by Jennifer Harrison

Created on: March 11, 2010

Late Night Visitor

Jenny pulled into the narrow dirt driveway.  The chorus of “Are we there yet” had ceased a half-hour ago as the children, Jo and Will had fallen asleep in their booster seats.

The move was hard on them all, but Jenny suspected it would be hardest on her daughter, Jo.  Jo was only five years old, and although she didn’t get along with her father, she still had a special place for him in her heart.  Will, on the other hand, had just turned three and hadn’t ever spent much time with David.

Jenny stood, leaning on the car door, amazed that she had finally gotten her own place.  She pulled the new key out of her pocket and unlocked the door of their new home.  She easily carried in the children and got them settled into their beds before climbing wearily into her own.  She had just cracked her book when her bedroom door creaked open.

“Mommy?”

“Hey, Jo-Jo.  What’s going on?”

“Can I sleep with you?”

Jenny threw off the covers and patted the bed beside her.  “Come on.”  Josephine crawled into bed and fell back to sleep almost instantly.

The next morning, Jenny fed the kids their favorite cereal, Lucky Charms.  She heard the distinct sound of gravel under tires and rushed to the door.  Without checking the peep-hole, Jenny threw the door open just in time to see the little blue Chrysler pull into the drive.  Jenny waved, “Hey, mom.”

“Do you realize how long it took me to get here?  What if something were to happen to you or one of my grand-babies?”

Jenny sighed.  “Nothing’s going to happen.”

“You don’t know that.”

Just then, Jo and Will came running out the door, still in their stocking feet.  “Grandma!”

Grandma held her arms open wide to catch the running children and showered them with kisses.

Grandma sat down in the living room with the children and read them stories while Jenny finished unpacking the few things they had.  She sat down heavily when the work was done, wiping her brow with the back of her hand.  “Josephine, can you take out the trash?”

“But…”

“No buts.  You can take it out after Grandma finishes the story.”

“Okay.”

Jenny tucked the kids in, starting with Josephine and finishing with Will.  “Good night, Will.”

“Goodnight,

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