Time
"Sure.. Nights? Well, you know I just had a daughter and my girl she's in school so.. Yes I need the job..I can start Monday?..Alright..That's fine..Thank you.."
He ended the call and looked at me.
"So what's up?"
"That was the guy about me working for transportation."
"Alright what'd he say?"
"Well I got the job but it's nights. 11 until 7."
"So I'll be home with Kyleigh all night by myself?"
I asked taken back a bit. We hadn't spent a night alone together, without Trey or his mother since she'd came home from the hospital.
"Yeah I know, I didn't want it like that but Danni we know I need a job."
"I mean it's cool. As long as I can focus on my schoolwork during the day then I can watch her at night, and if I need help you know Anixa or Keyanna will come."
"I just feel horrible leaving y'all here like this you know?"
"Trey, we'll be fine."
"You sure?"
He asked his brown eyes full of doubt and glossed with worry.
"Positive."
I got up and kissed his forehead.
I knew it was going to be tough but this would be a test for us. To see if we could really handle the task that was ahead of us. Monday was the start of the rest of our lives as parents and adults.
Monday I was up early sipping Coffee and working on my productive learning work when Trey woke up. He came sitting next me looking over my shoulder.
"Why are you awake so early?"
"I figured you would just need to rest before tonight."
"When are you going to rest?"
Kyleigh was a newborn which meant she woke up and cried often. An hour didn't go by without her cries and I was so nervous I often jumped up myself just to make sure she was okay.
"I'll make time don't you worry."
I said taking another sip and typing on my laptops keyboard. Trey and I had gotten 15 minutes of peace before Kyleigh's cries started.
"She's up."
I said not allowing my eyes to break from the glowing screen on my lap.
"Work, I'll get her."
Minutes later Trey came in smiling from ear to ear with Kyleigh in his arms.
"Danni she's looking at me."
I almost broke my neck fumbling over my laptops power cord trying to get near to Trey. I walked over and stood behind his shoulder. And while I'm sure she couldn't see his features she was looking at him, she knew he was her dad. Her tiny lips formed into a smile and although she did it unknowingly, she had just made her father's day. I saw a tear fall from Trey's eye.
"I love you Kyleigh, Daddy loves you."
She looked at him still moving her little fingers. It was the moments like this that we had both looked forward too and now that they were happening we couldn't believe it.
Although Kyleigh was a blessing she was also another huge responsibility. Between school and her I was stressed, and Trey was often too tired when he came home from work to help me out. I was attempting to get some housework done by cleaning the kitchen and sorting laundry while both he and Kyleigh were asleep when my phone rang.
"Hello?"
I half whined into the receiver.
"Hey Danni it's Chris, everything okay?"
I sighed.
"Yeah it's cool, just a lot going on you know."
"True, you busy?"
"No, no. What's up."
"Well how's Kyleigh?"
"She is fine, and thankfully right now she and her father are asleep, I'm trying to get what little housework done I can before I start working on my papers."
"You've got a lot on your plate."
"Yeah a whole lot. But I'm making due, I mean my grades are still up so we're doing fine."
"Cool, that's good to hear."
"So what's up with you? How's music?"
"It's good, fine. Working on this demo tape and trying to get exposure."
"That's good."
"Well it's kind of the reason I was calling you. I mean I know you're busy with school and Kyleigh but I have a small show coming up and was wondering if you would come?"
"Oh, I mean I can't make any promises with my schedule and all but I can try."
"That's fine."
I heard relief in Chris' voice and he went on to ramble off the information about where his show was and what time. We spoke for a few minutes after and after a promise to give Kyleigh kisses for him I was headed to the laundry room.
Kyleigh had just turned a month old. She was growing more and more and learning new stuff. She had just found out she had legs so Danni and me spent our time laughing at her kicking a mile a minute. Danni needed to go on campus for some things about school so I'd taken the day off, we had been in the house since Kyleigh came home and I felt we both needed a break and some fresh air. After packing her bag and getting her dressed and snapped into her car seat, we headed over to Kenny's too meet up with him, Brendan and Ayden. When I pulled up Brendan pulled up right behind me. Getting out and running to the door.
"Where's Kyleigh!"
He asked excited, he hadn't seen her since she was born.
