Fresh Starts.
Chapter Four.
Once we were back from tree shopping and were in the middle of decorating, my phone started ringing. “Hello?” “Hey Brook, it’s Brian.” said the voice on the other end “Oh hey, what’s up?” I replied, a little surprised that he was calling. “Not too much, just seeing what you were up to tonight.” “Oh, I’m not up to much, just decorating the Christmas tree with Cam. Trying to get into the holiday spirit around here.” I replied. “That sounds fun, do you want to go look at some holiday lights later? I know all the best places to take a kid. I’m a kid at heart myself.” He said. “I’m not sure if tonight would be a good night. We’re only halfway finished with the tree, and we have to finish decorating the inside and outside of the house. I could use some help hanging the lights outside though” I replied. He chuckled on the other end and said “I can help you with that, when do you want me to come?” “Whenever you want, I can give you directions” I replied. I gave him directions to my place, and he promised to be there within the next hour, and we disconnected. I felt so nervous, yet so excited to be hanging out with a guy. I feel like I can finally be happy in my life without my ex’s shadow looming over me all the time. “Cam, baby” I said “Mommy’s friend Brian is going to come over later and help us with the lights outside.” His eyes lit up and said “Really Mama? Do you think he would want to play dinosaurs with me?” He asked. “I’m not sure, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask him” I replied.
By the time Brian arrived, we had finished decorating the tree and were almost finished with the inside. “Wow, this place looks great. Very festive.” He said. “Thank you, Christmas is my favorite holiday, and Cam loves it too. I want the holiday to be as normal as possible for him.” I replied. “I can understand that, what’s up Cameron?” He said as my energetic four year old came running up to him. “Hiiiiii! My name is Cameron and I have three dinosaurs!” He said as he held up three fingers. “You do? Awesome. I love dinosaurs, show me the way!” Brian said with a grin as Cam led him to his room. “Whoa dude, you have way more than three dinosaurs.” He said. “Yeah, he’s a little obsessed. Would you like something to eat? I was going to make some chicken pasta before I started on the outside décor.” I asked as I followed them to Cam’s room with Madi in my arms. “Sure, that would be awesome. Hey there pretty girl, I didn’t even see you there in your mom’s arms. She’s such a beautiful baby.” he said as he cooed to her, “Thank you, I think she’s pretty gorgeous myself” I replied with a soft smile “I’ll go ahead and get started on dinner, it won’t take long. Cameron James, play nicely and make sure you clean up after yourself.” I said to my son. “Okay Mama” he replied “but right now we’re having dino battles! It’s a turassic takedown!” He said “Yeah, he watches too many dinosaur documentaries” I said with a laugh as Brian looked at me with a raised eyebrow.
Once dinner was finished and everyone was fed, including Madelyn, Brian, Cameron, and I set out to decorate the outside of the house. Brian brought a ladder to hang lights, so I let him do the “man’s job” as he put it and hang all the lights while Cam and I decorated the porch with various figurines and put a huge wreath on the door. Once we were finished I brought Madi outside and we all walked to the edge of the driveway and looked at the house “Not bad for my first time hanging lights” Brian said. “It looks awesome Mama, thank you so very much Brian.” Cam said excitedly. “Yes, thank you so much Brian, I had no idea how I was going to get those lights on the roof without Cameron trying to climb up the ladder behind me” I replied with a grin. “It was my pleasure, besides, I got to hang out with the coolest four year old ever, right Killa Cam?” He said as he lowered his hand so Cam could give him a high-five. “Oh yeah. Killa Cam” he replied with a grin. “Okay Cam, it’s time for you to get in the bath and in bed, you’ve got to go to daycare tomorrow.” I told him “Mama, it’s school, not daycare. Can I bring some dinos to the bath with me?” He asked. “Sure baby. Brian, if you want to wait a few minutes while I get him in the bath I’ll be able to talk for a few. You don’t have to rush off if you don’t want to.” I said while we were walking back to the house “Okay, sure. I can do that.” He said with a smile.
