Count Your Blessings

At three o'clock, after what felt like a short day, Oliver took me to the daycare to pick Ember up and take her home.

“Are you sure you don't want me to drive you home?” Oliver asked.

“Yes, I'm sure. There's no proper seating for Em, and I am sure that if anyone is home I don't want them to see you.” I said. “Plus, aren't your friends looking for you?” I asked.

“Nah, I texted them this morning telling that I was going to be out today and that I would text them when I was able to meet up. But I'm sure that my brother want's a ride home. My cell phone has been going off in my pocket for the last ten minutes.” Oliver said as he pulled parked in front of the daycare.

“Oh, well anyway, thank you so much for making me take the day off. I definitely needed it.” I said gathering my backpack and opening the car door.

“No problem. Glad I could help.” He said before I closed the door. I hoped that he wouldn't go tell everyone my life story now. I prayed that he wouldn't.

I walked into the building and smiled when I saw Ember playing with a toy. “Hello, Sylvia, my dear.” I said smiling at her.

“Are you alright, Veronica? You seem... happy.” Sylvia laughed.

“I just had a good day is all.” I shrugged and signed my name next to Em's on the sign out sheet.

“Were you safe?” Sylvia asked.

“Sylv! It's not a thing like that! I just took the day off today and hung out with someone.” I could feel my face flushing to a crimson color.

“Sure, sure. Have a good night, Vee.” Sylvia laughed as she handed me the diaper bag and walked over to get Ember for me. As soon as she saw me, my baby sister held her arms out to me.

“Night Sylvie.” I said as I put Embers coat on and walked out the door. The rain of the morning had subsided to a light drizzle so it wasn't too bad walking home.

When I got into the apartment, it was warmer than I had remembered. “Looks like mum paid for heating oil.” I whispered to Ember as I set both my backpack and her diaper bag on the table and walked into the livingroom.

It was a complete wreck. The whole house was. The bathroom door was open and I could see the mess in there as well. I didn't dare open my mum's door. Although I knew I would have to if I was going to be keeping Ember in my toom.

“Well, looks like Mrs. McKlusky will have to deal with a little bit of music.” I said walking into my room, Em still in my arms, and taking my Violent Femmes CD off my desk. “How does the Violent Femmes sound?” I asked.

Ember cooed and clapped her hands. “Yay-yay-yay!” She giggled.

“Sounds good.” I put her on my hip as I put the CD in the stereo and turned the music up. The beat startd and when the drum part came I clapped Embers hands together.

When I'm out walking I strut my stuff
And I'm so strung out
I'm high as a kite
I just might stop to check you out

I danced around the livingroom with Ember until the song was over. When it ended, I put her in the green playpen with a couple toys in it and started to clean. The song Kiss Off was playing.

I turned the radio up a little louder when my favorite part came on, and started to sing as I moved around the living room. “I take one, one, one, cause you left me and, two, two, two for my family and, three, three, three for my heartache, and four, four, four for my headaches and five, five, five for my loneliness, and six, six, six for my sorrow, and seven, seven for n-n-no tomorrow, and eight, eight, I forget what eight was for, and nine, nine, nine for a lost god and ten, ten, ten, ten for everything everything everything everything!” I turned the music down a smidge before the next song came on and continued to clean.

As I continued into the kitchen, I pulled the playpen over to the entryway between the rooms and started on the dishes.

The CD changed to a new band that I had heard of, the members had graduated a couple of years ago from my school. They were called the Arctic Monkeys.

Ember started to cry as the third song ended. “Sis-sis-sis!” She whined. “Hung-reee!”

“You're hungry?” I asked. “Do you want some dinner?” I asked.

“Yah.” She said, trying to pul herself up to stand.

“Come on. I'll make you some dinner. We're going to eat real food tonight.” I said.

“Night.” Ember repeated, chewing on her fingers.

