Ten.One Thousand, Six Hundred & Ninety-Nine

1. I hear a creak and then footsteps. I follow the footsteps down the stairs, in the dark, and find him aglow from the pantry light.

2. Owl.

3. Not better. Maybe slightly worse.

4. I laugh to myself as I watch him squint in the sun. I had forgotten how bright and direct the sun is during this time of year.

5. I think he has figured out how to make himself throw up.

6. I am here but not really hearing anything that is being said.

7. Lunch break is realizing that I need to pick him up from school because I didn’t provide a negative COVID test.

8. Ignoring it doesn’t make it go away.

9. I keep my eye on the clock.

10. The last person speaks and then there is a mass exodus. I wish I could have seen their faces.

11. We are still standing in the parking lot and talking. I start to see the twinkle of the stars.

12. A marathon, not a sprint. I hope we have the endurance.