Elevator Button

It happened the same way for .. as long as I can remember.

Walking onto the elevator to ride up to Grammie's second-floor condo,

I would swoop the length of my arm under one small armpit and then the other.

Pulling Emilija up the wood-paneled wall so that she could light up the small round button labeled "2."

And then everything changed this week.

Following her tiny footsteps over the threshold,

I was looking down and sidetracked by my ringing cellphone.

I heard the doors close behind my back and felt the start-up nudge of the conveyor.

(No swooping required.)

I turned to see one little index finger repeatedly hitting the second button up from the bottom.

#everydayemilija