The Trials of Love

Ugh, Parents

"Looks like you had an interesting day, let me go check on dinner real quick, Shev." Clyde said happily as he got up from the chair the he was in. Sheva watched as he walked to the kitchen. She had to admit, he was a great man. She actually admired him. If it weren't for him they would have been living on the street at this very moment.

Sheva got up off the arm of the chair and went upstairs to Nia's room. She walked in and saw Nia sleeping soundly in her comfy Pink crib. Sheva walked up to the crib and carefully studied her.

She definitely had her mother's long, dark brown, curly hair. She had a tiny nose and full little cheeks that you just want to squeeze and beautiful long eyelashes. Sheva's hand went down to hers and grabbed it in her larger one. She felt Nia's small hand gently squeeze hers. Sheva looked up at her face and saw that he eyes were fluttering open. She smiled as Nia looked at her with a tired expression.

"Hi there, baby girl." Sheva whispered to her. Nia sat up in her crib and rubbed her eyes with her free hand. She let go of Sheva's hand, grabbed her favorite stuffed animal, then grabbed onto the bars off the crib. She stood up and raised her arms up waiting to be picked up. She chuckled a bit and picked her little sister up.

"Are you hungry?" Sheva asked, Nia nodded her head and rubbed her eyes once again. Sheva smiled and kissed her on her cheek. "Let's go get something to eat. I think daddy is done cooking by now." She told her in a baby voice.

Sheva walked down stairs to the kitchen with Nia in her arms. Once she got in the kitchen she put Nia down and let her walk to her mom. Sheva watched as Nia stumbled to her mother who was standing at the fridge, looking for something in it.

"Mommy!" Nia yelled once she got close to her. Her mother turned around and saw Nia with her arms up again waiting to be picked up. Her mom gasped, pretending to be surprised and said "There's my baby girl! Did you have a good nap?" Nia nodded. Nadia walked Nia over to the highchair and put her in it.

Sheva watched as her mom got one of Nia's 3 sectioned plates out and chopped up some food to give her.

"Where is Clyde?" Sheva asked, she just noticed that he wasn't in the kitchen like he said he would be.

"While you were upstairs with Nia, Clyde went to the store to get some rice and stuff. He'll be back soon. Can you get Nia some juice?" Her mother asked as she gave Nia her food.

"Sure..." Sheva went to the cabinet and grabbed Nia's cup. "You know mom," Sheva started "I'm happy you're with Clyde. I know sometimes it seems like I'm not but I really am. I just feel like sometimes you forget, you know about dad..." She admitted. It was quiet for a moment except for the sound of Nia bouncing in her high chair and making noises with her mouth, happy she got her food.

"That just came out of nowhere, and Sheva I told you a million times I will never forget about you father, we just grew apart... I still love him, but not as... a husband... ok?" Nadia said truthfully. This was probably the 100th time she told Sheva about this.

"Ok..." Sheva said sadly, but no matter how many times she told her that, she still felt like she was forgetting more and more about her dad. Sheva finally gave Nia her cup which she gladly took away from her.

"I'll be right back..." Sheva said as she ran upstairs. Once she got in her room she shut the door and got her phone out of her pocket. She dialed her father's phone number and held the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" A deep voice groggily answered the phone.

"Dad, were you sleeping?" Sheva asked slightly surprised.

"Maybe..." He said jokingly

"It's only 6:00pm!" Sheva said laughing.

"Well we have a time difference little lady." He reminded her. "Wasn't today you first day of school?" He asked her, waking up a bit.

"You remembered!" Sheva said happily.

"How could I forget? You're getting so old..." He said trying to get a rise out of her. Two could play at that game.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, I need to tell your mom to get you a cane."

"Well if I'm old then you're really old. I'm surprised you're still in the army. I need to get you life alert or something."

"I'm not old, I'm only 20!"

"You are not 20! You're like 50!" Sheva said giggling a bit.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, and I'm only in my 40s! So tell me about your day."

"Well it was good I made new friends and-," He cut her off.

"Are there any boys involved?"

Sheva was quiet for a moment.

"Only a few..." She answered quietly. They were having fun but he just had to say something.

"Sheva..."

"Oh come on dad! It's only a few and I don't have a crush on any of them!" Sheva defended herself.

"If ANY one of them make a move on you, you will not talk to them anymore. Understood?" He demanded sternly.

"You told me I was allowed to date in high school! I didn't date freshman year so I want to date this year! Why are you and mom so worked up about this?! I'm older now! You can trust me!" Sheva said annoyed.

"You're our little girl! It's not that we don't trust you! I just we don't trust the other people out there. Boys are dangerous, and I font want you to get hurt." He calmed down a bit.

"Please just trust me this one time. You promised as long as I kept my grades up, I could date in high school. Did you not?"

"I know I promised you that. It's just; I guess time went by too fast..." He sighed through the phone. He wished he was there for her.

"I'll always be your little girl. You know that. But I want to control my own life..." Sheva had finally told him, what she had bottled up inside for years. She always felt that she had no say on what she wanted to do in her life. She just hoped he would understand.

"Your right... I just have to trust you to make your own decisions. I just hope you will make the right one."

"I will, I promise."

"Good. But I have to go now, but I will talk to you soon. Love you baby girl."

"Love you too dad..." Then the phone call ended. Sheva sighed and tossed her phone on her bed. She was glad she finally told her dad how she felt. But she knew mom would be harder.

"I'll just tell her when I go to college. It would be the easier way. Two more years..." She told herself and she smiled at the thought.

"Time to eat Shev!" Clyde called from the bottom of the stairs. He must have gotten home when she was on the phone with her dad.

"Here I come!" Sheva yelled and ran down stairs.