“Did you hear me, Lydia?”
“Excuse me, Jenni, but your mom is asking me a question I’ve already answered ten times in the last twenty minutes. But she’s nervous, having never had a job in her life, and realizing she now has to leave you for the first time.” Lydia put the glasses back on the potato-shaped toy and stood, pulling back her red hair that had fallen in her face.
“I’m sorry. I know I’m being a nuisance, but you’re right. It’s nerves.” I twisted the bangle on my wrist, not knowing what to do with my hands.
Lydia opened her arms. “Come here. It’s hug time.”
I let her pull me into an embrace, and it worked—I felt all my worry melt away. Damn, she was a miracle worker.
I moved into this home two years ago, which was the only one on the block that was a rental. It was also the smallest house in the neighborhood. All the floors were covered in a cream-colored carpeting, and most of the furniture was secondhand, as I couldn’t afford new anymore.
I only met Lydia six months ago. When I moved here, it was her grandmother who lived next door, but she passed away last year, and Lydia moved in. She’s been my very first girlfriend. I never was allowed to interact with anyone but my brother and occasionally his friend. Lydia was the first female in my life I could open up to or hang out with on a Saturday night.
She had other friends I had met, and one was even dating a hockey player. But since her grandmother grew sick and passed, I think hanging out with someone who knew her grandma helped her. I liked that I could be there for her, and she could be there for me.
“Thanks. I needed that.” My eyes grew wide. “What if they fire me? It’s only my first day.” I gazed down at the love of my life, Jenni, and my heart pounded wildly in my chest.
“I doubt that’s going to happen. I watched you work your butt off to get your GED. There’s no one I know who works harder than you. They would be crazy to fire you.”
I had never had to worry about money or where to live—things were just provided for me. My brother told me how that wasn’t always the case. My dad worked a lot, especially after Mom died when I was only a year old. It was all he did; so much so that he became a millionaire. But even then, he didn’t stop or slow down. He worked even harder until he was a billionaire.
My brother Eric was my hero. Dad wasn’t around much, and I didn’t grow up with friends, as I wasn’t allowed to go to school. The various babysitters and nannies I had were usually fired shortly after they started—not because they weren’t good at watching my brother and me, but because once they mentioned to my dad that we needed to go to school, he let them go.
My dad hated the idea of anyone else telling us what to think. We had the occasional tutor to learn basic math and reading, but that was it.
It was bad, but my brother had it the worst. He took the brunt of my father’s anger to protect me from it, which was why he was my hero. I always did whatever Eric told me; he acted more like my father than my actual dad.
But when he told me to marry someone I didn’t love, I said no to him for the first time. Then I ran as far away as I could. I grabbed enough money to last me two years, thinking I’d easily get a job, but without even a high school diploma, no one wanted me.
Then I gave birth to little Jenni, who was the reason I stayed hidden. I knew my brother, and I loved him, but in some ways, he was like my father. He could get angry too. And I feared how he would react to Jenni. I focused on earning my GED so I could get a job, as the money I had taken with me was almost out.
I sniffed the air. “Jenni, did you go poo-poo in your diaper?”
Jenni covered her mouth and giggled.
I groaned. “I’ve been thinking about potty training her. You think it’s too early, since she’s only one?”
“I don’t know much about kids, but she just started walking last month, so maybe it’s a little early.”
I bent over to pick her up when Lydia stopped me. “Let me. Since I promised to watch her while you’re at work, I can begin my babysitting gig now.” She winked and pulled Jenni into her arms as if she weighed nothing.
I didn’t stop her, as my back was thankful for the break.
As Lydia and Jenni headed off to her room, I marched over to the list I made for Lydia, which I left on the kitchen counter. Nibbling on my thumbnail, I reexamined the items I had jotted down when someone from long ago popped into my head. My breath caught in surprise.
Jenner Cartwright.
He was the last person who put a smile on my face until I had Jenni. That time in between Jenner and Jenni was some of the worst moments of my life, and I had never felt so alone.
I shook my head, pushing back my shoulders. I had no one to blame for my empty life but me. I was the one who ran, hoping never to be found, I reminded myself.
But then I moved here and met Lydia’s sweet grandmother. And after that, I gave birth to the silliest, but absolutely most wonderful little girl on the planet. And when Lydia showed up, I realized how full my life became. I went from being surrounded by males to being embraced by females—and it really felt like the most incredible embrace.
“I think it’s time,” Lydia announced as she held Jenni in her arms.
Jenni was her usual joyful self. That girl could discover happiness in the sourest of places.
“Dee!” Jenni raised her arms before clapping her hands. That was Jenni’s name for Lydia.