“Lily, we need you to come in to work right away.”
Lily sat on the edge of her bed with one leg trying to wriggle into her pantyhose with her Blackberry clamped between her ear and her shoulder.
“Sandy, I’m on my way out the door for church. Can’t you get someone else? What about Darlene; she’s always looking for more hours.”
“Darlene will be here.”
“Well, what do you need me for? The clients will be on family visits.”
“Lily, I am not at liberty to discuss this over the phone. We are having an emergency staff meeting while the clients are out and you need to be here.”
“Do you mind if I bring the kids?”
“I wouldn’t.”
“Sandy, what’s going on?”
“Lily, I’ll see you as soon as you can get here.”
Lily called the kids to her room.
“I’m sorry, Darlings. I have to run in to work for a bit.”
“What for?” asked Jared. He was already surly because his tie wouldn’t tie.
“I don’t know, Jared. I’ll be home as quick as I can.”
“How are we supposed to get to church?”
“I guess you’re not going unless I get back in time for you to go to Primary.”
“I HATE walking in late. You know that!” Jared fumed
“Jared! It can’t be helped! Now you ease up off my back and eat some cereal. I’ll be back as quick as I can.”
“It’s okay, Mommy, I understand.”
“Frigging Kiss up.”
“Mom!”
“Jared! Go to your room. No Game Cube Boy Thing”
“Play Station, Geez!”
“Whatever! You know what I mean.”
“Anna, go to your room.”
“Why?”
“To stay away from Jared.”
“There’s nothing to do.”
“Read your Book of Mormon Stories.”
“Okay Momma. Can I color?”
“Crayons or pencils. No markers. No paint.”
“Okay.”
“I gotta go. Love you. Kiss kiss hug hug. Don’t answer the phone or the door.”
“We know. We’re not fricking retarded.”
“Don’t say ‘fricking’. It’s ugly. And don’t say ‘retarded’.”
“Okay, we’re not developmentally disabled.”
“Jared, do you need to spend a day with the developmentally disabled? I’m sure Aunt Azalea could use a hand with Susie. Or maybe you’d like to come to work with me some night.”
“I wasn’t talking about Susie.”
“Yes, you were. You just didn’t think before you spoke. Now go to your room. I don’t want to see you right now.”
“Well, go to work and you won’t see me.”
“How long would you like to be without the Play Station?”
Defeated, she started the Vista and headed to work. Jared knew which buttons to push. He was so angry these days. He didn’t seem to have a civil word for anybody. At least their little tiff had distracted Lily from thinking about what was waiting for her at work. Had something happened to one of the clients? Had somebody gotten the wrong medication? Had one of them died? Or was this just a random check to make sure I’s were dotted and T’s were crossed? She pulled into the driveway of the townhouse that served as headquarters for Capable Living. It was a series of apartments in a housing development in which developmentally disabled adults lived, with the help of care givers like Lily, amongst average neighbors with SUV’s and Weber grills.