Get in the Van! We are Late!
My mother, in the hospital getting heart procedures done, wanted a robe to wear, so her little white frog-butt didn't show at the back of her hospital gown. She also wanted a visit from her grandkids.
My sister, who was with her at the time, called me and asked when we could be there. The hospital is 11 minutes away from us, so I estimated 45 minutes.
I called up to Arden, "Get ready, put on coffee, and help the younger ones get ready (no shirts with logos, clean hands and faces, brushed hair) while I get in the shower."
I got out of the shower, towel-dried my hair and ran a brush through it, got dressed, and came upstairs. No coffee. Harrison was freshly-showered but wearing ripped-up jeans. Tessa was still in the shower.
Our 45 minutes were almost up. My sister called and asked if we were on our way, yet.
"Uh... Soon. Tessa is still in the shower, but everyone else is ready."
I decided not to fight with Harrison about the jeans. I ate an avocado, skipped the coffee (this may have been my first mistake), and began packing things to go to the van, and quickly jotted a list of errands to be run while we were out: buy Mom a robe, buy sandals for Harrison, buy a birthday gift for a little girl's birthday party Friday, mail some things...
I set the big tote bag and my laptop by the front door, and realized as I passed the hallway that the shower was still on, and had been on for half an hour.
"Tess! We gotta go! You're done!"
"Okay, I just need to wash and condition my hair, and wash my body!" came her reply.
"What?! You don't shave your legs, or exfoliate. Washing your hair and body are the only tasks you have in there. What were you doing?"
"I can be done." she called back.
"Are you clean?" I asked.
"No..." she admitted.
"Then you can not be done. Get busy! We are LATE!!"
Two minutes later, the shower turned off and I did not ask her again if she was clean. She rushed around in a towel trying to get ready. By the time she was dressed and her hair (wet and dripping, soaking the back of her shirt) was brushed, my sister had called again, wondering where we were.
"We're on our way!" I assured her.
"Paige! Are you ready?" I called loudly down the stairs.
"I think she's already in the van." Arden said.
"Oh, thank god. Everyone, get in the van." I ordered.
As the kids grabbed the stuff set by the front door, I sensed a presence behind me. I turned around, and it was Paige, fresh out of bed, still in her pj's, definitely needing a shower.
"You called me?" she asked in a sleepy voice.
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