Page 48 of Denial
I turn to face the door as she closes it behind her, shock filling me as I look down at the baby in my arms. There isn’t a single thing here for him and she didn’t give me anything other than the papers I need to keep him. Setting the papers down on the bar in my kitchen, I walk over to the bed and place a sleeping Mathias in the middle of my bed. Surrounding him with pillows, I quickly get dressed and don’t take my eyes off the baby as I dress and run a brush through my hair. I have to go shopping for him and it’s a good thing I’ve got a really good nest egg from working at the strip club. Pulling out my phone, I find Devil’s name and type out a message to him.
Me: I’m going to need the rest of the week off. Something urgent came up and I have to deal with a situation. I’m sorry for the short notice and if you have to let me go because of it, I understand.
Setting my phone on the dresser, I grab my purse and make sure I’ve got everything I’ll need for an impromptu shopping trip inside. By the time I’m ready to go, Mathias is still sleeping and I lift him into my arms as my phone vibrates on the dresser. Walking over, I unlock the screen and see a message from Devil.
Devil: Is everything okay? You’ve never taken a single day off and always come in for everyone else. If you need the rest of the week, take it. You’re not losing your job, Genesis. You’re too valuable as an employee. If you need any help, let me know and I’ll do what I can.
Me: I’m okay. My son is having a bit of an emergency and I have to put him first.
Devil: I didn’t know you had a son. If you have to take him to the doctor or hospital, let me know and I’ll make sure Doc shows up. He’s one of the doctors in Pine View and works for the club. He’s really good. Let me know what’s going on in a few days.
Me: Thank you.
Shoving my phone in my purse, I leave the apartment and make sure the door is locked. There’s a baby store a few blocks from my apartment and I quickly walk there. It’s not too cold out, but Mathias is only dressed in a dirty onesie and a thin blanket covers his body. I don’t want to keep him out in the elements for longer than necessary.
My afternoon is filled with shopping for everything baby related that I could possibly need. Including a ton of clothing, diapers, a playpen until I can get a crib, and so much other stuff. I also make an appointment with a doctor in Pine View to get him checked out and make sure I don’t need to do anything special for him to gain weight or anything. By the time I walk back through the door to wait for the deliveries of everything I purchased, I’m exhausted and my day isn’t anywhere close to being over with yet. I take one of the bottles I just bought and a can of formula to get something ready for Matie to eat when he wakes up again.
I really hate Melinda right now because I could’ve used some warning that she was going to leave her son with me. I’m not ever going to turn him away though. It’s just not fair to him that he has to deal with me who knows next to nothing about babies or raising a child on my own. Matie deserves to be in a home with two loving parents. I will give him all the love I have inside me to give and hope that he doesn’t end up hating me because I’ve messed up somehow.
