“Thank you. I was inside,” she says, taking a seat next to me on the bench. “It was pretty scary, but we’re okay,” she says, placing her hands on her swollen belly.
“Thank goodness.”
“Yeah, I didn’t know I was pregnant until the hospital ran bloodwork on me that night. I was taken to the Emergency Room. I’d passed out from smoke inhalation.”
“Wow. I’m glad you’re both okay.”
“Thank you.”
“Are you going to rebuild?” It’s none of my business, but she’s so easy to talk to.
“Yeah, my sister, Aurora, this was always her dream. To own her own bakery. We’re in the process of fighting with the insurance company. Faulty wiring caused the fire. This is an old building.” She shrugs. “These things just happen, but yeah, the plan is to rebuild, or maybe we’ll move locations. I’m not sure. We’ve been bouncing ideas around. What about you? What do you do?” she asks. She seems completely content to sit here on this bench and talk to me, a complete stranger.
“Is it okay that I’m here?” I nod down at the bench. “I just needed a place to stop and feed her. We live a few blocks away, and the alternative was to let her scream the rest of the way.”
“Of course it is. This little cutie needed to fill her belly.” She smiles at Madeline.
“Thank you.” I return her kind smile. “I’m a nurse's aide.” I answer her earlier question.
“I don’t think I could do needles and stuff.” She shivers.
“I don’t have to. As an aide, I do things like help with baths and life tasks. I’m currently working at an assisted living facility for the elderly. It’s my job to help with tasks they can no longer do on their own. As far as needles, I wanted to be a nurse. I was working in a day care and could see the benefits of having a nurse on staff. I decided that I wanted to further my education to do just that.”
“I commend everyone in the healthcare industry. That’s just not for me.” She shakes her head. “What stopped you?”
“My late husband; he was going through pharmacy school. I was working full-time at a day care facility. When I told him my idea about nursing to help my current role, he was supportive. We made the decision I would start school again when he finished. It wasn’t about more money for me, I wanted to do it to be able to help the kids.” I swallow hard at this next part. “He passed away. Unexpectedly, and then I found out I was pregnant, and life just… happened, I guess.”
“Is that still a dream of yours?” she asks.
“Yeah, maybe someday. Honestly, I wish I could just be her momma.” I laugh. “She is by far the greatest blessing in my life.” I clear my throat. “Besides, right now I’m not even using my associate’s degree in early childhood education. I couldn’t find a job, so I’m using my CNA training instead. Whatever it takes to pay the bills.”
Aspen places her hands over her swollen belly. “I’m sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine how hard that was for you and to be raising her alone.”
“Thank you.” This is part of why I don’t like to talk about Travis’s death. It gets awkward. People never know what to say.
“Any sage parenting advice?” Aspen chuckles.
I could give her the biggest hug right now for the conversation change. “Take lots of pictures, and don’t blink. I can’t believe she’s already five months old.”
“Got it. Lots of pictures and no blinking.” She laughs.
“I have so many pictures on my camera that I need to get developed.” My camera is old, but it still takes decent photos. Thankfully SD memory cards are inexpensive, and I choose carefully which images to save. Sometimes I find new cards lying around the house, and I know that it’s Carrie who’s bringing them over. I don’t know what I would do without my best friend.
“I’m sure I’ll be the same way. Although, I have a feeling my fiancé is going to give me a run for my money.”
“Sounds like you’ve found one of the good ones.”
“Definitely. My sister is married to his brother. She and I are both incredibly lucky to marry into, well, I’m going to be soon-ish, their family.”
“No wedding date?” I ask.
“No. I don’t want to be pregnant for the wedding.”
“What does he think? Your fiancé?”
“He’d marry me now, right here in my leggings and an oversized T-shirt.” She smiles. It’s one of those genuine smiles, the ones you can’t stop from tilting your lips.
“That’s true love,” I tell her. “I know we just met, but can I give you a piece of advice?”
“Definitely.”
“Life is short, Aspen. Too damn short. I never thought I’d be where I am right now. Raising my daughter all on my own. A widow at the age of twenty-four.” I pause to collect my thoughts. “It all happened so fast. I say if you love him, and he loves you, who cares if you’re pregnant in your wedding photos? All that matters is that the two of you are so in love that you can’t wait to start your lives together.”