Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh…o'er the hills we go, laughing all the way…!
Its winter time in the Midwest, that means…white fucking Christmas! That treasured holiday is weeks away but still. The temperatures haven't dropped to an all-time low, yet but damn…I miss the fall. The white blanket has covered everything. The roads have nasty slush all over them and there's ice as well. Winter fucking sucks but seeing as Dominick is out in the snow dusk to dawn…I can bear it. His happiness is my happiness.
"Auntie, stop standing around and help me!" whines the bundled up kid. He's on a quest to build the best snowman in the world, according to him.
"That's a one-man job though!"
"Lazy," he mutters.
"What you say?" bending down to scoop up some snow, "Better watch that mouth!"
"Or what?" he challenges, shaking his butt tauntingly. I throw the snow at him and thus initiate a snowball fight.
Couple weeks have flown by since Punk left the nest. I find myself missing his varied smirks and Cheshire cat grins. Every now and then, the memory of the almost-kiss crosses my mind and brings up confusion along with a handful unanswered questions. The "Alien Incubator", the name that sort've stuck because of him, called him on his birthday to show some love his way. I was handed the phone and we spoke for a couple of minutes. It's depressing how those minutes had illuminated my lousy day.
Squeal and screeches escape us snowball war veterans as we aim a hit each other. I wouldn't be surprised if the neighbors came out to yell at our ass…wouldn't mind at all either.
"Come and get it, Auntie Marley!" taunts the little man.
Completely out of breath, "Laugh…while you…can…rascal!"
"Kids, come back inside and get ready! I have an appointment, remember?" hollers Mackenzie from the porch. Both her son and I groan, "Pack it in!"
Grousing, we do as we're told and pack it in. Arriving at the porch, Dominick shimmies out of his snow-pants and kicks off his boots, splattering dirty snow in my face. Moaning out in disgust, I shimmy out of my jacket that might as well be a board and soaked boots. The house is a man-made iceberg. Micks let me in on her financial problems, starting with a broken heater that is close to a grand to fix. Her army assistance check thing barely covers her basic needs and my wage is barely enough to live off of.
Dreams are meant to stay dreams for a reason and ever since the temperature began to drop, I've been applying for jobs left and right with no result. I have no working experience, like none. Those ads lie: 'no experience needed'. It isn't need but sure as hell preferred. Office jobs a rare around the area and if they are…nobody in their right mind hires somebody who drifted through high school.
"Corazon, you need a ride?" I ask Micks as she hurries to and fro.
"Could you hook it up, por favor? Estoy stressed!" she's been working on her Spanish, yay!
"On it," she twists, all sorts of papers in her hands, to shoot me a thankful smile, "Relax, will ya? We're minutes away from finding out if the alien is a girl or a boy!"
Situating myself on the couch with a comfy throw, I dial up my one trusty co-worker, "Carlos, can you give me a lift?"
Spluttering and couching, "Sure thing…the chick's house…from last time?" Fucking bitch, he's smoking…without you!
Sour-faced, "I warned you about smoking without me, Carlos…"
"I told you the other day but you were in a mood."
I grumble and sigh, "I could really use some relief. Whatever though, thank you for the ride, beep when you're here."
"Sure thing."
Hanging up the phone, I rush into my room, the spare room Micks is letting me stay in, and throw on some sweats and a sweater, pull my hair in a pony, and touch up my makeup. Afterwards, I walk off into the best friend's room to find her struggling with putting on her shirt.
"It doesn't cost a thing to knock, you know?"
Snickering, "I've seen your ass naked close to a billion times already. You ain't got anything I haven't seen, babes, so why bother?" she chucks a pillow at me, "What do you think it's going to be?"
"Feels like I am bigger this time and the nausea was killer as well…I put money on a girl," she surmises, "Whatever it is, I just hope he or she's healthy and that it actually lets the doc see."
"Has Ace come up with a hypothesis?"
The woman stops gathering her papers in order, "He was ecstatic about my being knocked up…the last time I've heard of him."
Ace, her husband, deployed close to half a year ago. I was present when Mick broke the news which was four months ago. Harsh. I just stare at my feet and let her go about her business, silently praying for Carlos's to pick up the speed and get here.
Bells on bob tails ring making spirits bright what fun it is to laugh and sing a sleighing song tonight…!
I've gone through Jingle Bells twice now and his car has pulled into the driveway. Thank you, Jesus! I spring off to pick up Dom and drag ourselves to Carlos's humming automotive but before getting close enough I pick up a snowball and aim it at his window.
"Pinche malcriada, what the fuck?"
