"I appreciate how much you love my food but it's not enough reason for you to eat like a rhinoceros." She took a moment to laugh heartily at my playful jab before delving right back into her meal. I hummed in pleasure as I also took a bite of the wonder. In that instant,I felt pity for people like my grandfather. The poor man struggled with diabetes till he died and meals like the one I was having, would had been a suicide mission for him. Although Mikayla had a sweet tooth, which was expected of an 8-soon-to-be-9 year old child, I, a 29-year old woman, had a sweeter one. I could lick a jar of nutella in 30 minutes, often drank raw honey and chewed sugar cubes at random times. Nelly was always complaining about it, reminding me of the fact that diabetes was prevalent in my mother's ancestry. I didn't care about none of that though. A life without sugar was worse than death.
My daughter finished the last piece of waffle and slid the plate to me. "This is the best food I've eaten this year. Gracias, mama." I couldn't respond verbally because my mouth was filled so I acknowledged her appreciation with a single nod. Unlike other kids her age, Kayla wasn't very engrossed with television. Infact, she didn't even like it. Oftentimes, Nelly would have to force her to watch cable tv and even those times, she'd fall asleep in 10 minutes. Television was like sedative to Kayla. So instead of going to the living room to watch tv, she sat still and watched me try to finish my meal.
"You want more?" I gestured to my half eaten waffle and she nodded earnestly. When breakfast was done, I washed the dirty dishes and cleaned the place. I bristled slightly as Nelly came to mind. That woman would rather die than clean up after herself. I'd often told her that that was gutter behavior but she didn't give a fuck. I plopped down on a sofa and tuned in to a sitcom show when I had finished in the kitchen, while Kayla sat on the floor with her laptop.
After an hour or two, I turned to a still-busy Kayla. "I was thinking we could go to that diner this afternoon. The one I was supposed to take you yesterday. Are you up for that or should we take a rain check?"
She nodded slowly but I could see the enthusiasm in her beautiful brown eyes. "Let's go there this afternoon."
"It's past one so maybe we should hit the road right now. It's not so far, right?"
Mikayla nodded in response and stood to her feet before going to her room, probably to get changed. I switched off the television and also went to change clothes in my room. I opted for a bright yellow sundress. I thought I looked pretty amazing as I swirled several times before the full length mirror on the wall. I combed my hair in a bun at the top of my head and grabbed a pair of brown beach sandals.
Kayla was already waiting for me and after nodding in satisfaction at my ensemble, we locked the door and went downstairs. I chuckled softly under my breath as I thought of my little daughter approving of my clothes, like she was the one in charge. Maybe she was. After all, she was the one that proposed the visit to the diner we were headed to.
At the driveway, Mr Brad honked at us and I grimaced. The man was married to an Asian woman but had the habit of leering at me. I'd have sworn I'd seen him drool at the sight of me several times. Just like I'd taught her to, Mikayla ignored him blatantly and stood at the back door. I didn't want my baby close to him in any way so I warned her to always avoid the sleazy, old man. He could be a paedophile for all I knew.
"Mr Brad is so stupid." Kayla complained as she entered the car. Normally, I wouldn't condone such words from her but Mr Brad was an exception. He really was a very stupid man.
As I backed out of the driveway, Mikayla buckled herself in and she saw my impressed smile from rearview mirror. "How did you know about this diner we're going to?"
"Lesley told us all about it. Then Henry said his mom took him there." She started counting off her classmates from her fingers. Mikayla called so many names, I zoned out in the middle of her speech. "Then Amanda, then Shirley. After that, Peter, then Gina." She shook her little head. "No. Gina went before Peter."
I nodded slowly and halted to a stop at a red light. "So everyone in your grade has been there?"
"Everyone. Except me and a few others."
"What's the name of the diner?"
She beamed. "Little Paradise."
I smacked my lips thoughtfully and nodded. "That's a beautiful name."
"I know right. I thought so too."
I shook my head in humor and turned to give her a quick glance before turning my attention back to the road. Sometimes Kayla spoke like a 15 year old highschooler. Moments like that made me wish Diego was around to see her. He'd be so proud and would probably gloat about it like he did whenever he won a bet.
"Deedee, our daughter would be as smart as you. I know she'd get so many scholarships. Who knows, she might even get one to Harvard."
I rubbed at my protruding stomach and shook my head in disagreement. "Who told you it's a girl? I think it's going to be a boy. My boobies are getting way too big, it has to be a boy."
