No Longer Alone

*Nicole's Point of view* BEEEEEEP BEEEEEEEEEP BEEEEEEEEEEEEP     I groaned and rolled over to shut off the alarm on my phone before it got any louder and woke anyone else in the house.  I didn't feel the need to stop my alarm just because it was summer and my kids had school off now, it just meant extra time I could go in and work to take care of the house.     Stretching out the kinks in my body and feeling my joints pop, I shake off the last traces of sleep trying to figure out what to wear to work today.  Settling on a black v-neck shirt with gold lettering stating "Sarcasm Level: Expert", some mid-rise fitted blue jeans and my black leather high heeled boots I head out to the bathroom to finish my morning routine for getting ready.   I pause in routine of getting ready to actually take a look at myself, something I generally don't really think of since I stopped wasting time most mornings and stopped putting on make-up.  I looked into my brown eyes, noticing the laugh lines at the corner of my eyes, my hair had finally grown back down to my lower back, usually hanging straight down with a hint of red highlights to the dark brown color.  At 5'7" and about 120lbs I was still more slender than I liked, a reminder of one of the worst times in my life, I was still struggling to gain back the weight from years before.   Still, I could understand for a moment, looking at myself why most people were hesitant to believe my age, or even that I was a mother of three kids.  People usually guessed my age at late 20s, maybe early 30s when in reality, I would be 37 this year, and the only evidence that I'd had kids was a single stretch mark on my right hip.     Thinking of my kids, I did a quick check on the three, thinking of their unique personalities.  Hannah was the most like me, in looks and personality, at 14 she was the oldest, and more mature than most adults.  She was deep asleep and I spotted a new design she was working on for her glass etching.  She had done roses before and now it looked like she was trying to work out a lotus design for another glass.     Marie was next, 11 years old, and a pixie in build and personality, she was nonstop energy when awake and couldn't stop talking.  She had more red in her hair than I did and her eyes were a greyish blue.  She was the over the top drama and had a flair for acting out voices for stories.  She was sleeping cuddling a stuffed animal making me chuckle softly as she was the most anti-hugging person in the family when she was awake.     Finally, Rose, 7 years old now, and a bundle of love who believed still it was her job to make people feel better with hugs and kisses.  She was sprawled sideways across her bed, with part of her legs hanging off the side and her face halfway planted into a stuffed animal using it as a pillow.  I entered her room to place the blanket she had managed to kick off in sleep back on her to hear a soft laugh behind me.     "If I slept like that, I wouldn't be able to move for the rest of the day." My mom's voice came from behind me as she watched her granddaughter curl into a ball under the blanket I just put on her.     "Oh I know, the joys of youth." I smiled at her and headed to the kitchen to get  a cup of coffee ready to head to work.  I loved my morning coffee and most people I worked with knew to leave me alone until I was working on my second cup at least.  "I'm heading into work early and most likely going to be staying a bit late again.  This new group of agents is really taking a lot more work than normal for my team and I want to get my other work done so I can help the guys out with this group."     "Just don't work too hard, isn't this your night to go out with Jen and Adam?"     I looked at the calendar and nodded, Jen and Adam were my best friends outside of work, and every Wednesday night we headed to a local bar for karaoke and pool.  Jen and I would sing, dance, and if no one else was brave enough, play pool with Adam.  Adam on the other hand, just played pool and drank coffee so the two of us could drink without fear on how to get home.  Even though one would be shocked if they didn't know them that the two were married, I often found myself envious of their clear love and devotion.  I was the adopted sister and best friend, and they made sure I never was left to feel like a third wheel with them.     "Yeah, still think the place needs a dartboard, but at least it has a decent sized floor to dance on.  Thanks for the reminder, the days have really been blurring together."     "Anytime, normally you are my memory boost, glad I could return the favor for once, and in case I forget, tell them hi and give them my love."  With that she headed back to her room and I headed out to work thinking of the strange road that lead to me living with my mom once again.        Thirteen years earlier I had forced my neighbor at the time, and her daughter to move with me up to Montana where my mom was as the area we were in was no longer safe for us or our daughters.  Our landlord had moved her son-in-law and his girlfriend into the apartment above me and they had taken exception to my neighbor, attacking her when I wasn't home.  When they cracked her ribs on an attack, enough was enough and I convinced her to mover for her daughter's sake.  In moving, she found love, moved out, and married a man that adopted her daughter and loved her whole heartedly.  I on the other hand, had tried to find love, had two more kids, but was still alone.   As I walked into work, I knew, some dreams are meant to be just that.  Dreams.