Way Down I'll Go

Spake in Solemn Tenor

"And you're sure you didn't leave it at Mr. Frank's house?"

"No. It's at home. I couldn't find it this morning."

"Didn't you get in trouble for not having it at school?"

Mikey hung his head. 

"Yeah. And if I forget it again, they're gonna call Jo and make him come in."

Rachel sighed. 

"Mikey, why didn't you tell me earlier?"

He lifted his gigantic eyes upward, his lower lip trembling pitifully. 

"I forgot."

The air had turned cold after the sun went down and the mere thought of venturing out again made her shiver. But one look at Mikey's expression, and she was grabbing her keys off their hook.

"Drew, honey, are you okay if I leave the boys with you for a bit?"

"Sure," Drew called from the couch where the opening credits of Disney's Robin Hood were heralding the movie's start.

"Thank you, Rachel. I love you forever and ever!" 

Mikey hugged her around the waist. She smiled.

"Don't thank me yet, young man. You're coming with me."

His smile disappeared.

"Awww...but the movie's starting!" he whined.

If Jo had been here, Mikey would've been whisked immediately into another room to talk about his attitude and receive a lesson on thankfulness. Rachel often wondered how Jo had learned his superior and consistent parenting skills, never having had an example in his own father. She knew he'd been in foster care at one time, but from what little she'd gathered, he didn't have good memories from those years, either.

How did you become a good man, Jo?

"Can I at least have a piece of pizza first?" 

Mikey seemed to have taken her silence for a 'no' to his unspoken question.

"Grab a piece to go," she said, ruffling his hair.

They were only ten minutes down the road before she ruefully regretted bringing him. He talked nonstop about everything from his hatred of math to how birds managed to poop while flying.

"How do bears even hibernate? Wouldn't they have to pee really bad?"

Rachel laughed. 

"I have no idea, Mikey. But I think we're going to find out shortly if it's physically possible to talk someone's ear off."

It took him a minute to process her sarcasm but then his mouth spread into a cheeky grin. 

"You wanted me to come!"

She feigned shock. 

"Is this my punishment?" 

He giggled. 

"Anyway, I wasn't trying to be mean. I just want this to be a lesson about responsibility. This isn't the first time you've forgotten things. And I know Jo reminded you," she added, elbowing him playfully.

He shrugged. 

"I just start talking and forget stuff.

"What, you? Talking? Nahhhh..."

He giggled and launched into another (likely embellished) story from school.

"Hey!" he yelled suddenly. "You drove passed it!"