So High by John Legend circulated through the small, cold, apartment setting the mood for a smooth nighttime routine. The rustic wind brushed across the window panes while the moonlight reflected through the glass. The floor creaked as different sets of feet connected to the tile, while the walls shook feeling the weight of bodies softly walking.
"Shyloh, pick out your toys for your bath. The water is almost done." Maddox called out.
"Yes sir."
Maddox, a twenty-eight year old, male who had been raising his six-year old daughter all by himself. At the age of twenty-two, he dropped out of college to put his life on hold to raise his daughter. He had the dreams of becoming a Computer Engineer, but when he found out that his daughter's mom signed all of her rights over to him, he stepped up and started making the best out of life for him and his daughter.
"Daddy I likes this song." Shyloh smiled, hugging him around the waist.
"I know you do, that's why we play it every night. You can play this song at your wedding." Maddox chuckled, turning off the double burner hot plate. The hot plate was his prize cooking equipment. It was how he cooked most of their meals and heated up the water for their hygiene.
"You gone be at my wedding daddy?" Shyloh wondered, now requesting to be picked up.
"You better know it, gone be walking you down the aisle to whatever nappy head boy you decide to marry." He replied walking to the only bathroom in the apartment. "Daddy gone always be there for everything you accomplish."
"You promise?" Shyloh pouted, now being put down to her own feet. As Maddox made his promise, he poured the now warm water into the bathtub making sure to test it before he allowed his daughter to soak in it.
Unfortunately this was Maddox and Shyloh's norm. Boiling water to wash up, sleeping with multiple layers of clothes to stay warm, and sleeping with a chair behind the door to protect them from the dangers of the outside. They weren't living in the best apartment in town, but they were both grateful that they had a roof over their head. Maddox couldn't afford much because of his low-paying job, but he made sure that if nothing else was paid, rent was.
"Alright Shy, when it starts to get cold start washing up. I'm about to go make your sandwiches. You want nutella or just a jelly sandwich?"
"Nutella!" Little Shyloh shouted with enthusiasm. She was always grateful for whatever her dad packed for her school lunch. She never complained about how they lived because she knew that her dad was trying his best.
Maddox nodded, walking back to the kitchen. He grabbed the bread loaf and the nutella jar and started to make two sandwiches for his daughter. He removed the ends and used the circle stencil to create its shape. "She gone have to take some Fritos until I get some more groceries." He mumbled to himself.
They always saved the Fritos from the Variety Pack of chips just in case they ran out of other snacks. Neither one liked them, but they grew to tolerate them when they were out of their favorite snacks.
"Daddy I am washing my butt!" Shyloh giggled, washing her body with the Dial lathered wash cloth. Dial was really the only soap that they used. It was affordable and it did the job of getting them clean.
"Okay wash your stinky butt Shy, you're so country." Maddox chuckled. Shyloh was definitely the epitome of country, sometimes she reminded people of a grandma. She was young, but had an old soul at times.
After making sure that her lunch was packed and ready for tomorrow, he went into the one bedroom and made sure that the windows were covered and locked. Not too long later, Shyloh joined him in her pajama set and winter coat. The house temperature along with the outside temperature wasn't a good mix. It made it extra cold in the small apartment.
"Daddy you go to that work?" Shyloh asked crawling under the covers.
"Yeah daddy baby, I'm going to work. Recite them rules for me."
"Don't open that door. Don't cook no food and don't try them outlets." Shyloh nodded, getting comfortable as she rubbed her small feet together.
Unfortunately Maddox had to leave little Shyloh at home while he worked the graveyard shift. He despised himself for it because it wasn't a responsible thing, but he was left with no other choice. He didn't trust anyone in the apartments and he didn't have any family to watch her.
Maddox was the only child as well as his parents, so his family tree wasn't that big. His parents were both incarcerated for a horrific crime that damaged their relationship and his grandparents were deceased. He couldn't take Shyloh to work, so he made the dreadful decision of leaving her home.
"Daddy is it gone be better soon?" Shyloh questioned, stopping Maddox in his tracks. His jaw clenched as he just thought about being a failure.
"Yeah soon Shy." He replied lowly. Hearing his daughter ask that question made him feel like the worst father in the world. He was doing the best he could, but he was starting to feel like it wasn't good enough for Shyloh.
Shyloh was his pride and joy and he did everything for her. There were days where he went without eating just so that she could have the last pack of noodles. There were nights where he went to sleep freezing just because he gave his extra layers to keep her warm. Him and Shyloh were almost evicted, but he made sure that they weren't. He was tired of being put through the wringler and was desperately waiting for his breakthrough.
"I love you daddy, see you in the rising."
Maddox watched as Shyloh closed her eyes and started to tear up. His biggest fear was Shyloh being taken away from him. He hated that he made Shyloh promise not to tell anybody about their living conditions, but them being apart would break his heart.
He watched his daughter fall asleep and aggressively stared to make sure that she was breathing properly. Once he heard her snores, he kissed her forehead and pulled the blankets under her chin.
Grabbing the baby monitor, he tidied up the bathroom and got ready for work. He quickly threw on his Waffle House uniform and made his way out of the room. He closed the door and placed his hand over it before he started speaking.
"Dear God, please protect this apartment, and protect my daughter. Keep away any hurt or harm and place all of your angels around her as she sleep. I ask that you remove any fear from her heart and keep her safe and sound asleep throughout the night. God please don't take my daughter away from me, I know you're taking us through a storm, but I'm trusting in you that you'll break us through it. I'm thankful for every little thing that you've given us and we're appreciative for any blessings that come our way. This is my prayer in Jesus name, Amen."
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where do I even begin, I haven't been on this app since September and let's just say it was well needed. I needed to focus on school, my mental health, and personal health. The messages are never ending..I really appreciate each and every one of you who's messaged me and reached out. I'm very grateful to see another year and I'm excited to grace you all with my creativity. I don't really wanna go on a rant because I can but I'm back. 💗
also I'm still a full-time college student so updates will most likely be out on weekends! Just please be patient and bare with me as I get back into the swing of things!
this book will put you in the mind of Solana Prayer, but it's completely different..please have a box of tissue on standby!
this chapter is short but it's because i need to get my feet wet again.
how we feeling so far about Maddox and his daughter?
vote and comment for the next update!
follow me kids!
-JasdaRealDon out
