A Long Ride Home

Driving home

An hour and a half to go

In the worst rainstorm ever

Thankful it wasn't snow

The cars slowly come to a stop

My frustration doubles

My heart takes a drop

The baby in the car seat wakes up and begins to cry

The little boy next to her screams,

"My tablet is about to die!"

I grip the steering wheel and want to curse all the curses I cannot say

When my boy in the back simply says,

"Mama, it's okay."

He turns up his tablet as he picks a happy song

He starts to sing and the baby quiets

I hear her start to giggle along

I smile and relax and start to sing, too

I want to jump in the back seat to squeeze him

Instead, I say, "Geez I love you."

The tablet didn't make it, it soon died, but so did the storm

And by then the traffic had waned

And we were closer to home

My kid continues to sing and I don't dare interrupt

But with a smile, I think to myself

I want to be you when I grow up