Lone Ranger Riding

Chapter 4: Lady, Where's Your Love Gone?

Wow, sorry this took a month to update. Just some severe writer's block.

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I had only gotten a few hours of sleep. Since Lacey woke back up after Alex left, I had to lull her back to sleep. I wasn't only comforting Lacey for her sake, but for mine as well. My head was spinning not only over that mysterious man known as Alex who helped me out more than he needed to, but that asshole kid at the drug store, Lacey waking up multiple times and my boyfriend Brian deciding to come back at three in the morning, drunk and furious after being gone for so long... What was wrong??

I'll take Lacey to the daycare for today; she doesn't need to hear what storm is coming Brian's way once he wakes up.

It was now seven thirty and I hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. Brian was out cold in our bed, snoring slightly as he usually does, and Lacey was curled right up on the couch with me since she couldn't sleep. The yelling and screaming really scared her and she was crying. It always broke my heart into pieces when she cried, so I calmed her down best I could by reading her favorite story books to her.

My head was pounding from hitting the wall and, well, I had such a bad headache. Not to mention, my back felt tight and strained. The effects from that shove into the wall were really starting to sink in now. I ate at least five candy bars as Lacey slept with her head on my lap and I gently stroked the top of her head. Dull blue light of morning made its presence known and I could finally see the furniture in the room.

It was satisfying to eat the candy at first, but then my brain finally realized it wasn't at all the best decision to eat all the sugar and junk. What a surprise, not. I felt that uneasy sensation stir in the pit of my stomach.

Carefully, I got up and clumsily tip toed into the bathroom for probably the billionth time, a variety of story books carpeting the floor. As predicted, I was sick to my stomach. I wanted to throw up just standing. However, I shut the door and kept as quiet as possible. I thought I'd pass out from how forceful the hurl was when I kneeled down.

What a waste.

I jumped into the shower and scrubbed up once I could stand again. I felt much, much better rinsing the day off me. I was rejuvenated and could function like a proper human being again. As I dried off, I took a quick look in the mirror. There wasn't much of a bump yet, but soon enough there would be. I rubbed over my stomach and smiled down at it slightly at the thought of actually having my own someday.

With a towel wrapped securely around me, I saw Lacey still fast asleep on the couch when I opened the door back up.

"Lacey, baby, wake up." I greeted, rubbing her little arm.

Her big eyes fluttered open and she rubbed them with the side of her hand. She gave a big stretch, a sigh and sat herself up. I smiled warmly at her and kissed the tip of her nose.

"Mornin' sunshine." I hummed.

"I'm tired mumma." She whined.

"I know sweetie, but I'm taking you to the daycare. Won't that be fun?" I tried to keep upbeat. "Your friends will be waiting for you! They've missed you!"

"But I wanna stay with you." She mumbled, her lip starting to tremble as she pouted.

"Oh, don't get upset, Lacey." I cooed. "Mumma will come back in a bit, I promise."

"Pinky swear?" She raised an eyebrow, a small smirk growing on her face.

"Pinky swear." I grinned, locking our pinkies together and scrunching up our noses with a smile.