The next morning, I raced to get Macy ready and out the door so I could get to work. It was Friday so no surgeries today which meant the sooner I got to work, the sooner I could get home. I wanted to make sure I got home early enough to see Hailey before she went back to Tim's house. On my way to work, I called Janie and left a message that Macy should be picked up by her sister today after school so she should not need to come over to their house. When I got to work I sent Hailey my regular Friday text.
TGIFH - Thank Goodness It's Friday Honey! :)
It was something I always did and I did not want to disrupt the normal even though things were anything but normal.
Work glided along between helping doctors with patient appointments and doing paperwork. Before I knew it, it was lunch time. Fridays the doctors always ordered in lunch so I grabbed my phone and headed to the lunch room. I was hoping Hailey had responded to my text. She had.
Jonathan said he could drive me home today. Can I go with him?
Yes. No. Maybe. Ahhhhh. I had only met Jonathan the one time but he seemed responsible and capable. Did I trust him to drive Hailey home in a 3000 pound machine that could cause all kinds of damage? Not really, but I knew I needed to let her do this. He was responsible and this was a chance for her to make a friend, plus it meant someone had talked to her today and that was good.
Sure. Text me when you get home. See you tonight.
Casual and happy as if her text had not set my heart all a fluttering. Now I just had to say a quick prayer than Jonathan was a good driver, that there would be no accidents and that this would somehow be the beginning of a beautiful friendship that would keep her with me. I could hope.
I headed into lunch and thoroughly enjoyed my tacos and co-workers before heading back to finish up my work. No patients and no doctors Friday afternoons. It was just busy work and prepping for the next week. I finished quickly and got out of work by four o'clock. As I headed to the car, I checked my phone for a text from Hailey that she had arrived safely.
Got home safe! Movie night - Jonathan's house. Can I go?
Yes, but you have to call your Dad and let him know not to come and pick you up.
Done! He said fine. He'll pick me up Sat afternoon.
How'd you know I'd say yes?
Duh? He lives three doors down from us, you know his parents and you want me to make friends. Come on Mom!
Okay. See you in a few minutes. Just leaving work.
Pick up pizza k
Okay but we have to eat a salad too.
K
When I got home with the pizza, I was greeted at the door by Hailey who said hi to me before she grabbed the pizza and took it into the kitchen. It was nice to see her waiting for me at the door, even if it might be just because of the food.
"Salad is in the fridge Mom. Macy made it. She added whole carrots to it," said Hailey.
Whole carrots? At least it was made.
We sat down to dinner and Macy started telling us all about her day, in between bites of her dinner. I felt, for just a moment, like a good Mom. I was enjoying the moment so much so that when Hailey actually volunteered information about her day I almost fell out of my chair. It shocked me that much. Generally our conversations consisted of me asking questions and her giving me one or two word answers but for her to volunteer information was highly unusual. It had been years since that had happened. Macy jumped in as soon as Hailey finished and continued about her day and then Hailey again shared again. I basked in the normalness of it.
After dinner was cleaned up, we had another hour until Hailey was supposed to leave for movie night at the Smith's home. I suggested we make a double batch of marshmallow treats and she could take them with her.
"Okay, Mom. That would actually be pretty cool," said Hailey.
Macy protested, "I want some marshmallow treats for us too!"
"I suppose we could keep a few for us Macy," I replied with a smile at Hailey.
"I don't know Mace, I might need them all," said Hailey as she winked at me.
She was teasing her sister and including me in it. My happiness level was rising. Hailey was interacting with the family. However, Macy was still distraught.
"Macy, your sister is teasing you," I said.
"Really?" asked Macy. I think she was as surprised as me.
"Yes stinkerbug. I am. I can leave some for you and Mom," Hailey said.
"Hale, you haven't called me that in a long time. I like it," said Macy.
"I do too," said Hailey.
I wasn't sure the room was big enough for my joy at that moment. I wanted to bottle all this family togetherness and good will so I could spread it around later when we would need it.
"Come on girls, let's get this done," I said and we made quick work of the marshmallow treats. While we waited for them to cool so we could cut them, Macy got out a puzzle and we started putting it together at the kitchen table. We got the border done and then cut the marshmallow treats and send Hailey on her way down the street. Macy and I watched her go from the front window. Hailey waved at us just before she went in the Smith's front door. She knew we had been watching her.
Macy turned to me, "Mom, I like this Hailey better."
