I heard a message on my answering machine after returning home from a 1-hour grocery errand. The first message seemed to be from J calling my name a few times and hanging up after not knowing what to say. The second message was from the school administrator who said that J wasn't able to find his lunchbox and he couldn't eat the school lunches because of food allergies. I listened to the machine 30 minutes after so my heart raced as I dialed back to the school and spoke to L, the admin. I told her that I'd be right there in a few minutes with fresh lunch.
I got there with a tiffin box, hot rice (because I had forgotten to turn off the rice cooker) and whatever that I cooked for them that morning. Jin came in shortly after and refused to eat. He claimed he was not hungry. Then, I asked him if he checked his bag, at which point, he cocked his head to one side (like all puppies do when they are confused) and looked at me sheepishly with one finger to his chin and replied, "I'm not sure." So, we tried to persuade him to take the new lunch with him so he could eat it during the next recess but no, he would not be budged. The admin admonished him, "That was not very nice. Your mom brought your lunch over here for you."
I picked him up that afternoon but before I could relay how his little hoo-ha had interrupted my day, he quickly apologized, "I know! I know! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" I was surprised because he recognized guilt and perhaps, embarrassment. L had never experienced that so I was speechless for a minute. It felt wonderful just to have a normal reaction from J. Such moments allow me to feel the 'normalcy' of parenthood ... something I truly treasure because they are rare, few and far between.
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