At 3:15am, I was driving through a deluge to Durham. My sister and brother-in-law, looking a little shell-shocked, packed up and headed for the hospital, and I lay down on the couch. Ah, blessed sleep.
MMMMRRRRRRROW. That was what their old, deaf, blind cat started shouting at me about 45 minutes later and kept shouting at me until 6:15 when I heard the pitter-patter of little feet coming out of the kids’ room. The little feet stopped short at the sight of the little feet’s parents’ room, which was empty of course. I called out to my nephew, and he came running into the living room.
Him: Did Mommy and Daddy have to go to a meeting?
Me: No, honey, they had to go to the hospital because they’re going to have the baby!
Him: That’th tho exthiting!
Me: You wanna snuggle on the couch with me?
Him: Yeah.
He pulled the cover over him and then yanked it right off.
Him: Now I’m weady fow bweakfatht.
A little later….
Him (nodding): Mommy will be home latew today.
Me: Not today, buddy.
Him (still nodding): But maybe tomowwow.
Me: No, probably three or four days, buddy.
Him: But not nine dayth.
Me: No, not nine days.