Chapter 10-I’m coming home
The following week passed quickly, and the girls went to visit their grandparents. It was the first time since Pam left that I was truly alone. I got off work, worked out, showered, and crawled into bed. It was around 11:30 when I heard our security alarm buzz, but it didn’t go off. I rolled back over and curled up on Pam’s side of the bed under her 49ers blanket. I felt the bed shift, then I heard it. “I missed you, Britt.” I sat up and whipped around. “You’re home. Please tell me this is not a dream. I don’t think I could handle opening my eyes, and it is all a dream,” I said, tearing up. “It’s only for 2 days, I must fly back to the UK on Sunday, but then I will be home permanently after that. I curled up in her arms.
I woke up to the sun shining through the windows. I knew I was dreaming, but then I felt Pam’s face against my cheek. I smiled, then rolled into her arms. I fell to sleep; I heard giggling when I woke up. I got up, looked at the clock, and it was 10:30. I put on my robe and walked downstairs to see the girls with their grandma. “They forgot a few things and wanted to drop by and get them. Do you care if I keep them until Monday? I will drive them to school, and they ride the bus home that afternoon?” she said. “Yeah, Hannah, that’s ok with me.” Nikki was super hyper. “He had an extra waffle at breakfast,” she said with a slight smile. “Well, they need to quiet down so they don’t wake Pam up,” I said. Both girls stopped and spun around to face me. They didn’t even ask; they both headed towards the stairs. “Girls, let her sleep. She had a long flight, she’s tired,” I said, but it didn’t matter, they wanted their mom, which I understood. I turned to my ex-mother-in-law. “I don’t think you’ll get them away from her for a while. Would you like a cup of coffee?” I said, having her follow me into the kitchen. We sat drinking coffee when the girls came back downstairs. “Omma is gonna go back to sleep for a bit, she has to leave tomorrow morning, and she said it was a 20-hour flight,” Cici said. That’s when I noticed the bracelet on her wrist. “Here, did you get that?” my ex-mother-in-law asked.
I woke up to the sun shining through the windows. I knew I was dreaming, but then I felt Pam’s face against my cheek. I smiled, then rolled into her arms. I fell to sleep; I heard giggling when I woke up. I got up, looked at the clock, and it was 10:30. I put on my robe and walked downstairs to see the girls with their grandma. “They forgot a few things and wanted to drop by and get them. Do you care if I keep them until Monday? I will drive them to school, and they ride the bus home that afternoon?” she said. “Yeah, Hannah, that’s ok with me.” Nikki was super hyper. “He had an extra waffle at breakfast,” she said with a slight smile. “Well, they need to quiet down so they don’t wake Pam up,” I said. Both girls stopped and spun around to face me. They didn’t even ask; they both headed towards the stairs. “Girls, let her sleep. She had a long flight, she’s tired,” I said, but it didn’t matter, they wanted their mom, which I understood. I turned to my ex-mother-in-law. “I don’t think you’ll get them away from her for a while. Would you like a cup of coffee?” I said, having her follow me into the kitchen. We sat drinking coffee when the girls came back downstairs. “Omma is gonna go back to sleep for a bit, she has to leave tomorrow morning, and she said it was a 20-hour flight,” Cici said. That’s when I noticed the bracelet on her wrist. “Here, did you get that?” my ex-mother-in-law asked.
“Momma just gave it to me for my birthday; she said she will have more when she comes home at the end of next week,” Cici said, smiling. “Girls, we should be getting back to the house so we can get ready to go to the pool,” Grandma said with enthusiasm. “Can I stay here with Mommy and Momma instead of going to the pool, please?” Nikki said.
“Nikki, it’s my weekend with you, girl. If your mom and Pam want to meet us at the pool, I’m ok with that, but you have to go back to my house with me until tomorrow,” Grandma said. “But I don’t want to go back to your house, I want to stay with Momma,” Nikki said. “Nicole, apologize to your grandmother. Get what you need and get in the car. Momma and I will meet you girls at the pool once Momma gets up,” I said. She grabbed her backpack. “I hate you,” she said before slamming the front door.
