The Then

34.

“For crying out loud!”

I growled and got up the second I saw my sister scratching her ears and getting cranky as well. I had just fed her icky yogurt and fruit that mom had packed for her and now I’m sure she’s getting sleepy.

“Patience…you might need to work on that!” Rob says grinning as he casually leans on the couch which was infested with people so bored, it was cruel!

“Patience also has its limits, Rob” I say

“Trust me, they’re not going to be done any time soon!”

“Are you serious?” I grumble and sit back down.

The time painfully stretched itself for 10 more minutes. Then I got up again and walked the same walk I walked a thousand times before to search for my mom, leaving Hailey with Rob. They seemed to be the only ones having fun…amongst us bored people.

I have been so bored I could cry and so hungry, I could eat the crumpled dollar notes I had with me. Surprisingly, this time I found them sooner. Mom looked exactly like she had the minute she walked in. All that time and shopping didn’t seem to have slowed her down one bit! I just stood next to mom, arms crossed in front of my chest while both moms animatedly talked about the amount of profit they were making on one coat.

“Ahem!” I said out loud when they didn’t even notice my presence.

I knew I needed to work on my manners in front of Rob’s mom considering I just met her, but come on!

“Sorry Ali! 5 more minutes”

“That’s what you said 15 minutes ago! Mom, I’m so hungry, I could eat that!” I said, pointing to an ugly, green bag.

Both of them just laughed at me. My growling stomach started clouding my brain a long time ago.

“Ali, I promise! 5 more minutes only” Mom says.

I stormed back and slumped on the couch next to Rob.

“5 minutes” I said, with the biggest frown.

“Like I said, patience…and make that 50 minutes” Rob said, helping Hailey to climb on top of the couch.

He definitely had a lot of patience. Hailey had slapped him in the face, pulled his glasses off and threw it on the floor, poked his eye before he could put them back on, bit his arm and stepped all over his feet…how he was still smiling I have no idea.

Ever since Hailey was born, I don’t think I had to take care of her for this long, ever! Luckily for me, on this specific day, someone was around to help me out and that someone happened to be Rob! I’m just too proud to admit it.

I knew he had to be exhausted as well. I mean, there’s only that much of cat and mouse that he could play with my sister, that much of making fun of the hole in my sweater…he even snooped around the stuff I got from the stationary which I had kept in my sisters stroller and started drawing on it. And thus, I found out he is a leftie and I hate to admit, the guy drew pretty damn well but again, there’s only that much of drawing a person could do!

I took a deep breath and ‘patiently’ waited for 30 minutes.

“I think I’m getting a splitting headache” I mumbled to myself placing my palms on my face.

My mom waking me up early in the morning from a very deep dreamy sleep was the beginning of a headache already!

“Let’s get something to eat. That might…” His voice trailed off as he looked at me stunned as I already shot up.