"Hello?"
I shut the front door and walked into the living room. I was greeted by silence. Dad's car was gone but Mom's was in the driveway, so I just figured Maddy was with her in the backyard.
I kicked off my shoes and flopped onto the couch, thankful for the peace and quiet. I massaged my temples. Today had been a LONG day, and the next month couldn't go by fast enough for me. Why on earth did I EVER become a teacher?
I sighed. The answer was for Madeline. The teaching profession was ideal for me so I could raise my daughter. I had summers and holidays off, and great medical benefits. But still, when someone asked me upon graduating high school what type of career interested me, teaching was the furthest from my mind. I had so many different plans, ideas, interests, and a love for numbers, poetry, and languages. Languages...
(flashback)
"Why do you have to go?"
"Because I want to."
"Yeah, but why?"
"Well, why not? You've traveled around THE WORLD. Why can't I spend a semester in Spain?"
"Because I'll miss you," he said softly.
"Well I'll miss you too. Duh."
"Then don't go."
"I have to go. It's paid for and everything. Non-refundable, too."
He sighed. "I know. I know."
"I'm coming back. It's not like I'm leaving forever."
I looked into his eyes. They were filled with mixed emotions. "How do I know for sure?"
"Know what for sure?"
"That you'll be back."
I rolled my eyes. Why was he making this more difficult that it really was? "Why the hell wouldn't I come back? I live here. I go to school here. YOU'RE here."
He smiled, blue eyes sparkling. "Laura?"
"Yeah?"
"Nevermind," he said, looking the other way.
I looked at the pond, the moonlight creating all sorts of intriguing, geometric images on the water. My teeth began to chatter. Then again, it WAS the middle of January. I crossed my arms in front of my chest, trying to conserve bodyheat.
"Cold?"
"Hmmm... let me see..."
He gently kissed me. "How's that?
"Took some of the chill off."
He kissed me again. "Well?"
"Getting warmer..."
Next was the kiss to end all kisses, and what had seemed like sub-zero temperature now felt like a warm, spring day. He unzipped my coat and rested his hands on the small of my back. I opened his and circled my arms around his waist.
"AHEM!"
I nearly fell off the bench at the sound of my dad's voice. "Laura, I've been calling you. I guess you didn't hear me. Your aunt and uncle are here to say goodbye."
"Okay. I'll be in in a minute," I said, my face burning with embarrassment. My dad frowned and walked off.
"I don't think he likes me."
"What's to like? This is the second time he's caught you kissing his little girl. I'm his baby, and he's not ready to let go yet," I said, sensing my face had returned to its normal color.
"Well, I better let you go," he said, standing up.
"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then."
"No. I'm not going to the airport. I... I have some stuff to do."
"Like what?"
"Just... STUFF, OKAY?!?"
"FINE."
"FINE."
And with that, he walked away.
(end flashback)
He walked away. So why was it such a suprise that he did it again in February? Because I thought he had changed, that's why. I thought he had learned to take something besides his music seriously. Apparently, I was wrong.
I changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top, put my hair in a ponytail, and made my way to the backyard.
"Higher! Higher!" Maddy was yelling, giggling at the same time.
I walked towards the swing set. What I saw almost caused me to have heart failure. Standing behind Maddy and pushing her was NOT my mom, but Taylor.
"Higher! Higher!" she shouted again.
"I think that's high enough, Sweetie. Where's your grandmother?" I asked.
Taylor spoke up. "Your dad had an accident with the drill. It somehow hit him in the mouth. All of your 'regular' sitters were still in school, so your mom called me. She took him to the emergency room."
I rolled my eyes. Living with my dad was, a good portion of the time, like a re-run of "Home Improvement." My dad is the real-life version of Tim Taylor. "Where's your car? I don't remember seeing it when I pulled into the driveway."
"I parked across the street," he answered.
"Oh."
My blood was boiling. Of all the people to call, my mom HAD to call Taylor. Gory or not, I'd rather she took Maddy with her to the ER. "Hungry Sweetie?" I asked her, avoiding Taylor's gaze.
"Mmmm... yup."
"Why don't we go inside and get you cleaned up? Then I'll start dinner. How does chicken cutlets sound?"
"Great!"
The three of us made our way to the house. I cleaned Maddy up, and she trucked off to the playroom to spend quality time with her legos.
"Okay. Let me pay you so you can go."
"Laura, you don't have to PAY ME."
"Why not? I pay all my other sitters." I didn't like where this was going.
"Because I was just doing your mom a favor. Hey, why don't I take you and Maddy out to dinner?"
Nope. This was NOT good. "I'm sorry Taylor, but the answer is no. Okay, so you baby-sat for, like, and hour. Big deal. But Maddy likes you. She gets attached easily, and what am I supposed to do when you start feeling inferior to her again and take off? I can deal with it. But Maddy... it's not fair to her. I swore to myself when I found out I was pregnant that I would protect my baby. I have every intention of following through."
"Laura, I like Maddy. I don't want to hurt her," he said.
"Taylor, don't. Just don't because I'm not interested." I walked into the living room, picked my purse up off the coffee table, and began to rummage through it. "The night you met Madeline and went off on me, I sat there and took it. I deserved it and respected your feelings. But that night you went off about Madeline... well, that was COMPLETELY uncalled for. It was also extremely selfish and immature. My daughter is NOT a punching bag at your disposal for whenever you feel you're not receiving the full attention you deserve."
At first, he just stood there with his jaw dropped, looking like a cod fish. But then I saw an expression of anger take over his face. "What? Just because I'm no longer a child means that my wants and needs get thrown out the window? We can't be intimate because you have a daughter? You live with your parents Laura. Use them. Let them watch Maddy one night. Put her on the back burner for once and me on the front. You put more time and effort into protecting her than salvaging our relationship. Do you even care anymore?"
With those words, so many emotions charged through me, and I couldn't even begin to identify them. I walked up to Taylor and shoved a twenty dollar bill in the front pocket of his jeans. Then, for once, it was me who walked away.