Understanding Love

Chapter One

The walk to my apartment doesn't take long, from the park at least.

Now say, if I was downtown, I'd have to take a water with me. Because I'm completely out of shape.

When I get up to the front doors of the complex, my neighbor with seven children stops me. But that's only what I've counted so far.

"Hey CallieAnn! Hey girl, I was was uh, wondering. Maybe you'd like to do us a favor?" No. I wouldn't. You're going to ask me to watch one of your booger eating, spawns of Satan.

"Mary, you know I can only take two of them at a time. We already tried three last time, remember? Jace got out and was down the road at the McCormicks. I mean, don't get me wrong nice people and everything."

She nodded as IF she was listening, but was to busy tearing one child off the next.

"Would you be a doll and watch Jeremy and Kate tonight? It's only for a couple hours, and we'll pick them up once we have all the rest of the kiddos. Plus I'm sure you don't have anything going on, do you?"

The ending of her sentence made me feel like it wasn't really a question. It was more of a, "you better fucking not" tone of voice.

She separates all the kids up, and dumps them onto several different babysitters. I just so happen to be right next door.

So I always end up with one or two.

"Yeah, sure. I can take them." I half smile at her just so she'd walk the fuck away.

Seeing her walk with all these kids running around her, and then pairing it with the fact that her black little number of a dress barley fits over one boob anymore, is saying something. Like, screaming "Stop wearing that shit"!

"Oh! Perfect, thank you CallieAnn!" I really wish she'd stop calling me by my full name.

"You've made tonight much easier for me. I'm going without with David tonight, and we're renting the whole back room of Charlie's. All to ourselves!"

She sort of did a little jump up and down, but she really couldn't because she has baby number seven strapped to her chest.

"You have my number call if you need anything. Not really, don't call. Like seriously, don't call me." She narrowed her demon like eyes at me, and hurried off to her fuck dream land. Jeremy and Kate are two of the easier ones. Jeremy being ten, and Kate being nine and a half. God forbid you forget the half part.

I wave her bye and so do her kids.

"Alright guys, you know what to do." I set them off running to my apartment, and run right after them. I just so happen to be on the third floor.

They really couldn't get enough funding to even install one fucking elevator.

"Come on, Callie! Open the door!" Jeremy yells at me while I pant down the hallway towards them.

"I'm going as fast as I can, Jer." Kates just looking at the door, rubbing her hands together.

"Kate stop looking at my door like you're going to eat it, babe." I get the door unlocked, finally.

I drop my camera bag on the coffee table, and turn to see the kids already in the kitchen. Rummaging through my fridge and cupboards.

"Hey you two, you're supposed to wait for me." I chuckle and walk in to see they've already got things piled up on the island.

Chips, cookies, some fruits. I'm surprised.

"Guys really, that's enough for one night. How am I supposed to feed you devil spawns for the next time?" They look at each other real fast, and nod their heads.