Chapter 23

We survived the first month. I think that's the only correct way of saying it. Considering the fact that we had no-one to ask, and no mother who would come and show us things, I think that we did quite well. The people from social services visited us once more, but this time it was we who harassed them with our questions. I don't think that they'll dare come visit us again!

The two young single mothers we had met during our prenatal classes had also had their babies. They visited us, and we exchanged notes and experiences. I guess they were impressed as to how two teenagers could live in a house on their own. Of course, we dug all the information from them that they had been able to get from their mothers. My aunty and Beth visited us quite often, offering their support. Their knowledge of small babies was well, somewhat lacking ... but their support was greatly appreciated.

When July turned to August, we started worrying a bit about the start of the school year. Not all that much, though, as we really didn't have much time to worry about anything. We had even less time since Marie had visited our doctor, and had been given the green light to start some 'activities' again. That meant that I had to renew my supply of condoms, since she could not start taking 'the pill' while still breastfeeding. She was worried about her body, but I assured her that we would exercise together, so that she could get herself back into shape again. I didn't think that there was anything wrong with her body, though, and I did my best to show it. Luckily, our little Lily was a sound sleeper!

It was Beth who finally saved us from worrying. She knew a friend whose mother, Mrs. Fraser, had been laid off. She had no real hope of getting employed again before she would reach retirement age. We could not pay Mrs. Fraser much, but taking care of a small baby (and two teenaged parents, who were still going to school) would save her from boredom.

Then my aunty had an idea that I should start a company. Instead of working as an 'independent contractor, ' I would work as an employee of my own company. That meant that my paycheck was less, but tax benefits were worth it, as my company would then offer me a daycare service which was tax deductible. Go figure.

The rest of the summer flew by, and before we noticed it, was time to start school again. I had contacted our principal and he offered us - or Marie - some freedoms. She would start school with the rest of us, but would also sneak off to express milk out of her breasts, and then store it in the fridge in the school kitchen. Luckily, there were some people without prejudice who were willing the help us. I visited the school premises a few days before the school started and talked to the big black matron who ran the school's kitchen. She made it known to me that nobody in HER kitchen would ever look badly at a young mother who wanted to give her own milk to her baby - and still go to school. I believed her. I'm sure John Rambo would have believed her!

It was the last weekend before the school started when my aunty and Beth surprised us. They had bought us a night in a hotel and they would take care of Lily for the night. So, we had our late honeymoon night in a hotel suite, just Marie and I - and the breast pump. We might have been tired, but we were even more horny.

Marie had been almost religious with her workouts, and during her last visit, the doctor she must have given her some hints, too. She had lost almost all the extra fat she had been carrying, and she had been practicing how to control her muscles - down there. She was usually the loud one but now when I enjoyed the benefits I was groaning quite loudly, myself! After that, I of course had to make sure that she did some howling, too!

We looked tired when we got back at home in the middle of Sunday afternoon, but when we saw my aunty and Beth we burst out laughing. Lily was the only person who was happy and chirpy that morning. If looks could kill, I think that my aunty would have murdered us both, right there. Finally we all were laughing - even our little Lily.

Then my aunty looked at us and said

"I don't know how you two have managed these past months."

Marie and I looked at each other, and I shrugged before answering,

"I don't think that we know either. We just lived through them. If we miss some knowledge, I guess we also miss several things we could be worried about."

If somebody had asked, afterwards, how we managed the first quarter of our senior year in high school, we could not have answered. Without Mrs. Fraser, we certainly would not have made it. When we came home from school, there usually was a warm meal waiting for us, and the house was always clean. Lily just loved her - and she loved Lily. Marie and I also tried to make sure that we had time for Lily every day, and especially during the weekends.

Our social life was almost non-existent, since we did not really have any extra time. If I had free time, I worked; and if Marie had some extra time, she either worked around the house, or made sure that she was somewhat ahead of the topics at school. The silliest thing was, that we were extremely happy. Maybe we sometimes were too tired to make love, but we were never too tired to cuddle.