I left the school with a stack of forms in one hand and a happy son in the other. I was so proud of him! I wanted to take him for ice cream, but I knew that wasn’t a good idea.

We retreated to the safety of home. He ran to his room to play and I sat down at the table with the forms. I decided to ride this wave of euphoria and begin enrolling Jay. I put on my favorite CD and took the cap off a pen.

A little while later I looked up and realized I hadn’t heard Jay for a while. I called for him and looked in his room. I didn’t see him. Sometimes he goes to the bathroom and hides. I look there. Nope. I wandered all around the tiny house and called his name. I began to worry. I looked behind furniture, under beds, and really began to think that he had escaped outside. I went to his room with the best view of the backyard, and he wasn’t there. As I turned, I saw a lump of blankets in the closet. I touched it.

Something solid.

Jay.

He was fast asleep. I blew out a long breath I didn’t realize I was holding.