“Yeah, I’ll make chicken nuggets, but you’re going to have to eat some vegetables, too,” I told him as I headed toward the kitchen.
Wyatt reached for his backpack and followed me, tossing his things on the floor by the table. “Okay, but no broccoli. I hate broccoli. And I got a one hundred on my math test today,” he told me, pulling his books out and placing them on the kitchen table.
“That’s great, buddy, but I’m not surprised. You always do well in math.”
“It’s my favorite,” he confessed.
“I know. It was always mine too. Since you did so well, you can have a few extra minutes on your game after dinner.”
As usual, I got no response. He knew he earned extra time on his game when he made good grades, so after dinner, he curled up in his favorite spot and finished creating his new world. When he was done, he headed for the shower without being told. I searched through his drawers, looking for his favorite pajamas, and laid them on his dresser. I sat down on the edge of his bed and waited for him to finish up in the bathroom. The shower turned off and seconds later, I heard Wyatt’s wet, little feet slap against the hardwood floor as he headed down the hall. He stopped at the doorway and stared at me with one towel wrapped around his waist and another around his head.
“What’s up, Buddy?” I asked.
“Nothing,” he answered as he walked over to me and wrapped his little, wet arms around my neck. When I wrapped my arms around him, a mix of fruity shampoo and my favorite body wash surrounded me. I held him tight against my chest, kissing him lightly on the side of his head. I cherished those moments. Wyatt isn’t one to give affection often, but when he does, there’s no better feeling in the entire world. There was a time when he wouldn’t even talk to me, much less touch me, so I held him close, enjoying the moment while it lasted.
“Time for bed, Momma,” he told me, pulling free from my embrace. He reached for his clothes and started to get dressed, letting me know he didn’t need my help.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes to check on you,” I told him as I got up and started to leave. “Love you, Buddy.”
“You too,” he replied while he crawled into the bed. I went back to check on him fifteen minutes later, and he was already sound asleep.
The next morning, Wyatt was already up and getting dressed by the time I had gotten out of the shower. When he finished getting ready, he stood at my bedroom door, sporting his favorite pair of red tennis shoes.
“Ready,” he told me with a wide smile.
“Breakfast?” I asked.
“I got a granola bar.”
“You know that's really just a snack, but I'll let it slide today," I said, playfully rolling my eyes at him "Want some juice or something?”
He shook his head no and headed out the front door toward the car. Overall, it was a great morning, and things continued to go well until I got to my last class of the day. I’d always wanted a career in family counseling and after my divorce, my parents encouraged me to go back to college to get my degree. They helped pay for my classes until my financial aid kicked in, and Mom helped with Wyatt when I was in class. I couldn’t have done it without them, and things were going really well until I started my Counseling Theories class.
“I don’t know how much more of this I can take,” Rachel whined. “He has to be the most boring man on the planet.”
“I feel ya, girl. I’m on my second cup of coffee, and I’m still having a hard time staying awake,” I grumbled. I was just a few classes away from graduating, but first, I had to survive Professor Halliburton. Thankfully, I had Rachel there to keep things interesting. I’d met her last semester in my Crisis Management and Prevention class when she asked to borrow my notes, and we’d been friends ever since.
“It’s his voice. Seriously, every time he opens his mouth, it’s like nails on a chalkboard,” she said, drawing out her words as she spoke.
Several heads turned and looked in our direction when we both started laughing. “You’re a nut, Rach.”
“Hey, you want to catch a movie after the gym tonight?”
“I wish I could, but I can’t. Wyatt will be with his dad after school, so I’m going to try to run some errands.” I wasn’t exactly lying; I really did have lots to do. My laundry was piling up, and I had to get some studying done, but those weren’t the reasons I didn’t want to go. I knew I wouldn’t be able to enjoy myself knowing Wyatt was with Michael.
“Wren, we both know why you don’t want to go, but I get it. I know it’s hard sending him over there.”
“I’m sorry. I just get so anxious when he has to go over there. It’s like I’m always waiting for the other shoe to drop,” I explained.
“I can only imagine. It has to be just as hard for Wyatt,” Rachel told me.