NaPoWriMo Day 6: Date Night

He came down the stairs

In jeans and a smart t-shirt

I’d almost forgotten

What outdoor clothes looked like

Didn’t we live in

Comfies now?

Loungewear and PJs?

“Date night!” he exclaims!

And I clap in delight.

Such a thing, to be treated like this

To be given thought and attention

To be dressed up for

With nowhere to go.

So I snuck upstairs

And shucked my shameful shorts and vest

And found the stretchy dress

Forgiving to my figure

Of which I’m not ashamed,

Not at all,

But I knew the look I was going for

And I dug out my favourite earrings

And I tucked my protesting hair back

Into a half-up, half-down

Fae-like do

And sauntered back downstairs

Hovering in the doorway

Until noticed.

“Isn’t mummy pretty?”

He says to the star-eyed toddler

She’s more interested in the bricks

And that’s okay.

Date night never really happened.

All dressed up, and somewhere to stay

But the toddler got cranky and then poorly

So, the carefully crafted culinary treats

Dried out in the oven

And the stretchy dress

Helped in dashing up and down the stairs

The mountain climb of hope and healing

For our wee baby.