Shhhh

Shhh. Our son is home from college for the night. This afternoon he negotiated on his bike from dorm to light rail station to his occasional job off campus. His shift ended too late to safely reverse those steps, so we offered to pick him up and return him to campus. Or home. His choice. Only a week in, it's an awkward return -- no toothbrush, not enough pillows, his room still disheveled from his recent departure. His sister welcomes best -- waiting up for the briefest glimpse, glad he's home to eat the muffins she'd baked. It's my equivalent of a school night as I make a list of loose ends for tomorrow's full morning of rally day activities at church. My desire to stay up and listen is thwarted by his weariness and my own. I'll be up and out of the house before he wakes tomorrow. He'll be long gone by the time I return. Shhhh.