Tko's Dik Dot Friend

VIII. Ava Grace

I tried to control my breathing as I rang the doorbell of my old apartment. The color on the door was still mustard yellow. I pulled back the strands of my hair, hoping I did not appear messy. The door swung open and in front of me was my old friend, Amanda. She grabbed me and pulled me to her bosom, which felt much larger than the last time I brushed up against them. She rocked me back and forth before letting go.

"TKO!!" She screamed out loud in joy.

"I was worried. I forget to mention that there's a serial killer in Portland. People, females specifically are encouraged to seek shelter before dark."

"I heard about that, yes!" I replied as I walked into the apartment behind her. My jaw dropped when I saw a guy who looked very familiar holding what appeared to be a newborn baby no other than three weeks.

"TKO! You look like a hot mess! Are you okay?" She said, trying to take off my jacket. I allowed her to do so as I stayed fixated on the guy with the baby. I finally held her hand still with my attention focused on the baby as she flung my jacket on the center table less than a foot away.

"Whose baby is that?" I asked without losing focus. She turned around and chuckled.

"Mine! Ours! We had a baby!" She declared as my jaws dropped even further.

"What... When did this happen?" I asked as I walked towards the guy with the baby, totally ignoring Amanda.

"three weeks ago. I gave birth three weeks." She said as I approached the baby. Too scared to touch. 

"Can I touch...?" I asked, looking up at Amanda.

"Of course, TKO!" I touched the baby's little arms and toes. The shock and excitement were stuck on my face.

"Her name is Ava. Ava Grace Rider." She said as she smiled warmly.

"Would you like to hold her?" asked the guy holding Ava. His voice sounded too familiar, but his facial hair made it difficult to identify him. I looked up at him and nodded.

"First...you must wash hands" Amanda pointed to the kitchen sink.

"Oh yes, of course. Sorry" I ran to the sink, squeezed some dish soap into my palms, turned on the faucet, and let the warm water wash the filth of the day off my hands until my hands felt light and happy to the touch. I rushed back to the living room/dining room combo, where he placed her gently on my arms, and I became a total mess of emotions ranging from short laughter to tears streaming down my face.

"She's so beautiful." I finally said after trying to compose myself. Amanda and the guy looked at each other.

"TKO, you remember Peter. Peter Rider. We met him that night at the music festival." She swallowed hard while completing the sentence as if the memory had triggered something in her. And my mouth swung open again.

"Yes. Yes. Peter. I remember you now." I looked at Amanda and grinned while rocking the baby. "We were hoping you would be her Godmother." She said to me, and I stopped and stared at Amanda. I gently gave the baby back to Peter.

"You want me to be her God Mother. What does that mean?" I asked, terrified at the idea of being responsible for another human. She giggled and grabbed my shoulders.

"Nothing you have to worry about, Tko. It's just a title. And means you have to buy her gifts on her birthday and maybe be there for her christening in three weeks? She asked with a slight shrug.

"I would love to!" I said, embracing her tightly.

"Thank you. Yes," I said as I pulled away from her.

"So, what took you so long?" Amanda asked, completely changing the subject without hesitation, but my attention was back to the precious baby while Amanda's attention was back on me.

"Tko. He's putting her to bed now." She said as she dragged me to the sofa in the living room not far from the kitchen.

"Wow. You and Peter. Everything worked out." Marveling at their creation. She shook her head from side to side.

"Well, it was not meant to work out this way. It was an accident. I was on birth control, but I guess the darn thing didn't work." She said with a chuckle, shaking her head.

"I mean, I was planning on going back to school and opening up a bakery." The tone of her voice was solemn.

"I didn't know you baked," I said with jest.

"Well, that's what the school was supposed to teach me how to bake. Then I got pregnant. I thought about abortion, but Peter here grew up in a conservative household. He begged me to keep the baby. So we did. I mean, don't get me wrong. I love my little girl with all my heart and would do anything for her. I don't want her to struggle. I want to give her the best life possible." She said as tears began streaming down her eyes. I grabbed her hands.

"You will. Don't worry about it," I tried to reassure Amanda.

"What about Peter?" I realized I didn't know anything about Peter.

"He's a gamer. We were thinking of joining the military after Ava Grace turns two." She said with a bit of an eye roll.

"The both of you? At the same time. What about Ava Grace?" I could not get the judgmental look out of my face.

"My auntie has agreed to take care of her while we serve. She and her husband were unable to have kids. Besides, we're only serving for two years tops for the Free education." I nodded.

"Or you could attend school here. You're both young." I sounded like my mother for a moment.

"Well, not everyone has parents who put away money for their kids' education." She said almost in a snappish tone. I grabbed her right hand.

"I'm sorry, Amanda. I didn't mean it like that."

"I know... I'm just super nervous. But going to college here is another option for us. Definitely." She nodded as if trying hard to convince herself. I acknowledged with a smile.

"You do what you feel is best for your daughter Amanda. It is none of my business." I said, releasing my grip.

"No, no, but you're right. College here is an option." Awkward silence soon followed, but I needed to break it before it suffocated us.