Forced to Grow Up

Chapter 3- The Little Terror

I didn’t get hardly any sleep last night. Kelly was constantly moving and when she wasn’t she had her feet either in my back, stomach, or face. To top it all off she was awake at the crack of dawn. I’m definitely going to have to get a nap today. Somehow.

“Good morning, sunshine,” I told Kelly as I rolled over to her smiling, “Do you want something to eat?”

“Eat, eat,” Kelly said as I got out of bed.

“Let’s go,” I commanded gesturing towards the door. She crawled down to the foot of my bed and then jetting off to the front of the bus.

“Eat, eat! Eat, eat!” Kelly screamed as she ran.

“Stop running!” Momma yelled and Kelly immediately slowed down.

Momma was already up and had started cooking something for breakfast. I had no clue how I will survive when Momma leaves tomorrow.

“What ya cooking?” I asked with a smile, even though I knew from the aroma that filled the bus as we were easing closer to Little Rock.

“Bacon and Eggs. I was going to make some toast, but your bread is all molded,” Momma told me.

“I know. I aimed to throw that out last week, but I got sidetracked by this song I’ve been working on,” I explained to her as I gave Kelly her cup out of the fridge and made me a cup of coffee.

“Luke, you’re going to have to step up now. What would you have done if Kelly would have got ahold of that and ate it? You would be sitting in the emergency room somewhere and not getting ready to play a show,” Momma informed me.

“I know,” I said, “It’s going to take some adjusting. I’ll get this eventually.”

“You haven’t got time to adjust, Luke. You are going to have to step up now,” Momma told me.

“Yes ma’am,” I said not knowing what else to say.

“I’m going to the store when we get into Little Rock and getting everything you will need for Kelly. I’m leaving in the morning. I have plans with your sister tomorrow evening,” Momma informed me.

“You can’t leave me here alone, Momma! I can’t do this without help. Please don’t go,” I begged.

“Son, you are just going to have to make it work,” Momma said matter of factly.

“But who’s going to keep her while I do what I have to do?” I asked in panic.

“Calm down. I will be here tonight. We will figure something out tonight when we get Kelly into bed,” Momma said when the bus came to a stop at the venue.

“But you can’t leave me alone with her. I can’t do this,” I begged, “I haven’t had any sleep.”

“You have brought this upon yourself. You laid down and made her and you are going to learn to take care of her. There’s a little dinner for her lunch in the cabinet and there’s plenty of diapers,” Momma explained before grabbing her purse and walking out the door.

“Momma! No! Please!” I begged one last time before the door closed behind Momma.

I just sunk down into the bench at the table and just stared at Kelly. I have got to figure this out. Who can I get to keep Kelly during all of my shows? I have got to figure this out. My thoughts were interrupted when my phone rang.

“Hello?” I said.

“Luke. It’s Kerri. My phone died. Sorry. My flight is a little late. I won’t be there until after sound check. You’ll have to handle everything by yourself until then,” Kerri informed me.