I let ma sleep as Kai, and I get ready for our first day back to school. It’s a dreary day, although it’s the first day of summer. I hope it’s not a reflection of things to come for this term, but I guess we’ll see.
I arrive back home after my first class expecting to see Ma, but she’s still asleep. I guess her staying up to wait for me has taken its toll on her. I receive a notice that a new neighborhood action plan is now in effect. It involves working out and improving our bodies. I take it as a sign that it’s time for me to lose the extra weight I gained from having Kai. He’s about to be a teen in a few days, so it’s long overdue.
Ma finally wakes up and seeks out breakfast as I put the first part of my plan in action. I prepare a carton of Taste of Diet ice cream, and it becomes my breakfast. Ma sits down beside me with a much more satisfying meal, but I’m determined to stay focused.
Alida: What the heck are you eating, Peri? Ice Cream for breakfast?
Prosperity: It’s more like frozen yogurt, but yeah. I want to lose some weight, and this should help.
Ma is visibly triggered.
Alida: Be careful with that, and please do it the healthy way. It’s all about hard work and exercise. Please don’t make the same mistakes that I did.
I’ll heed her warning, but I’m not exactly sure where it comes from. As a child, I remember mama going through some drastic physical changes, but I have no idea how it all came about.
Prosperity: What do you mean? What did you do?
Alida: I chose the easy way to lose weight through a miracle diet drink. It put a big dent in my relationship with your dad and could have cost me my health. I know you’re busy with school, but please don’t take the easy way out.
Prosperity: I won’t, ma.
Mama gets up to clean her plate, and I put some finishing touches on my next homework assignment before saying my goodbyes to mama and leaving for my last class of the day.
Meanwhile, Kai arrives at daycare after his first day back at school with his new teacher. His grades are up, but he’s more excited to finally have a turn at caring for the daycare pet, Thimble. After his feeding duties, Kai settles down for a Voidcritter game with his friend Liliana.
Playtime and snack time go as it usually does, but Kai can barely enjoy any of it because he’s so tired from hanging out and watching movies with his gran all night. He sits down on the daycare couch and considers taking a quick nap before his mother comes to get him.
In line with the neighborhood initiative, I decide to let Kai stay at daycare for just a little longer to allow me time to fit a workout in at the gym. I need to find more balance in my life, for my own sake and possibly for Kai. But could Mr. Washington fit into that equation? Would my spending time with him be confusing for my son?
The last thing I want to do is repeat mistakes from my past – no jumping in headfirst without considering my surroundings. If I tried dating and it doesn’t work out, I know I could deal with it. But do I want men coming in and out of my son’s life? Especially one with whom he’s already familiar? It’s a lot to consider, and it’s not something to be taken lightly. Sure, Mr. Washington makes me feel all sorts of colors that I forgot even exist, but I can’t let that guide me now.
It’s time to finish my workout and go pick up my son.
We arrive home. I’m in serious need of a shower, and Kai is practically sleeping on his feet. My poor baby would like to stay up late all the time, but I can see that he can’t quite handle it. I send him up to his bed for a nap while checking the mail and paying the bills.
One hot shower later and I’m in front of the TV with more Taste of Diet ice cream. It tasted fine the first time, but now, its flavor is more in keeping with its name. Ma is right; I’m going to have to stick with exercise and eating real meals.
I finish the bowl anyway because I’m not about to just throw a whole bowl of ice cream away. Who does that? Then I settle down to begin my term paper for one of my classes while listening to the Focus radio station using some newly purchased earbuds.
(Generation 2 Chapter Summaries)
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