“You're talkative tonight.” I laughed placing her in the high chair as she continued to chew her fingers. “No, Em. Don't do that.” I took her fingers out of her mouth and frowned at her. She just smiled at me. “I can't believe you're going to be a year old next week!” I said taking a few vegtables out of the fridge and taking a pot out of the cupboard. I put the vegtables in the pot with water to soften them up. Unfortunately this meant that dinner for me was going to be tasteless. I cooked other vegtables and cut up some fruit. I don't know what I was going to do about the protien for her though. I didn't really want to make tofu for her, because I'm not really sure if babies were allowed to eat tofu. I caved in and got out some of the baby food that was in the cupboard.

“Yum yum yum!” Ember said clapping her hands and smiling. She went through funny phases. Sometimes she would be talkative and very active, sometimes she would just sit and be a very quiet little tyke. I wasn't sure if that was normal or not, but I didn't worry too much about it.

When dinner was finished, I put everything in the sink and began to wash them, Ember still in her seat. I heard the phone ring when I was halfway through the dishes. By the third ring I reached the telephone and answered. “Hello?”

“Veronica, honey!” It was my mum. She was completely pissed! I heard noise behind her and quickly figured out that she was in a pub somewhere. “I'm not coming home tonight dear. I'm a little, uh, busy.” Her voice slurred. “You'll take good care of Ember like you always do. Bye-bye sweetie.” The phone line went dead. I sighed, thankful for the night of peace.

“Well, deary. Looks like it's just you and I tonight. Come on. I'll finish dishes in the morning. It's almost bedtime for you and I've got re-arranging to do.” I said walking away from the phone and over to Ember. I took her out of the seat and pushed the play pen back into the livingroom. I switched the television on and the music off. I put in the movie she was watching last night on and started to move her things from mums room to mine. It took me about a half an hour to do that. The movie was barely half way through when I was finished and it was only seven o'clock. It was getting to be late for Em to be awake still, but the bathroom needed cleaning and she still needed a bath. I quickly rinsed the bathroom down and threw in a load of laundry. Now it was seven thirty. I still had give Ember a bath, two nights of homework to do, and I wanted a cigarette. After Embers bath was taken care of, and she was safe in her bed, I decided to sneak out of my window and sit on the fire escape to smoke.

“Come on, Ember. It's time for a bath.” I said turning the television off and looking into the crib. “Oh, I suppose I could be extra late tomorrow.” I said picking my little sister up out of the playpen and carrying her to my room. I put her into the bed and took the cigarettes out of my backpack.

I turned to open my window when there was a knock on the front door. Ember mumbled and turned in her sleep.

“Who in bloody hell would be showing up at this hour?” I asked to myself as I quickly ran to the door. There was one more knock before I opened it. The last person I would expect to be on my doorstep was standing there, school bag in hand and smiling at me.

“ 'Ello, love.”

“Oliver, why are you here?!” I asked, extremely annoyed.

“Cause I want to know if you knew what we were doing in trig. That class is bloody hard.” He chuckled, loudly.

“Shhhh!” I exclaimed. “My sister is asleep.” I whispered.

“Aye, my bad.” He whispered.

I stepped aside to let him in and closed the door quietly. “Don't think you can just come by here any time. You can only come in tonight because my mum isn't here.” I sighed.

“Well, the way you talked about your mum, and it being Friday, I didn't think she'd be home.” Oliver shrugged.

“Today is friday?” I asked.

“Yeah. Why wouldn't it be?” Oliver asked.

“I thought it was Thursday.” I lead him to my room. “I have to go out on the fire escape to smoke. I don't want to leave Ember up here all alone.” I explained in a hushed whisper when we entered the room.

Oliver nodded and followed me to the window. I opened it just enough for the two of our thin bodies to get outside. Oliver set his bag down by his feet, and took a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. I took one out of the box that was in my pocket and lit it.

“It's chilly out here.” He said while blowing smoke out.

“Just a bit. I hope Em doesn't get a cold from the window being open.” I sighed sitting on the wet, metal stairs and taking a drag of my cigarette.

“She'll be alright.” Oliver shrugged sitting next to me. He leaned forward so his elbows were resting on his legs, supporting the top half of his body.

