Page 41 of Situationship
“How are you girls coming?” she called upstairs, quickly sliding into a silky white tank, which complemented her light blue fitted blazer and stylish lapis necklace.
Both girls blew down the steps past her. Poppy was still in her purple pajama bottoms, and both girls were wearing their pink shirts. Today was white shirt day because it was an in-class day.
“Only white shirts get cheesy poofs for snack,” she called after Poppy, who pretended she couldn’t hear as she burst out the front door. TheYou have to catch me firstwas implied—and very Harley-esque. Lily took off after her sister with Garbage Disposal on their heels.
“Oh, no, you don’t.” She snagged Garbage Disposal by the collar. “No leash, no go.” She snapped the leash on but, suffering from a severe case of FOMO, the dog kept yanking on her arm.
Teagan had to make a fast decision: a dislocated shoulder or go with a less conventional but still nutritious breakfast. She dropped extra cheese sticks and apple slices into their bags.
#MomOfTheYear.
She grabbed two white school tees from the dirty clothes hamper, a two-tiered tray of cupcakes, which could hold their own inThe Great British Bakeoff,and the dog walked her to the door.
The cupcakes were loaded in the front. The dog in the back where a new Houdini-proof gate had been installed. And the two girls, reminding Teagan that she was no longer needed, loaded themselves into their respective boosters.
Teagan double-checked the doggie lock, double-checked the girls’ boosters, and climbed into the SUV.
“Here.” She handed each girl a lunch sack and tee. “Inside is an extra cheese stick and apple slices. You can eat them on the way to school, but the cheesy poofs don’t leave that sack until lunchtime. Understood?”
They both nodded as if waffle-gate was nothing more than a conspiracy.
“Good. And I expect you to be in these white shirts by the time I pull into the drop-off queue.”
There. Take control, line in the sand, large and in-charge mom.
“Then we’re off.” She pushed the key fob and the engine came to life. She let it idle for a moment while she rearranged the passenger seat. Not wanting the cupcakes to slide off, she picked up the boxes and was shifting them to the floorboard when all hell broke loose.
Garbage Disposal and his super sniffer managed to magically steal Poppy’s cheese right out of her hot little hands from behind his all-wheel drive confines. Poppy turned to take it back, her legs jerking as she reached backward.
Fire-red Converse high-tops hit a grand slam, the top cupcake box flying over the console to land on the driver’s-side floorboard. Cupcakes, which she had made as her first Snack Mom showing, ricocheted around the plastic container, icing painting the lid and sides. Then there was the smaller container, holding only two cupcakes to make an even twenty-six, one for every pre-K kiddo in the class. It didn’t clear the console but landed instead on the cup holder.
The lid and container parted ways, two generously frosted cupcakes nailing her in the right boob, before tumbling down her front to rest on her dark jeans.
“No.” She picked the cupcake up and tried to right the frosting. It was no use—the frosting and cake were about as likely to reconcile as Teagan and Frank.
“No, no, no.” She rubbed at the frosting, only making things worse. “No! No, no, no!” As if denying it over and over would make the cupcakes climb back into the containers and the morning spin back to daybreak, giving her a redo on the whole ordeal. She deserved a redo.
Today was supposed to be her redo. The day she proved her abilities, reaffirmed that she was capable of delivering on her promises. To her nonna, her girls, and to herself.
If not, then what was the point of it all? She’d uprooted her family to come home and revive her family’s business. To reclaim her life, use her fresh new start to change the trajectory, seize new possibilities—and undo all the heartbreaking wrongs.
Picking up on Teagan’s emotions and stress, Poppy started crying and Lily joined in, sending Garbage Disposal into a howling fit that made wolves look like sissies.
“It’s okay,” she said quietly, reaching out to take each girl’s hand and creating that physical bond between mother and daughter, before channeling the calm, in-control woman she’d been before kids.
She might not be in the running for #MomOfTheYear but she knew how to pull her shit together #LikeAMom.
“We’re okay. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. Mommy just needs a quiet moment to reboot.” And a new shirt. She turned back around to assess the damage, and that’s when she realized the gravity of the situation. She had hot, sticky, melting frosting on her blouse, her pants, and even her black heels.
More importantly, the girls were looking to her for reassurance. Not to Harley or Frank, but the most dependable, constant—if somewhat boring—person in their little worlds.
The outcome of this moment is yours to decide.It could be a game ender or a game changer. Whatever actions and letdowns had led her to this moment, the outcome was up to her.
You hear that, Universe? Screw you!Had she said that out loud?
“Screw you,” a tiny voice echoed from the back seat.
Teagan could have sworn it was Lily, but when she turned around, Lily had a hand over her mouth and Poppy was smiling as if she’d just exploded a piñata.
