The Single Mom & The Popstar

6

I was sitting on the bed breading Charlie's hair when Dinah came out of the bathroom. "You guys almost ready?" She asked. I nodded as I finished up the two pigtails I was doing for Charlie. "Yeah. I just have to get this little one dressed and we'll be ready." I said. Dinah hums and nods her head. "Ok."

After getting dressed we headed off to Disneyland and Charlie was practically shaking with excitement. "Mommy are we going to ride all of the rides?" She asked. I laughed a little. "Probably not all of them today but we'll definitely aime for it over the weekend." I told her. Charlie played with my fingers as she smiled at me. "Weekend will be fun right?" She asked. I kissed her cheek. "It'll be super fun."

As we were walking around the park Dinah gently held my hand and I could feel my heartbeat speed up just by the simplest gestures she did. I know I'm not one hundred percent ready for a relationship but I can't control how my heart acts around her. It's a little scary but I'm pretty excited to see where this goes.

Buckling Charlie in I held her hand as the ride began. I have heard so much about this ride that I am very excited to see what this is all about. "Mommy I so excited!" She squeals. I giggled as I smiled down at her. "I'm glad you're having fun baby." I said. "I really am."

Dinah had her arm wrapped around my waist and held me close as we watched Charlene ride one of the rides by herself. As I was watching my daughter I naturally snuggled into her body. I haven't done this since Keith but it just felt natural with Dinah. Her body was different from his but the way she held me felt the same. It was actually really nice.

As Charlie was getting off the ride she wobbled a little and accidentally bumped into one of the girls also coming off of the ride. As I was walking over Charlie turned to apologize but the girl snapped and shoved her to the ground. I gasped as I ran towards her. "Charlie are you ok baby?" I asked. Charlie was crying and speaking incoherently as she hugged me. I turned to the little girl. "Why did you push her? She was about to apologize." I told her. The little girl looked sad. "Mommy said to never let anyone touch you and she touched me." She argues.

I nodded "and I agree no one should ever touch you but Charlie didn't mean to and she's very sorry for bumping into you." I told her. The little girl nods. "I sorry for pushing her." She said. I smiled and thanked her before walking away. "Are you ok baby?" I asked. Charlie hugs me and nods as she snuggles into me. "I hungry mama." She muttered. I nodded and turned to look at Dinah. "Where are we going for lunch?" I asked. Dinah smirks "I know just the place."

Sitting in the restaurant I put Charlie in her highchair and put a bib around her before handing her a menu to color and look at. "So where did you come up with the name Charlene?" Dinah asked me. I smiled "well the one thing Keith and I loved to do was read together and we were reading this book with a character named Charlene and he just looked at me and I smiled and told him that was the one. That's the name for our baby girl." I told her. "And if she's was a boy?" She asked. I laughed "Kevin. He was very into k names if we had a son." I said. Dinah nodded as she looked at me with such kind eyes. "Tell me more about Charlie." She whispers. I grinned "ok."

As I was telling Dinah the story of Charlie I noticed out of the corner of my eye a lady staring at us. "Ma'am is everything alright?" I asked carefully. She looks and smiled at me. "I'm sorry I just think it's wonderful how you adopted a child from Africa. Me and my husband have been wanting a child from Africa but we just weren't sure-"

"She's not adopted." I spoke softly as I cut her off.

The lady chuckled "oh honey there's nothing to be ashamed of. It's actually quiet wonderful that you would adopt outside of your race." She says. I shook my head. "I can promise you she is not adopted. I was in labor for eighteen hours with her." I told the lady. She hums as a snooty look forms on her face. "Hm so let me guess baby daddy not in the picture? Why? He probably found another pretty girl after he was bored with you." She spits out.

Throwing down my napkin I stood up and faced her. "Actually her father died three years ago and I would appreciate it if you didn't stereotype us because you have no idea how fucking hard it has been without him! So don't sit here and act like you know anything about my child or my life because you don't!" I snapped at her. She was taken aback by my outburst but decided against saying anything and walked off. I shook my head as I sat back down at the table.

"Lo are you ok?" Dinah asked.

I looked at her and frowned slightly. "Yeah, I'm sorry I didn't mean to snap like that. I'm just so tried of people thinking that Charlene isn't my daughter because she is!" I whined. "Does this happen a lot?" She asked. I scuffed "often enough to the point where I'm over it." I told her. Dinah held my hand. "I know this doesn't make it all go away but just ignore them because their words mean absolutely nothing." She tells me. I smiled "aw thanks DJ!" I said as I hugged her. Dinah kissed my cheek. "You're welcome Lo."

---X---

The next morning Charlie wasn't feeling good but she still wanted to go to Disneyland. "Baby we have all day tomorrow to go back." I told her. Charlie looked up sadly. "No we go today! It our day mommy!" She cries. I hugged her close and kissed the top of her head. "Baby you're not feeling well and I don't want you not to have fun sweetheart." I told her.

"Yeah and we can always come back next weekend." Dinah added.

I glanced at her before looking at Charlie who had tears falling from her eyes. "What's the matter baby?" I asked. She sniffled as she looks up at me. "But we no go today then I ruin it." She cried. Dinah and I looked at each other before we hugged her tightly. "Baby you didn't ruin anything! Like DeDe said we always have next weekend." I told her. Charlene frowns but nods understandingly. "Ok mommy." She mumbled as she rests her head on my shoulder. I kissed the top of her head and held her close to me.

After giving her some baby medicine and packing up our things we checked out of the hotel and headed towards the car. "Thank you for taking us Dinah. We really appreciate it." I told her. Dinah smiles as she opens my door. "You're welcome Lauser." She said as she got in the drivers seat. And we're off.

As we were driving home I was looking back at Charlie, who was playing on Dinah's iPad. Looking at her made me smile because even though she has my features she still looks so much like her father and I absolutely love that. "Baby you know mama loves you right?" I asked. Charlie giggled "of course mama! I love you too!" She said happily. I smiled as I took her hand in mine. She really was my little miracle.

Arriving home I carried Charlie inside while Dinah grabbed our things and walked inside. "Baby would you like me to make you some soup?" I asked softly. Charlie nodded as she sucked on her thumb. "Ok baby go snuggle up with grandma and I'll go make you some soup." I told her. She nodded as she ran towards Andrea who immediately picked her up and snuggled with her. I smiled before walking into the kitchen.

"You're an amazing mother Lo." Dinah tells me. "You really are."

I couldn't help but blush at what she just said. "Oh, uh thank you Dinah." I said. Dinah chuckled "so what are you cooking?" She asked. "A soup recipe Keith gave to me. He said that Andrea made this every time him and Mani were sick and made them feel so much better afterwards." I told her. Dinah had this look in her eyes that just made my heart absolutely melt. It was like she was completely connecting to what I was saying and that was amazing. Just like her.