I was awakened during my midnight sleep in my black soft armchair with a book on my face and glasses lying on the coffee table next to me. The thing that awoke me was the barking of Bella, my Lab mix. As soon as I pulled her gently out of the way, to look out the window, I jumped quickly, startled to see a face looking at me.
Regaining a stable heartbeat, I unlocked the door and allowed my nephew inside. I looked at my nephew and said, “What are you doing here on a school night?” He looked at me then chuckled and said, “ It’s not night anymore, it is almost eight o’clock in the morning.” I looked around with blurred eyes, searching for my glasses so I could see if he told me the truth.
Once I had put my glasses, on I realized it was indeed seven o’clock in the morning. I turned slowly toward my nephew and asked, “ Why are you here so early?” He replied, “ I want you to walk me to school.” I sighed and told him to wait in the living room as I changed into more suitable clothes.
As we walked out the door, with Bella on a leash, I told him stories about my third grade year. Once we reached his school, I waved goodbye as he rushed up the stairs. I reached into my pocket and pulled my cell phone out, to begin yelling at my sister for not walking her own son to school.
When I finished yelling at her, Bella and I turned to walk home. I entered my home, unleashed Bella, and drifted off back to sleep in my armchair. When it was time for my nephew to be picked up at school, I received a call from my sister and she asked if I could go pick him up, since she was going to be at work late.
I stood up slowly out of my armchair and put my glasses back on my face. I put Bella’s leash on her and headed out the door to pick my nephew up at school. I stood outside near the front gate in the afternoon sun, waiting for my nephew to come out. Bella panted impatiently as she anticipated being petted by all of the students.
When we both had heard the bell, I gently moved Bella out of the way as a stampede of students came rushing out the front doors to go home for the day. Once the stampede turned into only a few rushing feet, I sighted my nephew and waved to him.
My nephew came over, smiling, and asked me, “Are you going to yell at mom again?” I responded, “No, I yelled at her enough. She’s working late, so I had to come get you.”