This Isn't Happening

Chapter 4- Get Used To It

     My wake up call was early. It was Monday morning and the alarm on my phone was going crazy. I managed to get it to go off before it woke up Ryder. Today was my first day at work, and I had to get ready before I could deal with a screaming baby.

I took a shower, dried me hair, put it in a bun- there was no point in straightening it, it was raining outside- and was finishing my make up before the light on the baby monitor lit up.

 “Good morning!” I said as I opened Ryder’s bedroom door and turned on the light. I peered over his crib and saw my favorite giggly little boy. As cute as that laugh was, I was patiently waiting for his first word. Who knows what it was going to be…

When Ryder was dressed in warm clothes- it was freezing outside- I took him in the kitchen for breakfast. At 7:30 we were loading into the car. Time to take Ryder to daycare.

Daycare… I didn’t want to drop him off. He’s been with me for the past few weeks, and just the thought of someone else taking care of my child… I didn’t want it to happen.

     Hopefully he wouldn’t start crying… because that would make me cry. I hopped out of my Volvo, into the windy, rainy weather. It was always warm and sunny at home. This would take a while to get used to.

     I bundled Ryder up and dashed for the front door. When we got inside, a young lady with a personality that was way too cheery for this early in the morning greeted us. Ryder had no problem going with her. I handed over his diaper bag and hurriedly left the building before he noticed my absence.

 For now I’d be working at the local Starbucks while I finished up college online. When I found out I was pregnant, I had just finished my sophomore year in college, and I decided not to go back. I wanted to be a teacher. And as soon as I got every teaching requirement for London, I’d be one.

 My work day went by slower than slow could ever get. Since I worked at the Starbucks back at home, I knew how everything worked, so that required no training for me. The day was spent watching the rain drops race down the window and fixing a cup of coffee for the occasional customer.

 At three o’clock, I was more than happy to hand over my apron and name tag. I was ready to go get my baby and head home for the day.

Thank goodness the rain had stopped before I got to the daycare. Once more, the chimes on the front door greeted me. The walls in this place were so bright. Someone could go blind being in here all day…

I walked into the room where babies Ryder’s age would be. I spotted my son who looked just like Chase, and when he saw me that cute little grin spread across his face. Before I knew it, he was crawling towards me. That was going in the baby book. His first time crawling… and crawling to me.

Scooping him up, I grabbed his bag from the shelf and thanked the lovely nursery workers. I was glad Ryder seemed to have a good day. Maybe tomorrow’s work day would be better now that I knew Ryder wasn’t miserable.

The road that had just two weeks ago been foreign was now beginning to look familiar as I drove on the left side…. Just something else that I was getting used to. I stopped at the mailbox and found a plain, white envelope that said “Ellie” on it in perfect cursive.

Ryder was currently entertaining himself, so I stayed in the car to open it. It was a letter… from Zayn.

We hadn’t talked much since he helped me move in… Just an occasional wave if I saw him outside. But somehow, the words that I was reading made me ache just a little. The letter read:

“Dear Ellie,

 I hated I had to tell you this through a letter, and maybe I should’ve told you in person, but I’ll be gone for the next three months. We’re going on tour in the US. I really was hoping we could get to know each other, and then this tour got in the way of that. I’ll be back soon, and we most definitely will catch up. I know I’ve only known you both for a few weeks, but I want you to feel free to talk to me whenever you want. I might not answer right away, but send me a text every now and then. (555-4891) I’d love to be kept up to date with what’s going on with Ryder so send me some pictures if you want :) Until I see you again, keep being an amazing mom.

                                                          Much love,   

                                                             Zayn

 P.S. Oh, and don’t believe any of the rumors about anything… including my ex girlfriend.”

 How sweet… It did however suck that he’d be gone for three months… Before the rain began another down pour, I grabbed my things and then Ryder’s car seat before heading inside the house.

 I’d see Zayn in three months. Three months. I guess that was just something else to add to my “get used to” list. My neighbor was loved by millions, and I don’t know how that kept slipping my mind.