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A Mother's Priority | Chapter 2

the priorities of being a mother overrules the priorities of being the love of someone's life

By MelPublished 2 years ago 6 min read
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Disclaimer: This story has multiple parts. To read the previous part, click here.

It's been a couple weeks since we left the hospital. Tate was such an attentive father the second we got back home, but around the third day he started to pick up more shifts at work and began to drink again. He claimed it was due to the stress of his job, but I knew he just couldn't handle the amount of times Lola cries every day. You'd think he'll understand how a baby operates, being the oldest of six siblings, but her cries still manage to upset him. His youngest sister, Caitlyn, came over the second day Lola was home but Tate sent her away. He explained how he didn't feel comfortable having her take care of a baby when she was just a baby herself; her only being fourteen and all. I tried to explain to him that Caitlyn probably just wanted to be a good aunt, but all that did seem to do was make him angrier. So typically, it's just Lola and I.. together against the world, with Tate coming home occasionally to either sleep, drink, or spend time with his daughter as long as she wasn't "being disruptive" as he calls it.

This morning Tate woke me up with a slap across the face, "The damn baby is screaming as loud as she can. Are you going to take care of it or should I?"

"I'm sorry." I sat myself up and threw my legs over the bed, rubbing my eyes before I managed to stand up.

"Be more attentive next time." He grumbled.

I tiredly walked towards Lola's crib and scooped her up into my arms. "You hungry?" I whispered to her. I carried her towards the rocking chair in the corner and sat down, prepping to get ready to feed her, but she refused the nipple. I picked up her and smelled the backside of her onesie.. clean.

"Lola, what's wrong?" I asked her, "Daddy's gonna be so mad at us if we don't get quiet real soon." I rocked her a little before deciding to just leave the room and head downstairs. I had no idea what to do besides just walk in circles.. I just wanted to get Lola out of the bedroom while she was crying.

I began to pace back and forth between the kitchen and living room, bouncing and rocking Lola as I did it. "What's the matter, angel?" I asked Lola as she continued to cry, "Daddy's not going to like this Lola, no no." I tried to make a shh sound with my lips as I rocked her but she still continued to cry.

"Let's go for a drive," I grabbed my car keys off the wall hook and headed out the door, "Daddy can't be too mad for mommy leaving the house when I do it for my little angel, right Lola?" I bounced her all the way to the car, giving her a kiss on the forehead before placing her into her car seat.

"You'll going to love this," I hopped into the drivers seat and turned on the engine, "I hope." I backed out of the driveway and began to just drive through the neighborhood, looking back at the house fading in the background as we drove further away.

Lola continued to cry for the next ten minutes until her whines began to slow to a stop; I glanced at the car seat in the backseat double checking to make sure I didn't just imagine she was with me and accidentally left her out on the lawn. Nope. There she was. Silent as can be.

"Finally." I whispered to myself. I slowly crept back towards the house, driving up the driveway when I came to a sudden stop.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" Tate yelled, yanking my door open.

I placed my finger against my lips, "Lola just got back to sleep."

"I don't give a shit," Tate stated, "You cannot just leave the house without asking me."

"Excuse me?"

"You didn't even bother to even tell me that you were taking my daughter out of my house?" He unbuckled the seatbelt, yanking me out of the seat and pushing me up against the side of the car.

"Tate, stop." I got out, "You're hurting me."

He let me go, "I barely touched you. Just get in the house."

"Just let me get Lola."

"I got her," He opened Lola's door, "Get inside. It's late." I watched as he scooped Lola into his arms and stormed back into the house. I followed closely behind, having to catch the door before it slammed against my face.

"Tate!" I blurted out.

He pressed his finger against his lips, "The baby is sleeping."

"You still could've held the door for me."

Ignoring what I said, he bounced Lola a couple times before carefully placing her inside the pack n play we had pressed up against the wall of the living room, "I'm so sorry Lola. Mommy thinks she's in charge here, but you are. Yes you are."

"Tate."

He looked up towards me.

"Let her sleep." I touched his shoulder, "She'll still be here in the morning."

"Will she?"

"Of course she will."

His fist brushed past my cheek to crash into the wall behind me, "She was supposed to be here tonight."

"I was just taking her for a drive, Tate. You were so upset about her crying and I-"

"So that gives you the right to take my baby away from me?"

"I wasn't taking her away from you. I was-"

He struck me across the cheek.

"Tate," I held my cheek as I stared back at him in disarray, "that really hurt."

"I need to get back to sleep." was all he could say next, walking towards the bedroom as I stood frozen trying to replay what just happened over in my mind. My cheek stung from the slap and I couldn't help but blame myself for his actions. If only I never took Lola out for that drive tonight. If only I had just stayed at home and tried to soothe Lola without the quietness of the car to help me.

I pulled up a chair next to the playpen and watched as Lola slept soundly, smiling from ear to ear. She always knew how to make me feel better; it was almost as if she knew what was going on around her.. even if she was too young to actually comprehend what was actually happening. "Your daddy loves you so much," I smiled at her, "I promise that I will do everything in my power to make sure he never, ever hurts you, Lola."

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About the Creator

Mel

Ever since I was a kid, I've always wrote for fun. I never saw anything of it; I just wanted to write just to write. That's why I love Vocal.

she/they

instagram: stufflestream

tiktok: mercuryandme

youtube: Melon Melon | TheMelonVlogs

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