Round of Applause

Chapter 8: Black Car Part 1

I am making enough money now where I can pay all the bills and have enough money to go food shopping, clothes shopping, and anything else we need. I still have that duffle bag under the bed that Dario gave me. I never touched it after he gave it to me. I was afraid to. It was early Saturday morning. Like 5 in the morning. I woke up and decided that I would start cleaning. After I took a shower and brushed my teeth I cleaned the bathroom and swept and mopped all through the apartment. I wiped down the kitchen counters and cleaned the handles on everything. I went into Manny and Sara’s room and cleaned some of their toys up. I looked at the Nintendo’s that Dario got them both last Christmas. Manny the red one and Sara the blue one. I made a loud noise and Manny woke up. “Mommy.” He said kind of panicked. “It’s just me. Go back to sleep Manny.” I said. I exited the room and I heard his little footsteps following after me. “Go back to bed sweetie, I’m just cleaning.” I said to him.

“Can I clean too?” he asked. I hesitated. “Go and brush your teeth and you can help me make breakfast.” I said to him. He smiled and ran to the bathroom. I cleaned the couched in the living room and wiped down the tv while I waited for him. He came out of the bathroom and walked over to me. It was now 6:30. “Mommy when is Dario coming back?” he asked me. I sighed, “Soon…” I said. He dropped it and he sat down on the couch. “I thought you wanted to help me clean?” I asked. He hoped off the couch and followed me to my room. I picked him up and sat him on the bed. “Take all of the pillow cases off. When Sara wakes up, we’ll go downstairs to wash.” I said. He struggled a little bit but got them off. “Good job!’ I said kissing his head and taking him off the bed. “Mommy. Can you make me cereal?” he asked. “I can’t make you cereal. I can pour you some.” I said. He ran to the kitchen and I laughed at him. He is just too hyper.

Every day he grows more and more like Kennan, the good side of Kennan which was a big percentage. Kennan used to be so hyper all the time and always laughing and acting crazy. I went to the kitchen and got down Manny’s favorite cereal, Apple Jacks. He and his dad used to go through a box of cereal in a day. I got a bowl and a spoon and got the milk. “Yay!” he shouted with a smile. I put the cereal in first and then I poured the milk over the rings of apple and cinnamon. In the meantime he pulled a chair out and sat down at the table. “Manny, I was going to make eggs and sausages.” I said putting the cereal and spoon on the table before him. He thanked me. “I just want cereal.” He said. I looked at him to make sure he was suffice with the cereal. He picked up the spoon and picked up some of the cereal. I stopped him, “Say your prayers.” I said. I’m trying to get them into the habit of praying. Kennan used to make them pray when he claimed he started changing. It’s not that I don’t believe, because I do. But I almost lost faith.

He put his spoon down, “Oh yeah.” He said. I sat across from him and clasped my hands together along with him and bowed my head. “What to say?” he asked me. “Repeat after me.” I said. “Thank you Lord…” I said. He repeated. “For letting me live another day.” He repeated. “Keeping me and my family safe.” “Keeping me healthy.” “Loving me.” “And giving me a home and food.” “Amen.” I finished. “AMAN!’ He yelled smiling. I laughed at his mispronunciation.

I stood up and went to the kitchen sink, “Should I…” I started. I heard loud coughing that was raspy and full of mucus. I heard the little footsteps and saw the curly brown hair and the bright yellow and pink thermals. Sara walked into the kitchen coughing into her right hand. Her face was drained except for her cheeks which were red. Her eyes were watery and her nose was running. “Oh gosh.” I said kneeling down to her. “You’re sick again?” I asked her. She was just sick 2 weeks ago and could barely move. I felt her forehead. “Mommy my throap hurts.” She said. Throap…. I try so hard to tell her that it’s throat. “You’re throat hurts, princesa.” I said calling her what her dad used to call her. I remember when Kennan picked her up from the baby sitters. They never saw him before and he kept asking for Princesa forgetting that they know her as Sara. I sighed. No other man could love my babies like Kennan did, not even Dario.