Before the Bell

"Andrew finish up! We have to go or we'll be late again,"  Stephanie shouted while jiggling the bathroom doorknob. No matter how well she planned their mornings, Andrew had to use the toilet right as they were leaving for school.

"It's number two, Mommy."

Stephanie groaned in helpless frustration. "Patrick, Emily grab your backpacks and get into the van—now! We'll leave the second he's done."

Emily waved a sock in Stephanie's face. "Mom! I only have one clean sock, I can't go to school!"

"Check the dryer."

"I did, this is the only one left!"

"Well, get one out of the hamper."

"Ew! I'm not wearing a dirty sock."

"It won't kill you to... Patrick! What are you doing in your pajama bottoms? Go finish dressing!"

Patrick looked surprised. "Oh, I forgot."

Naked, Andrew howled from the bathroom doorway, tears streaming. "Mommy—poop got on my Hulk underwear!"

"Why does Andrew get all of the attention, I need a clean sock!"

"Emily you're ten years old, figure it out!"

"You're so mean!" Emily's chin trembled as she stomped off.

Guilt softened Stephanie's tone. "You can wear mine."

"Really? Whoo-Hoo!"

"Patrick gotta go—chop-chop!"

----

Stephanie checked the rearview mirror and smiled, all three kids were buckled in. They'd make it before the bell rang for the first time this week.

Halfway to Quartz Elementary, Emily screeched, "Mom, Patrick's barefoot."

"No! Patrick?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I guess I forgot."

----

Stephanie rocketed up the driveway and flung her door open. "Everyone stay buckled, I'll be right back." She searched under the bed, in closets, through random piles; no shoes. She ran back to the van, out of breath and sweating. "Patrick, you have five pairs of shoes where are they?"

"I dunno." He stared at her, wasn't shoe location her job?

"Mommy, I'm hungry!"

Stephanie snapped at Andrew, "You had breakfast."

"Dory was hungry."

"You put eggs in the fishbowl?"

"And milk." Andrew grinned.

Stephanie wilted against the car for a count of ten, marched up the sidewalk, through the front door and out to the backyard. Five pairs of shoes were scattered across the trampoline. Speeding through the kitchen, she grabbed a granola bar, a box of apple juice and Emily's forgotten flute. A quick check to be sure the fish was still alive and she was back in the van where her children were squabbling about the size of grasshoppers. Stephanie gave them a look and the van went quiet.

----

Traffic at the school was an aggressive jockeying for position, Stephanie pulled underneath a no parking sign, jumped out and came around to hug her kids. Her stomach sank when Emily and Patrick snickered and pointed at Andrew's puffed out cheeks. She knew they'd been too quiet.

"Open your mouth, buddy."

Andrew opened his mouth revealing a fat grasshopper, it leaped out onto the sidewalk unharmed. Her children squealed, hooted and waved as they walked into school together. Patrick was wearing mismatched sneakers. 

The bell rang. Stephanie exhaled.  Tomorrow's her husband's turn.