Sweet Baby

Two

"Shevonne, can you step into my office please?" My boss said as he walked by my desk. I sighed. Another day at the Chase office in Minneapolis. I stood up fixing my skirt before walking into his office. He was brand new, and was already on a rampage of meeting employees and I was one of them that he hadn't met. I walked into his office. "Close the door behind you, please." I did as he...practically demanded and I forced a smile. "What is it, sir?" "You're fired." My heart stopped. "What?!" "I'm sorry Shevonne, but the way I want to push the company forward requires employees that have their masters in the profession and...you only have your bachelors." I felt insulted, as if my degree wasn't enough. I scratched my head of short curls. "I've been with the company for more than six years, and you're telling me it's not enough?" "Yes, I am. I wish I could do something to help you, but we are hiring a slew of new people and...we need you to be out by this afternoon." I could cry. I come into work everyday and do my best and now this?

I stood up. "You know, everyone said this would happen. They would also say this company would burn to the ground once you became our new boss. I can't believe this..." I stormed out of his office and immediately began packing my things. Every employee, even some of my friends I had worked with for so long were staring at me like they didn't know me. I felt insulted, and even worse...I was starting to feel depressed.

Once I had packed up everything, I threw everything in the back of my car and started driving home. I had just lost my job. No warning, not even a sliver of a thought...I had a job one second and lost it the next. Literal seconds. As soon as I arrived at my joint apartment, I collapsed onto my bed and sobbed, letting my heels slide off of my feet in the process.

After crying, I decided to turn on the TV to distract my mind and even changed into my pajamas at ten in the morning. I could call my mother and let her know of the news, but what would that do? She would just remind me of how I could've left last year, and that's not what I needed. I curled up on the couch and sighed. I needed to at least find another job.

It's only been a month since I first brought Lettie home and it's been an adventure to say the least. Bernadette saying it was difficult being a single father was an understatement, but what's ridiculing is the women staring at me when I take a stroll with her at Paisley. They're probably thinking I can't do anything, but I think I was doing the best I could with what I knew. I was still letting Lettie sleep in my bed, which I didn't mind because it was just easier, especially since she was waking up every few hours for a feeding. I was going through bottles like crazy, but thankfully I moved one of my staff from Paisley to my home so I could have a little bit of help. Even if it was just to keep up the house and boil bottles.

The effects of what her mother did during her pregnancy were wearing off and her withdrawals were the worst, but the best thing to do was to cuddle her while she was crying it out. Thankfully, her mother used during the tail end of the pregnancy, so the effects weren't as severe. Everyday I was glad to wake up to her, and everyday I was blessed to be her daddy. I think we were starting to bond as each day passed and now she was a month old. But, finding out that I was the father was what sealed the deal. It made me love Lettie even more.

"Yo, Prince...where are you?" I heard Andre outside of my bedroom door. "In here." I said as I was getting Lettie into her day clothes. Andre walked in and Lettie was playing with my curly Mohawk. "Aww, look at you." He said. I smiled and began slipping her booties on. "Are you going out to dinner with someone for Valentine's Day?" Andre laughed. "No. I don't think uncles get laid as much. What about you? Surely someone wants to date a single dad?" I picked up Lettie. "Nah, the only thing I'm looking for is a Nanny. Or...a housekeeper? A baby sitter? I don't know, I put an ad in the paper."

I carried Lettie to the living area and walked over all the toys. "You need something, bruh. This place is a mess. It doesn't even look like this after parties." I put Lettie on the blanket in the living room for tummy time and we sat on the couch to watch her. "Nah, I'm in a dream or something." Andre said out of the blue. "What do you mean?" I asked. "You're a DAD. You've been taking care of a baby for a month. You've still been working on music and taking care of a baby." I crossed my legs and my arms. "I have to." "Nah, you could give her up for adoption?" I rolled my eyes. "Absolutely not."