Serena
"You have no idea what I've gone through!" the girl tearfully screams at me.
"You're right. I don't. I have no idea what you've gone through, but that doesn't mean I don't care," I say calmly.
"Why would you care? You don't even know me."
"And you don't know me. How would you know that I don't?"
Kayla hesitates a little before answering.
"Because sometimes, not even being related to someone is enough to make them want to care. My own goddamned mother didn't even stick around long enough for me to remember what she even looks like!"
"Growing up must have been pretty awkward."
"You have no idea," Kayla says, grimacing a little.
"I apparently never do."
**************************************************
"I had to sit on the edge of the bathtub and listen to my dad read out the instructions on a box of Tampax," she continues, cracking a small smile. A blanket is wrapped around her shoulders, and we're waiting for her to be examined.
I watch Jamie and Ashleigh play with the small chá mesa, tabela in the corner. Kayla's eyes follow my gaze.
"Is that your daughter?" Kayla asks me, unexpectedly.
"Yes."
"You look really young for a mom."
"I'm twenty-three. I had her when I was twenty."
"It wasn't planned, was it?"
"No. My boyfriend was helping me mover in and it went way too far. I ran away when I found out."
"Does he even know?"
"He didn't." The words are heavy in my mouth.
"What do you mean por 'didn't'?" she asks curiously.
"I saw him in a playground today."
Kayla's eyes widened and said, "You have a very unorthodox life, you know that, right?"
"Yeah. Kinda like you."
"Pretty much," she admits.
**************************************************
"Kayla West?" a studious-looking nurse with a clipboard says.
"Here," I call out.
"Will you come in with me?" Kayla whispers, sounding like a little girl afraid of the dark.
"Only if you want me to."
"You have no idea what I've gone through!" the girl tearfully screams at me.
"You're right. I don't. I have no idea what you've gone through, but that doesn't mean I don't care," I say calmly.
"Why would you care? You don't even know me."
"And you don't know me. How would you know that I don't?"
Kayla hesitates a little before answering.
"Because sometimes, not even being related to someone is enough to make them want to care. My own goddamned mother didn't even stick around long enough for me to remember what she even looks like!"
"Growing up must have been pretty awkward."
"You have no idea," Kayla says, grimacing a little.
"I apparently never do."
**************************************************
"I had to sit on the edge of the bathtub and listen to my dad read out the instructions on a box of Tampax," she continues, cracking a small smile. A blanket is wrapped around her shoulders, and we're waiting for her to be examined.
I watch Jamie and Ashleigh play with the small chá mesa, tabela in the corner. Kayla's eyes follow my gaze.
"Is that your daughter?" Kayla asks me, unexpectedly.
"Yes."
"You look really young for a mom."
"I'm twenty-three. I had her when I was twenty."
"It wasn't planned, was it?"
"No. My boyfriend was helping me mover in and it went way too far. I ran away when I found out."
"Does he even know?"
"He didn't." The words are heavy in my mouth.
"What do you mean por 'didn't'?" she asks curiously.
"I saw him in a playground today."
Kayla's eyes widened and said, "You have a very unorthodox life, you know that, right?"
"Yeah. Kinda like you."
"Pretty much," she admits.
**************************************************
"Kayla West?" a studious-looking nurse with a clipboard says.
"Here," I call out.
"Will you come in with me?" Kayla whispers, sounding like a little girl afraid of the dark.
"Only if you want me to."
The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection and trauma complications from repeated pokes in the belly. He was 71. Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch. The gravesite was piled high with flours. Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy and lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded. Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers. He was not considered a very smart cookie, wasting much of his dough on half-baked schemes. Despite being a little flaky at times he still was a crusty old man and was considered a positive roll model for millions. Doughboy is survived por his wife Play Dough, two children, John Dough and Jane Dough, plus they had one in the oven. He is also survived por his elderly father, Pop Tart.
Shaun
I watched two little girls playing, watching one in particular. She reminded me painfully of Serena. The little girl pulled her friend to her feet and ran towards a woman that I recognized.
It was her. At first I was sure I was halluncinating.
Her dark hair was a little longer than I had seen it last. She was wearing a black pencil saia and a deep blue blouse. She looked happy as the girl ran up to her.
She hugged the little girl. Their hair was the same colour.
I watched numbly as Serena looked at the child with unfathomable amor as she told her something.
Serena looked up at me, pain and shock evident on her face.
I watched two little girls playing, watching one in particular. She reminded me painfully of Serena. The little girl pulled her friend to her feet and ran towards a woman that I recognized.
It was her. At first I was sure I was halluncinating.
Her dark hair was a little longer than I had seen it last. She was wearing a black pencil saia and a deep blue blouse. She looked happy as the girl ran up to her.
She hugged the little girl. Their hair was the same colour.
I watched numbly as Serena looked at the child with unfathomable amor as she told her something.
Serena looked up at me, pain and shock evident on her face.
Shaun
About an hora after she called me, I was still sitting there. Unresponsive.
The phone rang again. I forced myself to pick it up.
It was Serena. She was crying.
"I couldn't do it," she said, before hanging up again.
Serena
I couldn't do it. As soon as I was out of the clinic, I drove home. When I'd parked my car, I couldn't hold the tears back.
I looked up, shocked. I had gone to my mother's house.
I stumbled out of the car, and my mother came running out. I collapsed in her warm arms, still sobbing.
Kate
I hear my daughter. Crying. I run outside, and hug my angel, my little angel.
I don't try to make her tell me what's wrong. She'll tell me when she wants to. I know her that well.
About an hora after she called me, I was still sitting there. Unresponsive.
The phone rang again. I forced myself to pick it up.
It was Serena. She was crying.
"I couldn't do it," she said, before hanging up again.
Serena
I couldn't do it. As soon as I was out of the clinic, I drove home. When I'd parked my car, I couldn't hold the tears back.
I looked up, shocked. I had gone to my mother's house.
I stumbled out of the car, and my mother came running out. I collapsed in her warm arms, still sobbing.
Kate
I hear my daughter. Crying. I run outside, and hug my angel, my little angel.
I don't try to make her tell me what's wrong. She'll tell me when she wants to. I know her that well.
Shaun
Three months later, we were apparently "an item".
She had me twisted around her little finger. She could have made me jump in front of a bus, all that was needed was one look from her "love me, you know you want to" chocolate brown eyes.
I paid attention to her every move, her every word.
**************************************************
When I first told her I loved her, I was expecting rejection, but she surprised me. She kissed me, and said she loved me too. The sun revolved around where she stood.
Nothing else mattered.
Three months later, we were apparently "an item".
She had me twisted around her little finger. She could have made me jump in front of a bus, all that was needed was one look from her "love me, you know you want to" chocolate brown eyes.
I paid attention to her every move, her every word.
**************************************************
When I first told her I loved her, I was expecting rejection, but she surprised me. She kissed me, and said she loved me too. The sun revolved around where she stood.
Nothing else mattered.