9"My Maggie!" my mother exclaimed as she grabbed my little girl out of her car seat. I sighed at how excited Maggie was to see her. "Nanna!" "Hi, Mom." My mom looked me over for a moment, taking in my blue t-shirt and the torn-up jeans I was wearing. "How are you, Marlie?" She asked. I shrugged and answered, "I've felt worse." "Well, come on inside. Your father isn't home from work yet and I was just starting dinner." I sighed my relief as she went on, "Who knows, maybe Nanna has a surprise for Maggie inside." Maggie's eyes widened. "Surprise?" she whispered. My mother nodded and put Maggie down so she could run inside. We followed suit and soon I was sitting at the dining room table, watching my mother cook dinner. "How's Dad?" "He's okay. He's excited about you coming here," she replied as she stirred her spaghetti. "Oh come on. Mom. We both know I'm the last person he wants to see. I was a disappointment." "That's not true, Marlie. He loves you and he loves Maggie, too." "He's never even met her! Four years old and she's never even met her grandpa because he was to proud to tell me he was sorry. He never even asked to see her. He can hate me all he wants but when it comes to my daughter-" I was cut off by my father coming in the door, looking older than ever. "Hi, Dad." He grunted a reply and set his lunch box down before going to the living room. I followed him. "Don't you even want to meet her?" I asked. He looked at me for a moment, a sad look coming over him. He nodded and I went to go get Maggie, who was already a mess with her pigtails sideways and her face smeared with the chocolate that her Nanna had surprised her with. "Oh Maggie!" I said as I wiped her face and fixed her hair. Then I carried her into the living room and sat her down in front of her grandpa. "Maggie, this is your Papa." My father looked surprised and said gently, "She looks just like you, Marlie." I nodded and let my hand rest on my little girl's shoulder. "You know," he continued. "I knew the day would come when I'd have to face you and meet her. I always wanted to and never knew how to ask you for her. And I look at her now and she's so gorgeous and she looks like you and- I'm rambling. Look, Marlie, I'm not condoning what you did and I'm not approving of it and I'm still not sure if I forgive you for ruining your life, but I am sorry I wasn't a part of this child's life until now." "And that's all I'm asking for now, Dad." I replied before my mom stepped in and announced that dinner was ready. "Come on, Maggie, let's go eat some sgetti." "Oooooo sgetti?" I nodded. "I like sgetti, Mommy. It's slippery and slimy and fun to eat." "And you, my darling, are the best at making it messy." Maggie giggled as I sat her in a high chair and fixed her a plate of sgetti, her favorite. "Mmmmm." I smiled at her and sat down at the table with my own plate.
3 weeks later...
"Mom. I'm really afraid of this." "Marlie, you have to do this. It'll mean a better life for you and your daughter. Just think of Maggie, ok?" I nodded and picked up my new backpack. Here it was, my first day at the community college in the big city that our suburb was a part of. I wasn't quite sure how I was going to make it and I didn't know if I even could but I had to try, for at least my baby girl who deserved much better than living with my parents. She deserved a mother who could take care of her. I was determined to be that mother. A half hour later I was walking into my first class. Composition one. The idea of essays scared me and I wanted to run away. But I knew I couldn't so I slowly walked to the front and took a seat...