Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56606 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56606 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
“J is Jacoby,” he chants back.
We are at the little table coloring for the morning. I’m not sure what is going on. Anna called me around five this morning and asked to drop Hollis off at my house. While it’s not uncommon for her to randomly need to leave him with me, this is unexpected because Dillon isn’t on a transport. In fact, he’s home. I know he will happily have his son anytime. Especially today, though, because he’s off from the garage. I’m not sure why she chose to bring him to me unless Dillon wasn’t home.
A twinge of curiosity mixes with dare I admit, jealousy at the thought of him staying out all night. Who was he with? Immediately, I push those thoughts down knowing it’s not my place to think like this.
Dillon has plans with Hollis today. He’s off and told me last night he would have his son today. Her phone call was surprising and not because of the hour of her contact, but because I know Dillon wants to have the day with his son. He likes to make the most of every bit of free time he has with his son. I was up exercising, it’s not like she woke me. I told her to bring him over. At this point, I keep extra clothes, have my own car seat, and everything. I can’t explain it, but somehow, we have this unique system amongst us, and it works. When Dillon is on a run for the club, I don’t bother Anna anymore. I used to try to narrow down a schedule and prepare to have Hollis or not. As time passed, I expect him and it’s okay. She drops Hollis off when Dillon leaves and he stays with me until Dillon’s return most of the time. Occasionally, Anna does keep him, but more often than not he’s with me. We have this weird dynamic of co-parenting even though he’s not my son.
“K is for kite,” I keep going with our song while my thoughts go around about his mom and if she’s okay today. Early on in this arrangement, she randomly dropped Hollis off. In the beginning, it was a day here or there and it was mostly because she would drop the baby off on Dillon at work. After she, I assume, got comfortable with me having him, the drop offs became more frequent. Now I see him almost on a schedule. I know when Dillon is off without a doubt I won’t have him. That makes this morning’s drop and dash odd. My curiosity is piqued to say the least.
I don’t know how to help Anna outside of taking him. There are people, even my own family, who ask why she struggles to be with him. I can’t answer that. What I can say, I see her love for him. It’s in her eyes. She doesn’t simply leave him anywhere with anyone. In the beginning, she only left him with Dillon, and it was on him to make arrangements. He’s particular about his son and she knows this. Now, if me or my mom aren’t available, Anna keeps him unless Dillon takes off. There are times when my mom has treatment, and I can’t keep him the entire time Anna needs me to. Anna does the best she can for him even if it means leaving him with us.
I am grateful for the bond we all have with Hollis. Even on the worst day of treatment side effects, Hollis makes my mom smile and gives her a reason not to drown in the hard time she is going through. Whatever is going on with Anna, I can’t explain. I just see a woman who is lost and trying to figure herself out. I have decided even though she doesn’t want a friendship in the conventional way, I’m going to support her the best I can. I don’t judge her. I accept where she is, and I take care of her son while she’s working out whatever she needs to.
“L is for lollopop,” Hollis singsongs back to me.
I smile at the way he always says lollipop. It never comes out right and I think it’s one of my favorite words he’s learned yet.
“M is for milk,” I continue on while we color.
This is our little alphabet song. One I made up and go over every day practically. I can only hope it helps him when he’s in school. The stuff they want kids to do going into even Kindergarten overwhelms me. At five most of them are reading independently or at least beginning to. Hollis is reading sight words, but to read sentences, well, we’re working on it. He does grasp context clues more and more each day. Understanding the alphabet, writing, context clues, the whole shebang, it's a task and requires focus and planning. Every day I try to integrate a little bit of stuff from colors, letters, numbers, counting, music, and more in hopes he can go to elementary school ready to absorb knowledge like a sponge.