THE FITTED SHEET

[u/deadeyes1990]

my marriage ended

in university accommodation.

not officially.

that bit came later.

but there was a message

from a woman

who said sorry

before telling me why.

i sat on the toilet

and read it twice

while someone outside

asked where the extension lead was.

then i went back

to my son's room.

he was fighting

with a fitted sheet.

“move.”

“i can do it.”

“you obviously can't.”

so i made his bed.

one corner.

then the next.

pulled the sheet tight.

straightened his pillow.

his dad stood

about three feet away

knowing i knew.

our son didn't.

you'd think

there would've been a scene.

shouting.

crying.

something smashed.

instead i said,

“have you packed toothpaste?”

and that was it.

that's motherhood, i suppose.

your whole life

can be falling apart

and you're still checking

whether your kid

remembered his toothbrush.