Cupcakes and other small compensations

My little one doesn't like it when I work late. She calls me at the office and complains.

"I miss you mommy," she says, in a voice that sends me running to the Swedish bakery down the street to assuage my guilt.

When she calls again I have good news.  "Cupcakes,"  I tell her. "With orange and black icing and little Halloween charms on top."

When I get home, she is already in bed.  Not quite asleep. But close.  "Cupcakes?" she asks. "Not now," I say. "Tomorrow."  She is too sleepy to argue.

This morning I go to wake her up for school.  It is never easy.  Eventually she opens her eyes and focuses. Then, as if the past ten hours had elapsed in a blink, she smiles and picks up the conversation right where we left off. 

"Cupcakes," she says.

Comments

[Paulita]

Punished by rewards. When she feels lonely and reaches for the cupcake, we'll know who to blame, won't we?

[Executive Suburbanite]

Working late? First, what the hell is going on? Are you not able to edit a bunch of college students and get home at a decent hour? Secondly, after 12 years at home waiting on them, you hardly should feel guilty. They need to buck up.

[suburban kamikaze]

I have very high standards.