Forced to Grow Up

Chapter 2- This Ain't No Dream

“Ugh!” I awoke to a weight plopped down on my chest. I opened my eyes and saw a bright blue eyed little girl staring in my face, “It wasn’t a dream.”

I picked her up and sat her next to me on the bed. I sit up throwing my feet over the edge of the bed and place my head in my hands. How is this happening to me? I can’t do this. I don’t have the first clue what to do. Kerri said momma would be here this morning. I reached over to pick up my phone when Kelly jumps on my back wrapping her little arms around my neck. I tried to shake her off, but she just giggled. As much as I wanted to hate it, I was reminded of Jordan and Kris when they were this little and it made me smile. I reached over my head and pulled Kelly over my shoulder to my lap. She looked up at me with a huge smile on her face.

“Eat, eat,” Kelly said to me.

“Are you hungry sweetie?” I asked her. Kelly feverishly shook her head. I picked her up sitting her down on the floor and went to see what I could make her to eat. I know there is nothing on here to feed a child. I started rummaging through the cabinets. “Popcorn, no. Peanut butter, no. Cashews, no. What am I going to feed you?” I asked her as if she was going to answer me.

I heard my phone go off in the bedroom and went to check it. It was a text from Kerri.

**I sent Amanda to the store last night for a few things for Kelly. There should be a bag on the front of the bus with everything you will need until your mom gets there. Kelly’s cup is in the fridge and there’s milk in there for her. The bus will leave right after your mom gets there and head to Little Rock. I’ll back tomorrow before your show. You can do this. Good luck.**

“Okay,” I said as if Kerri could hear me.

I walked back to the front of the bus and Kelly was sitting on the couch with my tub of cashews open.

“No!” I said sternly before taking the tin from her, “These are not for you!”

She looked at me and started to cry. I didn’t know what to do.

“Don’t cry,” I tried to soothe her at no avail, “Please stop crying.”

She just screamed louder and had huge tears streaming down her face. I leaned down and picked her up. She immediately stopped crying. I adjusted her so she was resting on my hip as I went to find this bag that had everything in it I would need. It was sitting in the driver’s seat of the bus. I sat Kelly down and grabbed the bag bringing it to the table to start going through it.

“Cheerios, instant oatmeal, juice, some mini bananas, little kid TV dinners, some kind of little toy, diapers, and wipes,” I said as I pulled each item out of the bag, “Wait, you can’t go to the bathroom by yourself?” Kelly just stared at me. “Momma, please get here soon.”

I grabbed the instant oatmeal and made it for her. I sat her down at the table before making me a cup of coffee and sitting down across from her. Kelly was eating pretty well when I decided to go to the bathroom and change my clothes. I flipped on the TV to some kids channel and left the room. I couldn’t have been gone thirty minutes, but when I got back oatmeal was everywhere.

“What did you do?” I shouted, “I was only gone for a few minutes!” Kelly immediately started crying. I just wanted to run. I completely ignored that the screams coming from Kelly and started cleaning up the oatmeal. By the time I was done Kelly had cried herself to sleep laying across the table. I was going to have to wake her up because she was covered in oatmeal. I left her sitting there and went to the bathroom to grab a rag to wipe her down before waking her.

“Kelly, let me clean you up,” I said as I woke her up. She started screaming again. “I can’t handle this! Stop screaming! Please!” I yelled. I quickly wiped her down before sitting her on the couch still screaming hysterically. As I wiped down the tabletop she quit crying. When I looked over at her she was into the box of Cheerios.