The Denver Cereal by Claudia Hall Christian Read Free Book Online

another animal.
    After a quick stop at
Monkey Island, Katy pointed her finger and ran to watch the
penguins eat lunch. Katy’s mind, and conversation, bounced from
topic to topic. She was fascinated with Bear Mountain, but the apes
scared her a little bit. She stood against the Plexiglas barrier
while an ape stood to watch her. Backing away from the Plexiglas
and the ape, Katy cried for the ape behind the glass. While Jill
comforted her soft hearted daughter, Jacob bought tickets for the
train. The laughing ride on the train cured all ape-related
problems.
    Stepping off the train,
Katy said, “I have to go potty, Mommy.”
    And Jill froze.
    Katy took forever in the
bathroom. She did everything BUT go potty. Every public restroom
trip was at least a fifteen-minute procedure. When Jill and Katy
were alone, Jill marveled at the songs, conversation and general
observations Katy made in the restroom.
    But when Trevor was with
them?
    He was furious. “Why
doesn’t she just go?” or “What kind of a mother are you to let her
take so long?” She tried to explain that there were always other
mothers camped out waiting for their three- or four-year-olds. But
Trevor insisted Katy was manipulating Jill to purposely disrupt his
life.
    More than once, he left
them. Jill and Katy had to take the bus home from the zoo or the
Rockies game. When they got home, Jill would lock Katy in her room
so Katy wouldn’t have to witness Trevor scream at Jill.
    “ What happened?” Jacob
touched Jill’s arm.
    “ Katy has to use the
restroom,” Jill said. “I’m really, really sorry. She takes forever
and . . .”
    “ I wondered where it came
from,” Jacob said.
    “ What?” Jill was so
surprised by his statement that she jerked out of her
Trevor-related panic.
    “ Well, as a guy, you wait
forever for women in the bathroom. Waiting for Valerie? My sister?
I’d practically evolve into a new species before she came out
again.” Jacob smiled. “I didn’t realize three-year-olds curled
their hair. Does Katy have a propane curling iron too?”
    Jill couldn’t help but
laugh. She shook her head. “A new species?”
    “ You’ll see. You’ll have
the opportunity to wait for Val and you’ll know what I mean.” Jacob
laughed. “How about this? I’ll sit right here and you guys can go
in.”
    “ Will you be
here . . .?”
    “ There is no chance, not
one, of me ending this non-date,” Jacob smiled. “I’m having a great
time!”
    “ Me too,” Jill
said.
    “ I might get some food. Do
you want anything?”
    “ French fries! French
fries!” Katy said.
    “ Anything else?” Jacob
asked.
    “ We can share a hamburger
or chicken strips,” Jill said. “There’s juice and water in the
backpack.”
    She pointed to her
backpack, which he had insisted on wearing.
    “ I wondered what felt cool
on my back!” Jacob said. “I’ll meet you here.”
    With one last look at
Jacob, Jill and Katy went into the restroom. And Katy took forever.
Using this time as alone time with her mother, Katy reviewed all
the animals she had seen and the ones she wanted to see. She asked
questions about Jacob. Miraculously, Katy even went potty. After a
quick hand washing, they were out the door.
    Jill scanned the area for
Jacob.
    He wasn’t
there.
    Jill had to bite her lip
to keep from crying. The one moment she let her guard down to have
a good time, look what happened? He left.
    Feeling Katy tug her hand,
she looked down to see Katy pointing. Jacob sat at a table talking
to two octogenarian zoo volunteers. Jill hadn’t seen him behind the
volunteers. She felt a wave of relief.
    “ Here she is!” the elderly
man said. He kneeled down to Katy’s level. “How are you, Katy? I’m
Edward and this is my wife, Mary.”
    Katy shook his extended
hand.
    “ I bet you’re hungry,”
Edward said standing. “We don’t want to keep you. We wanted to meet
Celia’s granddaughter and say hello to Jake. We’ve seen Delphie,
but we haven’t seen Jake