A Work of Art (a Chris Brown Love Story)

02: No, Kendall, No

Christopher Brown

      I rolled my eyes as the alarm went off for the second time in a row. I wish I could indefinitely snooze the clock, but today was my daughter's first day of daycare, (that I'd seen) so I wanted to be a part of it. 

I slipped on some loose pajama bottoms over my boxers and exited my room, heading down the hall. "Royalty! Get up, baby! Time for school."

I yawned and knocked on her room door. I heard little pitter-patters coming from the other side as she pulled the door back and smiled her beautiful smile. 

"Morning, Daddy." I smiled back. "Morning, Princess. Finish getting ready and I'll get some breakfast started." Surprisingly, she was already fully dressed in a hot pink Hello Kitty jumpsuit and little glitter sandals. Her hair was just a curly mess atop her head.

She scrunched up her face. "You're supposed to do my hair. I did everything else!"

"No."

"Yes!" She giggled. She was only four and already telling me what to do. Lord, help me.

I pulled her into the bathroom down the hall and sat her on the countertop. I had no clue where to start, but I knew I had to start somewhere. I didn't have any hair gel because I'd recently cut mine, and I had no female around to use it. All I had were combs.

"Should I comb it?" I asked Royalty, hoping she knew the answer. God knows if I do one little thing wrong, even combing a nap out of her head the wrong way, I could potentially never see her again, but that was a different story. 

She nodded. "Just comb it and put it in a pony."

"A ponytail?" I asked for reassurance.

She shrugged. "I guess?"

I sighed and began to comb her hair gently, silently praying I was doing it right. She didn't flinch or anything, so either my child had a high pain tolerance, or I was doing it right. 

After about 15 minutes of trying, Royalty, her loose ponytail, and myself were rushing out the door. "No waffles? I'm hungry!" She whined, placing her pink backpack on. 

"No time, babygirl. I'll bring you something when I get off for lunch break, okay?" She sighed and followed me out the door. 

        I parked in front of Tumbling Tots and took a deep breath. I remember Ms. Lisa was so happy the day this place first opened its doors, and now here I was, here again. I don't know why Royalty's mother signed her up for this particular daycare, but I silently regretted it. I feel as if she did it to torture me, but that's also another story for another day. 

It seemed so weird looking up at this place, owned by a family I used to be a part of. Sometimes it feels that I'm damned either way. 

Had I stayed with Luna and lived our lives "Happily Ever After", I would have never had Royalty and she meant everything and more to me.

However, the more I stay to myself and raise Royalty alone, (forget her mama!) the more my heart aches because this was something I wanted to do with the love of my life. 

I shook the thoughts of Luna and helped Royalty out of her booster seat. "Are you excited?" I asked. She smiled sheepishly. "I'm ready to paint!" 

That was my babygirl. She couldn't sing or dance like me at all, but she was so artistic, and art was my passion, so I was proud. "Well, there's a brand new watercolor paint set in your backpack and if a little boy wants to borrow some paint, what do you say?"