The Single Mother

Chapter 5- Talla Knight: Am I That Undesirable?

"Talla. Where are you going?" My Mum shouted after me, as I snatched Sienna out of the highchair and strutted, as fast as I could in my high heels, towards my car still parked out the front.

"Home, Ma. I'll see you in a couple of days I guess- the contract has been signed so I figured you and Dad will want to talk about it." I snapped over my shoulder and I could feel my eyes blur with tears.

I didn't know why the tears prickled my eyes. I wasn't upset that I signed a measly two years of my life "away", if you could even call it that. I think I was more upset that my own parents, who haven't wanted anything to do with in the last three years signed me up for this.

"O-Okay Sweetie. I'll get your Pa to call you in the next 24-hours. Love-" I slammed the door shut, cutting off her sentence. I think that was the first time she's said that in public over the last three years.

Sienna was already asleep by the time I buckled her up in her car seat, which took away some of the stress; she's typically a pain in the arse to put to bed. The silence in the car made it inevitable to not think about the contract discussion and how repulsed Phoenix King thought I was.

I knew that being a single mother made me age a little, but I never thought I looked that undesirable; after all I have people try to get into my pants at work... but is that because they're drunk and are desperate for quick root?

I pulled into the underground parking lot of my apartment building and switched the car off. Sienna usually stirred when I did this, but tonight she surprised me again; as she didn't. Shrugging, I made my way to the back door and unbuckled Sienna, slowly pulling herself out of the car seat so as not to wake her. 

Maybe the contact won't be so bad? I get to move into a nicer house. I'll have a little more money to spend on Sienna. I'll also have more time to spend with Sienna. And maybe I can finally take Sienna to to nice vacation; like DisneyLand or to the snow.

I swung open the door to my apartment, entered my bedroom and gently placed Sienna on my bed and tucked her in, then threw my car keys and apartment keys on the large wooden create that I called my bedside table.

I didn't bother taking off my makeup as my only makeup wipe was crusty with previous makeup and so dry that, when in use, it felt like sandpaper rubbing against your skin. Instead I chucked on my pajamas that were basically sheer baby blue, previously silk, threads and went to bed next to Sienna who was curled up in a tight little ball.

Unlike Sienna, who was sleeping peacefully next to me, I hopelessly stared at the paint cracked roof and listened out for the creaking of the mattress whenever Sienna slightly moved in her sleep. After roughly four hours of pointless staring, I think I finally accepted that tonight I would be getting zero sleep.

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The sunlight filtered through the thin, hole filled curtains and warmed my face. I awoke, sweating profusely and felt sticky to the touch. The nightmare was cut short; thank God because it was yet another dream about my cheating ex-boyfriend, my homewrecker ex-best friend and the creep who dared touched me. I couldn't fall asleep, not after that dream and Sienna was crying outside in the living room, probably hungry for breakfast and sick of playing with her toys.

"Good morning, Sienna. What do you want for breakfast this morning?" I chirped, putting on my best fake smile.

"Mommy!" She squealed back, happily running to hug my legs like she does most mornings. "Breakky?"

"Yes babe. Breakky. Now what would you like? Special K or porridge?" I laughed back. If there was one thing that surprised me as a mother, it was how food-orientated toddlers were.

"K! K! K!" She screamed jumping around in a full circle and clapping her hands.

"Okay babe. Come on, sit in your chair and I'll give it to you in two minutes." I soothed, picking her up and placing her in her chair and handing her the spoon to which she began banging on the highchair tray.

Right after I placed the bowl of Special K on the tray, my phone buzzed from the bedroom, signalling that I had received a text message. I ran to check the text message, terrified that it was my boss needing me to cover for someone's shift. Instead, it was a message from my Dad, which was weird considering the last time he texted me was right after I gave birth just because he was checking if I still wanted to keep the baby.

The text read: Hey Talla, I need to talk to you today about some of the contract agreements. Coffee at lunch at the Coffee Club?

Sighing I swiped open my phone and hurriedly sent a message back: Hey Dad, sure can meet you there. I'll have to bring Sienna because it's too late to book the sitter.

BING! Another message: Sure thing. Your mother can't join us, so it'll just be you and me. See you then.

---

No matter how many times strangers tell me that my daughter is well-behaved for a toddler, if they had seen her when she's awoken from a nap, they'd instantly want to take their compliments back and shove it down their throats.

Sienna has never been a good waking up person, especially when she's woken abruptly. It was because of this trait that taking her out before and during her nap, became a pain in the arse.

When I entered the Coffee Club, Sienna was screaming her head off, as a car siren went off in the parking lot and startled her awake, and I was desperate for a double shot of coffee. Dad, who was in his usual booth, flushed red in the face when he spotted me waving at him at the entrance.

Let this conversation be finished with quickly. I thought as Dad shouted me coffee and got a vanilla bean frappe for Sienna.

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Hey everyone. Thanks for being so patient with the upload, editing it took longer than expected which is why it was posted later than I (and probably you) anticipated.

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-ThorandSparky