Perfectly Ordinary

01. Home

01.

Home

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It was still dark out when a shrill cry awoke May, the moon light that shone through the window above her small couch eluminated her small apartment and lit up the open doorway to the one and only bedroom.

Exhausted May groaned, rolling to her side she checked the glowing green numbers at her bed side table. Barely 4. May groaned again. They’d only been asleep about four hours and Matt had already woken up twice now screaming. Hungry already?

Lying silently on her queen size bed May begged an unseen force that Matt would cry himself to sleep within the next thirty seconds, but thirty seconds later Matt’s shrill screams were still filling Mays little Appartment.

Shoving the covers away from her, May forced herself up.

In the dome like bassinet of his Graco pack’n’play, Matt lay thrashing his sleep sack covered feet about. Stopping only for a moment as he sucked his fabric covered fingers.

Falling in tune with the small stuffed otter soother May kept near Matt as he slept, She softly shushed him, just as her nurse had taught her to do so.

Scooping her tiny little son into her arms May marveled at just how fast holding him close calmed him, his cries softening almost immediately.

“Hungry again my lil bean?”

Matt’s response was nothing more than a whimper as May set him down on the small changing pad next to his bassinet.

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Ten minutes and a bum change later May found herself back in bed. Her back propped up at an angle by her pillows, Matt happily on boob. He was asleep not long after.

Unlike most babies she had seen or been around Matt refused to use a binky, May was told it wouldn’t be a terrible thing if he wasn’t a binky baby, after all pacifiers can and often do mess up babies and toddlers growing teeth, but still she knew from the mommy book she had read after finding out about her pregnancy that pacifiers were a good tool for self soothing.

May doubted Matt woke up hungry. He was awake and eating less than 2 hours ago, May was sure he was just using her n*pple to soothing himself, just as one would a binky.

But May was exhausted.

Moving towns with a 4 week old baby all by yourself was hard work after all.

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She had chosen to suck it up and continue staying with her mother in their sh**ty little trailer after being informed of her pregnancy, it was easier than moving right away anyways, and had given her ample time to work and save and find somewhere to go.

Not that dealing with her mother throughout her entire pregnancy was by any means easy. But May handled it.

Now here they were. One uhaul, a whole lotta stops, and a 6 hour drive later, And the two of them Matt and May were home.

The apartment May found was perfect, sure it only had one bedroom, but the bedroom was a large one, plenty big enough for the two of them, it fit her queen bed and Matt’s pack’n’play perfectly, and May planned to get a couple dresses just as soon as she found a new job. Maybe even a tv? And a lounge chair.

For now though May had brought just enough to make her apartment feel like home.

Matt’s brand new swing sat in the living room, ready to be unboxed and put together, along with her nanas old couch and love seat, a set that been sitting in storage for two years, they definitely needed a good wash, but they were perfect.

The high chair that Matt definitely couldn’t use yet sat in its big box leaning against the wall in the kitchen surrounded by 4-5 other big boxes of other house and baby essentials.

It’s better to have too many baby thing than not enough. She reminded herself.

The corner of Matt and Mays new bedroom held a few more boxes stacked up, some torn open so that May could retrieve her blankets and a change of clothing for tomorrow.

May had received the good fortune of meeting her closest neighbor earlier, an older than her woman, in her forty’s, and her lovely family.

The woman who upon seeing the tiny thing that was Matt demanded May sit with her on her porch across the street while her three very large sons unloaded Mays uhaul and brought in her furniture. It was unexpected yet very kind.

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May pulled her truck up to the curb, her gps stating loudly over her Bluetooth that she had arrived.

Her new apartment was the bottom half of what looked like the average family home. She’d been informed that the owners only use the top half during the summer months as a get away.

Her half though was accessible through the cement stairwell on the side of the house under the large car port.

Yawning, May stepped down from her old Chevrolet. Matt demanded to eat every hour the whole trip, turning a four hour drive into nearly a six hour trip and after spending the previous night packing and stuffing her uhaul like a game a Tetris, May was ready to nap! Even if it mean sleeping on the floor and leaving Matt in his car seat for a few hours.

I’ll unload tomorrow, May decided.

Yet only moment later as she took Matt’s car seat from the back seat of her truck an older woman appeared from behind her, startling May as she hadn’t head anyone walk up!

“Excuse me dear!” The woman looked friendly enough, she had long brown hair and wore a simple pair of jeans, house slippers and a sweater. Excitment and an emotion May couldn’t quite desifer swirled with in her wide brown eyes.

“Oh um? Hello.” May struggled for a moment before properly propping Matt’s heavy car seat on her hip, the movement catching the woman’s yes.

The woman smiled waving her finger softly at Matt as she smiled down at him. “Well, hello there beautiful, I’m Tracy!”

May smiled softly, Tracy gave off grandma vibes. “I’m May and this is Matthew.”

“Of course! Allen told me all about you dear, Said you’d be in today. Unfortunately he had um, -well a sort of family emergency in town and couldn’t wait any longer.”

Mays body sagged in disappointment. Allen was the man who had been helping her get the apartment, he was the only realtor in town after all, and May was supposed to be in town over two hours ago, of course she shouldn’t expected the man to have been able to stick around waiting for her.

Today had been nothing short of tiring to say the least, and now she would most likely have to find a motel room for the night.

