Today, I left him at daycare

 

Hawk is in yellow.

This is the moment he realizes we're gone; before the tears and sobbing, after the elation of being there with his beloved "Scoops."

Rooster bore the brunt of his three-year-old terror of being left behind since his car was parked close to where Hawk was standing.

I walked stiffly to my car, out of sight, willing the sounds of sobs out of my ears and my own out of my throat. I stood morosely by my car and waited as Rooster rolled by.

He rolled down the window, his face splotchy, his eyes red, "Yeah, that sucked."

"Yep," I said. "It'll be ok."

He nodded and drove off.

I climbed in my car and watched as a teacher came to comfort Hawk. He stood there as she offered gentle consolation for 2, maybe 3 minutes. Then he was out of my line of sight.

I drove forward so as to turn around and leave and I could see he is back at the tractors; hunched over diligently scooping away.

I'm gonna be ok.