When She Stepped Up (ON HOLD)

11.

My eyes began to flutter open while trying to adjust to the sunlight, that was so peacefully shining through the window. I grabbed my phone, and noticed that it read 1030 AM.

I threw the covers back, rushed into the bathroom and did my morning hygiene.

I have never slept in this late, and I felt bad.

I threw on a white tee shirt and pajama pants and then rushed downstairs.

Kayla and the girls were all in pajamas sitting in the kitchen. "Good morning daddy." The girls smiled as they rushed to hug me.

"Good morning babies. What are you two doing?" I asked.

"We wanted cereal." Royalty smiled. "I nicely woke up Kayla and asked if it was okay to have some."

"I've been up for a little bit. So don't worry it's okay. I can see that look." She laughed. "I wake up around 6/630 everyday. No matter what. Daisy and I went for a walk/run. I figured since I go walking/running every morning, while I'm here, I'll just take Daisy. She enjoyed it." Kayla smiled.

"I can't thank you enough." I said.

"Would you like some breakfast?"

"You love to cook?" I asked.

"Yes I do. My mom was a culinary instructor, sooooo yeah. I had to be schooled at home as well." Kayla laughed.

"What's a color instructor?" Royalty asked.

"Culinary instructor. Basically someone that teaches their students how to cook." Kayla answered.

"Ooooooooooohhhhhhhhh." Royalty said. "Will you teach me and my sister?"

"Of course I will. I'll do anything for you two." Kayla smiled.

"This will be fun." Passion smiled.

It felt great seeing my babies smiling for a change.

"What's on the agenda today? And what would you like to eat?" She asked.

"I'm going to get some cereal. I'm still a little full from dinner."

"Okay." She smiled. "Long as you eat something."

"I got you." I laughed.

"What time do you have to go to work today?" She asked.

"3."

"Daddy, stay home and have fun with us. Pleeeeeeeaaaaasssseeeee." Royalty begged.

"Now you know I have never called out of work." I answered. Deep down inside I knew I needed every penny. Yomi would eat me alive if I didn't have any money to cover my portion of the bills.

"You should take the day off. Try something new." Kayla said.

"I can't do that. I'm sorry."

"So you work 7 days a week?" She asked.

"I choose to work 7 days a week. Sometimes on the weekend, I take the girls with me to work."

"Yeah, daddy has an indoor daycare. Can you believe the gym has a daycare? We have to hangout with other kids. Sometimes we make friends." Passion said. "But sometimes we have to hear those crying babies, and I be ready to leave." She laughed.

"Take off and enjoy time with your girls. It's a beautiful day. Missing out on time with them, will be time that you'll never be able to get back."

"I need the..."

"And you'll have it." She interrupted. "Take off today. You're the owner and boss. You answer to yourself. Take off."

I took a deep breath. "Staying home today it is. Let me text Shawn. I don't have any sessions today. I would have just been putting equipment together." I smiled. "I need to have a son, all these women be running over me." I laughed.

Kayla gave me a look that I couldn't quite read.

"Well you never know what the future will hold." She smiled. She grabbed all of the dirty dishes and started hand washing them.

"You know there's a dishwasher right?"

"I do. But I also know I have two perfectly fine hands. I don't use the dishwasher unless I have a ton of dishes to clean. I clean as I go, so it's very rare that that'll happen."

"I see."

I think I like having Kayla around. Hopefully this is who she is 24/7.

☀️