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It's been two days since Sienna stayed the night. I took her to work the next morning and handled my business right after. I picked up JoJo's WIC and bought a few groceries with the little cash I had left until payday. Once I did that, I dropped her car off at the dentist's office and rode the bus home. She cussed me out so badly, but she already know how I am. I try not to let my pride get in the way, but it's hard. I don't like feeling like a burden on others, so I try to handle everything on my own, even when I can't.
It was a cool Thursday morning, and I was lying back on the conch with Journi on my chest. I didn't have to be at work until 4, as usual. I need to talk to my manager so I can see if I can get the morning shift. Because 4pm-3am seven days a week is starting to wear me out. I looked down at my baby and she was already staring at me with her big brown eyes. She was little for her age because of the lack of nutrition, but I promise you, daddy is trying baby. WIC doesn't give much, but I'm grateful for what they do. She slapped my face and spit her pacifier out. I need to slowly take that away from her.
"Da."
Yes, she talks. I try to teach her things when I have time. I shook my head because that didn't even sound right coming out of my mouth. I need to find another job or change my hours because I can't keep being away from my baby.
"Nana!"
I nibbled at her jaws. "You want banana?"
She hit me, and I took that as a yes. I stood up and she laid her head down on my shoulder as we walked into the kitchen. I grabbed a banana from the counter and her cup of water from the fridge. Before leaving the kitchen, I made sure to grab a paper towel along with her tray. We returned to the living room, and I sat her down in the corner of the couch. Placing the tray between her legs, I opened the banana and broke it into pieces on the tray. I grabbed the remote and turned to Mickey Mouse.
Looking around the living room, my eyes landed on a picture of my late grandma. Paw Paw said she died when I was a baby. She had a heart attack on her way home from work and crashed, dying on impact. I wish we had more time together.
"Maje?" I heard my Paw call out my name.
"Yes Grandpa?"
"Can you come help me?"
I heard him grunt. Grandpa has bone cancer, chondrosarcoma to be exact. It's a primary cancer composed of cells pulled from transformed cells that produce cartilage. A chondrosarcoma is also a member of the tumors of the bone and soft tissue known as sarcomas. Paw has tumors on his pelvis and hips. The pain only hits at night, but because of the tumors, it's hard to walk sometimes. He's been fighting this for a while. He's in grade III because we can't afford the surgery. When he got fired from the warehouse, he lost all the little benefits they were giving him.
