I pushed Storm onto the bus and swiped my bus pass.
"Good morning" , the bus driver spoke politely. I responded with a small nod and continued my way to my seat on the bus. The stroller was quite large and very nice but took up a decent amount of space. I carefully took her car seat out and began breaking it down so that it would not be in the way of people walking on and off the bus after what seemed like a forever fight with the stroller. Baby girl was asleep so I put my headphones in my ears to drown out the sounds of the bus rolling down the street and the inane conversations of my peers.

I was no longer in the mood to talk and no matter what a baby always draws attention to you wanted or not. I became so engrossed in my playlist that I almost missed my bus stop. I met Dimitri at the bus stop so he could see his daughter before he went into work. He and I might be having our differences but I was doing my best to keep her in his life so long as certain boundaries were not pushed.

"Hey lil bit." he spoke to Storm as I began unbuckling her from her car seat before handing her to him.

"How was your first night in the shelter?" he asked in a genuine tone his head cocked to the side

"It was okay, it's actually a really nice facility." I added a small smile. No matter how much he breaks my heart he always manages to make me smile even when I don't want to but if it hasn't worked after 6 years, it just won't work.

"Let me take your guys to lunch tomorrow. And you and you can talk?"

"What else is there to really discuss D?"

"Us! Let's figure it out. I want my family" he looked at me and I couldn't tell if the glimmer of sadness was real or was it just another manipulation tactic.

"Just think about it." Dimitri handed storm back to me as his bus approached.

"I'll text you later" continuing a relationship with D could be the death of me literally. Having lunch with him? Occupying the same space as him for too long could end badly as it had been lately, call it stupid or call it love but I was considering it.

It was only 7:30 and so I had about an hour and half before the library opened. I decided to stop at the coffee shop on the corner and grab a drink before making my way to the library. I opened the door struggling to keep it open while I pushed her Stroller stood in line behind an average height light skinned man who wore blue shorts and a long-sleeved black t-shirt. He's crazy leaving the house in the middle of July in a long sleeved shirt with shorts? What was the point? I pondered to myself. His hair in dreadlocks was short and his sides were shaved. He turned around facing my direction after paying for his drink. You know that moment in a movie where the two main characters see each other for the first time and there is this instant spark... well there was none of that but I was instantly infatuated by him. He was beautiful, his skin perfect and blemish free, his cheekbones high as the ceiling. I didn't realize how hard I was staring until the barista snapped me out of it.

"Renee hello? melody asked waved her hand in front of my face.  Are you good girl?" Melody stood behind the counter waiting for my response.

"Oh yeah, I'm just fine."

"Renee don't drool, we're not thirsty okay? Do you want the usual?" she asked with wit while quickly changing the subject.

"Haha and yes thank you." I couldn't help but look at him. He was so gorgeous to me like a model. I quickly grabbed my coffee and made my way out the door towards the library and thought of the perfect stranger with whom I had a slight encounter with. I wondered what his name was, what he did for work. How he liked his coffee. If he even liked coffee, maybe he ordered tea instead. Another ten minutes before the library opened I stood on the side of the library where I had just put out my cigarette, a nasty habit that I regretted picking up which now seemed impossible to quit. I noticed a figure out of my peripheral looking in my direction. The same guy from the coffee shop. Our eyes met but only briefly. His gaze exhumed a high better than any drug. And it was then that I became in love with the idea of him.