ʟᴏꜱᴛ ʟᴏᴠᴇ

1.

Ariya
Five years later: Present day

"Mama."

"Mama."

"Mama!"

I felt two small arms shaking my shoulders until my eyes fluttered open just to see Rylan sitting upon my stomach.

"Why are you up so early?" I asked, rubbing my eyes before glancing at my clock.

6:00 am

I sighed loudly, knowing I had a lot to do today. I pulled Rylan's head into my chest and squeezed his small body.

He giggled and I sat up.

"Come on." I grabbed his hand and led us into the small bathroom in my room. I picked him up to sit on the counter and he picked up his green toothbrush. I picked up mine and we both brushed our teeth.

I swished the water around in my mouth before spitting it out. Grabbing Rylan right under his arms.

"Spit." He spit out the water and smiled a toothy grin to himself in the mirror. I patted his back and placed him on the ground.

"Go wait for me in the kitchen." I told him.

"Okay!" He said before running off. I chuckled before looking back.

I gripped the edges of the counter and stared forward at my tired self. The bags under my eyes,
collar of my shirt stretched from Rylan pulling on it.

I took a deep breath in and closed my eyes.

One moment of peace.

One single moment to myself.

Breathe.

"Mama!"

I snapped my eyes open and sighed before walking down the small hall to the kitchen. Rylan was sat on one of the stools by the counter while playing with a small toy car.

I pulled out the box of pancake mix and took out a bowl. Shaking the box I realized that it was almost done.

I was saving up to take Rylan back to school shopping and I barely had enough for that as it is.

I mixed the batter and cooked it upon the stove.
It ended up making exactly two, I plated them and slid fluffy goodness in front of Rylan.

"Eat up."

He looked down at them before picking up one with his hands and extending it to me.

"You have one." He said.

"I'm not hungry, it's okay." I smiled at him. He shook his head and refused. I sighed before cutting it in half and eating that.

We watched tv for a bit until getting dressed and descended down the elevator. Heading down to the parking garage and getting into my car.

I strapped him inside his car seat and got into the drivers seat, turning the car on and driving out.

A little while later we arrived in the Walmart parking lot. I helped him out of the car and locked it before holding his hand to cross the street.