"Mommy, can we go to the amusement park tomorrow?" Lily Rose asked me as she stood between my legs while I braided her hair the next day.
"I have work, baby."
"Okay." She answered dejectedly As her shoulder zagged with disappointment.
I felt bad that I couldn't take my kids out on a Sunday because I had to work.
Maybe I could try to talk to the manager today to let me take the day off tomorrow I thought to myself. I was sure he wouldn't say no, but I'd have to work more the next day to earn extra money. My kids deserved to be happy and have fun with their mom for at least one day. I finished braiding my daughter's hair then turned her around.
"You know what, baby?"
"What?" She asked me with a sad smile.
"We're going to the amusement park tomorrow."
"Yay!" She yelled happily and wrapped her tiny arms around my neck. She then ran to the living room where her brother was watching T.V and I followed her. "Adam, mom is taking us to the amusement park tomorrow." She told him excitedly.
Adam turned around with a huge smile on his face and asked me. "Really?"
"Yes, really baby." I assured him as I walked towards him and placed a kiss on his cheeks.
Suddenly the doorbell rang; startling us. "Grandma's here!" Lily Rose yelled as I chuckled and went to open the door.
"Hey, mom" I greeted her once she entered.
"Hey, sweetheart. Going already?" She asked me as she saw me wearing my work uniform.
"Yes, I was just waiting for you to arrive." I informed her and she nodded. "There's food in the fridge if the kids get hungry." I informed her.
"Don't worry about anything, sweetheart." I nodded with a smile on my face.
The kids suddenly came running to the door. "Mom, can grandma take us to the park today?" Adam asked me with his puppy dog eyes.
I looked at my mom and she just nodded. "Okay, but you have to be nice to grandma." I told them sternly. They bobbed their heads up and down happily. I kissed their cheeks and said goodbye before heading out to work.
#
"No." Frank, the restaurant's manager, said.
"But..."
"No buts, Rosie. You know Sunday is a busy day around here." He told me before walking away.
I looked at his retreating back with anger seething through my body. I had already promised the kids that I would take them to the amusement park. I didn't want to disappoint them. I wanted to scream in frustration, but didn't. Instead, I undid the apron, pulled it quickly off and threw it on the restaurant's kitchen counter.
"Where are you going?" Leo yelled.
"I'm taking my break." I told him over my shoulder before walking out.
I leaned against the restaurant's wall and let my tears of frustration run down my cheeks. I couldn't let the kids down. I hadn't taken them out in a very long time. I felt so guilty for not being able to take them out. It was just a simple thing they asked me to do and I wasn't able to do it.
"Rosie?" I heard someone say my name. I looked up and saw Julian. How is he always popping out of nowhere?
"Why are you crying?" He asked me as he walked closer towards me.
I stood up straight and wiped my tears with the back of my hands. "I'm not crying, there's just something in my eye." I told him lamely as I lowered my head.
He chuckled, clearly not believing me, and stood in front of me. He placed his index under my chin and raised my face then looked me in the eye. "What are you crying about?" he asked me softly.
"It's nothing. Those are just tears of frustration."
He released his finger from under my chin. "What are you frustrated about?" He asked me.
"I'm frustrated because I have to work tomorrow so I can't take my kids to the amusement park and I know how much they want to go."
"Can't you take the day off?" He asked me.
I shook my head. "I tried, but the manager wouldn't let me. He said that it's a busy day tomorrow." I told him with a sad sigh and he just nodded. I wiped the imaginary dust on my jeans. "Anyways, I have to get back to work." I told him. "I'm sorry I bothered you with my problems."
He shook his head with a small smile."Not at all" I nodded and walked away.
I entered the restaurant and started my job feeling a little bit better. I guess talking to Julian helped. It was weird that I didn't feel uncomfortable with him. In fact I felt at ease. I didn't even have time to think about where he came from as I got busy with work.
#
"Do you have work tomorrow sweet cheeks?" Leo asked me as I undid the apron from around my waist.
"Yes." I told him sadly as I placed the apron the counter.
"Rosie, may I speak with you for a moment before you leave?" I heard Frank say from behind me.
"Duty calls." I told Leo before walking towards Frank.
"Is something wrong?" I asked Frank once I approached him.
"I just wanted to tell you that you can have tomorrow off." He clearly wasn't happy about his decision, but k couldn't care any less.
I looked at him with wide eyes then a smile quickly made its way to my face. "Thank you." I beamed at him. He nodded firmly and walked away.
I walked towards Leo; the smile not leaving my face. "I have the day off tomorrow." I told him happily.
"I heard." He said as he smiled at me. "Go home to your kids." He told me; shooing me away.
"Bye." I yelled over my shoulder as I walked out.
I walked over to the bus stop and sat at the usual bench as I waited for the bus to arrive. Due to my happiness, I hadn't noticed that I was late and the bus was already gone. "Shit." I cursed under my breath. Now I have to pay extra and take a taxi. Standing up from my seat, I stood by the side of the road as I waited for a taxi to pass by, but not a single one did. Great! Just my luck I thought to myself.
"Do you need a ride?"
I turned around startled, but relaxed once I saw who it was. "You scared me." I told Julian and he just chuckled. "Don't you have work or something?" I asked him. "I feel like you're stalking me. This is getting creepy."
Julian tilted his head back and laughed heartily. "I'm not stalking you, Rosie. I just want to talk to you and I'm getting desperate here." He admitted once he sobered up. I didn't reply and just looked down at the ground. "How about that ride?" I looked up at him with uncertainty swirling in my eyes. "I don't bite." He told me jokingly.
I contemplated the idea in my mind. It had been five minutes with no luck of finding a taxi, it was getting late and I needed to get home to my kids. "Okay." I told him. He smiled at me then led me to his car. I settled myself inside then gave him my address.
"I have the day off tomorrow." I told him; trying to break the uncomfortable silence that had settled upon us.
"That's great." He told me as he turned sideways with a grin on his face.
I studied him for a moment before asking my next question. "Did you have anything to do with it?"
"What? No. Why would you think that?" He asked me.
"Well, I was just thinking how Frank never has a change of heart." Julian didn't say anything. I concluded that he was either a very good liar or he really didn't have anything to do with it. Either way, I was happy that I was going to be able to spend the day with my kids tomorrow.
It was silent for a while before I asked something that was running through my mind. "Julian?"
"Yes?" He looked at me sideways, the smile never leaving his face.
"What did you mean when you told me the other day that I had no idea how long you've waited for this moment?"
Julian was silent for a while as he kept driving. Soon, I noticed that we had arrived at my house and Julian had parked the car on the side of the road. I figured I wasn't going to get a response so I just thanked him and was about to open the door to get out when he placed his hand on mine; stopping me. I turned my face sideways to look at him.
"Don't you want an answer?"
**********
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