1 Mother 2 Another

Brian had to go out of town on a business
trip this week – at the last minute he headed to the
northwest early Tuesday morning, coming back last night. And
because I’ve been working so much recently, the girls have
gotten a tad used to Daddy being around.


So he was, ahem, missed.

Tuesday morning Cora moped around the
house. “I just miss Daddy so much!” Seriously? You do
realize that he’s been out of your life, oh, ten minutes,
right?


Maddie joined in the chorus Tuesday afternoon. “When is Daddy
coming back? I miss him so much!” Keeping a tight lid on my
temper, I pointed out – not unreasonably – that
he’d have been gone at that time anyway since it was during
work hours, and Daddy would be home the next night.


By Wednesday morning Cora declared herself too sad to go to school.
“I feel so lonely without him!” she said morosely,
picking dramatically at her breakfast. “I know!” she
perked up, “We could have a welcome home party for Daddy! To
let him know how much we missed him!”


Ok. Daddy was gone ONE NIGHT!


So after school Wednesday we picked up balloons and decorated the
house; Cora had made a “Welcome Back Daddy” sign at
school that she added to the mix. “Cora’s so excited
about her Daddy finally coming back home! Is he in the
military?” her teacher enthusiastically enquired when I came
to pick Cora up.


Just gimme my kid.


Once the house was decorated Cora ran out of steam and went back to
moping. I ran upstairs to do something and as I was coming back
down I heard someone firing up a microphone downstairs. As I
reached the landing, I saw Cora pick up the microphone (after doing
a sound check, natch) and proceed to do the following:


Drape herself over the mic stand, then sing “You Are My
Sunshine” in that sad-drunk voice, before settling moodily
back down onto the floor to ponder the hole in her life left by the
absence of her Daddy.


Whose child is this?