Lonely

Every morning and every afternoon, I have a companion for the car ride into work. I take Maddy to her aunt's every morning before I go to work. Some mornings she's mellow and just hums along to the music. Other days, I can barely get a word in edgewise with all the yammering she does. Some days I love it, some days I tolerate, and even other days; I hate it.

Today, she had a day off school. I drove to work all alone. I got there earlier than I normally do and got a bunch of stuff taken care of before my students arrived. I got to listen to the radio in peace; even laughed at some of the crazy antics of the djs on the morning show I listen to. Same thing on the ride home.

Except.

Except it didn't hold the allure I thought it would. The van felt big and empty without Maddy there to help fill it up. She fills it up with laughter, words, songs, gripes, whines, giggles, gossip and dramatizations. Today, it was empty.

I was lonely.