When it really matters

I could probably give my usual lengthy back story to introduce this tale, but it's getting late and I am tired, so let's just cut to the chase...

Setting: 3 hours into our four hour trip home from spending the weekend downstate. I breathe a little sigh of relief that we are on the final leg, while also marveling at what swell time we were making...and...action...

I heard a sound I should not have heard coming from what I hoped was not our car, but it was. Then the grumbling sound quickly seemed to snap and get louder and more angry. Yikes! I pulled off the road as quickly as I could (considering NYS Thruway traffic was going 80), put the car in park and turned it off really fast.

My copilot son said nothing, as I slowly turned around expecting to see a face full of tears on my girl. Surprisingly, she just looked back at me completely calm. I thought a tire had blown perhaps (the reason I thought this would have been explained in the omitted background details), but my quick scan around the car showed no such thing. The girl heard the sound in the back, the boy says he heard a hiss and I thought I heard it under the hood, so we're pretty clear on those aspects of the incident.

I called AAA, and was told to anticipate up to a thirty minute wait for assistance. I dreaded passing this news on to my two passengers. They remained unphased as they heard me report the timeframe to whoever it was I called first. We just chatted like nothing in particular was going on. Mind you, we hadn't talked much at all for the previous three hours.

It wasn't an ideal situation, but this is how I decided we would travel the last 70 miles home...It was almost 80 degrees out, and the cab of that truck didn't seem to have functioning air conditioning. It wasn't exactly a smooth ride either. The kids said nothing about it, and smiled with reassurance every time I glanced back at them. I was tired and thirsty and hot. I know they were as well, but they said they were fine.

When we got to the repair place (yes, it might look like I just had him bring me to the liquor store), the kids sat in the shade and continued to smile, so I smiled back. We emptied our van into my aunt's car when she arrived to pick us up. Everyone carried what they could without complaining. Not a word was uttered about that crappy ride until relief was within steps.

These are the same children who can barely get their dirty clothes into the hamper, put a dish in the dishwasher, practice an instrument for five minutes, or answer more than three stupid mom questions without losing their patience. I am the same woman who has nearly had a full blown panic attack sitting in traffic, has ranted and raved at the way other folks drive, and has generally lost her cookies over some simple little things. Plus, the husband, who is away on business, is the man who rarely answers a text or checks in during the day.

But today? Today we held it together like champs, got back safely, had friends feed us dinner and now get to look back on a weekend full of great stuff! Plus, the husband was calling before I even realized my son had sent him a text.

Tomorrow I will have to go find out what that evil noise was, and how much it will cost to make it go away, but that is Monday business. It has nothing to do with my weekend!