The Struggle Of Our Lives

Chapter 24: The Date

Every time, I was taken aback by her chubby little face.

Of course, when she was first born, her skin was red and blue like all babies are. It's not like what you see in the movies. They use baby dolls or dolls made with skin-like latex and have hand-stitched hairs on their heads, or if it is a real baby, they're already several weeks or even months old while being portrayed as newborns. But her skin had finally calmed down, and she's a pale warm ivory color. The twins have slightly broad roman noses; standard for Greeks, with dark and thick curly hair, however, September has thin hair like embroidery thread and a button nose. I still spend so much time looking over her for familiar traits, and things I've seen in the twins.

Miranda and I got her situated in my baby sling, and I took a deep breath before putting on a waist apron and tying up my hair into a low messy bun. As I walked into the bar, I closed the divider on the booth behind me and began rocking back and forth to relax my baby. She didn't seem to mind being so close to me, and soon settled down and laid her head on my bust, with her hands resting on her leg as she straddled my ribs. Ava had flipped the OPEN sign around, and it was time to get to work. It was now September, and the spirit of Labor Day was still in the air, so we had more day-drinkers than usual. Some people came to the bar to celebrate while others came to ignore their families. I pushed my thoughts away and took some deep breaths before being my usual customer service routine.

"Hi, how are you tonight? How's your wife? What can I get for you today? The usual?"

A few customers seemed confused by my baby being strapped to my chest, and a few asked about it. My typical response was somewhere along the lines of "Oh it's my turn to watch my baby," or "I don't have a babysitter." While not untrue, I never told them the genuine circumstances. Soon, one of my regulars came in and complimented my skill in multitasking.I laughed and thanked him, asking what he felt like drinking and if he wanted a meal with it. "I'll take my usual Jack, but gimme a BLT and a side of Motz sticks." I took his order and typed it into a new computer Miranda and Adam had installed so guests could eat at the bar and not have to flag down a waitress from down in the booth. 

I finished placing the order and spun on my heel to get a chilled glass, ice, and a bottle of Jack. I had gotten significantly better in my showmanship and skill display and did some party tricks to impress the guests. Their favorite trick was when I flipped a paper umbrella and made it land directly in their fruity drink. Of course, I got the most tips when I wore more "revealing" clothes. Hidden by September's teeny tiny body, I was wearing a black spaghetti-strap tank and some short red shorts, and inevitably got some gross comments throughout my shift, but I turned the other cheek so I could get more money. 

That's why I do all of this, I thought. I looked down to see Ember's sleeping face. For you, I'd do anything.

Eventually, my shift ended at my usual time, and checked my phone for the time after I finished cleaning the bar and finished some chores of mine. 2:15. "Don't bother picking up trash on the floor," Adam said. "You probably can't even bend over that far anyway," pointing at my living torso accessory. I laughed and thanked him for helping me. Per usual, I got the usual response of "That's what I'm here for, don't worry about it." 

I took off my apron, untied my hair, and took September out of the sling so I could hold her in my arms, and finally clocked out. I collected my belongings and held her close. Surprisingly, she only needed a diaper change and some burps a few times and was generally just hanging out. I walked over to the school and collected the twins. We walked to the bus stop together, talking about our days and exchanging funny stories.

Next Friday was my first shift at Sensualitease, and once we arrived home, I began picking out two outfits. One I deemed a "warm outfit," and one "cold outfit." The cold outfit consisted of my usual long-sleeved V-neck, some tight black leggings, and some thrifted converse, while my warm outfit was comprised of a spaghetti-strap micro crop top with a colorful design on it,some short black shorts with a set of white stripes, and some matching slides. For each I picked out some dangly jewelry, like bangles and hoop earrings, and a ring my grandmother had given me on my ring finger to hopefully deter creepy men, although I knew it probably wouldn't do jack-shit. I consulted the twins during this process, trusting their judgement and taste in fashion. 

"Not that shirt, it's got a hole. Wait, try those shorts. Do you have bigger earrings? Hmm, what about smaller? No no, I like the red shirt. That's the one, perfect."

Of course, I made the kids some dinner and played some games with them before bed. I tucked them in and wished them good dreams while I laid on the couch, thinking about everything we were doing the next morning, then going over how I'll handle working at the night club. I considered how I'd get home late at night, and how I'd take care of the kid's meals. I considered training the kids to use the stove but thought it over and decided to buy a microwave once I had the money, as they were typically more than 50 bucks.

 After all, what 11 year-old is going to want to cook meals on the stove?