Page 1 of My Darling Mayhem

ONE

WREN

Something hitthe kitchen floor with a smack.

I knew exactly which magnet had just fallen from my fridge, and which postcard was now floating aimlessly after being abandoned from said magnet. However, today, I wasn't paying attention to it as I sifted through the cupboard. I had somehow run out of instant rice, which was a travesty. My mother would have a heart attack if she knew I used it, but like mashed potatoes and canned veggies, I had found a tiny life hack in using instant meals.

"Montana fell again, Momma."

My five-year-old's voice cut through the air, forcing my eyes over to the small postcard that had fallen to the floor. I knew he was waiting for me to bend down to grab it and place it right where it had been, just like I always did, but I had hit my limit with that damn magnet.

"Maybe Montana needs to go, Bud."

"Mommm." Cruz rolled his eyes; they were whiskey-colored, like mine.

I withheld a smirk, waiting him out before gesturing at the fridge. "Colorado Springs is still up, and so is Mount Macon,that mountain town we want to go see in Oregon. Texas hasn't moved, and Disneyland is still intact. They deserve the fridge space, don't you think?"

Cruz sighed while getting up from his spot at the table. "Montana has horses."

That's right. I forgot how badly he wanted to see "Tana" when he was little after watching a few YouTube videos of some dream vacation spots. That's how we got into this whole postcard tradition. I ordered a postcard from every state that I wanted to visit with Cruz, and each day, we'd look at the fridge in hopes of fulfilling our trips.

Before I could grab the withered picture, my son bent down and curled his little fingers around it, bringing it to his face.

We didn't have religion or care much for politics or sports teams, but these postcards were our little symbol of hope. Seeing that it was becoming more of a tradition to him than to me, I sighed.

"I'll buy a stronger magnet."

My son smiled at me as if I had just hung the moon instead of an empty message with a faded image of a state I'd never been to on our fridge. My heart melted just like it always did.

"Maybe we can ask Lydia over at the office store."

An alert popped up, reminding me that my son's school was hosting an open house for kindergarteners later. While shooting a quick text to my friend, I abandoned my search for dinner ingredients because now we needed more than just magnets.

Me: Hey, Lydia, it's Wren. Do you guys have school supplies there, or is that a weird thing to buy at an office supply store?

The dots danced at the bottom of my screen, making me nervous. Lydia wasn't exactly a close friend, but she was the closest thing I had in Atlas.

Lydia: What do you mean by school supplies? Like calculators…or Play-Doh?

Cruz set his dishes in the sink and asked Alexa how much time he had left on his morning timer. I slid the milk back into the fridge and ensured all the dishes were put away before grabbing my cell again.

Me: As in, do you guys have a special back-to-school line or something, like every other store does in September?

Lydia: We're an office supply store, Wren. The only exciting month we celebrate is tax season, and occasionally, Christmas if we get in glitter pens.

I muttered a curse, quiet enough that Cruz didn't hear. I pulled up my work schedule and realized I had run out of time.

"Okay, we need to go, Peanut." I filled a travel mug with coffee and pulled open the drawer, holding my silverware, medicine measuring cups, and spatulas. I already knew I wouldn't find the lid inside, even if I did have time to sift through it. Which I didn't. Instead, I bumped the drawer closed with my hip and set my coffee by my purse.

Cruz was already pulling on his shoes, securing the Velcro strap. "Don't forget today's my last day!"

His little smile stretched, showing a row of baby teeth. He hadn't lost any yet, and I wasn't sure when he would start, butI wasn't ready for it. Just like I wasn't prepared for him to be finished with Mrs. Garza's in-home preschool.

I crouched in front of him and moved his hair aside. "Yep. Starting tomorrow, you'll be going to school like a big boy. Are you excited?"

I already knew he was, but I loved letting him tell me about it.

"Yes!" He gave a little jump, and suddenly, his arms were around my neck. I squeezed him tight and sat back to inspect him.

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