There are two times in the week that I don’t like to be bothered. These times would be from 8:00-10:00 pm on Friday and Saturday (make note please). Ironically, these are precisely the two times people (particularly my children) want to talk to me. Last night was no different.

Around 8:00 Hayden was at work, the youngest was practicing her flute with a friend down the street and our middle was supposed to be shopping for a few things for Spirit Week at school. I settled in on the loveseat, turned the channel to Dateline, and prepared to solve the murder at Silver Lakes.

I began collecting clues by watching facial expressions. I noted unusual remarks. I was certain I knew who did it. Hallie, who was thankfully still shopping, sent me a text to let me know she was bringing home a surprise, not just any surprise but a CAPITAL LETTER SURPRISE.

I HAVE A SURPRISE FOR Y'ALL!

My curiosity  was mildly piqued. She was probably bringing home ice cream.

I reconcentrated my effort on the murder at hand. I knew The adulterous couple were in on the death, but who had cold-heartedly pulled the trigger? Just as the vital wiretapped conversation began to play, in walks Hallie with a command for me to close my eyes. (Of course it couldn’t happen during a commercial).

I could still listen to that all-important evidence pouring from the tapes. Or could I? Whatever surprise it was that Hallie was preparing close by in the kitchen, it required that she have the kitchen faucet on full blast... for minutes. I wanted to protest but felt I would seem ungrateful for the gift I was about to receive, so instead I funneled all of my focus onto the sound of the two star crossed lovers plotting murder.

That’s when I heard Jason in the kitchen joking that she was only allowed one pet at a time...that one pet had to eat the other, or something like that. That’s when I knew there was a mystery in my kitchen that I was unprepared for.

I got up from my spot and snuck into the kitchen to find a brightly decorated fishbowl inhabited by a snail named Gary and a tigerfish whose name I did not care to know. Mild frustration rose up inside me because not only did she not need more pets, she will not be awesome at taking care of said pets, nor did she ask me for pets. It might have mattered a little too that there was no surprise for me.

Determined to finish what I’d started I found my way back to the living room to ensure a conviction for those responsible for the Silver Lake murder. Thankfully justice was served and I went to bed.

This morning I peeked into Hallie’s room to find her new friends had settled in and that Hallie had listened to Jason’s advice warning her that Gary could easily escape.

Last night, despite distraction, I solved the murder of Robert Limon. This morning I’m being reminded of all the things my daughter (who’s a junior in high school) could have been doing last night.

Next year we’ll be spending a lot of our time planning for her leaving for college. Last night was an interruption. That’s really not such a bad thing after all.

Things are looking up up up with a fish. 

 

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