𝙄𝙣𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚

Decisions

Xiomara's POV •

"Please let my child be okay," I mumble as I pace in the waiting room.

Suddenly a black doctor with wispy curls around her face and a tired smile reaches me. "I have very good news for you, Ms.Perkin."

"Don't delay," I give her a tired smile back.

"Zabelle is doing better and just seemed to have caught a bad case of the flu. We will have to keep her in for one more day because she's just so young and children's immune system's at this age are absolutely horrible, but your child is fine," she grasps my hands and gives me a warm smile now. "We'll watch over her tonight, and we'll probably be able to have her out by tomorrow morning. Maybe nine or ten. Come."

Mother, Aunt Nicole, and Father walked behind the doctor and me, as we made it to the room Zabelle's was being held in. "I can stay the night with her," I say, coming to my baby's bedside. She was asleep, her face as red as a cherry and somehow during the rush or probably the heat of the day- her two puffs had came undone.

"I don't want you to lose a shift over this, X. I can stay with the little one-

I glance up at my mother with a sad smile.

I turn back to Zabelle and hold her little hand as my eyes trace over my little creation. "Thank you doctor," I say, but realize that she's already gone.

"What happened today at work, Xiomara? I thought you still at least had Sunrise Come, no matter how much we despised that job," Aunt Nicole commented.

"I quit it because I got hired at Midnight Drop, only to be fired because of a physical altercation a jealous...woman and I had." I shake my head with regret. "I was so close to making a lot of dreams come true and some girl had to come and ruin it. And she got to keep her job all because she was buddy buddy with the owner."

"I can not believe this," my mother said slowly.

I shake my head, agreement on my lips until my mother said her next words. "You let some bitch get in between your daughter's future and your source of income. What the fuck is wrong with you, Xiomara? I raised you better than this. We all did." I look up at my mother with watery eyes but she only tsks at me.

"Don't look at me that way, X. You know that's true."

"You're our daughter and we have the obligation to tell you the truth," Aunt Nicole said solemnly.

My father remained silent, resting his chin on his brown knuckles as he stared off into space.

"Why are you all mad at me? This isn't my fault," I hiccup, wiping my eyes.

"You're bringing yourself down and we don't want you to take Zabelle with you. You don't think we don't notice the way you don't eat anymore, Xiomara? How are you going to be a strong mother, Xiomara, and you are making weak minded decisions?"

"I don't know," I say, grabbing my sleeping baby's hand. "You have no idea how hard I'm trying for her. She means the world to me. She's my only goal. Her success at life, at happiness, at love is my only goal. I don't care about myself anymore."

"Is that why you haven't been eating?" my father asks.

"Is that all that matters to you people?" I laugh, shaking my head slowly. "I'll eat if that's what you want."

"Your cousin was like this before he, um-

"I'm not going to kill myself," I look up at each of them. "I have another life to live for. That's not an option."

"Not even on the table," Aunt Nicole agrees, then nudges my mother. "Apologize, Mariah."

My mother begrudgingly steps towards me and cups my face. Planting a big fat kiss on my forehead, she sighs. "Maybe if you found someone to care for you...a partner perhaps, you wouldn't have all the stress of a single mother."

"Indigo offered but-

"Indigo?" my mother laughed, then sighed, patting my back twice. "I meant...a male. Zabelle will need a man in her life, Xiomara. Let's face this now or never. Every little girl needs a daddy, and every little boy needs a mother. You see people out there who don't have that. No matter how well off or how horrible they're doing, they all have one thing in common: a hole in their heart, a hole in their self esteem, a hole in everything they see- missing that one parent."

My gaze falls from hers and she bends down in front of me. "We have always been loving and supporting, and we'll continue to be that way, but you must consider Zabelle and what she'll need."

"I can find a male friend. Anybody. I'm not doing that to myself mother," my gaze drifts over to my father.

"Just because things are complicated between the three of us doesn't mean that all men are the same. Not all of them see you only for your body. Not all of them will call you degrading names. Not all of them want you built like a Barbie doll on steroids. Not all of them cheat. All parent's relationships show a child what love is like, and in many ways we have all failed you. But...there is a young man out there for you, Xiomara," she whispers.

"I thought you accepted me for the way that I am," I whisper back, tears clouding my vision.

"I do, but...at least consider your daughter."

"I always do," I stare down at her sleeping face.

🤔