Snippet #1206008

Annette

"Mason, don't forget to grab your coat!" I called from the kitchen. Grabbing a juice box from the refrigerator, I placed it carefully in the red lunch box on the counter. Closing the lid I sighed. Nothing out of the ordinary for this Thursday morning. In fact, everything was annoyingly typical. Same five am alarm, same breakfast of cold cereal and toast, same drab decorations in the same 'too small' apartment. I ran a hand through my hair, a nervous habit I suppose. [i]Maybe new curtains[i], I thought as I stared from the kitchen to the living room. A brown tweed couch, glass coffee table, cream colored rug with several fading stains. Somehow, this morning, I couldn't stand the sight of the purple curtains. The room looked too dark. We needed something brighter. Yellow, maybe. Yeah...something bright. "Mason!"

"Right here, mom!" I smiled as my son came running into the room, one arm still hanging free from the red windbreaker. The sight of him brought tears to my eyes. Here I was thinking curtains would brighten the room, but the second Mason walked in, my whole world lit up. Brushing the tears away, I knelt to eye level to help him into his coat.

"Coat, socks and shoes, lunchbox....think that's everything," I stated. Mason nodded and I ran a hand over his hair. "Think we need to get you a haircut soon." He stuck his tongue out and I laughed. "Come on." I grabbed my coat from the counter before taking Masons hand.

There was no elevator in the les than luxurious apartment building. The brown and green wallpaper was shabby and coming off in some places. I was in the process of looking for a new place to live.

Stepping outside, the cool October air stung at my face. I knelt and zipped up Mason's jacket. We walked quickly to the bus stop at the end of the block and made it in time to board.

"So who do you want to be this morning?" I asked Mason as we sat. His face scrunched in thought and I couldn't help but run a hand through his hair again.

"Superman?" he asked with those large brown eyes of him.

"Superman it is!" I declared. "Where are we going, Superman?"

"To the moon?"

"I've always wanted to go there. What are we going to find on the moon?"

"Ice-cream!" I smiled and we continued our game on the long bus ride into town. As we exited, I took Mason's hand and we walked another five blocks to Maplewood Elementary School. Students were still entering the building, most of them being dropped off in expensive sedans or escalades. At least my living trust fund was going toward something good. I certainly wasn't going to allow my mistakes to affect my son any more than they already did.

"I love you, sweetheart," I said kneeling and kissing Mason on the forehead. He wrapped his tiny arms around my neck and for a fleeting moment everything in my world was alright. "I'll see you at three o'clock." I watched him until he disappeared inside. Turning and walking quickly so as to catch the next bus home, I ignored the snooty and judgmental looks I was getting from other parents. I'd lived with those looks for the last seven years. Yet somehow I never got used to them.

On the way home I stopped at a Value Village and purchased some yellow curtains and hung them before sitting down at my desk and taking my headset. The droll voice began to speak as I hit play, and my fingers moved quickly over the keys as I typed up the personal memo. Somehow, the curtains didn't have the effect I had hoped for.