I Never Left You

1. Koala

"Wake up Az or else we're going to be late" am startled by Leah's voice as I try to wake up from sleep. How come everyone is a morning person apart from me. I get up and put back Christa's blanket and kiss her good morning as she's still heavily asleep. My delightful baby loves her beauty sleep. Yes! You heard me right. My baby.
Well, my name is Azra Falls, and am 20years old, having a baby already makes me among the 11% of teenage mothers in the world. How all this came about isn't a story for today cause at the moment I need to get ready for work or else Leah will eat up my head on our way to work.
"Honey Az, are you awake? My mum calls from downstairs. I can hear sounds of clattering cups and plates and that familiar aroma of pancakes so am guessing breakfast must be ready ."Be down in a few minutes mum" I say as I get out of the bathroom ready to embrace today's challenges.
By 7:10 am and done getting adorned up and all made up and baby Christa is still in her dreamland so I kiss her goodbye, open the windows fully, grab my bag, and head downstairs for breakfast.
As I settle down on the table for breakfast, Dad is folding up his newspaper into his briefcase ready to head out for work too.
"Good morning dad," I say
"Good morning honie pie" he replies with his signature smile. Next to me is my thirteen-year-old troublesome brother who I pat on the head knowing well that he hates it when I do it. "Allan you are taking the bus to school today if I dare step out of the house without you. " Dad intimidates as Allan gallops the last remains of his juice and pancakes before rushing for his bag.
"Az, is Christa still sleeping?", mum asks as she plants a kiss on my forehead and hands me my plate. "Yes, mum, sleepy as ever". "Give her my love too", Dad says "and bye too my dears" as he exists. "Bye mum and Az", Allan waves us off too. We converse a bit with my mum as we have breakfast. My mum is a stay home mum so I don't have to worry about leaving Christa behind with my mother. Christa is now one and half years old and these two equally adore each other more than anything. Their grandmother-granddaughter bond is decisive than the mother-daughter bond.
I get up and give her a tight warm hug and give her an account of her how much I love her and remind her that am happy to have her. "Could you remember to bring Christa some cereal on top of the grocery on your way back home " mum reminds me. "Sure mum" I kiss her goodbye and head out before Leah's honking can make my ears ache.
"Tsup koala," Leah asks as I open the passenger door of her blue sedan. "C'mon you know well I don't sleep all day" I grumble. "I would love to check on Christa but we're running late, we have less than twenty minutes to be at work" Leah sighs. I notify her to save her energy cause the real koala is still sleeping. Leah has been calling me a koala since 7th grade as I was perpetually running late in the morning due to oversleeping. We chat on the way to Trudy's Diner where we are both waitresses as we linger to join the University.
Our shift today ended at 4 pm, and I can feel my spine on the verge of breaking since it has been fully packed with order after order not forgetting the cleaning. I can't wait to reach home, pamper my baby after a long warm shower. Leah is going out with Austin this evening so am stuck alone and with a bus home. Austin Mahone is a really good guy and has been in our friend circle for a long, am remarkably happy for these love birds. Though my relationship went sour, I can't fail to wish my bestie well. As soon as am done changing out of work uniform, I hug Leah goodbye and wish her the best of tonight.
The bus ride home is surprisingly short maybe because I was engaged in my playlist with my earphones to shut out everything. I place the grocery bag containing all the baby cereals on the counter as I announce my arrival. "We're upstairs honie" mum replies and I also head up. I find them playing Rapunzel with Christa dressed in mum's long wig. I quickly snap the moment and then embrace the two most important and treasured women in my life.