These Situations

It had been a week since the party. Candy kept in contact with Shane, every time I saw her around our apartment she was on her phone texting him or talking to him. The whole crush thing was entertaining, Candice deserved a good guy. God knows she's put her own love life and needs on the back burner these last few years, all thanks to me. I wanted her to be happy, I needed her to be happy. For the both of us.

Not that I was miserable, by any means. I just wasn't ever going to have the normal love story, and I accepted that fact years ago. Life has a funny way of taking your dreams and crushing them until they are damn near unrecognizable, then building them back up just enough to give you just a glimmer of hope. But the little glimmer can turn into something great, or destroy everything. I just hoped the faintest glimmer I got a week ago would fade off into the distance before either of us had time to react.

***

I awoke in the morning to the smell of coffee and bacon. Candice never cooked; she must have done something that she knew would piss me off. I got out of my bed slowly, the cold air hitting me like a sack of bricks once I left the comfort of my blankets. I opened the door and heard voices coming from the kitchen. They weren’t female voices, I was going to murder Candice.

I went back into my room and put on my black yoga pants and my sweater that read ‘I Hate Mornings’. Once I was dressed in clothes that made me look half presentable I threw my hair into a messy bun. I slowly made my way to the kitchen, trying not to let the person in my apartment know that I was listening to them.

“You have barely known her for a week,” I knew that voice. I didn't want to see the owner of that voice for a very long time.

“Shut the hell up Nick,” Shane scolded. “I’m just saying that she seems like she is pretty cool. I wouldn’t mind getting to know her more; I mean she invited me here for breakfast. She let me invite your dumb ass.”

I found why Candice was making breakfast. But I had yet to hear her voice; she must not have been there. Then it dawned on me, Candice went to pick her up. My heart nearly jumped through my throat, which means that they will be here when she gets back. I went to turn and walked back to my room to grab my phone when I tripped over my own feet and landed in the living room. Both of the boys looked shocked, and then they began to laugh hysterically at me.

“Morning Veronica,” Shane laughed.

“Morning Shane, not to be rude, but why are you in my apartment?” Heat slowly crept up my neck and landed on my cheeks, my face was as red as a tomato. After getting off of the floor, which only prolonged my embarrassment, I turned to Shane waiting for an answer. Avoiding eye contact with Nixon.

Shane looked like a deer stuck in headlights. “Well, um, Candice invited me, and Nick tagged along. I hope that’s not a problem.”

I shook my head, “It’s her apartment too, and she can have people over if she wishes. Speaking of Candice, where is she?”

Shane tapped the spatula in his hand against the pan. “She said something about getting a call and needing to go get someone. Do you guys have another roommate?”

“Something like that,” I mumbled under my breath.

Before they could ask me anymore questions the front door swung open, my heart stopped. I didn't know if I could bring myself to turn around. “Ronni, you're awake! Can I talk to you for a minute?”

I slowly turned around and saw that she was alone. My heart began to beat again as I walked to the door. We went into the hall before she said anything. I couldn't thank her enough for not bringing her in with her at that moment.

“She won’t come in with me; she is upset that I picked her up.” Candy explained. “Nora called me and said that she had to go visit him, and she knows that you don’t want her to be near him, so she asked me to come get her since you weren’t up.”

I nodded, “Thank you. I’ll have to call Nora later. Oh and thanks for the warning.”

Candy shrugged, “Sorry, Shane asked if he could come with. I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal.”

“I have to go get her out of the car, but this conversation is not over.” I grumbled.

“Okay, mom.”

I chuckled as I walked out of the building. My KIA sat directly outside of the door; I could see in the window, she did not look happy. I walked around to the other side of the car, and opened the door. Her long brown hair fell just past her shoulders, and her blue eyes resembled the ocean. She looked up at me her eyes melting my heart. Nothing would ever be more important to me than her.

“Hey Brynnlee.”

“Hi mommy.”

“Sorry that aunt Candy had to pick you up, mommy was still asleep when Grammy Nora called,” I explained to her. “Would you like some breakfast? Mommy has some friends over and they made some pancakes and bacon just for you!”

“Just for me?” She got excited.

I nodded my head. Her eyes lit up making the blue sparkle in the sunlight.

