The Journey Home(47)
Author: Kelly Elliott

I grabbed the bowl and a small baby spoon, then hurried back over to Cale.

Monica laughed and then she jumped up. “Oh my God! Cereal? It’s time for cereal?”

I looked at her and nodded as we both started jumping in our excitement.

Jack’s mouth gaped. “Will someone please tell me about this amazing cereal?”

“It’s for Lily, Jack. She’s old enough to have cereal now,” I said as I stood there and watched Cale mix the cereal with Lily’s formula.

Monica grabbed my arm and said, “This. Is. So. Exciting!”

“Why?”

We all turned and looked at Jack. I shook my head and said, “Don’t you get it, Jack? Lily is having solid food…for the first time. Ever.”

“And…this is why we are all acting like lunatics?” Jack asked. “No, wait—you’re the ones acting like lunatics.”

Monica grunted and said, “Don’t pay attention to him. He doesn’t get it. I thought y’all were going to give her some cereal in her formula last month when she wasn’t sleeping very good.”

Cale shook his head. “Nah, she ended up sleeping fine and Maddie and I decided to wait until she was five months. I can’t believe we totally forgot!”

I sighed. “Epic failure moment as parents.”

Cale held out the bowl of cereal and smiled. “Are we ready?”

I skipped and squeaked a little, making Lily squeal and giggle. “Yes!” I said. “Let’s do this!”

Cale and I sat on either side of Lily. I pulled her highchair back out so the others could watch. Jack went to leave when all three of us asked, “Where are you going?”

He seemed to be able to read all of our faces before he slowly sat down and said, “Um…nowhere.”

Cale took in a deep breath and said, “Okay, Princess. Here is your first bite of cereal.”

Lily was doing her favorite thing—making spit bubbles. My hands shook as I recorded Lily eating cereal for the first time on my phone. I held my breath as the spoon went in. Lily made a funny face and tried pushing the cereal out with her tongue.

“Smart kid. Tastes like shit and she knows it.” Jack mumbled.

I glared at Jack as Monica smacked him. “Don’t say that in front of her.”

“Jack’s mouth dropped open. “Holy crap…they were just fucking in front of her and I can’t say the word shit?”

Cale shot Jack a dirty look before giving Lily another bite. This time she took it.

“Look at her little tongue! She doesn’t know what to think.” I said, giggling.

I watched as our baby girl took her first bites of cereal. She looked so much like Cale. Her hair was coming in more and more and it was a very light brown. She now had enough hair that I could put a little Velcro bow in it. Her bright blue eyes sparkled as she lifted her eyebrows with each bite Cale gave her.

“She is so precious. I can’t wait until y’all give her veggies. I have to be here when you do.” Monica glanced over to Jack and smiled. “I’m so glad we didn’t leave for our honeymoon until tomorrow!” Jack looked at Maddie like she had grown two heads.

Cale pushed the bowl toward me. “You want to feed her some now?”

“Yes!” I nodded in excitement as I handed him my phone. I put a small amount of cereal on the spoon and gave it to Lily. She was loving it. She started mouthing for more. “Look, she wants more!”

I gave her another spoonful and she started talking again. “Dadadada…” I peeked over to Cale and my heart soared as he dabbed the corner of his eye.

Jack sighed and stood up. “Oh for the love of God. I liked the porn show better.”

“MADDISON! MADDISON!”

I turned to see who’d been calling out my name. When I saw that it was my mother, I took a deep breath and slowly let it out. She walked through the library at Crystal Bridges as she called out my name, clearly not caring that she was in a library. I hadn’t spoken to her since Lily’s party when she was three months old.

I plastered a fake smile on my face and waited for her to come up to me. She kissed me on both cheeks. “Did your father let you know I was back from Greece? I just flew in this morning.”

I nodded. My mother had gone to Greece two months ago and I’d never seen my father so happy. He’d been coming over at least three times a week to spend time with Lily and us. He’d fallen head over heels in love with our daughter. He also informed me he was going to be divorcing my mother.

“He did tell me, yes,” I said.

She smiled weakly. “I thought so, since he had dinner with you and Cale last night.”

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

She looked around. “I heard you were still working here…part time.”

I gave her a fake grin. “Yep, I’m working here at the library. I absolutely love it.”

She waved her hand in the air as she looked around. “You don’t find this type of work to be a waste of your college education, Maddison?”

I sighed. “No, Mother, I don’t. I enjoy it and it allows me to spend time with Lily.”

She raised her eyebrow. “The child who is not yours.”

I swallowed hard and looked directly into her eyes, scowling. “She is mine,” I said. “I’m her mother, and she is my daughter. We are a family. She and Cale are my life.”

“I don’t see a ring on your finger.” She said coldly.

I glanced down at her hand. Her wedding band was missing. “I don’t see one on your finger either.”

She snapped her eyes down to her hand, then back up to my eyes. “That’s because your father made a grave mistake this morning when he picked me up from the airport. He is seeking a divorce. I was hoping for some support and understanding from my daughter, but all I get is…this” She gestured with her hands. “Disrespect. Like always.”

I rolled my eyes and turned to walk away, but she followed me. “Please, Mother. The last thing you came here for was support from me. You want information as to why Daddy is asking for a divorce.”

“Does he have a lover?” She asked.

I laughed lightly. “If he’s smart, he’s had one for a few years.”

She grabbed my arm and pulled me to a stop. “Excuse me?”

“I’m tired of this. I’m tired of being treated like I’m some damn mistake that you made years ago. If you didn’t love Daddy, why didn’t you just leave him? Stop acting like you’re the victim here, Mother. You are far from it. Daddy knows about your affair. He’s known for the last year.”