TWICE // D.S.

TWENTY-SIX

daniel knew he shouldn't have snooped but when he sat down at the table and there was a stack of papers sitting right in front of him. he was tempted to look; and so he did.

then he dug a little further when he realized they were from a hospital. he read aubrielle's name and the hospital, was she sick?

quickly he read a bit more and found that they were bills from the birth of james. she wasn't sick. just birth bills.

even if he was relieved from the realization. he cautiously looked down the hall to the bedroom door that was opened. he picked up james from his lap and held him with one arm, as he leaned against his side.

he carefully slid the papers out of the already opened envelope and almost immediately his eyes landed on a bold number. daniel's lips parted at the amount due; was it from shock? or was it that he recalled aubrielle being fine with it. because this, this certainly wasn't handling it.

$26,400

and to think she said she was fine? to even add that james is already over a year old? to also add that in the same pile were bills for her rent. she also had to pay for groceries and whatever james needs; baby food, diapers, wipes, clothes, toys, and those were merely the basics she constantly bought!

daniel felt his stomach turn and he heard their voices get louder. he quickly dropped the paper and shuffled them around and stared at the stack in shock. he didn't even move to wave goodbye.

once hailey and nicolette had left the house. he slowly went through the papers and looked at the bold number again. until he heard soft steps, that's when he decided to speak, "aubrielle? what is this?" he asked. he knew exactly what it was, but he just wanted to take what seemed like the easy way around.

"what?" aubrielle asked and walked closer to him, her eyes landing on the paper on the table. she quickly skimmed through it before she snatched it away and folded it up, "they're bills" she truthfully mumbled, gathering the other papers and merely glanced at them before putting them all in a drawer.

"bills for james, i thought you said you were fine with paying them?" daniel responded, following the girl so there was about a four foot distance at all times.

"i said i was fine with bills, i never said which ones" aubrielle mumbled, hoping that was the truth. daniel didn't reply again so she sat on the couch and turned on the tv.

"do, do you need help with paying them?" daniel hesitantly asked coming around the couch and sitting down, putting james on his lap. he watched aubrielle intently and he observed how aubrielle was blankly looking at the screen.

"I don't need your pity money." she continued to blankly look at the tv as she spoke through gritted teeth. she really didn't need his concern, it would only make the problem that much real and worse.

"elle, how much have you even payed off?" daniel curiously asked, maybe it would be reasonable if the price doubled the amount she owed. but even he knew that james couldn't cause that many complications for it to be that expensive; he was a healthy baby.

"that's none of your concern" aubrielle claimed, she felt his gaze still on her and she sighed in defeat. he wasn't giving up, and she was giving in, "about five thousand" she mumbled, "it went up because it took me a while to pay for the first payment" she quietly explained. this time she took her blank gaze off the tv and in return glanced at daniel and looked at james with adoration.