Once I got Cameron settled in the bath I walked back to the living room and sat down with a sigh “It must be hard work being a single parent, you’re doing a great job” Brian said. “Thank you” I said softly, “It is really hard work, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I love those two kids so much, they are my whole world” I said. “If you don’t mind me asking, why did you move all the way to California from Georgia. You could have gone anywhere, but you picked Cali. Why?” He asked. I let out a huge sigh and began my story. “Well, long story short, we moved to get away from my jerk off of an ex husband. I was tired of him and his verbal abuse toward me. And the way he treated his kids, so I packed our stuff and we got as far away from him as we could. California was the first place I thought of. Huntington just happened to be the first city that popped into my head.” “How long have you been divorced?” He asked. “Since last June. We reconciled back in January, which is how Madi came along, and then he decided he didn’t love me anymore, and that he wanted out. I didn’t stop him. He asked me to get an abortion, and I refused.” “He seriously asked you that? What a fucking dick.” He said. “Yeah, no kidding. So now here I am, in Huntington Beach, with no family or friends other than my kids.” I said. “That’s not true, you have me. And Zack.” He smiled. “Enough about me” I said “What about you? Why are you hanging out with some single mom instead of with a girlfriend or something?” I asked “No girlfriend. Michelle and I got a divorce last year. We just grew apart, it wasn’t working out anymore.” “Wow. I’m sorry Brian, I know how much it sucks.” I smiled sadly. “Yeah, it does” he said “but we’re better off this way. We were fighting way too much” After I bathed Cam and put him to bed we talked for a few more hours, until we realized it was going on 11:30. “Oh shit, I am so sorry for keeping you up this late. Time must have gotten away from me.” He said “It’s okay” I replied “I enjoyed talking to you. But I do need to get to bed, Madelyn will be waking up around 4 to eat, and I have to be up by 7 to get to work by 9.” I said as we both stood up. “Thank you for dinner Brook, it was delicious. And thank you for the chat. It’s nice to talk to someone who isn’t obsessed with her hair or makeup or who’s dating who.” “No problem” I smiled, “ I usually don’t have time to worry about any of those things anyway. And thank you for hanging my lights, you’re a lifesaver.” I replied. “I’m gonna head out, I’ll probably see you tomorrow at VU” he said as he hugged me. “Goodnight Brian, I’ll see you tomorrow” I said as I closed and locked the door behind him. I washed up and got ready for bed with a smile on my face. I set my alarm and laid in bed, thinking that things were definitely looking up for me and I couldn’t wait to see what the future had in store for me.
By the time Brian arrived, we had finished decorating the tree and were almost finished with the inside. “Wow, this place looks great. Very festive.” He said. “Thank you, Christmas is my favorite holiday, and Cam loves it too. I want the holiday to be as normal as possible for him.” I replied. “I can understand that, what’s up Cameron?” He said as my energetic four year old came running up to him. “Hiiiiii! My name is Cameron and I have three dinosaurs!” He said as he held up three fingers. “You do? Awesome. I love dinosaurs, show me the way!” Brian said with a grin as Cam led him to his room. “Whoa dude, you have way more than three dinosaurs.” He said. “Yeah, he’s a little obsessed. Would you like something to eat? I was going to make some chicken pasta before I started on the outside décor.” I asked as I followed them to Cam’s room with Madi in my arms. “Sure, that would be awesome. Hey there pretty girl, I didn’t even see you there in your mom’s arms. She’s such a beautiful baby.” he said as he cooed to her, “Thank you, I think she’s pretty gorgeous myself” I replied with a soft smile “I’ll go ahead and get started on dinner, it won’t take long. Cameron James, play nicely and make sure you clean up after yourself.” I said to my son. “Okay Mama” he replied “but right now we’re having dino battles! It’s a turassic takedown!” He said “Yeah, he watches too many dinosaur documentaries” I said with a laugh as Brian looked at me with a raised eyebrow.