“Don’t look so disappointed sweetheart Allen left me the keys! Here hunny you look tired. I was just about to enjoy some sweet tea and make the boys finish the yard work, they’ve been a**holes all morning, bickering back ‘n forth.” Tracy turned, waving her hand at May as if to say ‘come on’, and started off across the street before continuing, he voice raising an octave or two as she sang her words. “I’ve got a better plan!!”

May wasn’t sure who exactly Tracy mean when she said ‘boys’. Her son’s perhaps? Children or maybe teens?

With a whistle and a holler of ‘Boys!’ from Tracy. Out of her fairly large family home, poured four very large MEN, each ranging over six foot and definitely weight over two-hundred pounds.

May wasn’t exactly short, she stood at an average high of about five foot five, yet Tracy’s boy made her feel small!

May ended up spending over an hour sitting with Tracy, the two of them sipping Tracy’s home made sweet tea as Tracy told May all about her new home, like where the grocery store was and the best place to get a burger, The Black Bear dinner, a couple places in town Tracy knew were hiring, and a little about the locals.

Meanwhile Tracy’s boys who had introduced themselves as, John (Like his father), Jake, Tommie and Tristian, spent the time unloading Matt and Mays belonging.

They were surprisingly fast and what would have definitely taken May at least a day to do was done by sundown.

May was more than grateful for the help, Tracy and her boys had been more than welcoming. She appreciated that they were the first locals she had met.

After the last few boxes were safely placed in her apartment and the rented uhaul all locked up, the boys came bounding back to the house bickering like the brothers they were, shoving each other and laughing.

Tracy was holding the bundled up ball that was Matt napping peacefully as the boys approached.

“Cute baby!” Tristan all but yelled, receiving a scolding look from his mother, before softening his voice sheepishly. The other boys snickered. “ Sorry.”

“Where’s the dad?” John asked. John was the oldest and shared a name with his father, who Tracy had informed May would be home soon.

‘ Blunt.’ May winced. It wasn’t like she hadn’t been asked who the father of her son was, yet every time it was questioned May never knew quite what to say.

“Well-“ Thankfully thought May didn’t have to finish her sentence and just then a large shiny new Ram honked its horn as it began to pull into the driveway.

Tracy hissed as Matt was scared awake and started to cry.

“Goddamn that man never listens!”

Her voice was gruff yet soft, not wanting to startle the 4 week old, Tracy stood softly bouncing and calming Matt at once,she really did give off grandma vibes May noted.

As Tracy’s husband John rounded the truck May took him in, it was very obvious where the boy got their size, John was quite a big man himself, just barely taller than his sons with broad shoulders and salt n pepper hair. Next to Tracy he look about ten years older.

Looking down at the bundle in Tracy arms John grimmised, but it quickly melted away as he leaned kissing his wife’s forehead with a grin.

“Sorry hun! I forgot you said to be quiet!”

Turning to May John stuck his hand out. “Nice to meet you May.”

May wasn’t sure when exactly Tracy had told John to be quiet, she hadn’t been on a cellphone and definitely hadn’t made a call since May had sat down with her, but she shoved the thought out of her head.

“Nice to meet you John. Tracy was just telling me about you!”

Tracy and John were kind enough to offer Nay to stay for dinner, John was about to grill some steak and potatoes in the back yard. The boys already rushing away for food!

But May declined as she yawned. She was in dire need of some rest and was sure Matt was due for a bum change.

‘“Next time! -And Tracy thanks again. And tell you boys I said thank you as well! I really appreciate the help!”

“Anytime sweetheart!”

Scurrying across the road with Matt back in his car seat May headed inside, her apartment was beautiful and spacious, the freshly painted off white walls and wood like vinyl floors contrasted each other vividly.

The boys had placed the couch set against the largest wall in the living room leaving the middle blank for now, the kitchen was up next the two room separated by only the small 2-3 seater kitchen island and bar, the white/grey granite popping against the new dark cupboards, for a moment May found herself staring in awe. The apartment was Beautiful, even better in person, the pictures Allen had sent her not giving the building half as much credit it was due.

Allen had said most of the apartment had been recently updated. The update s were very obvious.

Even exhausted May couldn’t wait to start unpacking all the LVNGROOM and KITCHEN labeled boxes, all of which boys had nicely piled in the space against the wall in the kitchen next to the refrigerator. Out of the way and together.

Beyond an archway to the right of the kitchen and living room led the hallway, and in an open door way directly across May found her platform and queen sized bed, placed directly in the center of the room under a double slider hopper window.

Her BEDROOM labeled boxes piled up nicely against in the corner. To the right was Matt’s pack’n’play pieces all bagged up nicely stacked against the wall between her master bath and walk in. That would need to be moved to the left of her bed.

Back in the hall to the left was a second and third doorway, the first one leading to the guest half bath and the other to a medium sized laundry room.

Setting up Matt’s pack’n’play was mission number one and soon that was done.

With Matt fresh bummed and bundled in his sleep sack May finally sat down.

May phone getting only sh*t service.

Wifi would definitely need to be hooked up soon.

Starting to feel incredibly drowsy May slipped a now peacefully sleeping Matthew into his bassinet and kissed his little nose.

Searching her boxes May tore open a few and pulled her king size grey comforter from a large box, as well as her green throw. Her pillows had been shoved in a large black trash bag, which she waisted no time on and ripped open, throwing her pillows onto her bed. May planned on washing and making up the bed all fresh tomorrow for now though she welcomed the comfort that was sleep.

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