The steam from her morning tea wafts up to her nose and Tinley releases an audible aah. She cut coffee and energy drinks out of her diet, but she couldn’t give up caffeine altogether. Surprisingly it hasn’t been as bad as she thought to switch to black tea. Especially after she tried a Royal English Breakfast Tea Latte from Starbuck’s. Heaven in a green and white cup is exactly what that is and she’s been starting every morning with the small indulgence. She’s eager to take a sip, but she knows to let her piping hot beverage sit for a few minutes before she even dares. Her impatience starts to get the best of her as she brings the cup up near her mouth. What’s a few burnt taste buds on the tip of her tongue for the deliciousness waiting for her?

Before she can take a sip, her purse vibrates with a text message. Saved from herself and the mild pain that would have ensued. Setting her cup down on the table in front of her she roots around in her bag until she finds her phone and pulls it out. She’s pleasantly surprised to see a message from Marek waiting for her.

Babysit his daughter? Just the idea of saying or doing something wrong and screwing up gives Tinley sweaty palms, but she can’t leave him high and dry. She wants to say no, but she needs to get to know Luna. If they’re going to make their relationship work, that means building one with his daughter as well. So, she sends him a quick response and hopes this won’t come back to bite her in the butt.

It’s only after she sends the text message that she remembers she, for the first time in her life, actually has plans for the day. For a moment she considers telling him that she can’t do it but feels awful at the idea of leaving him high and dry. She knows how much his job means to Marek and she doesn’t want to do anything to jeopardize that. No matter how much she hates working at that damn place and can’t wait to get out of their herself.

A car seat in her car? Of course she knows that has to happen, but the idea sounds crazy to her. She’s never had any child in her car before let alone a car seat. She chides herself for the sudden anxiety because, duh, she’s going to have her own baby here soon. And that’s how babies travel in cars. Damn this whole baby/kid thing is like a whole new world. Is she ready for that?

Tinley doesn’t allow herself to get nervous, or feel anything, for that matter. She mentally gets in the zone and focuses on getting over to Marek’s house; she’ll worry about everything else later, or at least that’s what she tells herself as she continually tries to push to the back of her mind the fact that her sister has never even let her watch Livi alone and this will be the first time ever in her life that she has been left alone with a child before.

When she parks her car in front of Marek’s house, she can’t help but think about the last time she was here and how much things have changed since then. They might not be one hundred percent perfect, but at least they’re heading in the right direction. She knocks on the door, and Marek answers almost instantly. His obvious shock is written all over his face and he says, “That was fast. I honestly didn’t expect you to be right over.”

She gives him a once over and she has to admit he looks exhausted. His hair looks like he’s been running his fingers through it a few too many times and his normally wrinkle free button up shirt is rumpled. The dark circles under his eyes have her worried, but there are little giggles coming from the next room so at least she can tell Luna is affected by whatever is going on with Marek.

“I told you I was already out doing stuff, and I wasn’t lying when I said I would be right over.” He motions for her to come in and as he’s shutting the door, she whispers, “Have you told Luna about this?” She waves her hand around her belly to emphasize the growing bump.

Marek runs his hands through his hair and slightly tugs on the ends. “No, I haven’t said anything to her. I guess we should probably do that, huh?”

Tinley nods her head and adds, “Yeah. I am kind of showing now. I don’t know if she’s observant enough to ask, but I want to be prepared if she is.”

“Oh trust me, she notices everything.” He yells toward the other room, “Luna, I’d like you to meet a friend of Daddy’s.”

The little girl comes running from somewhere else in the house and waves as she says, “Hi Tinley.”

She’s shocked the little girl remembers her name and replies, “Hi Luna, it’s nice to see you again.”

Luna does. Quick look over of Tinley’s appearance from head down to her toes and then back up again. “Ugg boots, leggings, and a Starbucks cup—you’re so basic. I bet that’s a pumpkin spice latte too, isn’t it?”

Tinley chokes on her small sip of English breakfast tea latte and sputters. Who is this child and where did she come from? She opens her mouth to correct her but Marek pipes up first.

“Luna, what have I told you about the attitude?”

The little girl throws her arms in the air and then places her hands on her hips. “But Daddy, Auntie Giselle told me there are too many basic white girls in this country and I should never become one.”

“And that’s why Auntie Giselle doesn’t get to babysit you anymore. Now apologize to Tinley for being rude.”

“I’m sorry.” Her small voice comes out forced and she rolls her eyes before turning back to her dad with a fake smile plastered on her face. “Can I go watch Ponies now?”

“In a minute you can. Right now, I have something I need to talk to you about.”

She releases an over exaggerated sigh and throws her hands in the air and lets them fall back down slapping the fronts of her legs. “Okay.”

Tinley has no idea if Marek wants her to say anything, so she keeps her mouth shut and lets him take the lead.

He drops down to his knees so that he’s eye level with his daughter. “Remember how I told you that before you were born you lived in your mommy’s tummy?”

