Carolina Wren

Chapter 2

Wren's POV

Following breakfast is a circus of getting kids cleaned up, dishes washed up, clothes changed, and Dylan set up in his room. Once he's settled, I rush to my room and pull out a skirt and blouse that are a little big on me but look good enough. They're a few years out of date fashion wise and from a thrift shop, but it's the best I have to make a good impression for the first day at a new school, even if it's just registration.

Blue eyes reflect back at me from the mirror and I can't help but think they're the most interesting part about me. My hair is red, which has been a source of interest in the past, but it's dry and dull and the only hairstyles I know are plain braids and ponytails, which I'm sporting now. My fingers reach for the end of my hair, momentarily wishing that I knew more about being a girl.

Shaking my head, I drop my hand. Now isn't the time. I double check my appearance and check my cheek. Sheila didn't hit me hard enough to bruise this time, so I don't have to waste any of my precious makeup. Determining that it's good enough, I collect the babies and go back to Dylan's room.

He's sitting on his bed, a book balanced on his knees. I sit down next to him, letting Keegan go as I grab the baby carrier I left hanging over the end of his bed. Dylan reaches for Juni, putting down his book so he can hold her long enough for me to get situated.

"Call me if you need me," I tell him as I take Juni and put her in the carrier on my chest, another thrift shop find. It was a little more expensive than I would have liked, but it's a life saver and cheaper than a double stroller. "Don't answer the door. If Sheila starts yelling, hide under your bed and call me, okay?"

I'm close to just taking him with me, anyway. We try not to raise attention at the schools that I'm doing more parenting than Sheila is, but I hate the thought of leaving him here. Alone with her. Alone in general; he's not really old enough yet.

"I'm fine, Wren," he tells me with a tone of voice implying that I'm babying him. He hates that in my heart of hearts, he's as much of a baby as the two kids I'm getting ready to drop off at daycare. If I could afford to leave him there without raising suspicion, I would in a heartbeat.

Instead, I ruffle his hair and stand up, holding Juni's head with one hand as I reach for Keegan. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"I know, Wren."

"Okay, attitude," I tease as I pull him by his head back over one more time for a quick hug before I start shuffling Keegan downstairs. The daycare bags are sitting on the table and I grab them as I move by. The humid summer morning air is already suffocating as I push open the door to the garage and reach around blindly for the light switch and the button for the garage door.

"God should have given us gills," I gripe as I drop the bags in the basket under the stroller. Keegan is already crawling up into the seat and twisting around, reaching for me with one hand while grunting and making the sign for water. As I dip down to clip his harness into place, I ask, "Can you say please?"

His mouth spreads into a toothy grin, his hand still signing for water as he says, "Peeeease?" Chuckling, I pull it out of the bag and move the tray back into place so I can drop it into the cup holder for him. He makes the sign for thank you before picking up his water bottle and starting to drink from it. Adopting baby signs has been a real lifesaver with Keegan. He's a smart kid, just a little behind verbally. Baby sign was a suggestion from his last daycare that had saved me from meltdowns from both him and our mother.

Juni squints against the sun, turning her head into me as I push the stroller out into the morning light, hitting the button on the garage door opener attached to the stroller so it'll rattle shut behind me. "Are you excited for daycare today, Keegan?" I ask him as we reach the end of the driveway. I give him a few seconds to respond, since I can't see if he's giving me the sign for yes or no. "It's Thursday so your friend Wyatt should be there for you to play with."