As soon as she pulled into the driveway, Jasmine came out to greet her. Kyra had barely stepped out of her car when she was immediately pulled into her mother’s arms. Only then did she finally let herself break down. Jasmine held her a long time before finally speaking. “Let’s get inside, and I’ll make you a hot drink.”
“I have to unpack the car,” Kyra said, sniffling.
“I’ll help you unpack later.” Jasmine took her hand with an understanding smile. “Let’s sit down and talk.”
Kyra nodded, but then she bent back into her car to get the plant from the front seat and bring it with her. “It’s kind of cold,” she explained. “I don’t think it’s used to cold weather.”
Jasmine laughed a breathy laugh. “You’ve always been such a sweetheart. I know you’re going to make the most magnificent mother.”
Something about coming home and being in the presence of her mom made everything feel manageable. Kyra sipped the herbal tea with honey that Jasmine had made for her and told her everything that had happened over the last several months. Life with Adam wasn’t unpleasant, but it had become so confusing, she hardly knew what to do. Finally, Kyra had decided enough was enough.
“It was a good choice, honey.” Jasmine reached across the table to pat her daughter’s hand. “Sometimes, it takes a little distance to make big decisions. I think you’re doing everything right.”
Kyra heaved a deep sigh. “Thank you, Mom. That means a lot coming from you.”
When she’d properly calmed down, Kyra started unpacking her car with Jasmine’s help. They lugged her things upstairs and left them in the spare room, which used to be Kyra’s, but had become the guest room. All her childish posters and stuffed animals had been removed. It made perfect sense, but right now, Kyra felt about as vulnerable as she had felt as a child, and she could have used those small comforts.
“Hey, Mom, can I help out at the bakery tomorrow?”
Her mother turned to her after placing her plant near the window. “Are you sure you’re up to it? It might be better for you to rest.”
“I don’t want to be alone,” Kyra admitted.
“All right, honey. I could always use a little help. Come in when you’re ready, and leave when you need to. OK? Promise not to overwork yourself.”
“I won’t.”
The next dayKyra struggled to get out of bed. It was so unlike her that she was convinced she’d come down with something. The trouble was that she lacked any other symptoms. She didn’t have a fever, a cough, or any nausea. Her onlysymptom was a complete lack of the energy that she usually had first thing in the morning. She dragged her feet from her bed to the shower and got ready for the day in a slow-motion daze.
Kyra was never one to give up easily, though, or to mope in the corner the second she hit any roadblocks in life. No, she kept marching forward no matter what happened. She convinced herself her exhaustion was due to her pregnancy and made her way to the bakery. Her mother was already there and probably had been since four in the morning. By the time Kyra got there, it had been open for a while. The early rush was well underway, and her mother looked frazzled but energetic.
“Kyra!” Jasmine smiled when she spotted her daughter in the dining room. “Thank goodness you’re here. Can you take over at the register for me?”
“Sure thing, Mom. I’ll be right there.” Kyra made her way to the back and put her things in her locker. Then she headed out to the register to relieve her mom.
“Thanks so much, honey,” Jasmine said. “You’re a lifesaver.”
Kyra expected that she would fall back into an easy routine as soon as she started working at the bakery again. But something about it felt wrong. She lacked the spirit she used to have. She kept forgetting to smile, and she could tell the customers noticed.
After getting through the line, she popped her head back into the kitchen. “Hey, Mom, can we switch places?”
Jasmine didn’t waste a second. She pulled off her apron and handed it to Kyra. “Not a problem. You feeling a little out of sorts?”
“I feel drained,” Kyra said. “I don’t think I’m the right person to be the face of the business today.”
“Gotcha.”
Kyra didn’t need to ask what still had to be done. Everything was so automatic for her that all she had to do was glance at the state of the kitchen to know she needed to be shaping and frying more doughnuts. For a while, things were perfect. Muscle memory kicked in, and Kyra was able to work without thinking. Normally, she wouldn’t start to fade until after six hours on shift on a busy day. Today, though, she only lasted two.
Jasmine came back after another wave of customers and found Kyra bent over with both hands planted on a stool, propping herself up. “You don’t look so good,” she said. “Is everything OK?”
“It’s dandy,” Kyra said in the least sarcastic voice she could manage.
Apparently, some unhappiness found its way through, and Jasmine picked up on it. “Why don’t you head on home, honey. I never planned on having extra hands today. You’ve been so helpful already, and I think I can handle the rest of my shift on my own.”
Kyra felt like a failure, but she said, “Thanks, Mom,” and started to collect her things from her locker. “You don’t have to pay me for today.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Jasmine said. “Now get your butt home, grab some snacks, and put on your favorite comfort show. I’ll be home in no time. Until then, you take excellent care of my future grandchild, OK?”
