A Slice of Sunshine

The sun is shining, and the birds are as excited about the beautiful weather today as I am. After a cold New York winter with a baby, I’m looking forward to walks in the park.
Emily was born right after Thanksgiving, and before Santa even had time to slide down my chimney and call me a Ho-Ho-Ho, I was a single mom.
I guess even if Ron hadn’t run off with that female rock climber, I would still have been a single mom.
We weren’t married, Ron and me.
Not even close.
Honestly, I was pretty much expecting him to flee New York when I told him about Emily. The fact he stuck around until snowboarding season kicked in was a shock.
Fatherhood wasn’t for Ron any more than a long-term relationship was. His words, not mine, but true all the same.
We’d met at a bar; Ron was a professional adrenaline junkie trying to make a name for himself in all things extreme. He was the polar opposite of the guys I usually dated, but his good looks couldn’t be ignored. It was supposed to be fun. A no-strings attached romance. A fling as a reward for my hard work at school.
It was the only time I’d ever allowed myself to take a chance with my body when my heart wasn’t involved.
Guess the powers that be taught me my lesson, huh?
But it’s all good. There are no complaints from me.
I have the best baby girl anyone could ask for. I have a loving family and close friends. Sure, school is rough, and I’m determined to make ends meet for Emily and me on my own, but I love life. I love my life.
I enter the law offices of Gentile, O’Reilly, and Walsh—my brother’s the O’Reilly—Tom owns with his two best friends who also feel like brothers to me, Dylan Gentile and Austin Walsh, and I make my way to the daycare center. The guys provide childcare for their staff, and they insisted Emily attend right from the start. I’ll be working here once I graduate from law school and pass the bar, so it makes sense not to switch places once she’s comfortable.
I tell myself it’s not a handout, but I know it is. It’s just one more way the guys snuck in helping me out since Emily has arrived.
The three of them are alpha-male control freaks and my independent side drives them to hit the Scotch by ten…in the morning most days.
Like how I refuse to accept payment for the tasks I do. I’m just a law student. They would take anyone else on as an intern at best, so why should I be any different? At one of the top law firms in the city, they certainly wouldn’t need to pay someone without experience. You earn your dues in this business, and I refuse to have special treatment awarded to me because of my last name.
So, after Emily is happily bouncing in a vibrating seat next to another baby, I head to my job at Pie in the Sky. It’s a well-loved pizza joint in the heart of the city.
I’m ready for a long day on my feet.
As soon as I open the door, I’m hit with the familiar smells of dough, sauce, and Italian spices.
“Hey, Sandra’s here.”
“Faccia bella!”
“Hi, Sand.”
I wave to my co-workers, then head into the staff room to put my coat and purse in my locker. I put my phone on vibrate and pocket it, in case the daycare needs me.