Chapter 4: Kids say the darndest things
Waking up the kids before sunrise was a monstrous task in itself. Doing so on Sundays, well, it was next to impossible. This would be their last days of vacation before they flew out to Maryland and Annie was determined to make a trip down to the Smithsonian. Even if the museum wasn't a part of her real past, she would atleast have the false security of introducing the children to what their mother once was. That and meeting their father. She was nervous to break the news and reasonably so. Nadya asked the toughest questions.
"Why don't we visit dad in the hospital? Rena, my friend from camp, went to see her dad when he was sick".
"Your dad is in the military. He lives far away".
"Why can't we take the plane?"
Many a times, Annie had almost blurred out the truth. "He doesn't want to see us". Then again, she wasn't sure. So, she would bite her tongue and make up an excuse instead.
"Because he says kids should only see him when he is better. He wants to be healthy when he gets back. He will come home soon, I promise".
And no, the questions did not stop there. Ezra would join in enquiring details of Auggie's illness, his whereabouts, approximate time of return, the gifts Auggie planned to bring home to make up for the holidays he missed. A CIA interrogator could not hold a candle to the two toddlers asking very difficult questions.
"Ez, Nadi, babies wake up. Look, mummy is making blueberry pancakes. Sunshines get up now".
She sat on a bean bag observing their movements. A few minutes passed in silence. Finally, there was a tiny head springing up from underneath the bed sheets.
"What did you want to tell us last night mum?" A little girl questioned with a yawn.
"You get right to the point, don't you?" She scooped up Nadya in one arm and a still asleep Ezra in the other and placed them on the bathroom counter top.
They had developed a unique routine of slouching over the wash basin with body resting on the counter top in a yoga pose. Annie would either watch them move their Spiderman brushes around their teeth or take the time to make their beds. Mornings were her most priced hour, the only time she had with her children, uninterrupted.
Ezra half opened his eyes, placing a pea sized amount of shiny blue toothpaste on his brush. The bristles barely missed his nose as the toothbrush landed on his lips. Annie held his hand and brushed his teeth for him, hoping to get him out of the sleepy state.
"So, what do you two say to a bubble bath?"
She found herself pushing the talk as far back as she could. But the kids weren't having any more of the excuses.
"Tell us mummy, what did you want to talk about? I didn't sleep well worrying for you, you know?" Ezra suddenly shot up his eyes and focus his gaze toward his mother.
She flushed, sometimes Ez was a reflection of Auggie. Like right now, he could see through her soul with those squinted eyebrows and sincerity and love that only Auggie could mirror.
"I don't want you worrying. That's my job. I have good news, great news. Remember how I said daddy was going to be back soon?"
"Is he back?" Nadya questioned with excitement.
Now Annie had two innocent faces looking directly in to her brown eyes. A polygraph test sounded like a piece of cake now.
"Yes. But, you should know that he cannot see".
"Is he blind?"
"Yes, he got injured during war in Iraq".
"So, he is in the army hospital? Walter Reed?"
Ezra never missed an opportunity to sound smart. Annie had made sure the kids were exposed to new situations, ready for challenges and in her efforts to make them well rounded, she would send them to miscellaneous activities. Ezra would always pick up new words, expressions, facts. He was a born nerd just like Auggie.
"Yes. Now, he is coming home".
"Does he come with us to Maryland?" Nadya was a class apart when it came to squeezing the facts out of Annie. Now what would she say to that?
"I don't know love. He works here but we can ask him".
"Do you think he will get mad?"
The girl was almost scared of continuing.
"No, no love. He your dad. He won't get mad with his little girl".
"What about me?" Ezra chimed in.
"You are his baby. He will be happy to see you Ez".
Annie directed the children to the bath water she had prepared.
"I am going to sit at the edge of the tub. You two hurry up. We need to eat before Auggie gets here".
"Why do you call him Auggie, mummy?" Nadya was overly curious when it came to her dad.
"Because that's his nickname".
"We call you mummy because you are our mummy".
"Yes", Annie had no idea where this was going but, an unknowing smile appeared on her lips. Kids says the darndest things.
"We call dad, dad because he is dad".
"Yes".
"Then, why do you not call dad husband? Isn't he your husband?"
They had never discussed the wedding question as far as Annie could recall. She crossed her heart and hoped the conversation did not lead to "where do babies come from?" As long as they stayed away from the birds and the bees, Annie was still mildly confident about her parenting abilities.
"Well, daddy and I were going to get married but he had to go to Iraq. Then, he got sick so we couldn't have a wedding".
"That's sad". Nadya lifted up he arms wanting to be toweled off.
"But, since we got the two of you, there is nothing to be sad about".
"So, are you going to get married now?" Ezra jumped in at the last minute. Annie could hardly wait until bath time was over. She sent a silent prayer to the cable company hoping for some distracting cartoon to be on. She could not bear any more of the kids' dangerous truths.
"We can talk after breakfast, okay? Daddy will be here any minute".
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