The Confused Easter Bunny

“Happy Easter, Munchkin!” was the first thing I said when middle guy answered the phone. “Mom, it’s bad … Dad forgot to hid the eggs, I woke up at 4:40 and saw that they were still on the table, so I hid them before I went back to sleep.” “There are no Easter baskets either” middle guy whispered in the phone. I could feel my anger rising but kept my tone happy and festive, she was watching my neck get splotchy and my ears get red as I spoke to each child. I kicked into Mommy mode suggesting that maybe the Easter bunny got all mixed up and left two baskets at our house, we would find out tonight when we got home. I then spoke to the adult in charge “What is wrong with you? You could not even remember to hide the eggs for the kids, our middle child had to cover for you!” “Wake up and pretend to have just a little interest in making Holidays exciting and fun for the Boys, thank god you have your sister to fall back on.”

We had breakfast then went on our own Easter hunt searching for a basket to put a duplicate together so that two out of three children don’t think that the Easter bunny forgot about them. Talk about feeling like an idiot running into multiple drugstore and supermarket chains to find a basket to fill on Easter. I think after our ninth stop we found a lonely basket that had seen better days, but it was better than nothing. We had plenty of candy at the castle and there was an insane amount of goodies waiting back on Long Island.

The drive back to Long Island was uneventful, while everyone was having their celebrations the roads were pretty clear and it was smooth sailing the entire route. We ran into the house to hide the eggs and prepare the second basket. I called the father to advise that we were home earlier than planned, his response was “thank god”. I thought that was odd, but then again he is an odd one. Twenty-five minutes later the boys were stomping up the stairs with happy meals in hand, no baskets. He was holding up the rear holding the boys dress clothes that I were way to clean to have been worn. There was not one smile in the group, I mouthed “what’s wrong” in the father’s direction.

“I didn’t feel like going to my sister’s house, and they have been miserable all day asking to go home.” Again the splotches started, my ears turned a bright red and thru gritted teeth I think it went something like this “You irresponsible selfish son of a bitch, from the get go on Thursday you did nothing but screw up, it’s no wonder they don’t like spending time with you. This entire extended weekend was at your request, I only consented because I knew your sister would make a really big deal about the Holiday and the kids would have fun, you forgot to hide the eggs, didn’t have the common sense to put a basket together and then decided to do nothing for the kids … GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!”

Once the door was shut and my breathing was back to normal I went into the kitchen to find the little guy still in his coat, happy meal in his lap and she was wiping his tears. “You are a very good boy, I think the Easter Bunny got mixed up, go look in the living room” she said holding back her own tears and anger. Because of Asperger’s Syndrome the big guy keeps most emotion to himself, he saw his little brother’s hurt, that cue allowed him to vent his own thoughts on this past weekend of disaster.

Smiles all around, there were eggs hidden EVERYWHERE, some were real others were plastic with money in them. Baskets with candy, books toys, markers and pens were dismantled all over the floor, what a mess. The happy meals were cold and forgotten so we tossed them in the garbage and decided on an indoor picnic instead. Middle guy came into the kitchen “Thanks mom, you are the best. You know he didn’t even color the eggs with us, I asked the lady upstairs to help me get everything set up and she helped us while dad slept Saturday afternoon.” I gave him the biggest hug and said, “Never again will I allow this to happen, you are stuck with her and I for always.”

Chocolate, Candy and The Promise

“Somebody must really love you!” the nosy receptionist said as she plopped the gigantic bulky box on my desk. I was trying to calm an irate client on the phone and now I was unable to see my computer screen due to this box, asking her to hold for a minute did not go over well. I tried to move the box with one hand and soon realized that it was pointless. As I glanced at the return address, I knew where this came from but finding out what was inside was going to have to wait, I could lose this client if I kept her on hold any longer. I had not realized that every busy body in the office had stopped what they were doing to give my delivery all of their attention. As I was finishing my phone conversation the queen nosy body was opening MY box! Once I pried my box out of her grubby hands I opened the box and inside were 15 smaller individually wrapped boxes with bows and handwritten cards attached to each one.

Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate, there had to be at least a 25 pound assortment of Easter themed candy. I did get quite a laugh at the box of chocolate covered nuts labeled especially for my coworkers. There were bunnies in canoes for the boys, fruit covered in chocolate, pretzels covered in chocolate, peanut butter cups, chocolate covered cherries, truffles and coconut covered in chocolate. Easily this was diabetes in a box.

Never had I received such a gift and I have to admit I was quite elated with the feeling of just being loved and being thought about. Having the nosy bodies at work rather jealous of my new relationship felt good too. They were all still getting past the flower deliveries I had received recently and they did not like that I was being tight lipped about the “details”. I refused to participate in the office gossip and I did not want to give them ammunition for their rumor mill.

I called my admirer while I was still blushing from the gift of chocolate overload. I was fighting off tears of happiness during my thank you, SHE cut me off and said “You deserve to have happiness”, that just made the tears fall a little easier. To this day I get embarrassed about receiving gifts, in a weird way I feel as if I don’t deserve it.

That night when I told her I had hidden the canoes and bunnies from the kids she did not agree. I explained that using that chocolate for Easter baskets would greatly help me out financially. She knew that the gift was greatly enjoyed and appreciated, that night I let my walls down a little more.

I’ve always prided myself in being a strong proud independent woman. I’ve always worked a full time job, sometimes as a single parent juggling a professional life and family life is a very difficult task. Keeping a home with all that entails along with food on the table can be considerably difficult with one salary. There are months that I don’t know how I did it, but I did. That night I allowed myself to lean on her, and it was that night that she promised that she would always be there for me, she has never let me down.