A Mom in Love

16

One week later.

'Get inside, Kay' Kaycee laughed as Kayden tirelessly hopped inside the car and feel asleep again. 

'I'm gonna miss this dumbo' Bailey joked, as she ruffled the top of his hair and took the front seat beside the driver.

'And me?'

'I guesss I'll miss you a little. But it's just a week so...' Bailey trailed off, earning a few light punches from the girl.

'Still annoyed that we're not taking my car' Kaycee huffed, checking left and right as she drove onto the highway.

'Sis. With the way your car squeaks, I'm pretty sure I'd scare Ken away' Bailey laughed.

'Rude!' Kaycee scoffed jokingly. 'And ken, huh?' she teased, giving her shoulders a shake. Bailey immediately blushed, biting the inside of her lip as she tried to suppress a smile. Kaycee let out a giggle.

'I feel like I haven't been in an airport in forever. I bet you're excited to be hustled in that busy place' Kaycee laughed.

'Oh yeah totally...anyways, did you talk to Kayden about having to stay over with Chloe tonight?' Bailey questioned, almost in a whisper. 

Kaycee turned her head back to check if the young boy was sleeping before answering her. 'Yeah, I did.  He didn't seem too fond of the idea but he agreed, I guess. We'll just see how things go'.

Bailey hummed in response, nodding her head. 'Don't forget to text me daily' Bailey reminded her.

'I won't, I won't. Just get some sleep now. The drives an hour away' Kaycee whispered, clutching onto the wheel tighter as she turned the radio on.

Without awareness of the road or the rain, the car moved over the highway, lights on full beam. Kaycee watched how the yellowed yet bright light played in the droplets, showing this deluge, this flood from the sky, in apparently solitary drops. This was her time to let her brain roam free and her mid to relax. She hummed along to the music, bopping her head as her thoughts ran wild, that is until they arrived at their destination..

'Bails, wake up' Kaycee shoved her slightly, before turning around and giving Kayden's legs a   poke. 'Kay? Wake up'

Bailey woke up with a bright, cheery smile on her face, her knees bouncing up in excitement as she jumped out of the car. Unlike the older lady, Kayden groaned and cursed profanities quietly as he heaved himself up, wrapped the blanket around his body and left for the airport.

There were plasma screens of arrival and departure times on the wall of the airport. People were lined up at the check in desk with suitcases and baggage. There was a sculpture of a whale with water cascading from it's mouth and flowing down it's tail flukes. In the background soft classical music played. In the arrivals lounge there was a curious mixture of bored and excited people. Some looked like they were waiting for a bus, others like they were children waiting for Santa himself. Some lounged on the low comfy chairs and others bounced on their toes.

'Oh, I'll miss you' Bailey sighed, squeezing Kayden tightly and lifting him off his feet. 'Anything last words, for a whole week?'

'I can't breathe' Kayden croaked out, pushing her arms away as his feet dangled frantically.

'Not what I wanted to hear but whatever' she laughed, pushing her suitcase a few feeet away and approaching Kaycee. 'If anything does happen while I'm away, make sure you give me a ring. I want to be updated on the life of the Rice's'.

'I will, I will' Kaycee repeated, bringing Bailey in for a hug. 'It's been so long since we've been apart. It feels like your going away forever'. Bailey opened her mouth to reply before being cut off.