She started the night in our bed last night, saying, "I always sleep the best with my Mommy." I rubbed her back until she was still. I slept fitfully, imagining her lost in the melee of magnet buses at unfamiliar high schools. It all went fine. She woke at 5:30 and was through glamorizing before 6. That left plenty of time for her "Baby Bagel" with cream cheese and sips of orange juice. She texted all the way to the high school, having little to say to me. When the time came to get out, she wanted me to wait with her and see that she found the right bus. I even helped her introduce herself to a nice girl, Kaitlyn, a visual arts major. They both like the front of the bus, they agreed, so let's sit together. The buses started pulling in, and she spotted #595 as it came around the corner. Boys with facial hair boarded that bus! She allowed me the picture, and even waved through the window as I walked off. I waited until I got to the car to cry.
