collateral

Iris and her mom went to Atlanta yesterday to visit Iris' grandmother for the weekend. Iris seemed genuinely happy to be going. I have no idea what the grandmother is like; I'm told that sometimes craziness skips a generation. The only thing I have heard, via Iris, is that mom and grandma have "trust issues."

"Trust issues about what?" I asked.

"I have no idea," she said. "It gives me the heebie jeebies when my mom talks like that."

It was so quiet here this afternoon without Iris. I cannot believe how much I miss her.

I have wondered since we made the call to DSS how long it would be before mom freaked and they skipped town. After they left last night, it crossed my mind a time or two that since there's nothing in their apartment anyway, they wouldn't be returning.

But then I saw mom's hula hoop propped against the railing on their front porch, and I knew I'd see Iris again.