The Big Reveal

We had been waiting several months to tell Puck some exciting news, which we wrapped in the form of a photograph in a frame as a “belated birthday present”.

“When is my other birthday present coming?” he asked off and on throughout the week. “Can’t I open it now?”

But we told him to wait for Saturday, Crackers’ 3rd birthday.

First – there was the weekend rigamarole of Oxbear working out – probably a little too hard – in South City. He returned with more bruises forming on his arms. Puck and I shipped another load of books at the post office before meeting Oxbear to deal with more adoption papers. Then the boys lit out for home and a fast lunch while I drove Linnea-Irish to Lindenwood for Part 2 of Izzy’s capstone film shoot. Back home again to down my own lunch, and back out to Ladue for the official retirement party of the Head of School after 22 years of service: bagpipes, speeches, and mini cannolis. Then hit the library on the way back to drop off my book to feature in the local author’s bookcase.

Then. Finally. Puck took a seat at the table.

“Close your eyes,” I told him.

I slipped the small package wrapped in dark gold tissue paper onto the table. He began to read the card on top:

PUCK!

Inside this paper is a gift you’ve been asking about for a long time.

No, it’s not Legos or Minecraft or Calvin & Hobbes or Garfield.

But we think you’ll be pretty excited anyway.

Open on the count of three.

Uno… Dos… Tres…

Paper torn off.

“What? I didn’t ask for a picture frame.”

Ah, the silliness of boys. When we explained that the picture of the young boy in the frame was his new brother, Puck had to think for a few seconds. “Oh. … Can I play Minecraft now?”

About what I expected. Sometimes it takes awhile for the excitement and reality to measure.

However, after mulling it over a few minutes, he tacked on an addendum. “I thought it was going to take a long time, and now he’s finally coming back.”