Angel Academy

Chapter Seventeen

Corbin's POV

Addaline's eyes widened. "You- you want me to- what?" Her expression was one of shock and I'm sure mine was too. What the hell did you just say Corbin? I hadn't planned on asking her to move in with me. I hadn't even really planned on asking her to get back together with me. I just didn't want her mad anymore. "Corby,"-I absolutly hated that nickname and ground my teeth together; she sounded like a five year old- ", do you really want me to move in with you?" Her eyes were hopefull as she looked into mine. Slowly, I nodded. "Oh yes Corby! I would love to!" She jumped into my arms and I barely had enough time to catch her as she squeeled with glee. You'd think I had just proposed. "We're going to be a real family; in the same house and everything. And, we might even get little Heath! Oh boy oh boy oh boy! I'm so excited!"

Forcing a smile, I hugged her back. "I am too. We're going to be a family." Everyone in the daycare turned to stare at us. 

Addaline turned around. "He just asked me to move in with him!" she gushed happily and they all nodded and the women giggled with her. The guys looked at me and their looks said "Nice going. Now you'll never get rid of her." Stifling a laugh as women squeeled with Addaline and the men looked around uncomfortable, I made my way to the desk. I filed the papers for some new comers and put away bills and things. Soon the excitment quelled and the parents left. I always felt better when the parents weren't around watching me babysit their kids. I didn't do anything illegal, and I was amazing at it if I do say so myself, I just felt weird. They were their kids, and they had ultimate authority over them, even if I was suppose to be watching them.

Addaline seemed to walk on air for the rest of the night, and the children seemed to realize it because they were a little less good than usual. I watched her play with the kids and I felt myself smile. Maybe I was ready for a family with her. Maybe I was finally over Niamh and could look and speak with her without feeling like my lungs were about to explode from not being able to breath. Maybe we had finally buried the hammer and she had gotten even with me when we slept together and she had left me the next morning.

~~~~~

Niamh's POV

I sat at the table of my mother's house. It's been a couple weeks since Corbin and I had sex, and I'm expecting my period any day now. Heath is grabbing onto the chair I'm sitting in and trying to stand up, mumbling baby words and a few "Dada's" here and there. Layed out before me is the Fischer murder case. I've been working on it non-stop and have come to the conclusion that David couldn't have done this by himself. He had to have had an accpmplance. I phoned Rosalie immediatly when I had came to the conclusion and asked her to make a list of everyone her mother and Rosalie had known, even if it was only briefly. After a what seemed like a million thank you's. she hung up and within an hour had sent me five pages worth of people her and her mother had known and their relation to said person.

I was finally onto the beginning of the fifth page when the sound of my truck pulling into the drive could be heard. My mother had to use my truck for a while becaue her Prius had broken down. It was from Toyota so it didn't really surprise me. "Hey, Niamh," my mother said as she carried groceries into the house. I absently waved in awknowledgment, my eyes scanning down the list of names. There were a lot of people that the late Mrs. Fischer just gave money to for seeming no reason.

My mother dropped the groceries on the counter and turned to me in a huff. "You know Niamh, you're not fifteen anymore. You should help me bring in groceries without being asked."

"Mom," I groaned. "I'm working. Heath has distracted me most of the day. Ms. Fischer is really trusting me to use my time wisely and figure this case out. I need to spend all my focus on this." Heath made a coughing/crying sound and looked up at me. I rolled my eyes and picked him up. "Okay; okay: 49% of my time." I kissed his cheek and he giggled, reaching out to grab the case file. I lifted my arm which lifted his short ones out of reach and he protested, lifting his arms and hitting them onto my forearm. It didn't hurt or help him at all, and when he realised this, he began to cry.

I stood up, bouncing him and walking into the living room. Setting him in the play pen my mother had had for me, I set my phone beside it on the outside and played country music for him. I followed my mother out of the house and gathered some groceries in my arms, carrying them inside and setting them on the counter.

"Niamh, you know that's not how I do groceries."

I turned to her, frowning. "Mom, I don't have time for this."

She put her hand on her hip. "You better make time little missy."

I clenched my hands, getting irritated. "I'm not eight anymore. I'm a grown woman. I need to finish my work."

"Don't use that tone with me, and wipe that look off your face." 

I groaned, leaning against the counter and putting my face in my hands. "Mom! Chill out!" I looked up and she opened her mouth to say something, probably to lecture me like she used to do when I was younger. I cut her off with a wave of my hands. Grabbing the keys to my truck, I turned and headed for the door.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Out. Watch Heath."

I practically ran from the house. I drove around the town bored, looking for something to do when my eyes fell upon The Bar. It was the local bar and the owner, an eldlery man named Frank, had thought it'd be funny to name it that. He had been in his twenties at the time, and an idiot he often told the young people and children who walked in. The bar wasn't only a bar, it also had a restuarant attached to it so people under the age of 18 could come in as long as they had an adult with them.

I pulled into the small parking lot and got out, heading towards the bar. It was still open surprisingly. I walked in to see Frank, alive and well, standing behind the counter yelling at a couple of boys who looked no older than 19. 

"Listen punks," Frank spat, "either go to the restaraunt or get the hell out." 

I stepped up. "You heard him boys," I said, the voice of a mother coming from my lips. "Go on, or I'll tell your mothers."

They scoffed, pretending to be tough. "Ahh man, we don't care," the taller of the two said, waving dismissivly at me. "Let's go Joe. These two ain't worth our time anyway." They left the bar, both muttering curses as they went.

I turned to Frank with a smile, but his words wiped it from my mouth. "Niamh, you bitch, I had that taken care of."

I frowned, crossing my arms. "Your brother wouldn't appreciate you talking to me like that."

Frank waved his hand dismissivly in a short old man way. "Ahh screw what Jeff would want. He's dead anyhow. What do you want?"

"How about a drink?"

Frank shook his head. "I'm closing. Come back tomorrow."

"But Frank-"

"Niamh, we need to talk." I froze, my heart turning cold, as the voice interupted mine and Frank's conversation.