To The Moon and Back

*tap* *tap* *tap* I glance out of my bedroom window noticing the small droplets of water starting to hug the glass panel. I let out deep breathe just as my phone rings, recognizing the Caller ID I answer the call and put my phone on speaker as I place my it back on my desk to focus on the task that’s on my laptop in front of me. “Hello?” “Hey Kennedy, I’m just calling so see if you can come pick Jaxon up? I have an important meeting I was just informed I have to attend this afternoon.” Mrs. Heroux voices resonates through the speaker of my phone. For being sixty-seven you’d think she’d be wanting to relax but she always has a houseful of the neighborhood children around. I quickly hang up my cellphone telling her I’ll be there soon to pick him up. I save the project I’ve been working on on my laptop and shut it closed. I stand up and head the the other side of the living room, which doubles as my bedroom to the shoe rack. I catch a glimpse of myself and stop at my floor length mirror hanging on the closet door. My thick, straight blonde hair that has grown out to show darker roots reaches my mid back and lies flatly on my head. I continue and grab a pair of old white slip-on converse, while putting them on I take once last look in the mirror. ‘I can’t believe I let myself go this much’ I mentally scold myself. Standing at 5’9” I am overweight as I hide my body in black spandex leggings and an old dark navy blue Carhartt hoodie that I thrifted last week. I grab my car keys and a scrunchie out of my catch all bowl by my front door. I quickly throw my hair into a messy bun as I shut off the lights and lock the door as I leave. I descend my outdoor staircase on the last step I slip and my upper left arm and side connects with the staircase. I lay there for a moment letting the rain hit me. I take a deep breath looking towards the dark blue sky, listening the rain droplets make contact with my surroundings. After a few moments I decide to get up knowing that I’m going to bruise later. I hop in the drivers seat of my 2006 Red Ford and adjust the seat to take pressure off my now aching side. I turn the key in the ignition and start my journey to Mrs. Heroux’s house on the other side of town. On the way, I get lost in thought of how my life turned around. I was once a girl who loved to do sports and have fun with friends. Captain of the cheerleading team and an All-State Team softball player I always was fit and active. I met a guy who I thought I was going to be with forever, he was my high school sweetheart after giving up everything to be with him during college he threw me aside to be with someone younger, skinner, and prettier. Shortly after our break up I entered a rebound relationship and got pregnant after two weeks of being together. When he found out I was pregnant he packed his bags and I haven’t seen or heard from him since. Now I’m a single mother of a three year old, living in a small one bedroom apartment as a book and movie translator. I’ve been on my own since I was 20 after finding out I was pregnant. I was kicked of my parents and forced to transfer to an online college during my last year. I didn’t have time to do in person classes because I had to get a job to support myself and my child. I met Mrs. Heroux after responding to a marketplace post about a used baby crib, she instantly became some one I could go to when I needed help or advice about raising my child due to her experience with children. We often visited each other so she could help get me ready for the baby to come. A few months after Jaxon was born she offered to watch him free of charge so I could get back to working full time again and now he’s been going to her during the week for the past three years. I take a peek of myself in my rear view mirror to look at how dull my skin has been looking lately, my stress wrinkles on my forehead are getting more noticeable and I take a mental note to pluck my slightly over grown eyebrows later. I have a slightly larger button nose, plump downturns lips with hooded agate colored eyes. As I pull onto the Mrs. Heroux road I’m surrounded by large pine trees that line each side of the road. After a few minutes I turn into the driveway of a small A-Frame log cabin with a porch wrapping around the front. I keep my car in idle and head towards the covered side porch as the door swings open revealing my blonde curly headed, blue eyed three year old wearing his favorite Spider-Man rain boots, dark orange pajama shorts and an oversized rainbow tie dye shirt he made here last week. I lift him onto my into my arms, reminding myself of my bruising side and arm I adjust him onto the other hip. Mrs. Heroux follows Jaxon through the door and steps onto the porch to join us. If she didn’t show me her drivers license once I would have never believed her when she told me she was sixty-seven years old. The only signs of her aging show with the crows feet around her golden brown eyes and the smile lines around her thin red lips. Her jet black hair with a silver strip in the front is pulled back into a loose, but elegant bun held in by a hair stick barrette in the shape of a crescent moon. She wears a beautiful crimson red blouse with ruffles on the neckline, a pair of tailored white pants and black slip on shoes. She greets me with a warm smile and hands me Jaxon’s day bag. “Oh, I’m sorry I have to do this to you Kenny.” Mrs. Heroux begins to apologize. “Don’t worry about it Mrs. Heroux, life happens and plans change.” I told her as I swing Jaxon’s bag on my other shoulder. She answers with a warm tight lipped smile and gives Jaxon a kiss his forehead telling him she’ll see him tomorrow. We finish our goodbyes and after putting Jaxon in his car seat I give her a final wave and smile as I pull out of the driveway. I glance back at Jaxon who is watching the drops of water race down the window. “Hey Jax, do you want to go anywhere before we head home?” I ask him. “Can we go look at the books Mama?” he replies softly, keeping his eyes focused on the race happening on his window. “Of course we can.” I replied as I turned up the radio as Somebody Else by The 1975 starts playing softly through the speakers. After a short ten minute drive we reach the library, I unbuckle myself as Jaxon aggressively tries to do the same in the backseat. I hop out of the car to go and help him, as I open his door he leaps out and grabs my hand to lead me inside. In a few minutes Jaxon has himself buried in an oversized beanbag chair in the children’s section flipping through a picture book about dinosaurs. I let out a silent chuckle at the sight and head over the Fiction section and grab a John Green book before making my way to the cushioned chairs closest to the children’s section. I give Jaxon one last look to make sure he’s okay before starting to read the book I grabbed. I sit in one of the chairs that I can still see Jaxon in and flip the crisp pages and start reading. I’m pulled out of my book when I notice a mans shoes peeking out from the top of the pages. I glance up and I’m met with the most striking pair of green eyes I’ve ever seen in my twenty three years of life.