"You don't know you're beautiful, that's what makes you beautiful!" my three year old daughter, Rhetta, and I sang as we drive home from daycare. Yeah, I have a three year old and I'm only eighteen. I've made some bad choices, yes, but I was not letting anyone take the life of my child, and I was definitely not giving her away. I had her when I was 15. I took a couple months off of school, then did summer school, once Rhetta was in daycare.
It had been a slow day and everything seemed to be going by inch by inch, second by second. It'd been a rough day at school and I couldn't wait to get home and cuddle with my girlie. We would probably watch The Lion King again, Rhetta's favourite. Maybe snack on some bananas, maybe even some nutella.
"Momma, play Daniel and Paul!" My daughter squealed. Danny and Paul are the two members of the band, Exclamation Point. When I first taught her their names, Danny and Paul turned to 'Daniel and Pawl.' It's quite hilarious, actually! I've loved Exclamation Point since a little over a year ago. They live in Maryland, like me. But I live in Baltimore, they live in Phoenix. It's only about a half an hour drive, but between school, work and raising Rhetta, I never have time. But yes, I taught my daughter all about them. She knows all of their songs, too! I picked up my new iPhone and selected the Exclamation Point playlist. I put it on shuffle as i reached over to put it back down. I looked up as I saw the red light blur before my eyes. I screamed as a red car hit the left side of my car. My vehicle slammed into another, the red car still at the left, blocking both me and Rhetta's doors. I look at my daughter. Blood trickled down the side of her face, and shards of glass pierced her fragile skin. I screamed her name as I fought to unlock my buckle. I climbed next to her and unlocked her straps. I tried to push her door open but it was no use. The other side door was smashed into the other car. I screamed as i felt my own body grow weak. The red car was pushed out of the way just enough to open the door, and a boy grabbed my baby. That's all I remember seeing before everything turned red.
