𝐮𝐧𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 | 𝐝.𝐦

𝟏𝟕

Kaimana Valencia | January 1996

Fed up with waiting, Kaimana opened her bathroom door and walked in even though Quinn was using it.

"You couldn't wait two more minutes?" he droned, sitting on the toilet with his trousers to his ankles and a book in hand.

"You've been in here for an hour."

"Nature called, angel."

She rolled her eyes. She grabbed a wet cloth and wet it before leaving the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

"Hi, baby love." Kaimana smiled at her baby. Zaiyah was standing and bouncing as she gripped the bar of her crib. "Mama needs to clean your face. You've got dried milk on your mouth." She picked up her baby and wiped her face gently with the wet cloth.

Quinn had been with them since he showed up in the middle of the night and ate Kaimana's Christmas dinner in a mug.

He and Kaimana went to the shops to pick him up some clothes and other necessities since she didn't want him to go back to his own house. Stephen had stayed with Zaiyah back at home.

She could see her father liked having another guy in the house. He finally got to share his knowledge about cars and other vehicles to someone who was fascinated. Quinn was actually very interested.

"Kai, I'm stepping out!" Stephen called from downstairs. "I'm going to pick up a few things for dinner!"

"Be safe!" Kaimana shouted back and put her baby on her bed.

"I will! There's leftovers from yesterday in the fridge and I made waffles! You and Quinn help yourselves!"

"Thanks, Dad! Love you!"

"Love you!"

And then she heard the front door close.

Kaimana changed Zaiyah out of her onesie and into something cute, but cozy. By the time she finished changing her baby, Quinn had finished showering and getting dressed.

Kaimana already changed out of her pajamas, so she had no need to change.

Quinn smiled at Zaiyah, and as Kaimana held her, he snatched her from her arms and went downstairs without another word.

Kaimana stood there for a second, confused. But then she walked downstairs and prepared breakfast for Zaiyah.

"Holy, Valencia, your father's a freaking great cook, he is." Quinn shoved a piece of his waffle into his mouth as he prepared tea.

"That's just a pancake mix he buys from the shop, Quinn." Kaimana stared at him. "You just add water."

"But he adds something to it that makes it taste so good," he insisted and broke open another waffle to show her the fluffy insides.

"A bit of vanilla and cinnamon and he makes it fluffy. That's all it is." She laughed and broke pieces of a waffle onto a plastic plate for Zaiyah.

Kaimana enjoyed her holiday thoroughly this year. Zaiyah was over the top happy, Kaimana's father was happy. Quinn seemed to have been happier ever since he came to Kaimana's. His bruises went down and the cut on his lips had healed.

Quinn slept in the living room on the sofa-bed, since it also unfolded to a bed. Kaimana helped him put sheets on the bed and gave him blankets and pillows.

She noticed he seemed more relaxed now.

And it made her happy.

On New Year's, Kaimana had gone outside at 11:59 p.m., on December 31st while Zaiyah was asleep in Stephen's arms. She counted the seconds herself and then she smiled up at the sky.