**Sorry folks this is unedited.. I'll be going back later to make corrections :) Hope you enjoy! Vote Comment... whatever you want if you like!
I put my hands in my hair, pulled and really wanted to scream. If my stress level wasn't high enough before, now it off the charts. Could there be anything worse than having an awkward moment with the long lost father of my daughter. I mean just the sound of me saying that was awkward. This seemed to call for a nice relaxing bubble bath.
So that is exactly what I did. I dimmed the lights and lit some candles. I felt like a kid taking a bubble bath. I never had the time for bubble baths. Being a mom is a full time job. July gets the bubble baths, I get quick showers. It was kind of nice to relax, but that moment only lasted for a brief time. All I could do was wonder what July was doing with her dad, were they getting a long? Was she getting a long with his family? Did she fit in? So many questions flew through my head. What did all this mean? What was going to happen once the summer ends? I laid my head back onto the bathtub and let out a sigh. I needed to just take a moment and breath. I let out another sigh then slid my whole body under the water.
I don't know how long I stayed in the bath. All I know is that by the time I was done I was sitting in a cold bathtub. I slipped out of the bath and tightly wrapped a towel around me. I wiped the steam off of the mirror and stared at myself for a long time. Before me stood a women with long natural curly dirty blond hair, that stood five foot six inches tall. My green eyes appeared to be sad. I hadn't noticed this until today. To be honest, I hadn't looked at myself in a long time, I mean really looked at myself. I didn't recognize the women standing in front of the mirror. Time had aged me a bit over the years. I wasn't that vibrant sixteen year old anymore. Yeah, I was only twenty-two but I was an aged twenty-two year old.
Being a single mom had put a lot of miles on me. Sometimes, I worked odd and end jobs to help supplement my daytime job. My parents never really knew I did this. I didn't want them to know that sometimes what I made at the law firm wasn't enough. They would have given me more money if I asked, but they had already done enough to help me out over the years. I couldn't ask for more. So twice a week my parents watch July, so I can have me time. In reality, I'm working across town, at a local cafe,waiting tables. I've been doing this for about three years now. I hate lying to them, but I'm only doing what is best for July. I am her mom, I am the one who has to provide for her. I couldn't always depend on some to be there to help.
By this time, I had decided it was time to finish getting ready and head to Rainey's cabin. I decided to let my hair air dry as I put on a little bit of make up to brighten my face. I picked out a summer maxi dress and a pair of Tom's. I loved summer time and being able to feel free. The weather is nice with cool nights and warm days. I grabbed a light sweater and headed for the Rainey cabin. The weather out was a little colder than I had anticipated. As I was strolling along, I heard my name being called from behind. I slightly turned my head to look to see who it was. I smiled when I saw him. He came trotting up and stopped in front of me.
I stopped in my tracks and spoke. " What are you doing out here, sneaking up on girls like a creeper." He laughed and shrugged his shoulders.He didn't say anything else so I spoke again.
I thought I'd be comical, " What are you doing to do take me in the woods and kill me, I mean that seems a little more feasible."
He furrowed his brow and shook his head. I could tell he was trying not to smile. I pressed my lips together waiting for him to speak.
" I was getting some fresh air, I thought I'd give July, Rainey and his family some space. I felt a little out of place." I nodded my head.
"Sorry, I'm so late to dinner.. I sort of lost track of time, I'm sure everyone is starving because of me."
" Oh no it is quiet alright. Carl actually just got back from the store, from what I hear there was a big ordeal getting everything that Janie had on the list. Apparently she was very insistent that everything had to be perfect. Therefor, he had to get everything on the list."
" Okay good, I was getting kind of worried that everyone would be waiting on me, now maybe I can take my time and have a nice little stroll and clear my head."
He nodded his head. " Well, I'll leave you to it. I guess I'll see you back at the cabin."
I could have easily just let him go back to the cabin, but instead I asked, " How about you walk with me instead." I wasn't sure why I asked him to stay, maybe it was because I really didn't want to think about what was going on inside my head. " I might need some protection after all."
He laughed loudly and spoke, "Yeah, I hear there are creepers around here anyways."
I nudged his side. " Oh yeah I hear that they are big, hairy and really ugly."
