Huntress: The Hunter's Daughter Book 4 (A Supernatural Fanfiction)

Carol Perry: Diner

"Emma," I say, trying to get her to quiet down.

She squeals in her seat and knocks the fork out of my hand. "I don't wanna!"

I sigh and look around at everyone else in the diner, staring at me. Emma turned four yesterday and the older she gets, the more I wish my parents were around to help me. I haven't had a decent sleep in the last four years. Not to mention I still have no idea how to take care of a kid. Plus, I have no money for anything. The moment she was out of diapers was one of the happiest days out of my life. I saved so much money. Hopefully  I'll be able to afford an apartment for us before she starts school.

Emma lets out another long squeal and I huff. This was hopeless.

"Here," a woman says, coming up. "Let me help you out."

She smiles down at Emma. "Hey, there," she says. "My name is Rebecca. What's wrong?"

Emma looks at me with an angry look. "She's being a meany."

"How is she being a meany?"

"Broccoli," she fusses.

The woman laughs. "You don't like broccoli?"

Emma shakes her head and pouts. "Well," Rebecca says. "How about this. If you finish all of your broccoli, I'll help your mommy buy you ice cream."

Emma looks to me and I smile. "Would you like that, Em?"

Emma's smile grows. "Ice cream!" She then proceeds to stuff the rest of the broccoli into her mouth and I laugh, turning to Rebecca.

"Thank you so much," I say and she smiles.

"Of course," she says. "You're very young, aren't you?"

I nod. "Yeah. I had her when I was still in high school."

She smiles. "That is quite young. Are your parents helping out?"

I roll my eyes. "I wish. They kicked me out the moment she was born."

Her eyes go wide. "Oh my," she says. "I'm so sorry."

I shrug. "It's okay. I didn't want Emma to be around them anyways."

She smiles. "If you ever need any help, let me know." She writes her number down a napkin and hands it to me.

"Are you a mother?"

Rebecca smiles. "Yes," she says. "That's my little girl, Carter, over there."

She points to a brunette toddler coloring at one of the tables, a man smiling and talking in her ear. "Is that your husband?"

Rebecca nods. "Yes," she says. "It's good to see him around. He's often out hunting."

I wince at the word. "I know what that's like. My parents were big hunters and forced me to go out with them all the time."

She gives me a weird look. "What did you guys hunt?"

I shrug and take a sip of my soda. "Oh, you know. The usual."

She raises an eyebrow. "The usual?"

I nod. "Yeah. You?"

"Oh, I don't know. It just really depends on the town. Sometimes it's a Woman in White or a banshee. A lot of vampires lately."

My eyes go wide and I choke on my drink. "Really? Back home we got a lot of vampires and demons."

She laughs. "I knew there was something weird about you, kid. So I'm guessing you don't want your daughter to be in the hunting life?"