Thinking Back to Those Days

When I got to her house, the door was open. Only the screen door kept the sprinkling rain from soaking the carpet inside.

That day, I saw a different girl. This time the difference wasn’t because Paloma was wearing a baggy black flag t-shirt with shorts under it, or the red in her now long, pulled back hair. No, the difference was that she held a little baby girl in her arms, whose face was tear streaked like hers, and she was pleading with a little boy to go to bed.

I stepped in and she looked up and whispered, “Thanks, can you hold her for a bit while I try to put Roger to sleep? I will talk to you as soon as I do.”
I
nodded and placed in my arms was a little girl. She was cute, about a year and a half, with brown hair. Huge tears fell from her eyes that matched her sister's. I saw some of the features that they shared in the tiny face. I moved some books, toys and Sippy cups off of the couch so I could sit down and try to comfort the small thing.

“Hey there sweetie, don’t cry. Its gonna be alright. Your sister is trying really hard to take care of you and make you happy. So cheer up? Okay?” I said.

I tried these soothing words and more, rocking her back and forth, patting her hair, walking up and down the living room. But none of it worked. I sat down and looked behind me. Paloma was running around in the hallway trying to catch her brother and put him to bed. I started to think through the things I hadn’t done to try and calm the child that was in my arms. And then it came to me, and I thought myself stupid for not thing it up in the first place.
I whispered to the baby as I held her close to my chest. “You know honey. I think I am I love with your sister. She is a good girl, a different girl. She takes care of you, and then she cares for my band, and a friends and I, all at the same time. You are lucky to have her, and I am lucky to know her, even if we are just friends. I wrote this little song for her, and you’re lucky to get to hear it. But I will only sing it to you if you stop crying.”

And then I started to sing the words I had written for Paloma, only a week before.

Here we go again, infatuation touches me
Just when I thought that it would end.
Oh but then again it seems much more than that
but I'm not sure exactly what you're thinking
Well I toss and turn all night,
Thinking of your ways of affection.
But to find that it's not different at all.
Well I throw away my past mistakes and contemplate my future.
That's when I say
What the hey.
Would we last forever
You and I together, hand in hand
We run away (far away)
I'm in for nasty weather
But I'll take whatever you can give
That comes my way

As soon as I had finished the song, that I had written, about falling in love with Paloma, even though I was scared of it at first, not knowing if she felt the same, but then not caring because I loved her that much, the house fell quiet, and I could no longer feel tears soaking through my t-shirt. I gently put the girl down on the couch, and grabbed a near-by blanket, and covered her up.

Paloma was watching me, standing near the side of the sofa.