When I get home from work it is the darkest part of the night. It is so late, it is early, and I barely ever see other people out in my neighborhood. I used to have a neighbor who left for work when I got home. He used to say in passing, good morning, and would retort, good night, and we’d chuckle at how our schedules were completely opposite. It is very rare for my kids or husband to get up when I get in. Usually my husband grunts, glad you are home safe and that is about it
Last night when I got in from work I was having my shift drink at home. Sometimes after work I like to have a beer but I have to drive so if I want one I wait till I get home. Drunk drivers are one of my pet peeves, being I drive amongst them so often. I was savoring my beer after a long night, watching four deer graze on my front lawn marveling at the sight. The deer were big. I am sure but they must of culled the herd as we moved into the house because I have seen more and more deer around lately, more than I ever have seen before in the woods and wandering the neighborhood.
Suddenly I hear rustling and footsteps. It was Ryan. He came down to where I was to use the bathroom because the poor kid is anxious about using the bathroom by his bedroom alone. In the middle of the night he usually comes into our bedroom and uses our bathroom requiring an escort back to bed. He did his business and poured himself a glass of seltzer. We sat in front of the window and watched the deer in the darkest part of the night when the world is quiet. I told him how proud I was that he had another great night at swimming and he said Mom the little kids look up to me I have to be a leader. I almost fainted because I never heard those words from him before. Ryan never talks little kids or big kids and usually seems oblivious to age, size, sex, and race. Kids are kids to him, boy, girl, it never mattered. I think the coach had been giving him talks about being a leader on the team because of his size and age. It was wonderful to see him trying to take on the role.
We chatted about this and that sitting close together in the dark as the deer chomped on the lawn. It reminded me of when he was a baby and I would nurse him in the middle of the night feeling like we were the only people on earth awake at that hour. Soon it was time for me to wash the bar off me and for both of us to go to bed. I put him back to bed and he said, Mom I am glad I got up, it was good to have that secret time together.
Indeed, Ryan, Indeed.