Brynnlee jumped out of the car and ran towards the door. “Hurry mom, there’s bacon!”

She was definitely my daughter. I jogged to the door and unlocked it for her. Before I opened our door I turned to her. “Mommy’s friends may be a little surprised that you are here.”

She nodded and pushed through the door. I heard her run through the living room and into the kitchen, she said hello and I heard something crash. I ran into the kitchen to see that Shane and Candice were picking a shattered plate, Brynnlee was sitting on the floor next to Nixon and he was holding her hand, she was bleeding. I grabbed her from the floor and took her to the bathroom. Someone followed me, but I didn’t care to look back.

“I’m sorry mommy, I scared them,” she cried. I cradled her head against me to sooth her, rubbing small circles on her back to calm her down.

I put her on the counter in the main bathroom and grabbed the first aid kit out of the cupboard, when I turned back to Brynnlee; Nixon was standing in the door frame he was leaned over holding her hand again.

“Excuse me; I need to clean her hand.” He let go of her hand, but stayed where he was. “What happened? How did you cut your hand, baby?”

“I walked in and your friends look scared, the other one dropped a plate so I tried to help clean. I grabbed a piece of glass and cut my hand. This mister helped me. I’m sorry,” she apologized again.

“You don’t have to be sorry baby. Don’t worry, aunt Candice is cleaning it right now, and mister is still here,” I gestured to Nixon. “This is Nixon, Nixon this is my daughter Brynnlee.”

Nixon's face went pale. He looked between Brynnlee and I, clearly seeing the resemblance. “Your daughter?”

I nodded as I turned to cold water on in the sink. I took her hand and placed it in the water, she tried to pull her hand away but I didn’t let her. Nixon told her she would be alright in a minute. I glanced over at him, he seemed oddly calm. Once the blood was all rinsed away I put Neosporin on it and a bandage.

Candice walked back after I put Brynnlee on the floor. “Is she okay? Shane feels horrible.”

“She is fine,” I told her. “It’s not Shane’s fault, it was an accident on all parts, no one should feel bad. Besides it's not like this is the first time she's been hurt.”

“Well breakfast is ready,” she told us. Nixon turned and left without another word. Candy stayed back. “How is miss princess?”

“I’m okay auntie,” Brynnlee grabbed Candy’s hand. “Let’s go eat some bacon!”

We both laughed and walked to the kitchen. Shane and Nixon were both putting everything on the table when we walked in, neither of them would make direct eye contact with me. They had a lot of questions.

“Bacon!” Brynnlee screamed.

Everyone laughed, slightly at ease for the first time since Brynnlee walked through the door.

“Brynn, let’s get you into your big girl chair.” I picked her up and put her in her booster seat.

Breakfast was fairly quiet, but there was small talk. Mainly Brynn telling everyone what she did at her grandma’s house.

We all finished eating around 11:00; Brynnlee asked me if she could go into her room and color. Once she was safely in her room, listening to her Disney CD the questions began. I knew Brynn would be in her room for awhile so I was ready, as I could be.

“How old is she?”

“Three.”

“How old were you when you had her?”

“Nineteen.”

“Who is Nora?”

“Her grandmother.”

“She your mom?”

“No.”

“How do your parents feel about it?”

“They aren’t happy that I am 22 and have a 3 year old, but they love her,” I told them. “They visit her every couple of weeks. Nora takes her every other weekend, or whenever I need a babysitter.”

“So how is Nora her grandma?” Shane asked.

“She is the dad’s mother.”

“Where is her dad?” Nixon asked looking me straight in the eye.

“Um, that question is harder to answer.” I looked at the ground.

Candy stood up from the table. “That’s enough interrogating for today.”

They both got the hint; Shane stood up and helped Candy pick up the table. I grabbed Brynn’s plate off the table and took it to the sink. I noticed that Shane was holding Candy’s hand as they put the dishes in the dishwasher. The smile on Candice’s face made it obvious that she was going to fall deep for this boy. The glimmer in his blue eyes made me think that he was going to end up the same way. I was truly happy for my best friend.

While I was in the kitchen I decided to pour myself a cup of miracle liquid, coffee. In all honesty, I use more sugar and creamer than I do coffee, but it’s still my life line. I left the kitchen so they could have some time alone, since that’s probably why he came over in the first place. I was still trying to figure out why Nixon traveled along with.

