At Your Service ✓

*[Chapter Nineteen] Mari

Chapter Nineteen – Mari

I spent some time with Paul and then I got to spend the rest of the day with Lex after she got home. She was growing up and spending more time having sleepovers and being at school and dancing and doing gymnastics and it just wasn’t allowed.

She was my baby and she had to stay that way forever.

I sighed as she curled up with me so we could watch Lemonade Mouth; she was even growing from Disney to Disney Channel movies.  I ran my hands through her curly hair as she had her eyes glued to the TV and when it was over she begged to go outside and play.

“Please mommy, can we please go out?” she pouted

“It’s raining.” I looked out the window but it was the eyes, they got me every time. She put her rain boots on and rain jacket and I put on my matching boots to hers she insisted on and grabbed a red rain jacket and we went outside.

We walked to the park and she made me slide down the slides and we ran around and we played tag, just the two of us before we laid down on the wet grass and just let it pour around us.

“I love you mommy.” She smiled at me

“I love you too sweetheart.” She reached a hand out for mine and held onto it

“You’re always going to be my bestest friend.” she told me and that right there made me want to cry and I hoped she never changed that opinion. I didn’t want her to ever hate me or feel like she couldn’t talk to me or needed to hide things, I hoped that when she got old enough she could be honest with me.

I mean I made mistakes and I hope she never things that her mistakes are too great to share with me. She was growing up so fast and she was finding her own likes and dislikes, forming her own opinions on things.

She was going to be strong and smart and this was just the beginning and it was killing me. I didn’t have experience with this kind of thing, she was my first and she may even be my only.

“Can we make cookies?” she asked

“What about the cupcakes we never made?” I asked

“Can we make those too?” I looked up at the sky because that was way too much sugar and I couldn’t give in, it had to be one or the other.

“One sweetie, and we need to get going soon, its spaghetti night.” I said to distract her and it worked

“I love your spaghetti!” she got all excited

“And you can help me make the sauce.” She loved doing that, I always let her stick her hands in the bowl of tomatoes and she got to squish them. It was both cute and messy.

“Can Shawn come over and make it with us?” She asked and I sighed

“No baby, Shawn’s busy tonight.” I told her

“But he’s right there.” she pointed to someone running a little bit away from us and I wanted to bash my head against the ground beneath me

“Lex, he’s busy.” I told her but she jumped up and ran over to him and I groaned but got up to run after her too. Did he really have to be here right now? He looked down when she ran right into him and he smiled down at her

“Please.” I heard as I walked over and I cursed in my mind since if I did it out loud she would probably repeat it.

“Lalexia I told you Shawn was busy.”

“But mommy, he’s right here.” She grabbed his hand and I looked at it and at him. Why; of all people, did it have to be him she bonded with?

“Sweetie just because you see someone outside doesn’t mean they can come over.”

“But he came home with us last time.” she protested, smart girl.

“And he wasn’t all wet.” I was now arguing with a seven year old

“But you have other clothes right?” she asked with big eyes to him and he looked at me and then her and back to me and I knew now he did. He knew the right answer for the situation but it also wasn’t the truth.

“I do.” he said slowly

“See!” she declared

“Lex everyone needs a shower and we only have two.” I told her

“But he can just take one with you like I do?” I choked on my own spit and it appears he did too since he started coughing

“Lalexia that’s not the same thing.” I said ignoring that even if we did it wouldn’t be a big deal but it wasn’t appropriate.

“Fine, I can take one with you.” she nodded happily and I wish that I never let her go outside. One day she’s going to know who Shawn is and I bet she’ll find my discomfort in these situations amusing when she’s older.

“Lex, mommy just wants to spend time with you.” He kneeled down to her level and smiled

“But it’s spaghetti night, don’t you like spaghetti?” she asked

“I do but it’s yours and moms night together.” He tried to explain and I held my breath and my eyes widened as she put her little hands on his shoulders.

“But please.” she begged

“Lalexia.” I sighed and got down on her level too

“Mommy.” She moved one hand from his arm and put it on mine like she was the mother dealing with two difficult children.

“Lex, i can’t.”

“Shh.” She put a finger over his lips and he shut up and the corner of my mouth turned up as he looked at her shocked by her action

“Sweetie he needs to go home and I need to get you home too before you get sick.”

“Mommy, please.” she asked and then looked at him and put her hands on his cheeks “Shawn please.” she moved to him and looked back at me and then he looked at me.

I was a proud mother but sometimes her persistence was a complete pain in the ass.

He looked over at me torn, silently asking me what the hell he was supposed to say to the look I was ignoring from my daughter right now and I’m glad he had boundaries.

When I said no to Lex before he accepted that and wouldn’t use her as part of his little determined plan. He knew that was unacceptable.

She didn’t give up and it ended up with her and I walking back and Shawn’s car pulling up shortly after as he grabbed his bag I’m sure his spare clothes were in and me wanting to lock her in the house forever so she couldn’t run into him and put me in this situation yet again.

I brought her to my room with me to take a shower and I got dressed while she was happily curled up in her towel to grab her clothes.

When I walked out of her room he was leaning in the doorway of the other bathroom in one of his army shirts and sweats.

“Sorry, I didn’t know you guys would be there and I tried to tell her no.” he said and I smiled at him

“I know it’s okay, she’s a hard headed little thing.” I said before I walked in my room to get her dressed and we went to the living room and she sat down so I could brush through her hair and I let her do mine as he just watched.

“Ready to make dinner?” I asked her

“Yes!” she cheered as she grabbed one of each of our hands and pulled us into the kitchen.