Yeah

I thought I was dreaming when I heard her mumble
“It’s your turn”
“Uh, yeah, sure”
then I felt the nudge
or more like a sharp jab to my lower back
“Get up!”
“Huh? What??”
and she turned over
pulling the covers as she was satisfied
that the crying would stop soon
but in case I had intentions of moving slower than I should
she added, “And hurry, that noise is keeping me up”

So I
with the aches and pains of age
swung my legs over the side of the bed and growled
“Yeah yeah yeah yeah”
and I move
slowly
to piss her off
and well
because I can’t move but so fast nowadays anyway
I make it to my feet
thinking . . . wondering
trying to figure out
why
why in the hell would we have another child
when the others are about to leave the roost

And as time gently moves forward
while I’m feeding her
I smile
but not because she’s beautiful
(and yes she’s beautiful)
but because she finally stopped crying