Tehani is a college student that is just about to reach her goals into getting her Masters in Literature and Bachelors in Communications, but after a one nightstand with a mysterious and handsome man, she doesn't know how she'll continue the journey...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
One year Later
"Ma!" My daughter yelled from her highchair while I went into the kitchen to get her some snacks while I tried to get some homework done. Though it's still baby talk, this girl is smart for her age. (Must get it from her mom.)
"Naila," I sigh while giving my nineteen month-old a scolding glare which she pouts at. "You know what I say about yelling at mama."
She claps her hands when I place the banana slices and Cheerios on the tray. Her hands immediately grasp a Cheerio once it bounces around on the plastic.
I watch her for a moment, seeing if she likes the grain cereal instead of the sugar one of the brands.
Nope. She spit it out with a disgusted face.
"Well, now we know you have my sweet tooth," I commented, gathering the other Cheerios since they were all grain. "I'll bring you the other ones," Walking away, I toss the grain cereal into trash before grabbing the honey Cheerios and pouring some into my hand.
My daughter, the light of my life, also a mistake from a one nightstand but we don't talk about it, has a handful of slippery bananas and a face already covered in saliva.
"Here, babygirl." After checking on my daughter for another minute, I go to the kitchen counter and sit down on a stool with my laptop, book, and notebook.
I had set myself up in the last couple of minutes of Naila's nap and got myself ready to finish my latest essay study for my other classes. After having my daughter over a year ago, I've gotten used to the single mom lifestyle and how I needed to stop my procrastination when I was just a young adult, not a mom or other responsibilities that involve another human.
I don't regret my daughter, she has been my light after being alone for the past couple of years. My parents were upset at the fact I was pregnant from a one night stand, that I was pregnant in the first place, but they supported me. I was a very independent young person, they knew that, and they acknowledged I can do this myself—since I was over two-thousand miles away.
My friends supported me, they knew the possibility since they were there when I was with my daughters father. But they expected me, the mom of the group, to make sure that I took the pill or had condoms. They knew the full story and they've helped me take care of Naila while I went to school or work. And I'm so grateful for everything they've done and are still doing for me.
When I hear that she'd finished her food, I save my work—I got a lot done—and shut down my laptop, close my books, and head towards my mini me.
"You pau NaiNai?" Grabbing some baby wipes from the Target shelf I bought after my baby shower donations, I take one and wipe off my daughters hands and mouth before removing the plastic tray and taking her out.
Naila is a smart girl, but from the minute she could understand me, even the slightest, I had her use sign language to show her emotions or actions. (Since babies her age can't talk very well, sign language was the next best choice I could teach her to show instead of trying to talk and I still couldn't understand her.)
