Friday, June 17, 2011

I'm Still Paying Attention

When I took out my wallet to pay for Sister's birthday breakfast, I realized that the change I had received yesterday was missing. I didn't like the implications of that discovery, and tried to think of some other explanation for it not being there: Had I put it some place other than my wallet? Had I spent it some place else? Had I left my wallet or purse unzipped and it had fallen out? Unfortunately, none of those explanations seemed likely, and I couldn't come up with a likely one. My worst fears were confirmed when I received a text message from Daughter. '
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3:43 p.m. Daughter: just to let you know i done shopping with my group and i spent 5 dollors all together from my pocket change and two dollors from group
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3:44 p.m. Me: And what about the money you took from my purse?
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3:50 p.m. Daughter: to be honest i did not take money from u its true
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3:50 p.m. Me: Then who took it?
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3:54 p.m. Daughter: i only toke 2 dolloors mom and they r still in wallet
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3:54 p.m. Me: More than that is missing
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3:57 p.m. Daughter: i will pay you back and i am sorrythat i lied can u 4give me
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3:58 p.m. Me: Yes.
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At 4:53 she sent an unrelated text to see if I was still speaking to her.
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She is going to a movie tonight with one of the saints. She came home and after apologizing, announced she'd cancel it. I told her she'd still go. I determine consequences. She will have to earn the money to pay me back. I sent her in to clean her room, where she will discover the new socks, underwear, and pj's I bought her at the outlet mall today. She will tell me she doesn't deserve them. I will tell her I bought them because she needs new ones, and it's not about deserving them. Hopefully she will realize that I'm still committed to her, even when she's being a pain. She'll wallow in her guilt for a while. She'll try to convince me how miserable she is and how hard she's punishing herself.
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It won't change what she's done. She's going to the movie tonight because I want a quiet evening at home. My purse is locked up in my bedroom again. I don't like living like this. I need the break, so she's going to the movie. She may not deserve it, but I do.

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