This week has been one I'd like to forget! Ed & Katya have recently been dealing with the consequences of some "bad choices." Everything is hush hush...don't let this person know about it, but you can talk with this other person about it. Such drama...I am getting dangerously close to a meltdown!
This past week was also very busy at the high school, with many activities to celebrate Homecoming. It's a lot of fun and the kids love to get involved! There have been "Dress as Your Favorite 80's TV Character," decorating the halls, fun runs, Powder Puff game and plenty of things to do during lunch. Since this is Ed's last Homecoming, I agreed to let her participate in some of the activities.
Some genius brought in one of those jousting tournament games like they had on "Battle of the Network Stars." Ed thought she try it out. She and a partner stood up on these "stool-like" blocks and tried to knock each other off with padded sticks. Ed lost her balance, fell, landing on her midsection on top of the stool. It took the wind out of her for a few seconds, but she's a sport and got right back up. Many of the on-lookers were laughing at her, which just added to the feeling of humiliation that she already had. As she walked back to her lunch table, she knew something wasn't right.
She was very sore, and had trouble sleeping that night, so we propped her up with pillows. That seemed to help some. The next day she still felt very sore and asked if she could see the doctor. The doctor ordered an x-ray and ct scan of her liver. I left work, and kept Ed company at the hospital. So, until we had the results of the tests, those lovely twinges of "what if" were swimming around in my little pin head. She was scheduled to work that night, but I "convinced" her to stay home until we knew if there had been any damage. She found a replacement for work, but needed to pick her up. She and Kat left with the car. It was raining.
About an hour later, the call came..."mom, we just had an accident..." "Okay," I thought. "a little fender-bender - no problem." The only two cars that would get me up to the girls had manual transmissions. I don't drive stick shift cars very well, especially in the rain. A neighbor kindly gave me a ride up to the "party." Everyone involved was okay, but the two cars had obviously disagreed about how to properly say "hello." The front bumper of our chariot was hanging by a thread and the engine was smoking. "This is going to leave a mark," I thought. We exchanged information with the other party, and provided ID to the young, inexperienced and smart-mouthed representative of our city's finest men in blue. Ed & I both spoke at length to our insurance company. Ed's ID was returned, along with a ticket for expired insurance. Our new insurance ID cards were at home on the kitchen counter. The day just kept getting better!
(The above picture is not my car!) The tow trucks came and went, and the parties dispersed. We stood around the parking lot for a few minutes, in 45 degree weather, and realized we had no way home. All at once, the four of us whipped out our cell phones and started calling anyone who owned a car. After an hour went by, three cookies and two cups of coffee from the wonderful people at Regions Bank, our knight in shining armour (Ed's beau) arrived to take us back to our castle.
Once we were at home, the telephone rang. It was Joe from our insurance company. He started his "taped" interview with Ed just as Dad got home from work. Dad stood motionless while she spoke, and I thought his head was going to explode. It didn't, but it was a little pink. We all sat down and had a chat. It was great to get it all out in the open, but I could see the dollar signs coming out of Dad's head as we described the condition of the chariot. We trembled, we cried, and when all was said and done, we went our separate ways to various rooms in the castle and saw no one until the next morning.
The next afternoon, the girls and their friends dolled each other up and they went off in Dad's chariot to the Homecoming dance. After they could no longer move about in their heels, and they were hoarse from screaming for their favorite bff to win Homecoming Queen, they came home. They played board games, and laughed until they were in a Candyland stupor and then fell asleep.
The castle was once again at peace. This day was much better.
