Last night Whit was crying in his bed. This is uncharacteristic, because usually he barges right out and lets me know just what is going on. I went into his room and found him sitting up on the bottom bunk, clutching his monkey, awash in tears.
“What’s wrong, Whit?”
“I … miss … my … friends!” he managed to choke out, with difficulty, between sobs.
I was so touched I grabbed him and wrestled him down in a hug. He was so damn dear in that moment. We talked about his friends and I have since made a playdate with one of his besties for tomorrow. I tucked him in again and left the room.
A few minutes later I could hear him bawling again. I went back in.
“Whit, what’s going on?” I suspected somewhat less authenticity to these tears.
“Mummy! I am just not cheered up yet!” the master manipulator said, failing to hide his smile behind fake sobs.
A few minutes later I heard Grace creep out of her room.
“Mummy? May I have some extra time with you like Whit just had?”
Doesn’t miss a thing, that one, and sure doesn’t let Whit get away with a single teeny thing that she doesn’t also get.
“Sure.”
I climbed into her bed and wrapped my arms around her. I asked her about her day. Without answering me, she turned to me in the dark and asked,
“Mummy? Tomorrow night in Marion is it OK if Whit and I sleep in the trundle beds together?”
“Yes, of course, Gracie.”
“Oh, good,” she breathed a sigh of palpable relief. “You see, tonight Whit was doing some really good mathmatecking so I told him I would give him a treat.”
“You what?”
“I told him he did such a good job mathmatecking I would give him a treat.” She looked at me, rushing on, “Oh, it’s okay, Mummy it’s not like I gave him candy or anything. The treat was to share a room with me in Marion. And he was so excited about the treat!”
I can’t decide what to pursue, the odd word “mathmatecking” or the fact that Grace presents as a treat sharing a room with herself. Door A wins.
“What is mathmatecking, Gracie?”
“Oh, it’s when you do a really hard math problem. I asked Whit was 400 plus 400 was and he said 800!”
“Wow, really?”
“Yes. Well, I helped him a lot.”
Of course.