It only took a few minutes
we were in the same room
divided by the couch
I was making lunch
and couldn’t see you
but I heard you humming
when I walked over
at first I couldn’t see your sister
wondered if I’d left her upstairs
but then I saw them move
a mound of tea towels
I checked that she was breathing
and then demanded to know
what you were doing
to which you explained
about the pancake party
I tried to enunciate
the part about what did pancakes
have to do with tea towels
which made you get that patient face
where you wonder how
you got a mom so slow
they’re Band-Aids
it’s a theme party
I must have looked mad
because you looked guilty
and I felt better that at least
we’d logged a good lesson
about smothering
until you said softly
sorry mama
that we didn’t
invite you.