"Mommy, mommy. It's time to wake up." I felt a a small warm hand shake me a little and I opened my eyes to see my baby girl looking at me scared. I smiled and stroked her cheek. "Good morning, mommy." I looked into her dark brown eyes and said, "Good morning, Claudia." I sat up and adjusted my cord that was attached to my ear. "You were talking in your sleep, mommy." I looked at her and I sighed. "I bet I was sweetie. I got out of bed and helped Claudia get down. I walked into the living room and Claudia climbed up the stool and sat at the bar. "Mommy, can Aunt Braden come over today?" I grabbed corn flakes out of cupboard and sat them on the bar. "That actually sounds like a really good idea, Claude." I grabbed two bowls, two spoons, and the milk out of the fridge and made cereal for us. I watched my daughter as she ate, and couldn't help but to think of her father. I was pulled from my thoughts when the phone rang right next to us. I grabbed it and picked it up. "Hello?" I asked. "Hey Christine." I smiled at Braden's voice. Braden is my best friend since we moved here, and has helped me out of so many situations. "Hey, Sam and I were wondering if we could come over and have a talk with you." I looked at Claudia and Braden said, 'It's about Johnny, he called here last night." My heart stopped and I said, "Claudia, go to your room, sweetie. I'll be there when I'm done talking." "Yes, mommy." Claudia left to her room and when she closed her bedroom door I asked Braden, "What did he say?" "He called us last night about two o' clock crying and he said that he wants to come home and see you. He misses you, Chrissy. You need to talk to him. Do you realize that he's never seen Claudia in real life?" I sighed and looked at the pack of cigarettes and Braden said, "You two can't be fighting like this?" "We're not fighting, Braden. We still talk through the internet." I leaned against the bar and she said, "Please Christine, talk to him please. He needs you more than anything in the world. Please, Christine. He loves you." She gave me his number and she told me that she was still going to come over no matter what I said. We said our goodbyes and hung up. I walked to Claudia's room and she was playing with her Jack Sparrow doll that Johnny sent her for Christmas. I went over to her and sat down beside her. "Hey mommy, is Aunt Braden coming over today?" "Yes Claudia." She smiled her father's smile and it made my heart tighten. "Mommy, I want to see daddy. What does he look like?" I sighed. "You'll see him very soon, Claude. I promise." I kissed her temple and she hummed the song that I always sang to her. The song that Johnny wrote for me.
