Caught in the act

How did I end up in this situation, I wonder while I try and hide the evidence before I get caught.

I quickly rush to my little one's room and find him watching Grizzly Bear and laughing. Watching him laugh makes my soul full, and suddenly, I remember why I came in to check on him. I tell him he can watch TV for another 30 minutes and walk out closing his room door behind me.

I tell myself that 30 minutes is enough for me to clear the scene.

I rush to the study to check on my dear hubby who is enjoying his favorite weekend dopamine-high work: checking financials and working on his spreadsheet. Usually,  I get upset that he gives so much attention to a spreadsheet than me. Today, I'm so glad he is distracted.

I close his door and rush back to the crime scene. I shouldn't label my innocent mistake as something drastic as a crime scene. But the situation demands. 

Now I have 20 minutes to clear the place and make it look like nothing happened. I get some garage bags start cleaning the bits and pieces with my bare hands and take the garage bag to the trash bin outside. 

I realize I need to vacuum this place before the boys find out. I quickly rush to the garage and get the vacuum. I come back to the scene and the evidence is scattered everywhere like glittering diamonds on the floor.

I hope and pray the vacuum noise won't get any attention from my boys. I wonder how they can hear this noise when they say they can't hear my screaming voice when I ask them to do something with their doors open. But I can't take chances today,

I use the vacuum quickly once, I stop, and go back to check whether they are coming. There are no movements from their room, doors are still locked. I go back to the kitchen and continue to do one more vacuum to make sure I don't leave any evidence. I feel proud that I can't see any bits for anyone to find out. I put something pretty to cover up on that empty space.

I put the vacuum back in the garage and go back to reading my book. After 20 minutes I hear my lil one calling me from the kitchen. 

"Mom!!! "

"MOMMMM!!" I can hear his voice closer as he is walking towards the living room.

I'm still in the living room, I answer back " What? !!" 

He goes "Did you break one of the squirrels?"

I pause for a minute before I answer  <Damn !! How did he know>

He runs to the living room and by then the hubby comes out of his room hearing Lil Boy's voice. This man doesn't like anyone raising the voice in the house. One thing I can never make him comfortable with is our voice going over 50 decibels, even after living with me for 19 years.

I tell myself to think, think, and come up with an explanation, but my mind goes blank, and I can't think of anything.

They both are looking at me for a response. Lil one repeats,

"Mom, did you break the squirrels and cover it up with a Lego??"

I'm like "No!! I don't know what you are talking about!"  I sound surprised.

He pulls me and walks towards the kitchen and he points to the "crime scene".

They both are now looking at me waiting for a response. I'm like "Okay! I can explain.."

<Think quickly I tell myself.. >

"Mom!" I hear a stern voice. I don't know whether to be proud that he is a mini-me with his voice and tone when he questions, but then I remember I'm in trouble now. I better give a good explanation. 

He walks to the bin and checks to see I threw it in there. Of course, there was no evidence I cleared it all. I know he won't go out and check the big garbage bin.

He looks at me again for an answer. 

Hubby looks at the floor and he gets suspicious. Because usually  I don't do the vacuum and he does it,  he finds it odd that the floor is super clean. He tells lil one "Mom broke it and cleaned it up. Look at the floor, it is super clean"

Ok.. it's time for me to go clean. "Guys I have to say something !! I was cleaning the bench top and dusting all the things on it and the little squirrel fell down and broke" looked guilty.

Lil one gives me a disappointing look and hubby grins wide as he finds something about his Always-Perfect wife who never makes any mistake caught in the act. 

I continue "Hey, look!! nothing happened to the other two squirrels in the pack"

Lil one goes " It is very disappointing Ma!, don't ever touch anything that is delicate in this house especially my Legos and my things!!"

I'm like "I'm sorry it broke, but it was a mistake.."

I continue " Hey, remember once it's broken we can't do much. There is no point in getting upset with me now and I'm sorry again"

Boys are giving me <How can you be so clumsy!!> Look. 

I walk away from them back to my book,  I can feel the four eyes staring at me.

This happened 4 years ago but I hear this incident quoted every time I want to help clean or dust lil one stuff. I'm banned from some parts of my own house.

Are you wondering what did I even break?  It's a mini Squirrel(you heard it right!!) - Aaryan and my mom bought it in Korea. It is not even the size of my nail. Oh well!! that's the life of a parent heh??

Have you ever been caught in the act?