Baby Girl Ch. 01

Relief washed over her when she heard the familiar sounds of loud horns blaring amongst the quiet sea of metal and rubber, vying for her attention.

"I think this is you," he said with a wink, leading them in the direction of the noisy and flashing vehicle, disarming the alarm before handing her the keys.

"Thank you. I...thanks."

He simply nodded and smiled while she unlocked her doors. "You sure you're alright to drive?"

"Yeah, I'm good. I'll be fine." She held his gaze for a brief second while standing behind the open car door. He stood with his hands in his pockets, silently, patiently, like a man expecting a goodnight kiss at the end of a first date.

"Well, uh, I should probably get going."

"You probably should," he agreed.

"Thank you, again."

"You're very welcome."

Kerri broke their eye contact and turned to slip gracefully into the driver's seat. She didn't look out her window until she had put on her seatbelt and started the ignition, and when she did, he was walking back in the direction that they came.

Her sorrows momentarily forgotten, she watched his form from a distance for as long as she could until he turned and disappeared, melting into the backdrop. Briefly, he had been exactly what she needed. A small space in time that lasted no more than twenty minutes, but to her, he had been like a knight. She wrinkled her nose, daring herself to finish that melodramatic cliché of a thought. This wasn't a fairytale, it was her life. And just as she was about to release her seatbelt so she could go and ask him his name and maybe...well, she hadn't figured that part out yet, she saw his vehicle leave through the gates – his shining armor.

It was probably for the best.

She laid her head back and blew out slowly, thinking about all she had to look forward to in the upcoming weeks, realities she didn't want to face. The middle of 'Light Years Away' greeted her solemn mood once she turned on the radio but she refused to cry anymore. She was tired and stronger than that. There would be time for tears later; right now she just wanted to be home.

* * *

Her end of day ritual began once she entered her condo, going through the motions as she delayed the inevitable. Kerri turned on the stereo, changed her clothes and tried to find something to clean, becoming irritated upon finding everything spotless and in its place.

"Damn maid service," she grumbled to no one in particular.

Forty minutes later, she found herself in her kitchen, leaning against the counter with a bottle of water in one hand and the phone in the other. She'd have to check her messages, call Sean's mother, her job to let them know she'd need some days off.Vonda, she thought. She'd have to call Vonda since she hadn't heard from her yet. That either meant she didn't know or she did but was just to upset to talk. They had all been close growing up in her small hometown and she wasn't too sure Vonda could handle another loss.

But first, she placed the bottled water on the marble counter and slowly slid to the floor, her knees sliding up to meet her chest once she reached the bottom. She pressed speed dial and held her breath, waiting anxiously until someone picked up the other end.

"Mom..." She sighed, knowing that talking to her mother would make everything alright.