The elegant, young broke in laughter and I pouted. "What kind of superstition is that? It's a girl. I can feel it whenever I touch your belly. She's going to be as beautiful as you are and we'll name her Mikayla."
I scrunched my face in confusion. "Mikayla?" He nodded. "Where did that come from? What does it even mean?"
"It's a Hebrew name. The feminine version of Michael."
I quirked my brows. "I thought that was Michelle."
Diego chuckled and put his face to my belly. "Mikayla is too. I want a unique one for our baby girl. Her name will be Mikayla Sara Rodriguez."
I wasn't surprised he'd want to name his first child after his mother. He really loved her, besides she also loved him too. So I called the name he'd given our unborn child slowly and let the name roll in my tongue.
"Mikayla."
A blare from the car behind brought me back to consciousness. I cleared my throat and gave myself a moment to get myself before switching gears. I ignored Kayla's probing stare and focused on driving. She was probably wondering why I zoned out at a red light.
I had been having flashbacks like that for a while. Scenes involving Diego and his parents. If it weren't for Mikayla, I'd have long cut off contacts with his parents. From the second he left, I'd have done that. I didn't like them, they didn't like me either and we made sure to remind ourselves of those facts whenever we met. My abhorrence of them was logical. From the moment Diego announced that I was pregnant, they never showed any sort of love. Initially they stopped communicating with their son but apparently, blood was thicker than water. They couldn't stay away from their only son for too long so they quickly buried the hatchet and embraced him. I was a different story however. Although Diego tried so many times to convince me that his parents were supportive of our union, I knew better. They didn't want me and to be honest, I didn't want them either.
I thought they would reject the child I bore but they didn't. Mikayla Rodriguez was a spitting image of Sara Rodriguez and the older woman loved her from the second she laid eyes on her. The filthy rich woman kept spoiling her granddaughter with pricey gifts, fancy trips and physical affections. After Diego left, I reduced my daughter's contact with her grandparents. I didn't want them spoiling my daughter like they did Diego.
"Mama, the diner's over there." Kayla's excited voice stopped my rumination and I wordlessly followed her directions and parked in front on a fancy looking diner.
I killed the car engine. "So we're here. Little Paradise." I took off my seatbelt and watched Kayla struggle with hers. Her overexcited state wouldn't let her function and I laughed.
Inside the restaurant, Mikayla skipped to an empty booth by the wall and I followed her. She really was in charge.
"How do we order, mama?"
I stifled my laughter at her jittery state and rang the little bell on the table. "Someone will attend to us in a second, bebe."
After a moment, a handsome man stood at the side of their booth with a writing pad in one hand and a pen in the other. I raised my brows slightly and looked around the room quickly. I looked back at him in mild confusion. The man couldn't be the waiter, could he?"
His warm chuckle reverberated in my ears. "Why can't I be the waiter?"
My eyes bulged out of the sockets and I facepalmed. Did I just say my thoughts aloud? That was the reason my mother always said my mouth would be the death of me. I hastily apologized. "I did not mean that in a bad way, I swear. I was just a little surprised. You don't look like a waiter. You're a little too…." I paused to think of an appropriate word.
"Sophisticated?" The man suggested with a humorous tone and I laughed.
"I'm very sure I've never used that word in my whole life but I think it's the most suitable one right now." He laughed heartily and looked at Mikayla who had been watching the whole interaction with a puzzled face.
"Hello, little angel." He waved at her and turned to me. "Your daughter?"
"Yeah." I nodded and watched his eyes immediately go to my left hand. I'd seen that action so many times to not know what it meant. He was looking for a wedding ring. I instinctively wiggled my jewelry-free fingers and he looked back at me. We smiled at each other and he turned his attention to Mikayla.
"I want waffles."
I raised my brows. "Honey, you had waffles this morning."
She shook her head in defiance. "That was S'mores waffles. I want blueberry waffles now."
The man wrote it down and turned to me. "What do I get you?"
Before I could give out my order, Mikayla beat me to it. "She'd get the Kiddies Special."
Both I and the man turned to my snickering child.
She patted my arm. "Mama, you need to get the full experience." She turned to the man with the writing pad. "Please, she'll get the Kiddies Special."
He looked at me and I sighed in defeat. "I'll get the Kiddies Special."
When he left, Mikayla pulled my left shoulder and gave me a peck on the cheek. "Thank you so much for bringing me here."
And just like that, I was grinning like a goddamn fool till our food arrived.