadly.
"Hi, where's Matt?" I ask slightly out of breath from the walk over.

"He's in the sick corner, I think it was something he ate, I'm not completely sure, he just started crying and said his stomach was paining." she said looking over at him.

I smile and her and walk over.

"Hey kid, you okay?" I ask lifting his head gently. His cheeks are tear stained.
He doesn't answer, just sniffs.

I pick him up and say goodbye to Mrs McCain, she says that she hopes Matt gets better and I carry him out the door.

"Are you actually not feeling well?" I ask him.
"Mommy wasn't there when I woke up" he says tearing up.

"Uhh.. She was at Aunt Jens's. Mommy called me and said she had to babysit Teddy."

"Really?" he asks looking up at me with big baby eyes full of hope.

No "Yeah"

His mood picks up and he smiles
"You can put me down now" he says cheerfully.

"So you aren't sick?" I ask slightly amused,  he shakes his head and giggles. I put him down and he walks slightly ahead of me.