A Mom in Love

15

'You can't make me. No. No. No' Kayden complained, squirming in Kaycee's arms as he pounded her back lightly.

'Baby, you have to go to school' Kaycee tried for the nth time that morning, as she tried to calm him down.

'Mom. Please, don't make me. I don't want to' he whispered, successfully out of Kaycee's arms but he stood standing in front of her.

'Love, I know you don't what to go to-'

'Please Mom. Let me stay at home' he begged, clasping his hands together.

'What about this, you go to school and I'll pick you up before dance, sound good?' Kaycee sighed, rubbing her temples.

'I'll go to school' he chirped, but it still didn't have that bright touch to it. 'But you have collect me before dance starts. I don't  wanna go today' he mumbled, rocking sheepishly in his feet.

'Alright' Kaycee murmured, giving his shoulder a small squeeze. 'Stay safe, okay?' 

'Promise me you'll pick me up?'

'I promise, love, if you really don't want to go to dance, then you don't have to. You did have...a long day yesterday' she smiled, handing him his school bag.

'Thank you' he murmured, wrapping his arms around Kaycee and pecking her cheek before  making his way to where the yellow school bus was waiting.

'Convinced him, huh?' Bailey piped up, toast in hand as she munched abnoxiously loud to annoy the girl.

'Not really, made a deal I guess...and stop chewing that loud' she huffed, shaking her head and walking right past Bailey. She decided to walk outside, eyes on the hammock as she settled inside it. She sighed as she let herself relax for half an hour before she had to leave for work. 'Call me in 20?'

'Yeah, sure whatever' Bailey shrugged, eyes focused on her phone.

Kaycee slowly closed her eyes, her mind shutting off before she drifted off into her magical world of dreams. Bailey sat down on a chair beside Kaycee, typing away on her phone.

Kaycee laid back on the hammock, feeling herself swing for a while before coming to a stop. In the distance there was traffic, but far away enough not to bother her. She thought of her cell phone, sitting on the coffee table inside. She closed her eyes and drew in a lung full of the polluted air. She let the sound of birds fill her ears instead of the ticking of clocks. Her mind drifted to her son. She couldn't stop bad things happening to Kayden even if she tuned into the news twenty-four-seven or keeping him locked isndie at all times, itcould only make her more anxious, more fearful. In her quiet contemplation she thought about love, the people she cherished and what was right with her life. She felt like the angel's whispers were in the trees.

'K? Kaycee?' Bailey called out after 19 minutes had quickly passed by. No response. She lifted her head up from her phone, trailing her eyes on the hammock before sighing as they focused on Kaycee sleeping peacefully in the hammock. She didn't have it in her to wake the brunette up so she ran inside, grabbing a blanket and threw it over her body, t'sking at her droopy eyes and prominent eye bags. 

She seated herself back down on one of the chairs again, dialing a number as it went straight to voicemail, 'Hi, Ms. Chyonweth. Kaycee's not feeling too good. She won't be coming in today'.

——————

'Time, Bails?' Kaycee yanwed, stretching out her limbs as she nearly topppled out of the hammock.

'Half two' she replied nonchalantly, chewing on a piece of gum.

'What?!' This time Kaycee did fall out of the hammock as she frantically grabbed Bailey's phone and checked the time. 'Shit, Bails. I'm late for work and I need to collect Kay' she panicked, checking to see if she got any messages from the librarian.