Lovely, Stay Lovely

I jumped in my seat as Abi began to cry in the other room. My eyes flashed to Dani who apologetically smiled, "sorry."

I followed her into the leaving room and watched from the doorway as she picked up the baby and began rocking her back and forth.

"She needs to be changed," she sighed, placing the baby back down and going over to her coat. She pulled out a small piece of fabric before walking back over to Abi and picking her up again. "Do you, uhm, have a preference to where I do this?"

"Uh, bathroom should be good, yea?"

"Thanks," she smiled walking Abi into the bathroom.

My feet followed her and I sat on the edge of the bath tub watching as she placed Abi on the counter. Dani unbuttoned Abi's onesie revealing another small cloth around her identical to the second one she had in her hand.

Dani looked over and tilted her head. "You... want to watch?"

"I, uh," I shrugged, letting a sigh out of my mouth. "I didn't plan on it."

"So you came in here just because?" She chuckled, looking down at her daughter again.

"I don't know why I came in here, honestly." I answered.

"Well, you might as well make yourself useful. Come on, stand over here and watch."

I got up and stood next to her, looking down at her daughter confused.

Dani giggled, nudging me lightly with her elbow. "Don't tell me big ol' bad Jona doesn't know how to change a diaper."

"Shut up," I whined, nudging her back. "And is tha' what that's supposed to be?"

Dani frowned, pulling off the cloth piece from her daughter. "Yeah, kind of." I wrinkled my nose as the smell finally hit me. "You get used to the smell," Dani spoke reading my mind.

I nodded and watched as she folding the feces infested cloth and ran it under the water in the sink. She washed the cloth until it was clean before wiping her daughter's bum clean as well. Then she wrapped the second cloth around her daughter before buttoning the onesie. Dani then rewashed the first cloth before hanging it in the shower to dry and picking up her daughter.

"See? That wasn't too bad."

I frowned, nodding. "Yeh don't have any diapers for her?"

Dani mimicked my frown before shaking her head. "I can't afford them."

I sighed as she left the room, rubbing my face. Everything she did made me feel bad about myself. I'm spoiled. I have a house, food, new clothes whenever I want, I travel the world, and I freak out if I don't have the latest version of the iPhone.

And then there was Dani. She didn't even have diapers.

I shook my head and peered into the living room. Dani was sitting on the couch with Abi in her arms, singing to her softly. "Hey Dan," I spoke entering the room.

"Shh, she's almost asleep," she whispered, rocking her baby.

I smiled, looking at her. "Do yeh need anyfing from-"

"Nope. I've got everything I need right here."

"I didn't even tell yeh where I'm going," I chuckled softly.

"You've done so much for me already, Jona. I'm good."

I nodded, before grabbing my coat. "I won't be long, yea?"

She nodded, continuing to rock the child asleep.

I let the fresh air hit my face as I entered the cold. Heading straight for my car, I shut the door as softly as I could as not to wake the sleeping child inside, before starting it up and driving away. Instinctly, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and called the first person I could think of: Oli. On the third ring, he finally answered.

"Finally, yeh bloodeh bastard!" I yelled into the phone.

"What has yeh knickers in a twist, Weinhofen?" He chuckled.

"Dani!"

"Who?"

"The homeless girl from the street!:

Oli laughed, "has she driven yeh mad yet?"

"No! That's jus' the fing!"

"I can't read yeh mind yeh know. Jus' spit it out."

"She's bloody perfect!" I yelled.

"How is this a bad fing?"

"I don't know! I just," I sighed deeply before speaking again. "I've nevah met someone so selfless about life. She appreciates everyfing, literally. She was astounded I let her showah, Olleh. A freakin' showah!"

Oli spoke between laughs. "It's about bloody time someone has yeh in check, mate!"

I groaned, pulling into a parking lot. "I've gone mad, man. I realleh have."

"Listen, if yeh realleh can't handle it, let her go. Yeh've done enough I guess. It was only a bet, mate."

"Yeah, yeah, we'll see. Bye Olleh."

I leaned my forehead on the steering wheel before turning off my car. "What the hell, Jona. Get it togethah. No person, female or not, should make yeh act like this," I spoke to myself. I sighed again before getting out of the car. I looked up at the department store, slowly shaking my head. "What the hell," I repeated before walking into Babies R' Us.