Always

Chapter 108

 It looked so different now, the angsty teenage motif combined with the colorful My Little Pony comforter on the bed. We both crawled into bed, both of us on our sides, him wrapping his arm around me and pulling me close to his body. I could feel myself drifting right when my head hit the pillow, but I was awake long enough to hear my favorite words whispered in my ear. "Always baby girl." I woke up to Colby lying half across my body, his head on my stomach. It was really the sweetest thing, but he was heavy...and I had to pee. I shifted, trying to ease myself out from under his weight. His arm pulled me tighter, holding me still. "Damn it." I whispered, in distress. I really had to pee. I didn't want to wake him because he was just so cute sleeping, no stress or worry on his face, just an innocent little boy. I couldn't wiggle out from under him, so I eventually just tried to slide his head off of me. He grumbled a little, spoke some incoherent words, and rolled over to his other side, taking the blanket with him. Thank God. I jumped up and ran to the bathroom. After I relieved myself, I went towards the kitchen, where I smelled bacon. I found my mom facing the stove, her hair tied back in a bandana, headphones in her ears, dancing while she flipped the bacon. She also had french toast frying, scrambled eggs, and pancakes...Jesus, she went all out. I leaned against the door jam watching her for a few minutes, smiling to myself at this amazing woman. I hoped that I could be at least half of the mother that she is. I felt an arm go around my waist, making me jump. I looked over to see Colby smiling at me. "I thought you were asleep." I said. "I was until someone took my body pillow." "Well, your pillow is my body, and I need to use it." He chuckled and looked over to my mom, who still hadn't noticed us. "She reminds me of you, ya know." I glanced at him, then back to my mom. I didn't see it. I guess we have some of the same features but she was absolutely gorgeous to me. One of the strongest women that I had ever had the pleasure of knowing, so sweet and caring to the point that it was a fault. Also one of the most protective people in my life. I remember when I called her one time about Nick punching the wall beside my head, and threatening to do it to me. Next thing I know, she's there, threatening Nick with a butcher knife pointed at him. My Momma don't play. I guess even he was scare of her because he only walked in the other room and shut the door. She made me leave with her that night, but he talked me into going back. I'm such a dumbass. My mom never would have made the mistakes that I did. "She's so much stronger than me. I'm nothing like her." I said softly, watching her sway her hips with a pan of hot bacon in her hands. He pulled me in front of him, both of his arms around my waist. "You care though. There is so much of her in you. You are strong. One of the strongest women that I know." Didn't I just think that about my mother? "She may be stronger but you she has a kid that she had to be stronger for. Now you do too. All of her amazing qualities that you talk about...she instilled those in you. Your kindness, your strength, your ability to let me know when I'm being a dumbass, while still being nice about it." I giggled, as he nuzzled my neck. My mom turned around then, and jumped when she saw us, a little of the scrambled eggs in her current pan flying onto the floor. "Oh, Jesus!" She dropped the spoon in the pan and grabbed her chest. "Don't DO that to me! You know that I don't like to be scared!" Colby laughed, and I went up to her and took the pan, setting it down on the counter. "Sorry Momma. We were just admiring your dance moves." She cut her eyes to me, glaring, but there was laughter in her eyes. "Where do you think you learned how to dance?" She side bumped my hip. "You get it from your Momma." "You right," I replied, shimmying a little with her in front of the stove. Little moments like this is what I missed most about not seeing my Momma all the time. We sat down to eat, Colby and I both complimenting her on the amazing food. "This is so good Mrs...Ma," I choked on a piece of bacon, laughing at his cover up. She ignored the mistake and patted his hand. "Thank you sweetie. So, have you two thought of any names?" Her head turned back to me. "Not yet, but we haven't really thought about it." Colby answered. "I've been playing with a couple of names." I said softly. His eyes grew wide, staring at me, while my mom leaned forward, smiling excitedly. "What? Why didn't you say anything?" "It wasn't me actually trying to think of names. They just popped into my head and wouldn't leave." I defended myself. "Okay, so what are they?" I hesitated, playing with my napkin. I wanted him to like them. "For a girl, I think the name Chloe Rayne is beautiful." I looked up to gage their reactions. "It is so pretty sweetie." My mom agreed. Colby smiled at me, tapping his chin. "Okay, I could work with that. I like it." I smiled, feeling a little more confident. "For a boy...I like Noah Cole..." I glanced back up at my mom, and she had her hand over her mouth. Noah was my father's middle name and I wanted to pass a small piece of remembrance down to my son, if I had a boy. She sniffed a little, and wiped her eyes. "That's beautiful baby. I love it. Your daddy would be so proud." Colby's brow was furrowed when I looked at him. "You actually want to name him Cole? Why?" I laughed at his surprise.