Toilet Spider

Puck stared down at the unbuttoned button on his uniform khakis. Then he looked back up at me.

“Houstace, we have a problem. These pants are too small.”

“Houstace, huh?”

“Yup.”

Since we had to leave for school in ten minutes, we made them fit. But the kid is a weed.

That evening after another full day of everything nine-year-old-boy and three-year-old-boy, I dunked Yali in the tub. Meanwhile, Puck yelled at me from the other bathroom.

“MOM! CAN YOU COME CHECK THE BATHROOM FOR ME FIRST!”

“What’s wrong, Puck?”

“I NEED YOU TO SEE IF THERE’S A TOILET SPIDER IN HERE BEFORE I USE THE BATHROOM!”

I looked back at Yali, slurping bath water like it was apple juice.

“Come watch your brother in here while I check.”

There was no toilet spider.

The evening was winding down. After soft tacos, Puck resumed homework at his desk. Just a few more distractions before getting to it.

“MOM! COME CHECK OUT MY NEW TOE HAIRS! I’M GETTING OLDER!”