Just another one fine day

I watched "One Fine Day" a few times, and I just love it. It is about two single parents (Michelle Pfeifer and George Clooney), both with one kid each are fated to meet with one another after both failing to send their kids to a school programme. They take turns to care for the kids while the other has to go around doing his/her job.
My favourite part is always near the end. Pfeifer, an architect needs to attend a meeting with some clients, and the others are waiting for her for the kids' football game. They make a lot of funny faces to distract her, she is secretly watching them and just can not concentrate, gets up and announces to the clients that if she continues her boy would miss the game, she just got to go.

Well, that's some description for those who never watched it. For those who did, I'm sure you'd say I'd failed to potray it well. At least, I tried, ok;).

Sometimes I think, I feel exactly what she feels. And the latest incidence happened on Thursday last week.

We were late that morning, as we had too much fun that night and the girls just refused to go to sleep. Normally, my babysitter would get Bea1 ready to go to school while I nurse Bea2 and Bea3, and express breastmilk. But that day, I got a class at 9 am, and at 10 am, an appointment with the boss to go to a factory in KL to take a look at a new equipment we just bought for our lab.

I sent the girls first and told the babysitter that I'd come back to fetch Bea1 at 10 am. It is normally 10 minutes drive from office to her place.

After class, I ran to the boss to tell her I'd be late, and explain the situation but I was surprised to see someone else was with her. He is the supplier, a bit nervous words just did not come out, besides I didn't think it was appropriate. I was thinking that Bea1 might have to miss school today, but the image of her, ready in the uniform, hair all combed neatly, smelled all nicely, waiting for me was just too much.

I just said that I'd be a little late and ran to the car. I drove like a mad woman. The phone rang near the lift, it was the boss, I told her I needed 10 minutes. She asked if something was wrong, I said I had to be at the babysitter's as I'd forgotten something.

Bea1 was quiet in the car, but I explained the best I could. The radio played "Runaway Train", and that song would always make me go mushy. I said goodbye to her at the frontgate, instead at the door, she smiled and waved at me. She is such a darling.

The phone rang again, and at that moment, amidst the relief of knowing that Bea1 was up to normal school fun, I felt tired of trying to do so much at the same time, I thought I just had to gave up on something. I told my boss that I was sorry, and asked her to go without me. The school is only 3 minutes from the office. She instead asked me to take my time, she would wait.

Overall, I was 15 minutes late. Our supplier was not in the office, as they have decided to take him to visit our lab while waiting for me. Exhausted, I threw myself on the armchair besides the boss. She asked if my kid was sick, I just said "Not that, something else...", and closed my eyes for a few seconds. She knew I would not elaborate, and I knew she understood.

I never visualised myself as a stay-at-home-mom, and I never dreamt to be a career woman. But the way I do things, I'd always want to do as much as both can do. It is a conflict alright, sometimes I feel all my strength is drained but most of the time I just feel good and blessed.

Anyway, we went on with the visit, I even scored a point or two from my boss, I think *perasan*;). And the rest turned out to be just another fine day;).