Lucky Me

The baby was crazy; her mother was convinced of it.

“No sit! Sit!” Leah shrieked; eyes wild, black curls haywire as she let her displeasure with dinnertime be known. The cheerios that were supposed to be eaten were instead flying across the kitchen. Her harried single mother tried everything-pleading, cajoling, bribing. It was to no avail.

“No no no no no no no!”

“Fine kiddo, have it your way.” Letting out a loud huff, the mother slammed the high chair tray down and left the room, tears of frustration pricking behind her eyes.

CRASH!!

The mother turned around and screamed. There was her baby, lying immobile amongst the cereal on the floor, the high-chair tipped over, the wooden table-top cracked. She rushed over, too shocked to cry, and gathered her daughter in her arms. Leah began to stir. She blinked up at her mother, trying to get her bearings. The mother watched as the impact of the jump hit Leah. Her lips began to quiver, her fists closed up, her head tilted back and she started to wail.

Hugging her baby tight to her chest the mother whispered “Shhhh baby it’ll be ok. Don’t you worry, mama’s got you.”

The next few hours passed in a blur of doctors’ offices and concerned nurses. Finally, the physician approached them with the verdict.

“She’s lucky,” he explained in a tone of voice that hinted at his detachment. “That kid has a hard head.”

Letting out a soft sigh of relief, the mother grabbed the discharge papers and scooped up Leah. They were ambling toward the mini-van when Leah blinked her big blue eyes spoke up for the first time in hours.

“Mama?”

“Yes, Leah?”

“Hungry.”