Bedtime tonight

I'm exhausted. With caring for the kids and anxiety over my mom, I'm fairly wiped out. Tonight, after reading bedtime stories to Grace, we lied together on her twin bed, listening to the cicadas. We were quiet for a long time. I let the fatigue drain from my bones as she played with my hair. After awhile she rolled over to to snuggle against me and whispered:

"I like school."

"You do?"

"Mmm-hmm. (voice cracking) But it's kind of sad too."

"It is?"

"Yeah, because now I don't have lunch with you and daddy every day."

"That makes me sad too, but you know what? Tomorrow Daddy's going to come and have lunch with you at school, and next week I'll come in one day for lunch. Would you like that?"

"Mmm-hmm."

We were quiet again for another five minutes and then she rolled to her other side, a sign that she was nearly ready for sleep.

"Mommy?"

"Yes."

"I really, really miss daddy."

She pulled the covers up and wiped tears from her eyes.

"Could you write a note to him that he should come up to my room when he gets home, and he should sleep with me all night."

"I'll write him a note. I'd like to sleep with daddy too.

"That's okay. I have room for you over here (she points to her right), and room for daddy over here (she points to her left). We'll all sleep together. Well, except for Julia. She can sleep on her own."

"I love you, babe."

"I love you too, mommy."

In another five minutes she was asleep. I slid off her bed and crept out of her room.