Page 1 of Marshall: The Manny

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Demi

Overstimulation.

That was the state I currently dwelled in. The state I had to learn to thrive in. My nervous system was often shot, and I was usually so sensitive to sounds and touch that when I got a moment of peace, I would break down and cry. Regardless of how hard things were, I wouldn’t trade being a mom to my two year old son for anything else in this world.

It wasn’t my plan to get pregnant with Denver at the end of my sophomore year of college. I’d already started school late because none of the classes and majors being offered really interested me. At the age of twenty-four, I made up in my mind that I wanted to use the power of apps and social media to change the lives of others and mine in the process, and I enrolled in school.

Two years later, Denver was conceived.

Three months after that, his father broke up with me.

Three hours after my son was born, his father signed over his rights.

My parents thought I would drop out, but being a single mother motivated me even more to finish school. I never wanteda lack of resources to stop me from giving my son the life he deserved, and I never wanted to not be able to give him anything he desired.

It was a long and hard two years, but I spent my days at school, my afternoons with my son, and my nights working on my first app. Thank God I was blessed with parents who helped me financially so I wouldn’t have to work. Now that I was the developer of a multi-seven figure app, I’d retired them both and took care of all their bills. My first app,Demi Bot 1, had been downloaded by millions of users. The app launched the day my water broke. That day, I gave birth to two very important things.

Now, as I prepared for the launch of my second app, life was significantly different. My days were even busier, and though my son was thriving, having a two year old was a handful. At this very moment, he was in the corner playing with the loudest toy created by man, babbling complete monologues with about a handful of words I could actually understand. Denver didn’t care that I was working on the prototype for the second app that would change so many creatives’ lives. All he cared about was the barking toy that lit up and rolled on my marble floor.

My phone vibrated repeatedly, but I refused to answer it. I was being pulled in a million different directions between updates for Demi Bot 1, preparing for the launch ofDemi Bot 2, and being a mom. When someone rang my doorbell, I groaned. Hoping it was just a courteous delivery driver, I checked my camera app. At the sight of my best friend and executive assistant, Jessica, I stood and quickly headed to let her in.

There wasn’t anyone else I’d trust with the day to day duties of my business than Jessica. A part of me was hesitant to make our personal relationship professional, but we came up with boundaries and rules in a contract that would keep the lines clear. I pushed my hair out of my face as I briskly opened thedoor while she rang the doorbell again. Jessica’s eyes slowly scanned my frame before she released a clipped chuckle.

“What?” I asked, looking down at my cozy, cotton pajama set. My hair was a bit wild, and my glasses were on, but it was fine. It wasn’t like I was going anywhere.

“Clearly you’ve forgotten what today is,” Jessica said as she entered my home.

“What’s today?” I asked locking the door behind her.

As we walked through the foyer toward the living room she told me, “You have the meeting with the manny.”

Crap.

That had completely slipped my mind.

Up until graduation this summer, my university offered free childcare while I was in class. When I was done with my classes for the day, I completed my homework before leaving campus. Then, I’d go home and spend time with Denver. At night, I’d work on the app, and my parents would tend to Denny if I needed them to.

Now that I’d graduated, I didn’t have full time help for my son. The little ray of sunshine was such a happy baby, but he was starting to show signs of that terrible two stage. He always wanted to get into things, and I didn’t mind because that was a sign he was curious. It was just hard to focus on work and chasing him around so he wouldn’t get into the wrong things.

His mood swings were all over the place, and he was a bit more defiant than he used to be. When he was a little angel, I thanked God, because not only did we get along better, but he was calm, and I could get some work done in peace.

As much as I knew I needed help with him, I didn’t want to hire someone. I felt like I was hiring someone to raise my kid. Maybe that was a bit dramatic, but still. Denny was my son and my responsibility, and that was a part of why I didn’t leave him with my parents daily. The other reason was that they’d alreadyraised their child. I didn’t think it was fair to turn around and have them watch my son too. They’d raised me and gotten me out of the house. Now, it was time for them to enjoy their freedom. They did demand I let them have him every weekend, though, which I appreciated.

“I don’t know about this, Jessie,” I confessed as we entered the living room.

“Know about what? Ah! There’s my baby!”

Denver’s head turned at the sound of her voice. His little dimples poked out even more as he smiled. With his hands on the floor, he poked his bottom out as he stood, then quickly scurried in her direction. His arms were out wide, and his fingers opened and closed as he beckoned for her to pick him up. It was the cutest little thing—as always. My baby was such a friendly baby when he wasn’t being a little asshole having tantrums.

“Dessie!” he yelled, and she giggled as she normally did when he tried to say her name.

I didn’t even bother replying immediately, instead giving her time to love on my baby as we sat on my sectional.

“Know about what?” she asked after they were done, and Denny hopped off her lap to return to his toy.

“Bringing someone into our lives. Our home.”

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