Chapter 5 - Lizzy Started Asking for Food at My Apartment
The first thing I noticed was:
hunger.
Lizzy came to stay with me one Saturday when she was five.
I made:
pancakes.
She ate:
four.
Then asked:
“Can I have toast?”
I smiled.
“Still hungry?”
“Yes.”
Toast.
Then:
banana.
Later:
crackers.
I called Mom.
“Does she always eat like this?”
Gloria sighed.
“She’s going through a phase.”
“Growth spurt?”
“Manipulation.”
I laughed.
“What?”
“She says she’s hungry every five minutes.”
“She’s five.”
“She eats when she’s bored.”
I looked at Lizzy.
She was sitting on my rug quietly feeding crackers to:
her stuffed bear.
Not exactly running wild.
I said:
“Maybe give her more at meals?”
Mom snapped:
“You want to raise her?”
The sentence was so sharp I immediately retreated.
“No.”
“I’m asking.”
“Well don’t.”
There.
A boundary.
Or threat.
I chose to interpret it as:
stress.
May you like
That was easier.
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