117 - Carly's Call

*Hey sweetheart, I’m up with a baby, imagine that. Call me when you get a chance. BTW – how the hell are you up for days at a time? I’m dying here! –Michaela’s text*

After she got back to her room, Camille sent a message to Michaela knowing that she would respond in the morning when she got up. It was one of the things that she knew was standard practice in the Lowery household. With as many kids that they had, and with several living or staying somewhere else, it was the first thing that all the parents did.

Walking into the room, she wondered exactly how long she had been in Nicki’s room. A quick glance at the bedside clock told her it was well over an hour. Her red laptop was closed and at the foot of the bed. Darkness sat on the bed with his back against the headboard and his legs stretched out, crossed at the ankles. Mitch was curled up with his back to Darkness and a knitted afghan blanket tossed over him.

“Is she okay?” Darkness quietly asked as he sat his book down on his legs.

Camille nodded as she grabbed her phone off the charging pad and typed out her message as she walked around the bed and sat on the edge of the bed. He shifted his legs allowing more room for his wife to sit down. She sent the message and then laid her phone on the bed between uncle and nephew.

Resting her hand on the boys’ shoulder, she shook her head sadly. “They seem so scared to express themselves.”

Nodding in agreement, he cupped her cheek and had her look at him, “They need to know that they’re safe.”

“Yeah,” she murmured as he swiped a tear away with his thumb. It was the same thing that Carly told her. Once they feel safe, then they can really start to heal.

“Do you want me to move him?”

“No, he’s sleeping good, and he feels safe there,” smiling at her husband, she leaned in and gave him a quick kiss. “I need to go get caught up on the work I’ve missed.”

He pulled her in for a deeper kiss and murmured against her lips.

Smiling against his lips, she told him, “I love you, too.”

He moved his book to the bed and then pulled her into his lap. Camille wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her cheek on his chest and listened to his heart. Reaching over, Darkness turned off the bedside lamp before resting one hand on her hip and the other slid into her hair as he held her in place. He brushed a kiss across the top of her head before resting his chin on her head.

“The hardware for the beds should be in tomorrow, and the mattresses the day after,” he told her. “We have the wood cut and stained. Once we get the beds put together, hopefully they’ll feel a little more settled.”

“I hope so.”

They sat there, holding each other as they both slipped off to sleep. When Camille opened her eyes again, the bedside clock showed that it was now approaching one. Quietly, she slipped out of Darkness’ loose grip.

“You good?” he asked quietly.

“Yeah, get a little more sleep,” she murmured as she grabbed her phone. “I’m going to go get caught up on work.”

“Okay,” he slid down and stretched out on the oversized bed. This had become a regular routine for them. He would sleep for a longer period than she would, but after a few hours of working, she would take another nap in her office.

On her way out of the bedroom, she grabbed her red computer and headed for the office next door. The light tip tap of nails told her that Tink was following her. He curled up on his bed in the office as she plugged up her computer and saw Michaela’s message.

They talked for a little while and she sent Camille several screen shots of what to buy, what products to use and links for hair care. Instead of working on clients’ websites, she found herself pulled into YouTube videos for care and maintenance of African hair.

Her alarm went off letting her know that it was nearly time for the local Walmart to open. Since she was considered immunocompromised, she qualified to go during the first hour. And she always went on Tuesday morning. And called Carly on her way.

Today was no different. After quietly dressing in her closet, she slipped out the front door and into her Jeep. As was her routine, Carly answered her phone while making her coffee. Just like every other morning, she ended up spilling it at some point between the group home kitchen and her cluttered office.

What was different about today was that by the time she made it to Walmart, panic was starting to set in. After she parked, Tink crawled into her lap, and she gave in and let her tears flow. Hugging her dog close to her chest, Camille followed the breathing instructions that Carly gave her until the panic subsided and she calmed down.

“Better?” Carly asked over the radio.

“Yes,” Camille said automatically and then let out a heavy sigh, “no.”

“Tell me what’s on your mind.”

Camille chuckled, “There’s a lot,”

“You’re good, I don’t have anyone until eleven.”

She took a deep breath and then let it out, “I warned you.”

“I have been warned,” Carly confirmed as her microwave beeped at her. “Shit that’s hot.”

“So, I’m nineteen, I’m in college and a fifty percent owner of a company, that’s doing well. I’m a newlywed and suddenly along with all of that – I have three kids and one of which is only two years younger than me. And these babies are terrified of saying the wrong thing or making us mad.”

“This year alone, I have lost my best friend’s mother and my godfather. But that doesn’t compare to these kids who lost their parents. Both of their parents within a week of each other. And did not get to say goodbye. They nearly got kidnapped and discovered that their grandmother is only in it for the money.”

“I’m roughly fifteen-hundred miles away from my closest relative. My husband’s only living blood relative is in a nursing home and we can only talk to her over the phone or through a window. My best friend has completely dropped off the face of the earth and I don’t know what’s going on there.”

“My kids have been yanked away from the only home that they’ve ever known and thrown into a new city with people that they barely know. My daughter had an hour-long meltdown last night because she couldn’t find her brush and she was afraid of what I would do because it was irresponsible. I think that my youngest son is gay, and they’ve been protecting him.”

“My oldest doesn’t want to go to his parents’ alma mater but feels pressured to. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing and I just spent three hours learning how to take care of my daughter’s hair. These babies are scared of making us mad or upsetting us or saying the wrong thing and they have this incredible bond because they’ve had to protect each other, and they’ve been each other’s only support.”

When she took a breath, Carly told her, “You’ve got this.”

“What?”

“You’ve got this,” Carly assured her. “You’re calling, you’re asking for help. You’ve got this.”

“I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Carly chuckled, “Welcome to parenthood. We’re all flying blind and surviving on coffee. Call your mom, she did the same.”