bubba || c.b

3

Morgan's POV

Mia hasn't left my side for the past hour. Our family huddles around her wanting hugs and kisses before they head out for the night, and I have to pry her off of me and tell her to be polite.
Her friends give her high fives and climb into their parents cars, she hadn't even asked for anyone to spend the night, which I know my mom was grateful for. She has been muttering under her breath and stomping around the house for the past 15 minutes, cleaning up the mess that was left behind.

"Why don't you and Kenzi bring your presents up to your room?" I whisper to Mia, looking toward Mckenzi who is cuddled up on the couch with Ben with a pleading look.

"OK" she slips off my lap and heads for the kitchen, with Mckenzi in tow.

I reluctantly pull myself off of the couch and start helping my mom clean up, grabbing a trash bag and pulling the plastic tablecloth off the the kitchen table.

"You didn't talk to me about it first." she says.

"Sorry."

"She is my kid ya know?"

She is giving me way too much attitude right now, I feel my face getting hot. In my almost 24 years of life I have never been good with confrontation.

"I know." I respond, in almost a whisper. Trying to keep this lecture short and sweet.

"You are taking her across the country Morgan! There should have been a discussion!" she is getting loud, and I am embarrassed to have Ben witness me being treated like a child.

I look over at him, he gets the message and slowly stands, heading for Mia's room after sending me an apologetic smile.

"I really didn't think it would be a big deal Mom, I have her 5 days a week as it is now. You know I take care of her.... I am 23 for gods sake! Just trust me!" I get loud and instantly regret it.

"You have her 5 days a week in the same city! I can be there in 20 minutes if anything happens, that can't happen when I am in New York and you two are in fucking Florida!!!" she screams.

"OK, I'm sorry." I back down. I can't win this argument, I've never won once.

"Will you make sure she is safe? I know how these things can get... a bunch of lovesick teenage girls running around looking for their future husbands. An 11 year old can't be alone, she needs to be with you every second. You can NOT take your eyes off of her."

"I know. I can handle it." I mutter.

"You really wanted to do this for her huh?" she is getting quiet again, thank god.

"Mhm"

"And for yourself?" she says with a smirk.

"Oh fuck off." I reply with a laugh.

"I remember when you started watching those kids Morgan. Holding Mia, laying in your bed. I could hear those laughs across the house."

Shit, she is reminiscing and it is embarrassing the fuck out of me.

Although she isn't wrong.

I'd come home from school, and later on college, snatch Mia from wherever she was and lock us in my room until dinner time, doing homework and watching Sam and Colby.

"I'm doing this for her, giving her experiences I wasn't able to have." I finally say.

She looks at me with tears in her eyes, I shouldn't have said that.

"I'm sorry." she says.

"Not your fault, a single mom can only do so much. Mia is lucky to have two big sisters with adult jobs." I shrug.

I didn't want to make this about money. I didn't want her to ask how much this was going to cost me.

It didn't matter that I probably wouldn't eat for months, and would have to pick up over time, at both of my jobs.

It would all be worth it, to see my baby sister with our favorite boys.