#singlemom!mc

Part One: Restructure

Chapter one: The New normal

“Noooooo!” Sophia shouted from the top her lungs as she witnessed the burst of debris fall in flames around her. The smoke plumed above her childhood home and blanketed the area in tandem with all the regrets that were held in her throat. 

Her heart pounded heavily in her ears, the thudding fluttering like a rabbit’s. The realization of what was just lost settled along the dark tunnel of her skewed her vision. In the distance a wailing started to draw closer that wasn’t her own, a mixture of familiar cries and the high pitch of an emergency vehicle. 

She woke up. 

The wailing remained from the nightmare as it settled uncomfortably on her stomach. It was an anxiety that had proven over and over again no time would relieve. Sophia saw a pair of teary amethysts hover over her expectantly, confirming that the wailing was not the only thing that was real. Sometimes when she woke, she could still smell the ashes in her nostrils.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” She cooed, her fingers combing the solid black waves of hair that draped around the rounded toddler’s face. Sophia saw that there was still an hour before they both had to be up to start their day but it turned out, Melody had other plans. 

“Thirsty.” A muffled cried responded after sniffles, snot, and tears were wiped on her lovingly. 

“Okay, okay, come on.” Sophia grasped the under arms of her small child and lifted her to her chest to calm her. The weight of Melody’s body was a comforting relief from everything that was just outside this room. Habitually Sophia combed her free hand in Melody’s hair to soothe her while she carried them both to the kitchen. The pads of her feet making soft thumps as the cool hardwood floors sent goosebumps up the skin of her legs. 

The kitchen appeared cluttered but the special kind that resembled their busy day to day. It was full of dirty and clean sippy cups strewn about, crumbs and half eaten foods from experimenting with a toddler’s tastebuds, and random objects filling the remaining spaces on the counters and dining table. 

Sophia still felt groggy but she was able to get through the mess with her eyes closed. She put Melody on the counter and handed her a half-eaten fruit grain bar while she quickly washed a cup. In the mornings she always gave her daughter milk with toddler formula to ensure she still obtained the proper nutrients with how picky of an eater the small child had become. It wasn’t hard to occupy a toddler with snack food however and it gave Sophia the extra minute she needed to also set up her own morning juice, the darkest roast possible. 

“Thirsty!” The high pitch voice demanded. Melody was starting to throw her hands and feet about and Sophia kept an eye on her in case she threw herself off the counter. 

“Almost done, patience kid.” Sophia assures as she whisks the powder into the milk at lighting speed. She starts to feel around the counter for the top she had clean and finally caves in to turn on the stove light. The brightness stings her eyes for a moment, forcing herself to wake up even more, but it aided in finding the lid that somehow ended up down the other end of the counter. Melody reaches out to grab the cup as Sophia tightens the lid and instead of scolding her, she lifted her off the counter and placed her on her feet on the floor. Without having to say a word Melody ran off with her cup, clearly satisfied with the results and giving Sophia the extra breathing room she needed to fully prepare for the day. 

Sophia’s green eyes lingered onto the calendar that hung on the refrigerator and the same pit feeling she woke up with returned in the silence. Melody’s birthday was only a month away and Sophia finally was returning to the Hunter’s Association as of today. She still needed the final okay from her doctor but judging by the past year’s health improvements Sophia did not see a reason why Dr. Zayne would not sign off. 

Her breath caught in the back of her throat when her mind returned to seeing those teary amethyst eyes. Those eyes she adored and felt forlorn to gaze upon some days. They are a lingering memory and regret wrapped neatly into a future with endless possibilities, none of them being the one her heart had desired the most. Sophia shook herself out of her mind and took another large sip of her black coffee. It sent a shiver down her spine and the chills from it helped awaken herself out of her dreary dreamlike state that hung around her head. 

“Melody!” Sophia called out curious where her daughter was in their small apartment. She didn’t have many choices but still the 2-foot-tall child could hide very well when she wanted. It didn’t take long till she heard thumping down the hall and saw the bright-eyed child smiling, proud of herself. 

“Do you want to watch cartoons while Mommy takes a shower?” Sophia asked even though she already knew the answer. She figured always asking before doing things was a great way to teach her daughter early lessons in consent and in communication. Melody nodded with excitement and ran out into their living room before Sophia could ask a follow up.  

“The kitty cat one?” She had the remote in her hand, coffee in the other, and was already queuing up the television. 

“MR. ALLEY CAT!” Melody sung with fervor as she clapped her hands and started the cartoon’s dance. 

Sophia glanced at the time that was in the corner of the television and figured she had forty-five minutes before Ms. Jefferson came downstairs to sit with Melody for the day. It was a perk for talking with the neighbors at the mailbox room in the lobby that she was able to find someone as sweet and eager as Ms. Jefferson. The elder woman was always more than willing, and it was hard for Sophia to get her to accept any cash. On top of that Ms. Jefferson had a habit of cooking them all dinner when a side gig held Sophia up longer than planned.

 The training area was empty. It’s vast hall echoing every action Sophia took as she entered with relief. The emptiness gave her the free reign to be more aggressive towards the training equipment. She always felt when she had eyes on her during training it was harder to get into it as harsh as she needed to blow off the steam that had built up. Her small stature was always in question when it came to physical exercises but she knew that she packed a punch when she needed.