Status: Just a new story I'm thinking of writing. Tell me what you think! I'm revising it a bit. =)

NOT Looking For Love

Chapter 2: The Routine

3 Years later…

“Dylan! No, Dylan watch your step!” I said as Dylan raced towards his school. Today was his first day of First Grade. Finally, he stopped, giving me a chance to catch up with him. I still wasn’t used to running in heels…

“Dylan! Don’t you even scare me like that again! What have I told you about running away like that?” I said.

“I’m sorry.” Dylan said and then he smiled. “You forgive me right?”

“You know I do!” I smiled. “But, don’t do it again.” I added sternly.

“Ok, Andy.” He said apologetically.

“Alright then, you’re in class 1B. Do you want me to go with you?”

Dylan shook his head rapidly and his blue eyes filled with excitement. “I’m already 6 years old! I don’t need Andy to go with me! I can go by myself!”

“Then give me a kiss.” I laughed as I knelt down. He kissed my cheek and I kissed him back and then hugged him tightly. “Ohhh, I’m going to MISS you SO much, baby!” I said in a baby voice.

Dylan giggled as he tried to get out of my hug. “No, Mom! Let go!” He laughed.

I gasped quietly. It still surprised me when he called me Mom so easily. “Oh, alright then. Go ahead. Be a good boy, okay?” Dylan nodded as I helped him put on his backpack.

“Bye Mommy!” he waved as he walked to class, and I waved back and smiled, but I was actually very nervous as I waited till I saw him walk into his class before finally breathing again. He was growing up so quickly… Did babies really grow up so fast? I looked at the time and realized I had to start working on my article right now if I wanted to finish it by its due date which was tomorrow morning.

I worked as a journalist for the newspaper and normally worked in the business department. In just the past few years I became one of the top journalists of the paper, but I kept my identity a secret because of my age and because I didn’t have a degree. I was accepted anyways, but I worked under the name Emily Page. I got a pretty good pay and I mostly worked from home, so I could spend more time with Dylan.

I drove to a nearby coffee shop and started looking through the interviews I had recently done for my current article and began to type it up. I had to finish it before 3 so that the editors could look over it.

I sighed as I tapped my fingers nervously on the table. Finally, I pulled the pack of cigarettes out of my purse and took one out. I placed it between my lips and smiled slightly. I had quit smoking several years ago, but I couldn’t resist so I kept a pack with me but never lit them. It was calming to just have a cigarette in my mouth. I took a deep breath and looked back at the mostly empty white page in front of me. I placed my fingers on the keyboard and letters quickly began to cover the page, one word at a time.

I managed to finish the article and send it by 2:43. I was slightly late in picking Dylan up, but he didn’t seem to mind. On our drive back home, Dylan told me all about his first day.

“We got to make signs with our names on it and we decorated them!” Dylan announced excitedly. “It was so so fun! I even put a dinosaur on mine!” Dinosaurs were Dylan’s latest obsession. This was the best part of my day, when I had to opportunity to hear Dylan’s stories. They were always funny and he always had so much enthusiasm. This is why I could work for hours and not feel the least bit tired. I really could do anything for him. When we got home, it was already around 2:50, and Dylan’s piano teacher came and he had lessons for about one hour.

Then Dylan and I ate dinner together. Dylan tended to be a bit picky with food, but I tried to make a variety of things, hoping to make him more willing to try new things. I was a lot better at cooking than I had been 3 years ago. For the first year, my cooking was barely edible so we ate at restaurants more, but now I could successfully make almost anything.

At 4:30 the nanny arrived to babysit Dylan until 11:00. During that time, I had to go to my second job at a huge retail store. I was very fortunate that they allowed me to have the same hours every day, so I always closed the store with a few other workers at 10. So I usually worked 5 to 6 hours a day but the pay was really good. I also often had the weekends off to spend with Dylan, which made the job a lot more pleasing. Though I was one of the youngest workers, the others were very nice to me as well.

Once I got home, I kissed Dylan goodnight and did any work I had to do for the newspaper, which mostly consisted of typing up articles and finding out what other information I would need. By 1 am, I finally went to bed.

I woke up in the morning at 6:30 and took a shower as well as made Dylan’s breakfast and lunch. By 7:00 I woke him up and helped him get dressed. We left home at 7:30, and the day repeated itself, however, on Tuesdays and Thursdays as well as on weekends, Dylan didn’t have piano class. This meant we got to spend a little more time together and even that hour was a blessing. With the retail and the newspaper job, I made just enough money to support us as well as put some away for any other fun activities Dylan wanted to do.

That was my life… and I was very happy. I had everything anyone could ask for, love, a reason to live, and moments of pure bliss. Even though it could be difficult and stressful, I had to do this because I wanted to shower Dylan with all the love his parents would have showered him with. I wanted him to always know who they were and how special they were to the both of us. Just because they weren’t with us anymore didn’t mean we had to forget.

So, I worked as hard as I could to support us as well as make sure Dylan always knew how much I loved him, taking pictures of all his achievements and taking notes on every step he made. I put them in a journal, half of which was filled with memories of his parents, and the other half that was about him. Someday, I would give it to him…

Someday…
♠ ♠ ♠
Hello again!

Sorry the chapter is so short. I promise the others will be MUCH longer. Seriously. I just hoped this would give you an idea as to how Andy gets through each day. :)

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it and any and all comments would be greatly appreciated! THANK YOU!

Sam