tick.tock

wandering around family fare
after having to unload 
all three 
of the kids
into the 
starbucks bathroom 
next door
so one kid could 
go potty
than the other 
had to go too
and bitty is gumming the 
van key 
in her hefty car seat.
one washes hands
has to use the soap,
drops of city water are left 
in his wake.
next in line 
has to wash her hands too
can't reach the soap-
i tell her to forget it,
and back through the revolving doors 
we go,
me and my caravan of 
brown eyes
and scuttlle of boots.
we somehow make it 
inside family fare,
lots of stern warnings 
and firm reminders 
of what the expectation is.
the little people 
assure me 
they promise to 
do their best.
oldest then 
retracts his promise
just in case he breaks it.
gulp.
i understand the time is ticking
tick tock
tick tock
i reach for baby food
and wet wipes for sensitive skin
as my oldest is 
bounding up and down the aisles
asking me question 
after question
i can tell my arm pits are 
beginning to 
sweat.
i throw an impulsive 
eye liner buy
into the cart.
baby is gnawing on an empty bottle
she stares at me 
with a glint of anger 
in her eyes
tick tock 
tick tock
i throw in pasta sauce and 
hazelnut creamer  
into the cart
komali holds her pointer finger 
up to me
as if it's a prize
thick red blood quietly drips.
she has cut herself on a 
guitar string
belonging to a stringed instrument 
standing proudly
in the wine section,
i don't know what they have in common
or why she touched it in the first place
but i am hyperventilating 
inside my green jacket.
we make our way to the dairy section,
i forgot milk
i try and make haste
but i fear i am losing it myself
tick tock
tick tock
drip drip drip
red gets smeared against her purple coat
and in desperation i tell her just to
lick it until it comes back
and then repeat--
then 
there he is.
out of nowhere my beautiful wonderful
husband appears
and i let out a yelp,
a sigh of relief.
he is always coming to 
my rescue
it never gets old,
him surprising me like that.
i plow right into his arms
and breathe the first 
complete 
breath
since the last one
in the starbucks bathroom.
he immediately brings 
with him
shalom and order
and i wander off to go look at the tea,
he takes all the kids 
little bloody finger and all
in search for deli meat
for ben's school 
lunch
tommorow...