"I know dear. Let's go finish that puzzle and eat our treats."
Check back tomorrow to read the conclusion and find out how everyone adjusts to the new neighborhood, the new school and their new life!
TGIFH - Thank Goodness It's Friday Honey! :)
It was something I always did and I did not want to disrupt the normal even though things were anything but normal.
Work glided along between helping doctors with patient appointments and doing paperwork. Before I knew it, it was lunch time. Fridays the doctors always ordered in lunch so I grabbed my phone and headed to the lunch room. I was hoping Hailey had responded to my text. She had.
Jonathan said he could drive me home today. Can I go with him?
Yes. No. Maybe. Ahhhhh. I had only met Jonathan the one time but he seemed responsible and capable. Did I trust him to drive Hailey home in a 3000 pound machine that could cause all kinds of damage? Not really, but I knew I needed to let her do this. He was responsible and this was a chance for her to make a friend, plus it meant someone had talked to her today and that was good.
Sure. Text me when you get home. See you tonight.
Casual and happy as if her text had not set my heart all a fluttering. Now I just had to say a quick prayer than Jonathan was a good driver, that there would be no accidents and that this would somehow be the beginning of a beautiful friendship that would keep her with me. I could hope.
I headed into lunch and thoroughly enjoyed my tacos and co-workers before heading back to finish up my work. No patients and no doctors Friday afternoons. It was just busy work and prepping for the next week. I finished quickly and got out of work by four o'clock. As I headed to the car, I checked my phone for a text from Hailey that she had arrived safely.
Got home safe! Movie night - Jonathan's house. Can I go?
Yes, but you have to call your Dad and let him know not to come and pick you up.
Done! He said fine. He'll pick me up Sat afternoon.
How'd you know I'd say yes?
Duh? He lives three doors down from us, you know his parents and you want me to make friends. Come on Mom!
Okay. See you in a few minutes. Just leaving work.
Pick up pizza k
Okay but we have to eat a salad too.
K
When I got home with the pizza, I was greeted at the door by Hailey who said hi to me before she grabbed the pizza and took it into the kitchen. It was nice to see her waiting for me at the door, even if it might be just because of the food.
"Salad is in the fridge Mom. Macy made it. She added whole carrots to it," said Hailey.
Whole carrots? At least it was made.
We sat down to dinner and Macy started telling us all about her day, in between bites of her dinner. I felt, for just a moment, like a good Mom. I was enjoying the moment so much so that when Hailey actually volunteered information about her day I almost fell out of my chair. It shocked me that much. Generally our conversations consisted of me asking questions and her giving me one or two word answers but for her to volunteer information was highly unusual. It had been years since that had happened. Macy jumped in as soon as Hailey finished and continued about her day and then Hailey again shared again. I basked in the normalness of it.
After dinner was cleaned up, we had another hour until Hailey was supposed to leave for movie night at the Smith's home. I suggested we make a double batch of marshmallow treats and she could take them with her.
"Okay, Mom. That would actually be pretty cool," said Hailey.
Macy protested, "I want some marshmallow treats for us too!"
"I suppose we could keep a few for us Macy," I replied with a smile at Hailey.
"I don't know Mace, I might need them all," said Hailey as she winked at me.
She was teasing her sister and including me in it. My happiness level was rising. Hailey was interacting with the family. However, Macy was still distraught.
"Macy, your sister is teasing you," I said.
"Really?" asked Macy. I think she was as surprised as me.
"Yes stinkerbug. I am. I can leave some for you and Mom," Hailey said.
"Hale, you haven't called me that in a long time. I like it," said Macy.
"I do too," said Hailey.
I wasn't sure the room was big enough for my joy at that moment. I wanted to bottle all this family togetherness and good will so I could spread it around later when we would need it.
"Come on girls, let's get this done," I said and we made quick work of the marshmallow treats. While we waited for them to cool so we could cut them, Macy got out a puzzle and we started putting it together at the kitchen table. We got the border done and then cut the marshmallow treats and send Hailey on her way down the street. Macy and I watched her go from the front window. Hailey waved at us just before she went in the Smith's front door. She knew we had been watching her.
Macy turned to me, "Mom, I like this Hailey better."
"I know dear. Let's go finish that puzzle and eat our treats."
Check back tomorrow to read the conclusion and find out how everyone adjusts to the new neighborhood, the new school and their new life!
