The Scryer ✔️

~Back to Work~

John slept downstairs and left early the next morning for work, I assumed, upsetting our plans to visit the zoo in Philadelphia; he had four more days left of vacation and I felt cheated. So, I moved back into my normal routine; I was going to take Alexander to the farmer's market just like I did every Thursday.

I got up out of bed and went into his room to wake him and he was talking to the cat, his cheek against Simba's belly, his eyes closed and cooing to him between his baby talk and the occasional word thrown in for good measure.

"Good morning, my Sweet Pea," I said happily. I watched his eyes open and a smile cross his face.

He lifted his head and moved to stand, careful not to step on the cat. "Seaweal," he asked.

I nodded. "Cereal it is."

After breakfast, I cleaned him up and put him into the Camaro and buckled him up tightly. I handed him his Fleegle and he released the toy and suspended it into the air and made it dance as he giggled and kicked his feet against the car seat. When we arrived, he'd had the car seat belts completely undone and his arms flailing for me. I smiled and collected him from the back of the car and placed him on the asphalt. The breeze blew back his blond hair all over his head and I took a mental picture to remember him by...this is how I would always remember him.

I stopped by Mary's flower stand and she finally gifted him with a yellow and white stuffed cat that he'd had his eye on for months...she refused to sell it to anyone, because, technically, it was a used toy. "Simmmmbaaaa," he squealed happily and then he laughed at hearing her laugh. He felt my erratic breathing and turned to face me. "No! Happy Mam," he said quietly as tears of his own surfacing in his blue eyes.

I then kissed his face in rapid succession, which never failed to cause us both to laugh and I think he understood.

"He is such a happy baby, Hannah," Mary told me. "Happy babies are truly a blessing!"

I nodded. "Yes." I turned to my son and signed with one hand as I spoke. "Please thank Sister Mary for Simba?"

He looked troubled: he knew how to sign, but to actually speak it, that was going to need more work. I put my tongue between my teeth and blew gently for the TH-sound, as I held his hand to my mouth. He attempted the TH-sound, but blew razz-berries instead and then giggled. I closed my eyes and shook my head as I sighed.

Mary laughed and I told her that we'd stop back by on our way out. One of the maintenance staff brought me a cart to place him in...they brought him the cool one, with the car attached to it.

"Room room," he shouted as he turned the wheel back and forth. I immediately thought of John as my mother met us in the aisle. I tried to smile.

She embraced me and had a knowing look on her face and I wondered if I'd ever be able to do that; know when her child was hurting or in trouble...She motioned for one of the teenagers to keep Alexander occupied while we walked around and shopped.