Once dinner was finished and everyone was fed, including Madelyn, Brian, Cameron, and I set out to decorate the outside of the house. Brian brought a ladder to hang lights, so I let him do the “man’s job” as he put it and hang all the lights while Cam and I decorated the porch with various figurines and put a huge wreath on the door. Once we were finished I brought Madi outside and we all walked to the edge of the driveway and looked at the house “Not bad for my first time hanging lights” Brian said. “It looks awesome Mama, thank you so very much Brian.” Cam said excitedly. “Yes, thank you so much Brian, I had no idea how I was going to get those lights on the roof without Cameron trying to climb up the ladder behind me” I replied with a grin. “It was my pleasure, besides, I got to hang out with the coolest four year old ever, right Killa Cam?” He said as he lowered his hand so Cam could give him a high-five. “Oh yeah. Killa Cam” he replied with a grin. “Okay Cam, it’s time for you to get in the bath and in bed, you’ve got to go to daycare tomorrow.” I told him “Mama, it’s school, not daycare. Can I bring some dinos to the bath with me?” He asked. “Sure baby. Brian, if you want to wait a few minutes while I get him in the bath I’ll be able to talk for a few. You don’t have to rush off if you don’t want to.” I said while we were walking back to the house “Okay, sure. I can do that.” He said with a smile.
Once I got Cameron settled in the bath I walked back to the living room and sat down with a sigh “It must be hard work being a single parent, you’re doing a great job” Brian said. “Thank you” I said softly, “It is really hard work, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I love those two kids so much, they are my whole world” I said. “If you don’t mind me asking, why did you move all the way to California from Georgia. You could have gone anywhere, but you picked Cali. Why?” He asked. I let out a huge sigh and began my story. “Well, long story short, we moved to get away from my jerk off of an ex husband. I was tired of him and his verbal abuse toward me. And the way he treated his kids, so I packed our stuff and we got as far away from him as we could. California was the first place I thought of. Huntington just happened to be the first city that popped into my head.” “How long have you been divorced?” He asked. “Since last June. We reconciled back in January, which is how Madi came along, and then he decided he didn’t love me anymore, and that he wanted out. I didn’t stop him. He asked me to get an abortion, and I refused.” “He seriously asked you that? What a fucking dick.” He said. “Yeah, no kidding. So now here I am, in Huntington Beach, with no family or friends other than my kids.” I said. “That’s not true, you have me. And Zack.” He smiled. “Enough about me” I said “What about you? Why are you hanging out with some single mom instead of with a girlfriend or something?” I asked “No girlfriend. Michelle and I got a divorce last year. We just grew apart, it wasn’t working out anymore.” “Wow. I’m sorry Brian, I know how much it sucks.” I smiled sadly. “Yeah, it does” he said “but we’re better off this way. We were fighting way too much” After I bathed Cam and put him to bed we talked for a few more hours, until we realized it was going on 11:30. “Oh shit, I am so sorry for keeping you up this late. Time must have gotten away from me.” He said “It’s okay” I replied “I enjoyed talking to you. But I do need to get to bed, Madelyn will be waking up around 4 to eat, and I have to be up by 7 to get to work by 9.” I said as we both stood up. “Thank you for dinner Brook, it was delicious. And thank you for the chat. It’s nice to talk to someone who isn’t obsessed with her hair or makeup or who’s dating who.” “No problem” I smiled, “ I usually don’t have time to worry about any of those things anyway. And thank you for hanging my lights, you’re a lifesaver.” I replied. “I’m gonna head out, I’ll probably see you tomorrow at VU” he said as he hugged me. “Goodnight Brian, I’ll see you tomorrow” I said as I closed and locked the door behind him. I washed up and got ready for bed with a smile on my face. I set my alarm and laid in bed, thinking that things were definitely looking up for me and I couldn’t wait to see what the future had in store for me.
@vengenz61
Yay it sounds good
3/3/18