Page 45 of One Good Puck
The sink is full of dirty dishes, there’s flour all over the counter, and the stove is covered in crumbs and bits of food. So is the floor. I glance over to the dining table, where Emma’s backpack is, along with a half-dozen papers scattered around it.
I let out a heavy sigh, totally exhausted. Right now, the last thing I want to do is clean up the kitchen after the day I’ve had.
I had a faculty meeting after school that went long, so Emma and I were late getting home. She needed extra help on her science assignment, which made her homework take an hour longer than it normally does. And then she didn’t mention until right before her bedtime that she needed to make cookies for her class’s bake sale tomorrow.
I was going to just bake them by myself and send her to bed, but Emma insisted on helping and wanted to do as much of the baking herself as possible, which is why the kitchen is a disaster.
After spending the last hour baking cookies, I finally got her off to bed.
I let out a tired, defeated laugh. Mom life really kicks your ass sometimes.
I grab my phone out of my jeans pocket, pull up a playlist, and listen to music while I get started on the dishes. As much as I’m dying to crawl into bed, Gavin is due back late tonight, and I don’t want him coming home to this mess. He’s letting us stay here for free, and the least we could do is clean up after ourselves.
Once the dishwasher is loaded, I put away the cookies that have been cooling on the counter and start wiping down the counter.
My phone on the counter buzzes with a text from Dakota.
Dakota: Hey! Feel like grabbing a glass of wine with Sophie and me?
I toss aside the washcloth and text her back.
Me: Wish I could, but I won’t have time to get a sitter. Emma just went to bed.
Dakota: That’s perfect! We can pick up a bottle and come to you.
Me: You wouldn’t mind coming over here to hang out?
Dakota: Not at all! We were hoping for a quiet night in.
Me: That would be amazing!! I have to warn you though, the kitchen is a mess.
Dakota: You know I don’t care about the state of your kitchen. You’ve seen my classroom at the end of most days lol
Me: Good point haha
Dakota: On our way!
Twenty minutes later, Dakota and Sophie arrive with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. I hug them when I let them in, and we head to the kitchen.
“Thanks so much for coming over,” I say as I uncork the bottle and pour the wine into glasses. Sophie doesn’t drink alcohol very often, so I pour a citrus sparkling water into her glass.
“A glass of wine is just what I needed tonight,” I say.
“Long day?” Sophie asks.
I nod and take a sip of wine. The three of us head to the couch, and we chat about our days.
“You’re super mom, Abby,” Sophie says when I finish telling them about what happened. I wave a hand, but she shakes her head.
“I mean it. I can’t believe all that you do every single day. And you do it as a single parent. You’re amazing.”
I try to smile. “I don’t always feel amazing.”
“You should,” Dakota says.
Sophie nods.
“Some days it feels like I’m failing to accomplish a million different things as a mom and a teacher. And as a human being in general,” I say. “Most of the time, I don’t get half the stuff done that I need to.”