“I hope. I can't have Em get sick.” I said rubbing my forehead.

“Aye, you can't miss any school.” Oliver mocked.

“Shut your teeth, Sykes.” I said smiling a little nudging his side with my elbow. I took the smile away as soon as I realized it was there. I wouldn't let him know that I was enjoying myself. It was the second time today I found myself having a good time with Oliver Sykes. I was starting to worry myself, now. How could that be happening? I don't have time for friends. I don't want friends. Do I?

“You can't say much there, Miss Carrington. Once someone gets you started, you don't stop talking either.” He laughed nudging me back.

“So, did your friends ditch you?” I asked. “You've been with me pretty much all day.” I said.

“Nah, they all had plans tonight. Plus, you need the company. I don't think I've ever seen you smile so much in my entire life.” Oliver took another drag of his cigarette.

“I suppose.” I shrugged, watching the cigarette between my fingers burn slowly.

“You done?” He asked, tossing his cigarette butt on the ground.

“Yeah.” I tossed mine as well, and we climbed back into my room.

Oliver sat on my bed with me, and placed his bag on the bed next to him. “So does this happen a lot?” Oliver asked.

“Does what happen a lot? People randomly coming to my door to hang out with me, or being home with Ember?” I asked.

“Both, if you don't mind.” Oliver smiled at me.

“Well,” I paused. “Because, one I don't want people over. I don't want any friends to give me their drama. I have enough of my own.” I said cringing. “And, yes. Ember and I usually have the flat to ourselves.

“Well, you should have friends. Do you just want to be alone forever?” Oliver asked.

“No. But I don't want any of their drama with mine.” I said shrugging.

“Oh. Well, you should change your mind about that. You could use someone to talk to, I'm sure.” Oliver said.

“Right, well I have two days of homework to complete. So feel free to leave at any time.” I said getting my backpack off the floor and dumping the contents out.

“Actually I have a bit of work to do, myself. Mind if I join you?” Oliver asked.

I shrugged, and laid on my stomach as I began my work. At nine fourty-five I stopped for the night. I looked over at Oliver who was writing in a ratty composition notebook. We had barely spoken the whole time, which I was thankful for. “What are you working on?” I asked.

“Nothing.” He said closing the book, putting it in his bag with his pen and looking back up at me.

“Oh.” I said rolling over so I was laying on my back.

“So, what do you have planned tomorrow?” Oliver asked. “Can you get a babysitter?” He asked.

“Probably not, why?” I asked.

“Because I wanted to take you out.” Oliver smiled.

“Um, I don't think so.” I said rolling my eyes at him.

“Give me one reason why.” Oliver said pouting. He looked strangely appealing to for a minute.

I started to list off reason after reason, Oliver telling me why each reason wasn't valid. It got us into side conversations, and off topic questions. Before I knew it, I was asleep, Oliver having fallen asleep right before I did. I wasn't sure what time it was when I fell asleep.

When I did wake up the next morning, the sun was bright, but it was a little chilly in the apartment. I saw Oliver next to me and sighed. I couldn't believe that I had let him fall asleep on my bed. I hoped he wasn't going around and telling everyone about my life.

I got up and looked into Embers crib. She was still fast asleep and murmering in her sleep. I saw that Oliver's notebook was lying open on my floor. I crouched beside it and went to pick it up when Oliver grabbed my hand.

“That's for Stevie Wonder's eyes only.” He said taking the notebook and closing it.

“He's blind.” I said placing my hands on my hips.

“Exactly. I've got to go, love. Places to be today, things to do.” Oliver got up from the bed and pulled his jacket on. “I'll see you at six, and if you don't have babysitting by then, I'll take care of it.” He walked out of the room.

Ember started to wake up so I picked her up and followed Oliver out to the front door. “What are you talking about? Have you gone mad?!” I asked.

“Aye, maybe. I'll see you at six. Look good for me.” He said walking out of the apartment and closing the door behind him.