Mackayla's Story

Mackayla was sitting on a chair reading her book, Brenda Mackayla's 15 month old daughter was dozing in her stroller. "Sorry I am late" said a deep voice behind her as a hand touched her shoulder. Mackayla stood up, turned around and smiled at her Uncle Leon. "It’s okay" she said as she hugged him. "Who might be you be?" Mackayla smiled at the young girl holding Leon's hand. "I'm your cousin Aerina silly" the girl replied with a giggle. They had spoken on the phone a few days before while Mackayla and Uncle Leon were finalizing things. "And this is Brenda" Mackayla said as her daughter woke up with a small giggle. The two girls smiled at each other "hi" said Brenda. "How was your trip down" Leon asked? "Long but pretty nice" replied Mackayla. "Sammy here yet" she asked? "Arrived this morning and your cousin is already enthralled with her" he replied. Aerina giggled and smiled "she's so cute." They loaded the bags into the back of the blue truck that Leon was driving. "Would you like to stop to eat somewhere?" Leon asked as Mackayla buckled Brenda into her baby seat. "No we had a nice dinner at the cafe a bit ago" Mackayla replied "just tired right now." "Straight home then and get you two settled so you can rest" Leon said with a soft chuckle. As they pulled away from the Toma Airport Mackayla sighed and said "it's good to see you again Uncle Leon." "Unca" came a coo from the back. Leon looked up and smiled at his great niece in the back seat. After unloading and getting everything into the three bedroom apartment that Leon currently rented Brenda crawled up on Leon's lap. She gently caressed his cheek and then curled into his torso and promptly fell asleep. "I think she loves you already" Mackayla looked at her uncle with a loving sigh. "Could be that I look so much like her grandpa" he replied with a deep chuckle. As Mackayla settled on the couch Aerina sat down beside her and Sammy jumped up on her lap and curled into a ball. "I have a feeling you have made a friend already too" Leon said and she smiled. "So what's really going on" Leon asked? "I just needed a break and a new start like I told you on the phone" Mackayla replied. "Well I will accept that for right now but I know there is more." Mackayla just looked at him with a shake of her head. Maybe someday I will tell you everything thought Mackayla. "Hey little lady isn't time for bed?" Leon asked his daughter as he looked up at the clock. "Oh do I have to Daddy" Aerina whined. "Well seeing as how it is already past your bedtime I think so" he replied with a stern note to his voice. "Don't worry we'll be here for a while" Mackayla said to her. Good nights were said and kisses and hugs were given freely then Aerina skipped off to bed. They talked for a little bit more about general things before Leon noticed that Mackayla's eyelids were dropping low and her speech was a little slow. "I cleaned out the other room" he said "let me show you the way." Mackayla stood up and followed her uncle down hall "I figured you would like the bigger room" he said as he opened the door at the end of the hall the baby still in his arms. Leon placed Brenda in the playpen "you didn't have to give up your room" Mackayla said. "Yes I did" he replied "well I'll let you do what you need, there's a bathroom through that door" he pointed to the door on the right. "That's the walk-in closet there" he pointed to the sliding doors next to the window. As he turned to leave Mackalya ran up and hugged him. "Thanks I love you Uncle Leon" she kissed him on the cheek. "Love you too Mousie" he replied closing the door. Mackayla looked at her daughter sleeping soundly in the playpen and bent down and caressed her red hair. She grabbed her blue carry all and pulled out her nightgown and book. She stripped out of her blouse and skirt and quickly washed up at the sink then slipped her silk nightgown on and then crawled into the king sized bed. She read for a few minutes before she fell asleep. Brenda woke up with a soft cry a few hours later a little uncertain of where she was and having been a little disoriented by the recent changes in her short life. Mackayla gently picked her up noticing that her daughter was lightly sweating she chided herself for not having thought about that before and stripped the baby down and changed her diaper. "Tirty" Brenda whimpered softly as she nuzzled her mom's chest. Mackayla smiled and slipped her arm free of her gown and offered her daughter her breast. "Everything okay" she heard a voice ask after a soft rap on the door. "Yeah Brenda was just a little warm and thirsty" she answered back. "Can I get you anything" her cousin asked? "No I am fine, are you okay?" "Sometimes I get up in the middle of the night and I can't always get back to sleep." "Would you like to come lay with me, it's an awfully big bed and sometimes I get lonely?" Mackayla asked as the door opened and her cousin peeked around. Her cousin crept into the room and climbed up on the bed "do you think Daddy will be mad?" "No I am sure he will understand." "What's she doing?" Aerina asked pointing at the baby. "Drinking" replied Mackayla. "Ohhhh yeah I forgot some mamas do that." "It’s okay" she replied with a smile. "Does it hurt?" “Only when she decides she wants to bite. But she doesn’t do that too often because she knows Mommy will take it away." "I bet she don't like that I don't think I would" Aerina said with a giggle. She snuggled down into the covers closer to Mackayla and fell asleep. Mackayla awoke a little warm and confused but quickly remembered. She glanced down at her sleeping daughter and cousin and smiled, she heard her uncle call "Aerina Maire" a bit nervously. "She's in here with me Uncle Leon" she quickly called out "it’s okay for you to come in." "I should have figured that" he opened the door with a soft smile "sometimes she has trouble sleeping. She's crawled in with me a few times already this month. I was hoping that maybe with you here it might stop." "It’s okay I remember you saying something about that. It might take a little bit but I am sure she will settle down." Mackayla had worked with children while volunteering at Mother Mable's for a year or more after she had completed high school. Aerina had moved in with Leon about a year and a half ago after living in an abusive home and foster homes for most of her life. "It’s common for kids in her situation. They feel a little insecure and unwanted" Mackayla said. It was part of the reason she had chosen to live with her uncle instead of looking for her own place. "I don't mind her crawling in with me" she hugged her cousin close and smiled. "How was your first night" Leon asked? "A little warm but actually pretty good" Mackayla replied as they heard a small giggle and snort form under the sheet. "Where's your Punkie" he asked as a small mound moved. Mackayla laughed as Brenda pulled the sheet down with a squeal 'Unca". "So, what would you princesses like for breakfast" asked Leon. "Pancakes and sausage" said Mack, and Aerina. "Pankies" cried Brenda. "Well then I guess we could go to Tonios for breakfast if you would like." Just then Leon's phone rang. He answered the phone. "Howdy buddy can you hang on for a sec.... Aerina why don't you go and put on that new dress and we will let your cousin's get ready to go. If you'd like to shower or anything go ahead no need to rush on any account" he told Mack as he headed out the door. She rummaged through her bags for a few minutes to find the shampoo and brushes and set them on the table. Then settling back in the chair she drew Brenda to her to nurse and started to hum a song, a few minutes later she heard a knock on her door. "Hey, Mackayla I need to head over to a friend's place to help him with something. Not really sure how long I will be so I am gonna take Aerina with me. Would you like to come with and we can go to brunch or something after?"