Rollercoaster

I remember going to the amusement park Lagoon in Salt Lake City when I was growing up.  There was a rickety roller coaster.  For some reason I allowed myself to be dragged onto it--I think more than once over the years--and every time I thought I was going to die and that riding that roller coaster was the worst thing that ever happened to me.

I don't like roller coasters.  I can't even watch the California Screamin' ride at Disneyland.  (I can't watch the Tea Cups either but that's a different story.)

I don't like roller coasters but I have a teenage driver and an over active imagination and that's almost as deadly a combination as that Lagoon roller coaster and me.

Last night I was making dinner which I usually like to do.  I was making a recipe that everyone loves which makes it an even better pursuit.  The house smelled good, Adam was on his way home, I was warm and safe.

Then, Adam walked in the door and told me about the horrific traffic.  He said there must have been an accident because there was a lot of traffic on a street he drove that usually doesn't have much traffic.

Braeden wasn't home yet.

And when I hear the word accident and my boy is out in the world, my heart stops a little bit.

It was past the time I was expecting Braeden to be home.  I grabbed my phone and tapped on the app that locates Braeden's phone.  (I always feel a little like Big Brother at such times.)

He couldn't be located.  His phone has been buggy lately.  Adam says he needs to get Braeden a new phone.  Maybe Adam just wants to go to the Apple store...

Anyway.  I wrung my hands a little.  Where was Braeden?  I don't like to call him or text him in case he's driving.  (I don't want to test my theory that he ignores phone calls and texts while driving I guess.)  I wrung my hands some more.  All the simple joy I was feeling minutes earlier had left.  I kept telling myself to relax.  I texted Braeden. 

No response.

I called him.

An automated voice told me that the phone didn't have a voice mail set up.  I don't think anyone ever calls Braeden anyway, texting is king.

I was ready to get in my van and go look for Braeden.  Adam told me the traffic was terrible.  He told me Braeden was fine.  He told me that just because Braeden's phone was dead, that didn't mean he was in an accident.

In my mind I protested that a dead phone didn't guarantee he was safe either.

I also decided that if he wasn't home soon I would go looking for him.  Even if it was on foot.  It's a well documented fact that I'm not a stable person when I'm worried about my children...

Then Braeden walked in the door.  "HelLO!" he called his familiar greeting.

Relief and gratitude all flooded back in and Braeden pulled me into his arms because he could see I was stressed and because this isn't his first rodeo.  He knows me.

"My phone died," he said.  There had been an accident and so a closed road and diverted traffic but also he'd stayed late to get his hair cut by his director.  "I knew you'd be worried, I'm sorry."

He hugged me several more times, probably until he could see the furrows in my forehead smooth themselves out.

I don't like roller coasters.