He raised his eyebrows, " Oh that is not what I hear, I hear the creepers around here are pretty handsome, good looking fellows."
He smirked at me, I couldn't help but smile back. " Well, maybe just one." With that I started walking again. He stood there for a moment, I don't know if he was dumbfounded or what but after I had put distance between us, he finally decided to catch up with me.
I wrapped my sweater tightly around me as the chilly summer air hit me sending chills down my spine. This sensation didn't last long because before I knew it, Maddy had taken off his jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders.
" You don't have to do that, I have my sweater. You need your jacket more than I do." I took off the jacket and held it out towards him. He surprising took it from me. We started walking again, and then yet again he place the jacket around my shoulders. This time I did not protest, I slipped my arms into the sleeves and wrapped it tightly around me.
"Thanks." He smiled and rolled his eyes.
"So Melonie, tell me about you."
I looked at him a little confused. " Not much to know."
"Oh sure there is, I would like to know the women who from what I can tell has raised an amazing little girl. There must be something to tell."
" Well, what do you want to know?" I was really sure where to start, or even what he wanted to know about me. Or even what I wanted him to know.
" So what kind of classes are you taking at the University?"
I laughed a little, " Well, I've taken a little bit of everything. I've taken a couple of legal aide classes, I've taken some creative writing, a business class. I've really taken just a little bit of everything."
"Do you know what you want to do?"
I shrugged my shoulders. " I don't know really, I've considered all the possibilities but I haven't found that one thing that I love. Plus right now all I'm worried about is providing for July."
He looked as though he were thinking of what to say. I really liked it when people considered their words before they spoke. It showed restraint, as well as, consideration. He was very thoughtful in his words. " Don't you think you could provide better for her if you had a college degree?"
Some people might be offended by his words, but I was not. I knew he was right. " Of course I could. But I can't provide what she needs if I'm going to school full time. I have to work two jobs to provide for her." I couldn't believe that slipped out of my mouth. I'd never told anyone that I worked that second job.
"You have to work two jobs?" I nodded my head.
"Please keep that to yourself. No one else knows, and honestly it just slipped out of my mouth. As far as everyone knows I only work at the law firm, but two nights a week I work at a dinner. I make really good tips."
" Your secret is safe with me."
"So what other deep dark secrets do you want to know."
He laughed at my comment. " How about a simple question next? Let me think...Favorite kind of ice cream?"
" I thought you said this was going to be a simple question? There is so many options. I have my favorite summertime ice cream, my favorite wintertime ice cream, my favorite daytime, nighttime and so on and so forth."
"And you said there wasn't anything I should know. You seem like a complex lady"
After that we walked for several minutes in silence. It was a comfortable silence, it was something that I wasn't used to. Silence was not part of my every day life. It really was a nice night. In the distance I could see Rainey's cabin. I began to think of July.
"Melonie can I ask you a personal question?"
"Only if I can ask you a personal question first."
He stopped and turned to look at me,"Okay, shoot"
" How did you feel when found out you were going to be a a dad?"
He put his hands in his pockets and let out a sigh. " To be honest, I was an idiot.. I was scared to death, and I didn't take it so well. I wasn't ready to be a dad. I was... putting it mildly, a jackass. That lasted about two weeks before I realized what an idiot I was being and decided it was time to step up and be a man, and own up to my responsibilities. Annika, Titus's mom hated me for a good straight month, but we worked it out, at least for a while anyway."
"I'm glad you came around, proves you know how to be a man. I myself was really scared to when I found out I was pregnant. Except it only got worse when I realized I would be the only one parenting. Plus, I was still in high school. So that was bad enough. Anyway, what is your question?"
"Do you think that you and Rainey will get back together?"
I really didn't know what to say. How had this conversation got to this point. I didn't know Maddy from a hole in the ground. Why were we getting so personal. I think he is just easy. Easy to talk to, easy to be around.
All I could do was shrug my shoulders, "I dunno."
" Do you love him?"
I wanted to shrug off his question and lighten the mood. " Hey only one deeply personal question per conversation. You will have to save the question for the next round." I think he caught my drift because he started walking again.
" I think we should check on dinner."
I followed in step beside him. " I concur."
**** What do we think of Maddy? I would like to know your thoughts....
Team Rainey? Team Maddy? Team July?