An Echo in the Wind

Chapter 29

Did I hear that right?

"Sorry?" I exclaim, sure I misheard them. 

"You have to take him. Raise him. We can't do it anymore. He's your responsibility now."

I scoff, "I'm just a kid. I'm only 17."

"He'll have to be in your mother's custody until you turn 18, then he'll be yours. Or your mom can keep him. We don't really care. We just can't have him anymore."

I shake my head, "I can't. I can't raise a baby."

Not again. Not again. I keep repeating it. I won't have my life ripped away from me to do it all over again. Austin is finally getting easier. I am not a parent. I can't raise two kids.  

Please. No. I think back over everything they said. They've been leading up to this from the beginning. I should've gotten the hint. My mind pauses at something else they told me. I look up at them with wide eyes, "Wait. Did you say Derek was being released? From prison?"

They nod, "You didn't hear? We assumed you would've been the first ones to know. He appealed his sentence somehow. We have no idea how. It was supposed to be jail for life. All we've heard is that he was seen by a psychiatric doctor and he plead insanity or some bullshit like that. The doctor vouched for him. His sentence was appealed. He's getting out next weekend as a free man with the exception of visiting his psych doctor who has to do check ins with him bi-weekly."

My heart sinks. No. He can't be getting out.

Eric checks his watch, "We really need to go. We'll help you put Gabriels things in your car."

They didn't even ask me. They're just handing him off like an object. But how would I say no? What can I do? The kid needs a home and these people won't give him one. I'll have to figure something out. I sigh and bring my car around, popping the trunk. I move his car seat in the back of my car next to Austins. I look like a mom with two car seats in my car like this. 

I practically am one at this point.

"Thanks," they say before leaving. I stand there, stunned. They're gone. Just like that. They don't care about this kid at all. They lost their only daughter, I try to remind myself. But what about their grandson? They don't care? Not even a little?

I kneel down in front of the little boy. I wipe my cheeks and with a trembling voice, I say, "Hi."

"Hi," he says shyly, gripping his stuffed monkey tightly.

"I'm Echo. Do you understand what's happening right now?" I sniffle.

He looks around, "Grandma and Grandpa said I going live with my other family now. That I won't see them anymore."

"How does that make you feel Gabriel?" I ask softly.

"Sad. I miss them," he says, eyes watering up.

I take the little boy into my arms and hug him tightly. He wraps his arms around my neck, burying his face into my neck.

I carry him into the back seat of my car and buckle him into the seat. I don't know where my mom is when I get home. Her car is gone. Austin stayed after school for soccer practice and Gabby's mom is dropping him off when they're done.

For awhile, I just sit on the couch, watching him. I turned on the television which he's happily still watching. There's too much going through my head right now. I have another responsibility. I was trying to get less, not more. I'm a monster for thinking that way. He's a child. He shouldn't feel like a burden. I shouldn't see him that way. But even while I tell myself it's wrong to feel that way, I can't help that I do. I just can't do it again. The diapers. The tantrums. Playing board games with someone who doesn't even understand how to play. Watching the same stupid movies over and over again.