"No! That's totally fine. I don't mind at all. Really! I can totally take them for a little bit for you."
Only I did. Mind that is. This was the third time Cindy had called with an "emergency" and begged to drop her kids off at my house. Of course, she swore it would only be for an hour but I knew better. Yesterday her hour and turned into four. When she came to pick up her kids, she admitted that she and her husband had decided to go to dinner since they were kid free. Part of me seethed inside as I hung up the phone. Why couldn't I just say no, I don't want your awful kids in my house. I sighed and paced the kitchen floor and in my mind I ran through all the things I should have said. I kicked myself for being such a marshmallow. Who knows how long she'd be gone this time? I decided to arm myself with a made-up appointment for later this afternoon and braced for the sound of her knocking on my door.
"OhmyGod! You are such a life-saver! Thank you so much! I cannot tell you how you have saved me!" Cindy gushed as she herded her two boys into my house. They immediately ran off in different directions and the sounds of destruction began ringing forth. She dropped a large diaper bag at her feet and primped her ponytail.
"So, I have, like, a hundred errands to run but I swear, it should only take me an hour," she smiled at me and then glanced at her watch. "Tyler had a bit of a tummy ache last night but I'm sure he's find now," she continued, "but I packed extra diapers just in case." She reached out and grabbed me by my upper arm. "You are the best hon! Thanks a ton!"
"Sure Cindy, no problem," I muttered into her insincere smile. "But you need to pick them up by three. I have a dentist appointment that I have to make."
Her face fell and she tapped her lips with a red fingernail. "Oh, huh, that isn't going to work for me" she dragged the work out looking at me with concern, "I may not be back by then."
She paused at let the silence hang between us. My first thought was to rush in and smooth things over, tell her to take her time, that I could work something out. But I bit my tongue and smiled at her. The silence lengthened. Finally, I broke. "Well, I'm really sorry. I wish I could take them longer but..." I shrugged my shoulders and held my breath.
"Where is your dentist?" Cindy asked me.
"Over in Tigard," I answered, amazed at how easily the lie fell from my lips.
Cindy's face lit up. "Ohmygod! That is so perfect! I have to run by a store over there! Why don't I just meet you there with the kiddos and grab them from you then! You don't mind taking them with you? Do you?" Cindy beamed at me.
"Say NO," my brain raged but I found myself floundering. Time seemed to slow and I heard myself parroting back her very words, assuring her I didn't mind at all. There was a whirl of blond hair and black yoga pants and she was gone. As I closed the door behind her, wondering how I got myself into this mess, I heard the sound of crying coming from upstairs followed by screams. I rested my head against the cool glass of the door before I slowly made my ways up the steps to face the rest of my Thursday afternoon.
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