Luna nods her head excitedly and says, “Yep. You told me that all babies come from their mommy’s tummies. Does Tinley have a baby in her tummy?”

Guess Marek wasn’t kidding when he said that she was so observant. Tinley watches as Luna’s focus zeroes in on her belly. She tilts her head to the side and starts to reach her hand out to touch it.

“Yep. Tinley has a baby in her tummy and guess what.”

“What?” she asks as her little head whips around and focuses on her father again.

“The baby is going to be your new little brother or sister. How do you feel about that?”

Luna starts jumping up and down laughing and screaming all at the same time. Over and over again she repeats, “I’m going to be a big sister.” She suddenly stops yelling and asks, “Can I go watch TV now?”

Well, that was a rapid change. Almost enough to give Tinley whiplash.

“Let me finish talking to Tinley and then I’ll help you in two minutes.”

“I don’t need your help. I’ve got this.” Luna giggles then runs off toward the living room to watch her show.

Tinley doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry. The attitude of that girl has her both impressed and terrified. What is in store for her the minute Marek walks out the door and leaves the two of them alone together?

“…worried for no reason.”

“Huh?” Tinley was so completely lost in her own train of thought that she didn’t realize Marek was still talking. Maybe she should be taking notes on all the directions he’s given her. She almost feels like she’s back in high school again, and she’s a bit terrified he’s going to quiz her on everything he’s gone over already.

“Were you paying attention to anything I said?”

She shrugs her shoulders with a small smile and simply replies, “Pregnancy brain.”

Marek laughs and wraps his arm around her shoulder while leaning down and whispering into her ear, “You can’t use that excuse for everything, you know.”

“Of course I can. Isn’t that the one upside to being pregnant? You can blame every stupid thing you do or forget to do on your pregnancy brain. I need something positive out of this experience.”

“You mean other than the fact that you’re carrying our child and he or she will be here in a few short months.”

“Duh, obviously that’s the best part about pregnancy, but you have to wait nine whole months for that to happen. In the interim, the whole being pregnant thing is pretty miserable, just saying.”

Marek’s phone buzzes in his pocket and he curses under his breath. “Sorry, that’s probably work again. I should probably get going unless you need anything else from me?”

She starts to tell him no and then she thinks of something. “Oh! Do I need to change diapers or anything like that? I don’t even know how old Luna is.”

He laughs a little louder than necessary. “No diaper changes necessary. Luna is four and has been potty trained for quite some time now. You do have to ask every once in a while if she needs to go to the bathroom though. She has been known to get distracted and forget to go. I have a bag packed for her with a change of clothes and some of her favorite snacks.” He hands the adorable small My Little Pony backpack and asks, “Anything else?”

She shakes her head and smiles. “No, you go ahead. We’ll be fine here. I’ll just call you if I need anything.”

“Thank you again for doing this. I’ll put her car seat in your car before I leave. I know this whole thing is a little unconventional, and I wish I had introduced the two of you sooner.”

“Don’t even worry about it. We’ll be fine. Now get going before you get another call.”

With a tight smile on his face, he looks toward the living room then nods before heading out the front door. Tinley’s smile instantly falls from her lips, and she looks to where the little girl is currently occupied with her TV show. Hopefully things will continue to be just as easy for the rest of the day and evening.

Walking into the living room, Tinley is pleasantly surprised to find Luna sitting perfectly still on the floor with her eyes glued to the rainbow ponies flying around on the TV screen. She almost feels bad tearing her away, but Tara’s party is starting in an hour and she’ll probably freak if Tinley isn’t there to help finish setting everything up.

As Tinley sits on the floor next to Luna, the little girl doesn’t even look up or glance in her direction. She’s completely zoned out.

“Luna, how do you feel about going to a party with me?”

She taps on her chin without losing her focus and responds, “What kind of party?”

“My older sister just had a baby so it’s her baby shower.”

“That’s funny. Why would we go watch your sister give her baby a shower?”

Leave it to a child to see the literal side of everything. “You know, that is a weird name for a party, isn’t it?” Luna nods and Tinley continues explaining, “A baby shower is actually a party you’re supposed to have before a baby is born. You shower the mom with gifts for her baby, but my sister ended up having her baby early and we didn’t get to have the shower before he was born.”

She pulls her focus from the screen long enough to focus in on Tinley’s abdomen and ask, “Are we going to have a baby shower for my baby?”

She starts to laugh at Luna’s instant ownership of the baby. “What do you think?”

She studies Tinley for a minute then says, “I think so.”

Nodding her head Tinley says, “Yeah, I think you’re probably right.”

Standing up from the floor, Luna turns off the TV and looks at Tinley. “Sure. Let’s go.” Then she starts walking toward the front door.

Remembering how Luna answered the door the first time they met, she scrambles up from the floor and chases after her, hoping she doesn’t lose her before the day is over.