I carried my coffee to the living room with me; I put my coffee on the side table and pulled out my laptop. I was searching through my profile when Brynnlee came running out of her room. She had something in her hand. Once she was in view I noticed that it was a picture she colored.

“Look, I colored this for you,” she declared flailing it in my face. “It’s Flounder!”

The fish in the center of the page was scribbled on with all the colors people have ever been able to think of. “It’s beautiful, why don’t you go put it on the fridge?”

Her face lit up like it was Christmas. She took off towards the kitchen. I heard her say something to Candice, and then Shane’s laugh echoed through the apartment.

I closed my beat up laptop and went to the kitchen, Nixon was still sitting at the table, Shane was helping Brynnlee with her picture and Candice was wiping down the counters. I leaned against the counter and waited for Candice to finish, once she tossed the rag into the sink she turned to me.

“Anyone want to go to the park?” I asked. Once the word park left my mouth both Brynnlee and Candy’s faces lit up. I remembered that I had promised a drunken Candice that I would take her to the park.

“I do!” They both cheered. Shane began to laugh, while Nixon stood up from the table.

“Doesn’t seem like it could be that bad,” Nixon input.

“You have clearly never been to the park with Candice and a three year old,” I told him.

He chuckled. “Not the first time I have been to the park with a young child. It will be the first I have been with a full grown child, though.”

“Did you just imply that I act like a child?” Candice squealed.

I laughed, “Candice you are a child at heart.”

She agreed and didn’t push the matter any further. Brynnlee was jumping up and down waiting for me to take her to get ready. Her brown hair bouncing around her shoulders, she looked so much like I had when I was a little kid. I was so happy she didn’t look like him.

“We need to get you ready Brynnie,” I told her grabbing her hand. She dragged me down the hall behind her to her room. Her pale pink walls were plastered with pictures of her when she was a baby, me while I was pregnant, and even some with Candy; her big girl bed was pushed up against the wall opposite of the door, her princess comforter was crumpled at the foot of the bed; there was a small circular table in the center of the room crowded with many different things; and her Disney CD was still playing faintly.

Brynnlee ran straight to her closet, she began rummaging through her dozens of outfits. I picked her up and grabbed the outfit that would be acceptable to wear to the park. It was her plain pair of jean shorts, her ‘Day with Mommy’ tee, and a pair of flip flops. She grabbed the shirt and shorts and wasted no time swapping outfits. When she had gotten dressed she handed me the dirty clothes.

“You do my hair mommy?” She asked handing me her box of bows and ponytails. I nodded and grabbed the brush off of the table and began going through her hair, once it was brushed I pulled it all into a ponytail on the top of her head, and I pulled a few strands down to frame her face. She looked in the mirror on the back of her door and began clapping furiously.

“Okay, time to go to the park!” She cheered running out of her room towards the living room, where everyone was waiting.

I heard Candice’s laugh radiate through the apartment. I walked into the living room and saw Shane standing in the living room with Brynnlee on his shoulders. She had the biggest smile on her face.

“Mommy is this auntie Can-Can’s boyfriend?” Brynnlee giggled.

Shane froze. The joys of what children say. Candice’s face was bright red, and Nixon was on the couch laughing his ass off.

“You have to ask your Can-Can that question baby girl,” I laughed.

She looked to Candice waiting for an answer, Shane suddenly started to smile. “Yeah Candice, am I your boyfriend?”

I didn’t think it was possible, but Candice’s face was the color of her hair. We all laughed at her a little more. “Um, well, I suppose.”

“Yay uncle Shay!” Brynnlee cheered, wrapping her small arms around his head. Shane chuckled and patted the hand that was over his eyes. “So when are we going to the park?”

“Right now, let me grab my purse,” I told them as I walked to the closet to grab my hobo purse. I searched through the bottomless pit of a purse that it was for m my keys but I couldn’t find them.

“Karma are you looking for your keys?” Candice yelled. I heard a jingling noise coming from behind me followed by everyone laughing, even my daughter. I turned around to see Candy holding the ring of keys; I grabbed them from her hand, rolled my eyes and walked out of the apartment.