193. Stranded (1)

It is 6:30 AM and I am still trying to figure out what day it is and what work looks like when the phone lights up. I look and see family call. Too early. I must have made a mistake and pressed something by error with my clumsy sleepy fingers. I cancel the call, worrying that I might have disturbed someone.

I get up and go through the motions: bathroom, wake Baby up, breakfast. At breakfast I feel a little pang of guilt and pick up the phone to check my call history. I am still sleepy and peer into the phone trying to work out what's happened. Then my hair stands on my head as I just realise that there has been a family call. Panic is rising within me. To stop it getting the better of me, I press call. And I wait. Not so patiently. Soon the phone kicks into action and I see my husband and our eldest daughter (Miss Traveller now) deep in conversation already. They both seem fine even if it is a little worrying to see my husband in his working clothes accepting a call from his daughter. I listen in. 

'How many times have I told you?' My husband is saying. He does not sound cross (which is worrying) and he doesn't look annoyed (which is even more worrying). He is at his desk and he is speaking in his teaching life lessons voice. 

'How many times have I open the bonnet to show you?'

Our daughter, normally quick to answer back, is just listening. I am getting really worried now. What on earth is going on? It goes on.

'Did you check the oil level? Did you check the water level?'

Our daughter is shaking her head. My husband is shaking his head. I am scratching mine.

'I did tell you: never ever drive a car without opening the car bonnet to look at the engine, without checking the oil level, the water, the tyre pressure! Did I not tell you? What was the point of me telling you?'

I can relate to that. It's just like me spending a whole year teaching stuff to kids and they get to the exam and they dont remember a thing. 

'Yeah. You did. I remember now. Thanks. I'll let you know.' And quickly. 'Hi mum!' 

A smile and she's gone.

Why on earth are these two talking across one continent and one ocean about oil levels and car bonnets at 6 AM in the morning.

I call my husband right back.