AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m going in tomorrow.”
As I pulled into our garage, the words left my mouth. There was as much conviction as there was confidence behind them, making me smile until my lips reached my eyes almost.
“I’m going in tomorrow,” I repeated, this time a bit louder and with much more enthusiasm.
Excitement grew in my belly, not only from the anticipation of what was to come the next day but from what I knew I was about to walk into. The chaos, I was prepared for it. Once, I thrived in the trenches of motherhood and I was slowly getting back to that.
I stepped into the house from the garage entry and followed the noise all the way to the living room where my girls were all enthralled in a different activity with the television running in the background. There was so much beauty in the room. Each one of them had stolen my entire face to have as their own. Hadn’t they been years apart, they’d all get mistaken for triplets.
“Heeeeeeey, Elle,” I greeted the tiniest one who noticed me first.
Her hands were stretched as her fingers wiggled. She, too, was happy to see me.
“Did you miss me, mommas?”
“Pick up. Pick up.”
She bounced up and down, ignoring my question.
“Alright, alright. Just for a second. Mommy has to feed brother, okay?”
When I pulled her into my arms and up on my hip, her little lips landed right on mine.
“Down, mommy!”
“What? You just got up here.”
“Down, mommy.”
“Okay. Okay. I’ll put you down.”
“Hi, mom,” Essence called out, not budging from her spot on the couch.
“Hey, baby. How was your day?”
I sat Elle back down and began to remove my shoes. My feet were begging to be freed.
“It was good. How are you feeling?”
“I’m feeling good, Essence. I figured I’ll try to go to the bakery tomorrow. I’m actually really happy about that.”
“Me, too. If you get the chance, can you make us some more snickerdoodle cookies? I miss those a lot.”
My best friends. Essence had been such a great friend to me since she was born. She didn’t know it, but she helped me fight so many silent battles by just being there with a toothless smile or kisses like the one Elle had just given me. Then, Emoree came along and the two tackled the position that most parents refused to allow their children to fulfill. My children were my friends and I wouldn’t trade that relationship for anything. Our friendship was deeply rooted and solved problems that many didn’t have to suffer through if they’d just opened their minds to the idea of friendship with their children. It was as pleasant as it was helpful.
“I will. That’ll give me something to actually do when I get there. I had no idea what I’d be doing. I just know I want to go.”
“You should.”
“Mommy, I painted this,” Emoree said, pulling on the end of my shirt while holding a sheet of paper up as far as it would go.
“You did? Let me see, Em.”
I kneeled to her height so that she could understand she had my undivided attention. It was the only kind of attention you were to give Em, or not give her any at all.
“You like it?”
“I love it. Is it for me?”
