As we entered the house, a mudslide of book bags and jackets, shoes and lunch bags slid off their carriers into one large, lumpy pile. The girls took their seats at the small kitchen table; trading the day's events, while I brought water to a boil at the stove. The ticks that exchanged gas with flint preceded the flooded sound of ignition and brought a blue flame alive. I watched as it danced; erratic, almost angry at the teapot's belly. I was straining hard to seem interested in the juvenile conversation that would sporadically make its way to my side of the room, but I was still stuck in the viscous sludge of the day's hunt; longing to barter for some solitude to continue my search. 

   I tucked a box of Celestial Season's under my chin, and pulled four mismatched, vintage teacups from the cupboard as the kettle released a vaporous cacophony of hot steam. One by one, I dutifully assembled the line; dropping in teabags, covered with liquid, sugar, lemon; Mathis takes cream. I was robotic in mood and action and Elli picked up on my automation. 

"Mother, is something wrong?" she startled me, having left the table to fill in for my shadow.

"Elli," I pushed her name past the heart in my throat "honey, you scared me! No, nothings wrong, what do you mean?"

   She demanded my attention by wedging herself into the small gap between me and the counter. "Lucy just called, and you didn't even hear the phone ring, and she said you didn't go to work today, and you're not talking to us, and..." her voice trailed off ahead of me. For a moment I had visions of a large knitted blanket being pulled of its pattern; just one long measure of kinked yarn remaining; and me, frantic with tin needles, trying to re-knit the piece.

"Elli," I pleaded with the miniature detective, " Everything's fine. I just needed a day off work, honey. The phone must have rang when the teapot was ready," I said, hopeful that it had.

"If you stayed home all day, how come you didn't get our presents?" Elli asked, making good sense.

"El, I just had some 'big-people' stuff on my mind" I said, remaining vague, "besides, who said I didn't get your presents," I argued, remembering that I had left that quite fuzzy as well. And then it hit me; the solution to each dilemma. It would allow for some alone time and I could fit it  into the surprise category, nicely. I would have to make a few calls, after our tea party, of course.