First, there was one baby in the tub and by the time my man got home, there’d be a sweet smellin’ baby ready for bed. It was easy then— I’d close the door to the baby’s room and me and my man would go to our room. Then there was two babies in the tub and by the time my man got home, one baby would be sleeping and one baby would be fighting sleep. It wasn’t easy then— my man would go to our room slam shutting the door like the wide woke baby was my fault. Once, shaking his head, he told me how his aunt put whiskey in her babies’ formula to help them sleep. I don’t want drunk babies I told him. That night, I slept in the babies’ room. Then there was three babies in need of washin’. My man didn’t come home then— he’d just call to see if the babies was asleep. If they wasn’t, he’d stay out ’til they was. Once I lied just to get him home. But when he got home, there was a baby in the hall, one on the stairs, and one, hollering and hungry, on my hip. My man split for sure then— didn’t call ’til he was up north, outside of Cincinnati, talking about how me and the babies don’ took over his house, talking about how babies is women stuff, talking about how the only baby a man needs in his life is his woman. |
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The Only Baby a Man Needs by Michelle McEwen
Filed under Michelle McEwen
good!
Thanks
Beautifully presented in an intricate plot of story. Nicely done, Michelle.
So much detail! Only YOU would write something like this!! LOOOOOVE IT!! This could be a play!
AND only YOU could write something like this lol
great character building, like the form here, enjoyed this.
I like the rhythm…it pulled me in.
this is sensational. bravo.
Thanks for the comments
My goodness. Overwhelming. So powerful. Strong, and sad, and perfectly paced. Inevitable collapse at the end. You know where it’s headed, and it still hits you in the head.
yep. you nailed this one. love that last line especially. peace…
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What a piece, so layered, so gorgeous. Great stuff, keep it up!
Wow! Very powerful, poignant, and sad. Beautifully told story. I like how your narrator gives commentary on men of this type without being preachy– the ones who will love a woman, but then won’t help when children come into the picture; they leave their woman when when life gets complicated. Good writing.
Well said Michael P. Thanks!!