After finishing my snack, I drifted off to sleep without even realizing it. Exhaustion must have finally claimed me.
When I eventually woke, the house was filled with the familiar sounds of dinner time. Both Mom and Grandma had returned home. Grandma was occupied with something outside, while Mom was busy in the kitchen.
"It's been such a long day," I heard Mom sigh.
"I picked up something from the market for dinner."
"Make sure you give the white spaghetti to Elena," Grandma called out, her voice raised just enough to carry from the yard.
"You and I can have the red sauce. She loves the white one."
"Yeah, yeah, I know, you old 'granny nanny,'
Mom teased back. It was her usual way of poking fun whenever Grandma leaped to my defense.
I emerged from my room and headed straight for the kitchen to claim my meal. The spaghetti tasted especially wonderful that night. My day off had vanished in the blink of an eye, and soon enough, we were swept up in our usual evening chores. As we settled in for the night, Mom and Grandma began chatting about random things that didn't concern me. My mind was already racing ahead to tomorrow.
To an outsider, I probably seem perpetually busy, but that is simply the rhythm of my life.That night, just like the afternoon, sleep took me by surprise while I was still scrolling through my phone.