I Hate California

fourteen

"Hi baby!" I said as I welcomed Sage with open arms as they entered the apartment.

Sage wrapped her whole body around mine and I inhaled her sweet baby scent. She smelled like strawberries, but at the same time baby powder.

I looked up at Joe who was looking down at us smiling and he helped bring her bags inside.

"I'm staying here for a whole week!" Sage exclaims with a big smile on her face and I nod.

"We're going to have so much fun boo" I tell her and she jumps up and down from excitement.

I watched as Joe said his goodbyes to Sage and I could tell that Sage was hesitant, but Joe was reminding her how much fun she was going to have and she was completely on board. To be honest, I was worried. I wouldn't say I know how to properly take care of a child, but I think I can keep my daughter alive in my hands for one week.

"Come here babe, I wanna show you your room!" I tell her as I led her up the stairs.

She looked up at me confused on why she wasn't headed to the guest room that her and her Dad stayed in and I kept leading her towards the bedroom door right next to mine.

I kneeled down to her level, "Open the door baby" I tell her and watch as she turns the door handle.

She gasps once as we stepped into the room. She looked around, looking at the walls, the shelves, and the grand bed in the middle. There were some unopened toys in the corner in a bin and some clothes on this display rack with tags still on them.

"Whose room is this?" She asks me with big eyes and I pick her up.

"This is your room baby, only yours" I whisper and she puts on a surprised face.

"Really?" She asks me, as she takes another look around the room.

"My favorite color is yellow!" She exclaimed as she pointed at the walls and I chuckle.

I bring up her bags into her room with her help and set them aside. I'll unpack her things later.

"I have something else to show you" I tell her again and she quickly follows me to the other room.

I grab the door handle, "Close your eyes babe" I say and she covers her eyes with her hands.

"Open!" I tell her as I opened the door and she gasps and runs into the play room.

There was a little playhouse in the corner, a little grocery store in the other, and a tricycle and little car parked along the wall.

"Oh my gosh!" She yells running over to the playhouse.

She looked over at me with teary eyes, "Is this all mine?"

I nod my head and kneeled down, "This is all yours, you're Mommy's little girl, I'm going to make sure I give you everything" I kiss her forehead and she gives me a big smile as she hugged me.

After getting her settled in and she had looked at every single toy in her play room and examined her room from each corner, she met me in the kitchen. She climbed onto the island chair and watched me as I put away her snack plates and silverware.

"Those are mine!" She says pointing at them and I nod.

"Yeah! I'm going to put them away and we'll use them when you eat" I tell her and she nods.

When I looked at the clock it was now late in the afternoon and she sat next to me on the floor in her bedroom with a bowl of strawberries I cut up as I began to unpack her suitcases. I took small glances at her and she gave me a soft smile each time with a mouth full of strawberries. My heart melted every time.