“Mama, can I come in?” Sammy’s voice piped through the bathroom door.
“I’ve told you again and again, sometimes Mama needs to be private, so no, you cannot come in.”
“Well, but Mama, can we talk about the party tonight? Allen said that they’d have ghosts and witches and stuff at his house and we can watch.” A shadow moved back and forth across the bottom of the doorway as he paced in his excitement.
“Yes, Sammy, we’ll talk. Can it wait until I am done here?” She sat in the only place she had ever been able to hide.
“Okay, Mama, but I really want to be early, ‘cause Allen says he has a good place to hide so we can watch what happens when everybody gets scared. He says that’s the best part.”
“I know, Sammy,” she choked, tears running down her face. “I know you want to go, but just this once, can you stay home with me and talk?”
“Oh but Mama, Allen and his mom will be here soon and I have to go with them!” Sammy sounded panicky as he did every time she appeared to withdraw her permission. It had happened so many times that it only took a few minutes for her to take the breaths that could calm her down.
Annie rose from the closed toilet seat, flushed for Sammy’s benefit, and rinsed her tears away. She glanced at the worn face in the mirror as she turned out the light and opened the door. Her graying hair stuck out in unruly curls and her robe hung at an odd angle, as, with Sammy’s voice brightly describing a horrifyingly fun-filled night, she walked down the hall alone.
“I’ve told you again and again, sometimes Mama needs to be private, so no, you cannot come in.”
“Well, but Mama, can we talk about the party tonight? Allen said that they’d have ghosts and witches and stuff at his house and we can watch.” A shadow moved back and forth across the bottom of the doorway as he paced in his excitement.
“Yes, Sammy, we’ll talk. Can it wait until I am done here?” She sat in the only place she had ever been able to hide.
“Okay, Mama, but I really want to be early, ‘cause Allen says he has a good place to hide so we can watch what happens when everybody gets scared. He says that’s the best part.”
“I know, Sammy,” she choked, tears running down her face. “I know you want to go, but just this once, can you stay home with me and talk?”
“Oh but Mama, Allen and his mom will be here soon and I have to go with them!” Sammy sounded panicky as he did every time she appeared to withdraw her permission. It had happened so many times that it only took a few minutes for her to take the breaths that could calm her down.
Annie rose from the closed toilet seat, flushed for Sammy’s benefit, and rinsed her tears away. She glanced at the worn face in the mirror as she turned out the light and opened the door. Her graying hair stuck out in unruly curls and her robe hung at an odd angle, as, with Sammy’s voice brightly describing a horrifyingly fun-filled night, she walked down the hall alone.