"Man can I get out the car first?"
"I'll do it myself."
He said walking over to the side passenger door and unbuckling, and unsnapping her carseat from it's base. He moved the cover from over her face and smiled at her sleeping with her hands balled together near her face.
"Oh man she's so big! Look at her!"
"I know."
We were walking up the steps to Kenny's front door.
"I wanna wake her up."
"No man, let her sleep, she'll wake up when she's ready."
Brendan pouted and we both said whaddup dapping a smiling Kenny walking through the front door.
"Ohh you got God Daddy's princess with you!"
Kenny said leading us into the living room.
"Between you and Brendan I don't know who's more excited."
"Man you know it's been a long time since we've seen her."
Kenny stated. He was right they were in school and I was working our schedules didn't allow for much hanging out together anymore. And even though we were all within an hours drive of each other it was an awful long time when you're tired from school and work. Kenny had went in the kitchen and came back in with beers in hand for us.
"Damn I haven't had one of these in a while."
I said twisting the metal cap off of the blue and white labeled bottle.
"I told you man having a new born is no joke."
"Between her and work, it's just been crazy. Danni and I don't even have time for each other anymore. She's so busy with school and when she's up I'm at work and when I'm home I'm asleep. It's just crazy right now."
"Yeah but y'all will work it out just like me and Key did just give it some time."
"So how long before you can, you know?"
Brendan asked tauntingly.
"Man another month. It's supposed to be 6 weeks but Danni on some shit, talking about she wanna wait and make sure everything his okay."
I rolled my eyes at the thought, Kenny and Brendan laughed at my obvious agitation.
"So you're working now right?"
Brendan asked.
"Yeah man, doing some dumb shit, cleaning buses and shit. Shit is stupid."
I said shaking my head.
"Listen man, you've got a girl and a daughter who need food, and a roof over their head, you can't be proud."
"It's not that, I understand, I just wish that I could do more for Danni. I mean we all know she's set financially but shit I want to be able to help lighten the load."
"Well what's up with your music?"
"I haven't had any time to get into the studio between work and Kyleigh."
They both nodded.
"Man I know it's probably crazy right now, but you just gotta push through it, just remember you're doing it for Kyleigh and Danni."
"Yeah, I hear y'all."
I took another swig and then Kyleigh started crying. I heard little feet and turned around and saw Ayden.
"Hey Ayden what's up man?"
I said happy. He had grown so much, I couldn't wait until Kyleigh was that old. Ayden was almost 2 and half years old walking, talking, and giving Key and Kenny a run for their money.. He walked over to Kyleigh and rubbed her stomach.
"Kywee cry? Why cry Kywee?"
We all couldn't help but to laugh, this was too cute. Kenny spoke to Ayden.
"I think Kyleigh's hungry Ayden."
"Bottle dada."
"You think she needs a bottle?"
He shook his head.
"Well looks like Ayden has it all figured out."
Brendan said laughing.
"Twey."
He said walking over to me tugging on my jean pant leg. I looked down at him as he spoke with two fingers in his mouth.
"What's up man?"
"Kywee bottle."
"Okay I'll get Kyleigh a bottle."
I reached for the diaper bag and Ayden walked back over to Kyleigh rubbing her stomach.
"Otay Kywee, otay."
I fed Kyleigh and we spent the afternoon chilling at Kenny's.
I was in the student center picking up my audit for graduation when I ran into Rebecca, she was apart of Honors Society and a member of DST. She'd graduated last spring so I was shocked to see her.
"Daniela?"
She asked.
"Hey Rebecca how you doing?"
She smiled giving me a hug.
"I'm fine, just in grad school now, how are you?"
"I'm fine. I'm fine."
"What happened? You came to rush and then?"
"Things got a little crazy, I just had a baby about a month ago."
"Oh my goodness! Serious?"
"Yeah a little girl named Kyleigh."
"You're still in school?
"Yeah she was born in early august so I finished out last year and came back in time for the start of this year, I'll graduate in may."
"That is what's up. Well Danni, I've been looking for you, I have something to talk to you about, do you have some time?"
"Sure."
"C'mon I'll treat you to a smoothie in celebration of your daughters arrival."
I smiled and followed Rebecca.