Unexpected Visitors

My eyes still feel heavy with sleep as I stand with bare, warm bed-feet on the hard, cold tile in my kitchen. I have before me a loaf of whole wheat bread and various fixings for sandwiches. Texas Homeboy's been up since 4am, but I can't get up before 6am, it just isn't humanly possible. One child, Donny, my 11 yr old, is awake and in the shower while the younger one, Remy, who's 6, still sleeps.

Come on brain, start moving. Let's see, Donny likes lettuce on his turkey sandwich, Remy only wants meat and mayo. Donny gets grapes in his lunchbox but Remy prefers strawberry applesauce. My hands automatically go through the motions of cutting halves and stuffing things in Ziploc bags, but I have to think harder to make sure I get the right stuff into the right lunchbox. I've made that mistake before.

The dog won't go outside for her morning pee because it's raining. She doesn't like to get wet. But she loves to swim. Explain this to me?! It's gonna be a long day for Annie if she keeps holding it in.

I hear Donny get out of the shower, and Texas Homeboy leaves for his long commute to Big D. I finish up the lunchboxes and hear my father getting into his shower when the doorbell rings. It's not even 7am, people. This is weird. It could be my dad's ride, showing up early, I guess.

But, to my surprise, I find three strange figures at the door. I open the door slowly and stare.

"We're the Hormone Brothers," one says loudly, seemingly complaining I don't recognize them.

I don't.

One is tall and geeky looking, it's face covered in acne, shyly hiding behind the other two.

The one who complained is dressed in loud colors and sports a dramatic hairstyle. It pouts and swings it's arms wildly when it talks.

The third worries me the most. It's dressed all in black and seems brooding and quiet...menacing almost.

"Please go away," I say. "I'm not ready for you yet."

The brooding one says, "You won't have a choice."
The dramatic one adds, "You NEED to get ready."
The geeky one mumbles, "Please, if you don't mind, we'll be back."

And they turn as a group and saunter off, the dramtic one leading the way, the brooding one flips me off.

I gasp in horror and quickly shut and lock the door.

"Mama, who was that?" I hear Donny ask from the den.

He's watching The Simpsons while he eats breakfast. He reminds me that he will take the bus home today, and he wants to go to the bookstore after school to get the next book in the series he is reading. I walk over and ruffle his hair. My eyes tear up. He's still my Donny but for how long? I know the hormone brothers will return. I need a plan how to deal with them. I need plans, more plans, and backup plans. Preparation. They've introduced themselves and surprised me, but next time I will be ready.