How did we get this far

 "I don't want you thinking I'm depending on you too much," Cedric said when Crystal was over to see the baby. As of yet, he hadn't let her watch the baby. Cedric guessed he was a real parent after all. He'd taken off work the last few months to be with the baby, but now he felt he had neglected to let Crystal see her real niece, Launa.

"Oh, when have you depended on me? Huh?" Crystal winced a smile as she got out a few groceries she'd brought powdered formula, juice, and extra disposable diapers.

"Why did you bring all this stuff?" He handed the baby over to her.

"For emergencies." She caressed the baby as if she might be her real moma. She sighed as if it were pure joy.

"So life is going well at the coffee shop?" He put on the electric kettle and got out the caffeine-free tea bags.

"I think Chili likes me," Crystal sat down at the kitchen table with the baby. "I think she wants me full-time, but I'd hate to take that away from Millie. I know she needs this job."

"But so do you?"

"Yeah, it would really be good to have it, but you know." She looked at him as if she hadn't been the luckiest person in the world. She'd had been discharged from the Air Force early on because of her weight, but at least she had the VA for her medical expenses.

"Yeah, I know." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, remembering the Asian fellow who had come all the way from California to see her that time, and she'd been so cold. She'd said he wasn't her type, but Cedric always thought differently they'd been close friends during the military. It would have been a struggle with her family if they had gotten together.

"Well, if Kirk ever comes back, don't push him away this time." Cedric told her.

"Kirk?"

He saw how her eyes lit. He knew she hadn't forgotten about him.

"He's got to be married by now," she shrugged with a slight sigh. She kept watch of Launa, letting the baby hold on to her finger.