Eccedentesiast

|29|

Abiece- The strong urge to avoid someone or something.

•••

My good mood didn't last too long. I got home with a smile on my face, but it instantly drops when I hear the sound of Monica and Dad yelling at each other. Reminding myself that this is what my reality is, I sigh, making my way to my room without staying around long enough to know what it is they are fighting about.

I stop in the hallway when I hear the sound of soft crying. I place my bag down against the wall and enter the room, "Dayton? What's wrong bud?" I whisper, sitting down next to him on his bed.

He brings his head out of his pillow and rubs his eye with the back of his hand, trying to stop the tears but still there is a small pout on his lips. "You're back?"

"Yeah, I just got back. Come here," I give him a small smile and motion him to come over. He rubs his eyes again before crawling over to me and onto my lap. I wrap my arms around him, my heart breaks as he continues to cry. "What's going on? Why are you so sad?"

"Mommy a-and Daddy are fi-fighting," he says through his tears. "D-do they hate each other?"

"No of course not," I hold the little boy tighter, fearing that they might myself. Even though they always work it out, they're now constantly fighting. Ever since Dad started drinking and being out more. Monica tells me that they are fine, she's just trying to get him to understand that he has a family to take care of. But the thought is stuck in my mind that she might leave one day, just like Mom.

I might not see Monica as a mom to me but we do need her here.

"Mommy and Daddy love each other very much," I tell Dayton. "They are just having a disagreement at the moment. But I promise it's nothing to cry over. Remember we like being happy, not sad." He doesn't respond, but his cries calm down. "Guess what! I got something we can be excited about."

He then lifts his head up, and asks in a small voice, "What is it?"

"Lennon and Emma are going to be here in four weeks!"

His eyes brighten the tiniest bit. "Really?"

"Yep, they're going to be here for Christmas too."

To be honest I couldn't wait for them to get here, as desperate as I sound. It's been hard and strange without Lennon even though it's been a good while since he's moved. I haven't seen Emma in a while either. Even when she was living here, we didn't talk to each other much.

"And when you wake up in the morning, we will be one day closer to them getting her," I try to use the tactic of 'the sooner you fall asleep then sooner it will be here' to try to get him to sleep. The kid needs rest, and if I can make sure he's okay, that's one less problem for me to worry about. "You think you will be okay going to bed?"

Dayton hesitates but after a few beats, nods and climbs off my lap and under his covers. "Mommy and Daddy will be okay, right?"

I grab his little hand in my own, "They are going to be just fine." I try to think of something else to distract him. "Hey, how about tomorrow, you, me and June go do something fun, okay?"

"Like what?" he inquiries.

"Whatever you guys want to do."

He agrees and pulls his blanket up to his chin, getting situated for the night. "Good night bud, I'll just be in my room if you need anything, okay?"

Once I double check he's okay, I make my way to my own room. The sound of fighting has now died down but I place in my airpods and blast my music. Trying to distract my mind. Before I forget, I decide to text Kashton.