REPARATIONS

"Okay, Mama, go put on your fancy jewelry and come and sit down," he said.

"What's going on, guys?" I ask, as I begin to thaw out some ground turkey for dinner.

"We can't tell you, except that..."

"Don't tell her, Saia!!"

"IT'S A PARTY!!!" she blurts out.

"A party?  What kind of party?" I ask.

"An I-love-you-thank-you-you're-the-best-mama-in-the-whole-wide-world party."  Yes, obviously, that was Mr. CharmAndSchmooze.

And then they anointed me with a crown, and tossed balloons and home-made confetti (still not quite sure what they cut up), gave me presents (magnets off the fridge, pictures of themselves, one of my lipsticks) that they'd wrapped up in ten pounds of scotch tape and decorated with stickers and glitter and beautiful pictures of our family.

And I cried.  And they swarmed me with hugs and kisses.  And then...

Then...

They even cleaned it all up.

And it was (almost) as if yesterday never happened.