My Kids and I. (Unedited)

2

Meeting Alicia, did give me hope that there were kind hearted people like her in the big city, her sandwich didn't in fact fill me but, it did hold down my baby from eating itself up.

Sadly, she didn't stay long seeing her roommate called her, claiming there was a emergency in the bathroom the two own and with that she took off, forgetting to mention how much she valued the sanitation of her bathroom. Weird, how she would pick the bathroom over most rooms but, I wasn't one to judge.

Humming a tune, I rubbed my belly providing it with warmth as the cold night never seemed to end. The cardboard boxes beneath my butt, weren't in fact comfortable but it was that or I would sleep on the damp floor of the dark and dirty alley, on of the reasons I chose this alley.

Not a lot of people, pass by during the night and not a lot of people would notice me from afar.

"You're still here?" I rolled my eyes, as the grumpy old man parked his cart beside the crumbling wall, his dog barking as she jumped out of the cart, running towards me, her tail whipping from the right to the left, clearly displaying her excitement.

"Hello to you to Simon." I greeted, bowing to the elderly man in sign of respect. He huffed, dropping down beside me on some cardboard I laid out for him, a couple of hours earlier. "How was the scrapyard today?" I asked, petting the puppy who snuggled into my arms, resting on my loft,e bump. Simon, picked metallic litter anywhere he would find some in this enormous city before heading over to the scrapyard, to exchange what he has for money.

"Same old, same old." He sighed, removing his dirty hat leaning against the wall as he glanced at the dark sky. By that, he meant that he managed to find something but, other younger men and children stole it from him. I could see how tough it was on him, seeing that he worked so hard for his things to get stolen.

"I'm sorry, anyway here I got you and Peppa something." I smiled, watching as Peppa rose up from my lap, her tail wagging as I pulled out a plastic bag from beneath the cardboard boxes I kept it under, just in case I bumped into the wrong people and would take it from me.

"What?" He asked, sounding defeated but that all changed as I pulled out a sandwich for the old man, a halve filled bottle of juice I couldn't resist myself from drinking and for Peppa, a halve eaten quarter of a chicken, I grabbed from Alicia before she would throw it away and a bottle of milk for Peppa.

"Did you steal it?" He suspiciously asked denying the food but, my little girl washed no time as she jumped up bitting the chicken from my hands, jumping off my lap as she devoured the meat like a beast starved for years.

"No, I met a sweet girl named Alicia. She gave it to me and said she's gonna bring us more." I smiled, handing the sandwich to him, he nodded opening it wasting no time as he bite into it, a smile forming on his face as we both knew that it's been weeks since we've actually had something proper to eat.

"Ho..was.hmm...hmm..interv-"

"Don't talk with your mouth full Simon." I warned, opening the bottle of juice before handing it to him, "Terrible as always, they rejected me because of my choice of clothing, because I didn't make it on time which wasn't my fault. Working for three hours, barefoot is no joke at all but, I don't want to give up. Maybe if I get a job, I'll be able to leave this alley, find an affordable place to rent and buy groceries and things for my child." I sighed, thinking of what I would do when I had money.

"You'll leave huh?" He asked, gulping down the juice and I nodded, "Yes and I wasn't going to tell you till it does happen but, I would knock you out and drag you with me."

"You want me to come along?" He asked shocked, "I don't need your pity Night-light!"

"It's Twilight, and besides I'm not going to leave you here, old man!"

"Don't call me old, I'm 54!"

"You're pretty old to me, now get some rest you'll need it, we don't want your bones snappi" Right before I had the chance to finish, he growled smacking the back of my head before eating up the rest of his sandwich. "You're very cruel, you know that."

"Yes I do know Night-light."

"It's Twilight!" I corrected him, glaring at him but instead he roared out in laughter, clutching his stomach and than I went to sleep with a smile on my face, happy I finally made a grumpy man laugh.

_______________

Morning came by, real quickly and the old man had to leave again. I just hope tat this time, people would just leave him alone and stop trying to steal whatever he has.

As ever, I packed the cardboards we used as beds, hiding them behind a dumpster not to far from we sleep. Living on the streets has taught me that hide the things you find valuable, leaving our boxes here will cause some teenage kids to steal it and use it for their own, it was heartbreaking to see the levels of extant they would do just so they could be comfortable. So much as as mug and molest a pregnant woman.

Yet again with no luck in finding a job, the afternoon approached fast and I walked towards the building I had met Alicia yesterday. Sliding down, the dirty wall I sighed as my butt touched the cool ground, walking all day long was tiring as hell. My knees and ankles were throbbing painfully, which would be something natural when you're pregnant but, even before I conceived walking long distances, caused my ankles to swell and my knees to buckle with every step I took.

The doctors, simply told my parents that my body wasn't used to the long walks, the first my ankles swelled up, I had to take it once day at a time and push my legs to walk long distances.

"Twilight!"

I rose, my head in an instant wondering who would scream my name but, a smile soon formed as I watched Alicia come strolling by with two tote bags filled with food and drinks. "Afternoon Alicia, I thought you wouldn't come." I laughed, as she gave a serious look before plopping down beside me.

"Ooooofff!" She whined, removing the straps of the two bags from her shoulders before she pushed it towards me. "What is this?" I did know what it was but, I just wanted to know why she would bring more food than the last time. When, people simple offered me one mini loaf before spitting in face to disappear.

"Food, you need it more than I do." She waved her hands around, my eyes looking at her perfect manicured nails. "Thank you, Simon and Peppa are going to be happy." I thanked her.

"Whose Peppa and Simon?"

"Well Simon, is the old man whose alley I live in. He's super grumpy and rude and mean but I guess he's like the uncle you never had and Peppa is his little puppy, she's about four weeks old." I answered, not failing to notice the pity look in her grey eyes. I did know that she felt sorry for me and I wasn't bothered by it, I felt sorry for me.

"I'm sure it gets cold in alley." She said, but it sounded more of a question than a statement. "Yes it does, but Simon has a few blankets he let's me and Peppa use." I smiled, watching as people walk up and down the road as countless shiny cars pass by. "Your tattoos are really beautiful." I complimented, turning away from the streets to face her, she smiled drawing up her white sleeved dress shirt.

"I designed it myself and asked Damien to tattoo it for me."

"You work in a tattoo shop?!" I asked excitedly, I've always wanted to see what a tattoo shop looked like but my parents would refuse, implying that tattoo shops weren't for the classy and elite.

"Yeah, wanna see it?! Maybe you'll meet Damien, my roommate, see my work station and what I do everyday!" She replied, much excited as I was but, I do know that it won't happen today seeing that the sun was setting.

"Yes please! I can't wait to tell Simon, he's gonna be jealous!" I squealed, clapping my hands and so we spent the minimum amount of time talking about her job at the tattoo shop.