"I had to," I tell him getting Dom into the vehicle as well as myself, "The big lady will be here shortly."
"It's all good. How you doin' lil' man?" my co-worker asks Dominick.
"Freezing but loving the snow."
"He loves snow as much you love women, Casanova." I add.
"They God's work, Curlyfries," he stares out the window at Micks shutting the front door, "Talking 'bout God's work…"
I roll my eyes, ever since Casanova met Alien Incubator; he's been trying to holler at her. It's cute. It does wonders to her lacking self-esteem but Wes and I don't dig it. Me because she's a babymomma, married, and in no condition to be out and about with a womanizer. Wes on the other hand, he has feelings – long time feeling – as they were a couple way, way back in the day.
"Hey Carlos," greets Mackenzie as she slides in shot gun, "Thanks for the ride, by the way," she says as she secures her seatbelt.
The Californian smiles and winks at her, "Thank you for my making my day a little brighter."
Gagging, "Can we get this shit in gear? We got places to go and places to be at!"
ΔΔΔΔ
"My, aren't you glowing, hello Mackenzie, how are you feeling today?" inquires Dr. Topaz as she struts into the room.
Mackenzie gives off a nervous laugh and appreciative smile, "Like a blown up balloon, doc. Other than that, I am excited as hell!"
The elderly doctor pats Micks's knee and says, "If you knew how often I hear that expression," she chuckles, "Please lay down for me so we can see how the baby is doing and hopefully get a glimpse of it's sex…this little one's a hider."
Covering my goofy smile, I will myself to think of dead puppies. The word and the way doctors say it. I scoot next to my best friend's side and grasp her hand for extra emotional support. This is the first time in years that I'm in here with her. The last couple appointments, Wes had accompanied her as Ace hasn't been available.
Nothing other than the steady little heartbeat sounds through the monitor. Every angle that Dr. Topaz tries is of no use. The little keeps hiding. A defeated look passes across the young mother's eyes and all I can do is rub her hand.
"Wait…I think…it's a girl," the doctors say, more to herself than to us, "Yes, it's a baby girl, congrats Mommy!" she excuses herself to gives us some much needed privacy.
The door closes and we both let out joyful yelps. The dirty blonde becomes a bit overwhelmed with emotion but it's understandable. The news is alarming and this is her first girl. I undergo a pang of jealousy and remorse but it washes away as I am all high spirits.
"Ace is going to be up the wall when he hears about this, I hope he calls soon! I can't even believe it!" she shrills ecstatically.
"Me neither! Congrats, mamita," I embrace her and help her off the table.
Posterior to Dr. Topaz's okay, we haul ass to where Carlos and Dom await us and tell them the joyous new. My little man doesn't take the news with much enthusiasm. He was hoping for a brother so they could do 'manly things' together with their old man. Alas we hype him up with some breakfast at a local diner called Charlie's. I'd been the one to treat them to it but in the end, it was Casanova that paid for it. I only had ten bucks left in my wallet and my check wasn't arriving 'till next week.
The fact rained on my parade. I didn't let anyone in on it; Casanova just saw and offered graciously. After we were dropped off I paid him a big ol' thanks.
"It's all good in the hood, mami," replies Carlos, shrugging me off.
"You're the best. Tell Jee to for up that free blunt, yeah?"
"We'll get on it tomorrow, for sure," he winks and drives off and I drag myself inside.
Inside, however, I gather all of Mick's bills and my checkbook and go to work. In high school, we were taught the basics of managing money and whatnot but those were the classes I took off. Today is the day those ditches came back to bite me in the ass. All I have to my name are those same ten bucks in my wallet. I'd shared my account with Noah, whom I haven't heard or seen in ages, and he'd withdrawn every damn penny. I, Marleene Karime Soto, am worth ten bucks.
Reading every bill there was to read; I tallied them all up and got number in the thousands. The tax bill, the heftiest of all, is four months overdue. They've sent out warnings and such. Every other bill is fine but where in the hell am I going to rake up currency and how when there all due? The army check has already come in but as stated before: basics and the small family.
Money signs, numbers, deadlines rack through my overworked brain. It feels like I am about to blow up. The best for me at this point is to get away for a while until I have my shit together. Yes, getting away sound fan-fucking-tastic: maybe pick up a cheap bottle of liquor and pass out for a while. There's no real appropriate reason for me to worry the already fretful mother-to-be.
"Where you going, Mar?" asks Micks, bewildered by my sudden abandoning of the table.
"Out."
Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way! Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh…!
A/N- It was more of a filler chapter, preparing for a bigger picture(?) Marleene was singing inside her head...it's not a songfic chapter, haha.