Lit in Progress

Jeremy gave his mommy a hug, squeezing the rayon dress with his small hands until it crinkled like construction paper. She laughed; her ginger-colored hair brushed his ear and tickled. He was two, strong and tall for his age. He smiled a lot, showing his baby teeth and wrinkling his soft face.

She carried him to their Voyager and slid the door back. The carseat was in crooked; she sat Jer down on the floorboard. As she adjusted the seat Jer walked over to the other side door and pushed the window lever up and down. He pressed his hand flat against the glass, and looked at the outline of steam gathering around it. Since it was cold, he patted his hand on the glass and watched his fingermarks marr the steam outline.

His mommy leaned over the carseat and grabbed the back of his overalls, pulling him within reach. He laughed at that. She picked him up and set him into the seat, fastening him in like an astronaut. She talked but he didn’t understand what he said, but he replied “uh-huh” when she stopped so she would keep talking. She handed him his small toy truck, and slid the door closed as he bounced it up and down on the arm.

The other door opened and a breath of cool air came in, ruffling Jeremy’s curly orange hair. Mommy appeared in the mirror, putting on her sunglasses and pushing the key into its place. The car started buzzing nicely, like it did. She turned around and smiled at him, saying something else.

“Uh-huh!”

They were off.

Jake pulled at the padding on his arm rest. His mother was singing along with the radio, “Show me Your glory…” with a man’s voice that sounded like Jake’s daddy. He nodded his head in time with the music, feeling the low notes buzz in his chest.

He felt the straps as they pulled him sideways; his mom swerved and said something in a mad-voice. Then she gasped and pulled at the steering wheel again, and the belt pulled Jake, hard, the other way. His toy truck clacked as it tumbled fast across the floorboard.