Page 34 of The Doctor's Surprise Family

“Go easy on Mommy. She’s tired from work.”

Oli smiled like an angel, and I let myself hope. Maybe he’d be up for a lazy day too, TV and coloring, an extra-long nap. I’d order in dinner, then give him a bath, and by the time he was dry?—

He tapped my leg. “Mommy?”

“Yeah, hon?”

“I’m hungry.”

I smiled. “I’ll make you a sandwich.”

Oli’s face fell. “Can’t we have mac and cheese?”

A wave of tiredness washed over me at the thought of the cleanup, but I forced myself to keep smiling. Mac and cheese was not an unreasonable request.

“Okay,” I said. “Go watch your show. I’ll bring it through in a bit.”

Oli went through, but his show was just ending, the theme song jingling over the credits. He came drifting back as I set the water to boil.

“Mommy? I’m bored.”

“That’s okay,” I said. “Lunch’ll be soon. Why don’t you go color while I make the sauce?” I got out the butter, the milk, and the flour, and stood trying to remember what else I needed. Oli leaned on the counter.

“I colored two pages already.”

I took a deep breath, irritation rising. Shame swiftly followed: Oli was three.

“How about your library books? Where’d you put those?”

Oli heaved a long-suffering sigh. “In my bag, ’cause I read them. What can Ido?”

I sliced butter into my saucepan and added flour, salt, and pepper. Oli wasn’t annoying. I was tired and cranky. But I was the adult, and he was the kid. It was my job to act like it, no matter what.

“How about Buster? Does he want to play fetch?”

“Buster’s asleep. You said not to wake him.”

I groaned. Ihadtaught Oli to let sleeping dogs lie. But I wished Buster would wake up and want to go play. I needed to focus, or?—”

“Mom? Your pot’s bubbling.”

“Thanks, hon.” I turned down the stove and gave my macaroni a stir. Oli darted up behind me and smacked my leg.

“Tag! You’re it!”

I whirled. “Oli!”

He shrank back, wide-eyed, and I realized I was shouting, and not only shouting, but waving a spoon. I set it down with a sigh.

“Sorry, sweetheart. But youcannotscare Mommy while she’s trying to cook. Boiling water is dangerous, and so’s the hot stove. Do you understand that?”

Oli wilted. “Uh-huh.”

“It’s okay. I’m not mad at you. But you need to play safe. Why don’t you go wash up for lunch?”

“Can’t I help stir?”

I could feel Oli getting cranky as well, my bad mood rubbing off despite my best efforts. How could I explain to him, no, not today? I didn’t have anything cold he could stir, just boiling pasta and molten roux.

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