I sighed, but it didn’t bother me. After they left the driveway, I went back up and found Pam sitting on her side of the bed, running a brush through her hair.
“Nikki, it’s my weekend with you, girl. If your mom and Pam want to meet us at the pool, I’m ok with that, but you have to go back to my house with me until tomorrow,” Grandma said. “But I don’t want to go back to your house, I want to stay with Momma,” Nikki said. “Nicole, apologize to your grandmother. Get what you need and get in the car. Momma and I will meet you girls at the pool once Momma gets up,” I said. She grabbed her backpack. “I hate you,” she said before slamming the front door.
I sighed, but it didn’t bother me. After they left the driveway, I went back up and found Pam sitting on her side of the bed, running a brush through her hair.
Before I knew it, it was time for Pam to leave. I watched her on TV each week, and the night she wrestled Tori, I had a panic attack at a k. Thank goodness I trusted Tori not to hurt.
The next Monday, we sat on the couch, wearing our role model gear, as we watched Cici snap a picture of us cheering her on and send it. It wasn’t long before she got a response. “I’m coming home, the tour is done, see you soon.” Cici went completely nuts when she read the message. The girls had difficulty going to bed, and I didn’t sleep. I wanted her home just as much as they did.
I fell asleep, only to wake up to use the bathroom. Someone was in my bed, and it knew it wasn’t one of the girls.
I stood there staring at the lump of a person in our bed. I was a little creeped out until the person let out a sigh. I let out my breath before flipping on the bedside light. There was Sydney curled up on my side of the bed like she was in her own home. I grabbed my phone to text her girlfriend, Cathy, hoping Cathy would get her.
I quickly and quietly grabbed one of Nikki’s school markers and drew a penis on the side of Sydney’s face, then I heard my ring camera. I walked downstairs quickly, not wanting to wake my girls. As I let Cathy in, I turned to see Cici standing at the top of the stairs. “Mom, why is Aunt Syd in your bed?” Cici said.
“Aunt Syd missed Momma too, and she got drunk and crawled into my bed. Cathy came to take her home. Just go back to bed; you have school in the morning,” I said, signaling Cathy to follow me up the stairs. It took a lot of coaxing, but Cathy eventually got Syd back in her clothes and into her car. I grabbed my blanket and went to the couch. I knew I wouldn’t go back to sleep anytime soon.
I dozed off, but felt someone messing with my AI. “Brit, let’s go to bed; I’m exhausted.” I thought I was dreaming, so I pulled myself up from the couch and crawled back into my bed.
I woke up a few hours later to Nikki squealing, “Nikki, be quiet, let Mom and Mama sleep, get your shoes and get to the bus stop.” I heard Cici say sternly. It was then that I realized I wasn’t dreaming when I felt someone playing with my hair earlier. I listened to the front door open and close. I rolled over and curled up in Pam’s arms. “You could have woken me up instead of playing with my hair,” I said, putting my forehead to hers. “What did you want me to do, jump on you and scream I’m home? I thought about it, but knew you would have kicked me,” she said with a laugh before kissing my forehead.
I dozed off, but felt someone messing with my AI. “Brit, let’s go to bed; I’m exhausted.” I thought I was dreaming, so I pulled myself up from the couch and crawled back into my bed.
I woke up a few hours later to Nikki squealing, “Nikki, be quiet, let Mom and Mama sleep, get your shoes and get to the bus stop.” I heard Cici say sternly. It was then that I realized I wasn’t dreaming when I felt someone playing with my hair earlier. I listened to the front door open and close. I rolled over and curled up in Pam’s arms. “You could have woken me up instead of playing with my hair,” I said, putting my forehead to hers. “What did you want me to do, jump on you and scream I’m home? I thought about it, but knew you would have kicked me,” she said with a laugh before kissing my forehead.