*One Week Later*
"Mama!"
I woke up to the familiar sound that I'd been waking up to for a week now. My boys were in my room, jumping all over me. They think it's funny waking me up at 5am to eat breakfast. I don't know how they know it's 5am, but it's always exactly 5am.
"Guys, please! Mama needs to sleep!" I practically screamed at them.
"Mama, we want to see 'Nelle and Mack today." Emery told me.
Even though they both wore identical pajamas, and my eyes were closed anyway, I knew it was Emery who was whining. Shanelle and Mackenzie were busy the day before, so they boys didn't get to see them. They had really grow attached to them both. Mackenzie likes them, and Shanelle loves them.
"Fine, we'll go down to their room later. I'm sure they're still asleep." I replied.
"Get up Mama! Us hungry!" Eden screamed.
Since I knew they weren't going to let me go back to sleep, and I didn't feel like listening to their whining, I got out of bed. They both grabbed my hands and dragged me into the kitchen. I made them bacon and eggs, again, which they loved.
It was noon when I gave Shanelle a call, hoping she'd be home. I decided that I wanted to go out, alone, for the day. I'd been to the mall four to five times already, and I knew my way there and back, so I wasn't likely to get lost.
"Talk..."
I giggled when I heard Mackenzie answer the phone. I loved how he answered, it was so funny.
"Hey Mack... is 'Nelle around?" I asked him right away.
"Uh, yeah, hold on." he told me. He wasn't really used to having close friends, so he wasn't always sure how to act.
"Hey Torr!" I heard Shanelle answer a minute later.
"Hey you! What are you doing today?" I asked her.
"Not much. I was hoping to see your boys... since I didn't get to see them yesterday." she laughed.
"Yeah... um... I was thinking. I mean, you can say no, but... would you want to babysit them for the day? I was hoping to go out by myself today." I asked her.
"Woah, really? You'd trust me alone with them?" she asked back right away.
"Yeah, of course. And they really like you, anyway. What do you say?" I asked again.
"Of course, I'd love to! I'll go tell Mack!" she replied and put down the phone.
For some reason, I was thinking that maybe Mackenzie would say no, that he didn't want Shanelle to babysit. But I was wrong.
"Torr?" Shanelle asked me, when she came back to the phone.
"Yeah?" I asked back, hoping.
"He says that's cool. You deserve a break from them, and everything." she told me. I grinned.
"Great. I'll bring them down in a little while, ok?" I asked her.
"Ok, awesome." she agreed.
"Ok, see ya 'Nelle."
"Bye Torr."
"Mama, we go see 'Nelle and Mack now?" Emery whined again.
"Soon, ok?" I asked back. "Mommy has to get ready..."
"We watch TV." Eden told Emery, pulling on his shirt. Then the two of them went into the other room to watch television.
I laughed at them and then went to my room. I took the next half hour to get ready. I wore my favorite 3/4 length shirt, blue and white, and my bell bottom jeans. I did my make-up and put my hair up. It was almost 1pm when I went back to my boys, who were both on the couch, watching Pokemon.
"Ready to go?" I asked them both. They had dressed themselves, but it didn't really matter, they'd only be with Shanelle at her house.
They both jumped off the couch excitedly. I turned off the TV and grabbed both their hands. Then I swung my purse over my shoulder, and we left our apartment. I dropped the boys off at Shanelle's, but wouldn't leave until I got a hug and kiss from them both. I had rarely left them with someone else, other than my family. And now I'm leaving them with almost strangers. But I trusted Shanelle and Mackenzie. They were our friends.
"Bye Mama..." Eden said a little sadly, wrapping his little arms around me.
"We miss you." Emery finished his brother's sentence.
"I'll miss you guys too. I won't be too long." I told them, kissing both of their heads.
"Take as long as you want. You deserve a break." Shanelle smiled. I smiled back, but was still a little worried about my boys. What mother wouldn't be?
"I know, I know..." I replied. "Bye babies." I hugged them again. "Bye 'Nelle, bye Mack." I finished.
"See ya, Torr." Mackenzie called to me from across the room.
I waved once more before I turned and left their apartment. I took a deep breath, and told myself,
They'll be fine, quit worrying.
I went out to the parking lot and got into my car. Then I blasted my new Backstreet Boys cd, Black and Blue. I started driving, drowning in the sound of his voice. Nick Carter, my sons' father.
