bump and slide

So we are determined to start watching Game 1 of the World Series as soon as possible (I always laugh at the "world" part of this baseball series but whatever America) and as such I'm heading out to pick up a pizza and J is taking M to run around the block so we can possibly maybe watch some of it in peace.

I head out the door and over to the pizza place and order one of those kinds that you cook at home so it's quick. I head outside because the waiting area was crowded and after a few minutes walk back in. As I enter the woman behind the counter walks around to me and touches my arm.

Honey, are you Jen?
I am dumbfounded but I nod.
You need to call home sweetie. Use my phone. She's okay, just go ahead and call home.
A brief moment of confusion and terror ensues.

So I call home and J tells me M took a major fall the minute I pulled out of the drive, one of those flat out pavement falls with gravel in the skin hysterics. And we need some really big band aids. I can hear the screaming in the background. Shit.

So as I hang up the phone the woman is standing close smiling the smile of a long time mother, one who knows the ropes. She pats me on the shoulder and hands me the pizza. I walk around the counter back to the waiting area and a dude says it's beer right? you forgot to pick up some beer. dude.

Since J's voice sounded fine I wasn't too worried but I ran and got some band aids and a teeny weeny i just got hurt and need a treat present that caught my eye on the way out. I head home to a still wailing child and somber looking man on the front lawn. You know, waiting. And I resisted the urge to utter I was gone five minutes people because I am cool like that.

She throws herself in my arms sobbing so I bring her into the kitchen to examine the damage. It's obvious she really fell hard but J had already done the hard work of cleaning and degraveling and medicining so we put on the band aids and she even coughed up a half smile at the surprise present.

We lay down on the bed together and she recounts the fall over and over until she's got it out of her system. And then she turns her wee precious body to me and says hold me tight momma and so I do. After a minute she leans up and says I love my family momma.

And my heart slides right in two. I love my family too, baby. I love my family too.

And the woman at the pizza place was really very kind too. Thank you, too.