Morning Hug

It is four in the morning. I check my phone and turn off the alarm just as it is about to ring. I have been awake for several minutes, looking out the window at the white stucco house across the street and waiting for it to be four and now it is. My husband is sleeping.

I go to the bathroom and while I am sitting on the toilet, I put on the clothes I laid out on the floor the night before. Underwear, socks, blue jeans, bra, black pullover, black hoodie. I stand up and zip up my pants, wash my face, and brush my teeth. I wet a brush and tame my hair. Then I look for earrings. I put in the small silver hoops with a tiny row of diamonds but then decide I shouldn’t be wearing diamonds to an emergency warming room for homeless people. It’s…