The Choice (a Painful Past)

83

"Nooooo, I don't want tooo." He groaned, from underneath his blanket.

"You know what happens if you don't get up when I tell you to." I replied, as I poked him in his side.

"Stop iiiit." He complained.

"Okay." I said, as I stood up. "You better be getting up when I come back in here. You know that we don't have time for this."

"Okaaayy." He replied, smartly.

I took a deep breath and chose not to react. I hated it when he got an attitude, but I tried to remind myself that he was a teenager. If I got upset every time he had an attitude, then I would be perpetually angry all the time.

You would think that my routine would be slightly different, since Will wasn't here anymore, but it wasn't. He never helped me with the kids, or anything else really, unless he felt like cleaning or cooking. Otherwise, he stayed in the room, watching TV or listening to music, while I dealt with 4 kids, taking them to and from school, homework, cleaning, cooking, bath time, plus taking care of my mom.

She was doing a lot better and helped me out with everything when she could, but usually, I was doing it all. The only reason I had 4 kids to take care of, instead of just Ben, was because my brother had custody of my niece and other nephews. It had taken him a couple of years to be able to do it, because he had a heart attack, then left his wife, because he found out that she was selling his pain pills.

I was still pissed about that, because the man had open heart surgery and definitely needed something for pain. She couldn't possibly love him, if she were doing that.

Anyway, he had my nephews, Skyler and Mason, and my niece, Destiny. She had moved back in with him a few years back, but she was still at my house all the time. They all were.

My brother paid me gas to come pick them up and take them to school, then take them home after school, because he was working. I didn't mind, but it just sucked that everyone tended to think that I had all this free time, just because I didn't have a paying job. I had no income at all now, especially without Will bringing in money from his parents.

It might have been a crappy, sorry way to get money, but it was something. Now, I had nothing.

I pushed the thoughts from my mind, and went back to my room to grab my spray bottle full of water. My kitty, Lucy, rubbed her head against my hand, when I reached for the bottle, so I pet her for a few seconds, before I grabbed the bottle and headed back to Ben's room. I had left the door open, so I could see if he were up or not.

He wasn't, as usual, so I aimed the water bottle at his head and yanked the blanket down, before I started spraying. He screamed and tried to pull the blanket back over his head, but I held it tight.

"Nope!" I exclaimed, as I soaked his face with water.

"Oh my GOD, I hate it when you do this!" He cried.

I just shrugged and tried not to laugh.

"So? You must not hate it too much, because you make me do this almost every morning. Now, are you awake? If not, I have more water." I said, as I held the bottle closer to his face.

He groaned and rolled his eyes in the way that only a teenager can, before he sat up.

"You are so annoying." He grumbled.

"Hey, watch it." I replied. "Kill the attitude and get up, before you piss me off."

He sighed, before meeting my gaze. "Yes MA'AM." He said.

"I'm going to fight you like a grown man one of these days, kid." I replied, as I started out of his room.

"What did I do?" He exclaimed, feigning like he had no clue.

It was my turn to roll my eyes.

"Just get dressed and hurry up." I said, as I headed to the kitchen. "Breakfast in 20."

I tried to have some form of breakfast for him, before I took him to school. Sometimes, it was the works. Scrambled eggs, bacon, toast and jelly, maybe a mandarin orange or strawberries, and a glass of milk or juice.

Other mornings, I threw a Pop-Tart in the toaster and pulled a cheese stick out of the fridge, along with some milk. It depended on the day. This morning, it was the works.

I connected my phone to my Bluetooth speaker and set it to my playlist, before I cracked a few eggs. I decided to make him an omelet, because he absolutely loved my omelets.

While I was cutting up the ingredients to put in it, he walked into the kitchen, sniffing the air. He walked over to the table to see what I was doing.

"Omelet?" He asked, raising his blonde eyebrows.

"Mmhmm." I nodded, as I swayed my hips to the music that I had playing.

"Thanks, Mom." He replied, then leaned up and kissed my cheek.

I smiled and ruffled the top of his head.

"You're welcome. Now, go brush your hair and put your deodorant on." I instructed.

"Yes ma'am." He said, before giving me a smile.

He was such a handsome kid, with a heart of gold. Some girl was going to be extremely lucky one day.

I danced around the kitchen and sang to the music that was playing, while I fixed up the different parts of his breakfast. I couldn't be as loud as I wanted, because my mom was still asleep, but it still helped me start the day off right. Music put me in a better mood, especially the kind that I could dance to.

I was adding all of the components to the plate, when Ben came back into the kitchen. He was wearing a gray hoodie, with the high school mascot on it, and a pair of slightly distressed skinny blue jeans, paired with the white and black Vans that I had gotten him before school started this year.

"You look nice." I said, as I poured him a glass of orange juice.

"I know." He said, smirking at me, as he sat down in his spot.

"Brat." I laughed, and pushed his head forwards a little.

"Hey, don't mess up my hair." He exclaimed.

I rolled my eyes and smiled.

"Boy, eat your food, before I shave your head." I replied.

"You wouldn't!" He gasped.

"Try me." I replied.

He laughed and shook his head. This was the way our mornings usually went, but this morning felt different to me. Lighter.

Less stressful...until he had to ask.