1m2aSandbox

Cora’s best friend has taken a leave from school for a two-week vacation, and Cora is, in a word, bereft.

She left school on Friday, climbed into my arms, and burst into tears, having just said goodbye to her friend. Cora was able to put it out of her mind for the weekend, but when Monday morning came a thundercloud followed Cora around all morning. She stalked darkly into school, and if I’d thought a day at school would help I was wrong. When she came out she was barely talking.

Tuesday was even worse: when I brought Cora home from school and got ready to turn around and go to work, Cora burst into tears and begged me not to go. It turns out that two days in a row of NO ONE to eat lunch with, NO ONE to play with at recess, and NO ONE to partner up with in gym class was just TOO MUCH. Never mind her half-dozen other close gal pals – Cora only wanted her best friend. She sobbed hysterically – something she never does – and I promised to have lunch with her on Wednesday to help ease the lunchtime loneliness.

Lunch went well on Wednesday and I arranged a play date after school for Cora, hoping to keep her mind off the BFF. But at dinner Cora found a note she’d written saying “I miss Lisa” and she burst into tears at the dinner table and climbed into my lap.

It’s going to be another long ten days.