SIERRA'S LEONE

WITHOUT YOU

"Dona."

Sierra shot up, and she stretched her hand out to grab her phone on the nightstand, "no."

She threw off the covers and hurried to Leone's room. He stood up in his bed, face crimson red from yelling. He stretched his hands above the bars as soon as he saw Sierra. The boy used to having his father prepare him did not understand why Jonas was not back.

What was this Dona doing?

Why didn't he stop playing hide and seek? It wasn't fun anymore as far as Leone was concerned.

Sierra had let sleep take over her. Even she forgot and believed Jonas would miraculously prepare Leone for daycare. The woman was back to square one, where she dashed about to get her and Leone ready.

"Dona," Leone said as they entered the living room. The little boy's voice echoed and reverberated in the now spacious room. Sierra shivered; the computers that simulated twenty-four hours a day were no longer there to give off heat.

"Leone, stop it. Jonas isn't here anymore."

After the tears, came the anger. Sierra boiled to the point she almost hated the man.

How dare he leave without a goodbye?

Who did that?

They were more than roommates. They wereㅡ.

Unable to define their relationship, her reflection ended with he's Leone's father. He could have said goodbye to hisㅡno, their son.

Jonas remained Leone's father. Though he approved Leone's adoption, Sierra would not legally be Leone's parent before going through the procedures. Also, if by any chance the Gauthiers woke up and decided to intervene, Sierra would see no end to the battle.

Still, for Sierra, it didn't change the fact Leone was her child. As she dressed Leone with his jacket, she remembered the night Cecile decided to name her child Leone. How she missed her sister if reincarnation existed Sierra wished to be Cecile's natural kin if not, at least someone who would be part of her new cycle of life.

Sierra had her shoes on, and she realized she left her phone on the living room coffee table," Jonas, can youㅡ."

She stopped her sentence, strapped Leone on his buggy, and hurried to fetch her phone. She was so dependant on Jonas, even for the little things.

They left, Sierra carried her heels in her bag, and she wore her sneakers to walk faster. She was halfway to the bus stop when she almost tripped and hit her head on the buggy's handle.

She stooped to do her laces, and there it was the memory of Jonas lacing her shoes that came back. Sierra stood up. Her vision found itself blurred by tears.

Why did she have this reaction as soon as she thought of him?

Jonas was not dead, so why was she so emotional?

The woman wiped the few droplets before pursuing her course.

Frustration.

The man's departure wasn't even twenty-four hours old, and already things were going the wrong way.

Sierra gained autonomy for specific tasks but not for things concerning her welfare.

Without knowing, Sierra developed an addiction to the care, and attention Jonas procured. The man not only did chores or cared for his son. He didn't leave her out; he protected Sierra from her clumsiness just as Cecile did when they were young.

No, Sierra refused to admit the man took up that much space. She had to get Jonas out of her system by all means.

He left and abandoned Leone and her; the man didn't merit to reside in all her thoughts.