Teen-Adulthood 101

Chapter Eighteen

The next few days and the following week flew by quickly, but Friday was a living hell. Logan came back an hour after school and Jake, Rain, and I were in the kitchen waiting for him.

"Hey, man," he said, barging in the door. "How was your week?"

Jake just got to the point. "What's this about you moving in with Joni and Alden?"

"Oh that," he smiled. "Well, it's closer to my work and Rain won't have to worry about me so much."

Shaking my head, I pointed out the obvious. "It's also closer to Joni, isn't it?"

Hearing that, Logan quietly stared at me like I hit the hammer on the nail.

"It's true. Joni wants you down there for herself and you're letting her reel you in like a fish. You are married with a kid on the way and all you care about is getting some girl in bed. Logan, come on, dude!"

"Haley, it's nothing to do with that. I think the change will be good for Rain. She can get more help with being married from a fellow married girl and learn to be a mother to our child."

Jake was pissed. "Bullshit, man! Haley's done a great job adjusting to being married, as with Rain! They keep house, cook, and have time to do schoolwork! You'd know that if you spent time here instead of going up Joni's ass whenever she calls! Oh, and thanks to you not paying your part of the rent for the past six months, Joey lost the house and Haley and I have to find a new place by New Year's!"

"That ain't my problem, dude," he scoffed. "I had things to take care of, like fixing my truck and saving up for my shop. If you had saved more money instead of spoiling that whore, you could have kept this house without blaming me!"

Hearing that, I got up and was ready to clobber his ass when Jake stopped me and handed me the car keys. "Take Rain and go to Jana's," he said. "I'll be there in a minute!"

Knowing he meant business, I grabbed Rain, who was crying, and ran out the house.

As I was driving to Jana's, Rain was sobbing her eyes out. "Haley, I'm so sorry! He had no right to call you that! I'm really sorry."

Shaking my head, I pulled into the convenience store and skidded to a stop. "Rain, you did not say that shit. He did and that makes him responsible, not you. Got it?"

She nodded. "Why didn't you tell me about y'all having to move?"

"You didn't do that either and nothing could have been done about it. It was too late. So, no worrying about this, okay?"

She nodded again.

I took a deep breath and said, "I'm thirsty. Are you?"

"Yeah."

We were about to get out the car when Sara's car pulled in behind us.

She ran up to us, holding Travis. "I was heading home when I saw you speeding like a mad thing. What's wrong?"

Taking a deep breath, I told her everything and she became furious. "Logan's such a prick," she cried, then took out her cell.

"Hey, sweetie," she said, remaining calm. "Logan's at it, again, and he and Jake are probably throwing fists. Get Ryan and Kyle and get over there, now!"

There was a pause and Sara replied, "Okay, I'll do that... I love you, too... Bye, sweetie."

Putting her cell phone in her pocket, she said, "Austin said for us to go to our place and they'll meet us there. I'll follow you in case there are cops."

Nodding, we reentered our cars and headed to Sara's.

When we arrived, I saw that the house was average-sized with a built-in carport and the land was big with a swing, a few gardens, and a makeshift repair garage.

Sara picked up Travis from his car seat and was leading us inside when Austin and Ryan's vehicles pulled in the driveway.

"I guess the fight's over," I said, seeing Jake exiting Ryan's truck without a scratch on him.

Relieved to see him okay, I ran to him and threw my arms around him, crying. "Are you okay, honey?"

"I'm fine, sweetie. What about you?"

I just nodded and he took my hand and led me inside with the others.

Sara gave us some drinks and Jake explained what had happened. "After I sent the girls away, Logan and I continued arguing and were about to get physical when Austin, Ryan, and Kyle showed up. Ryan picked me up and put me in his truck, while Austin and Kyle told Logan to pack his stuff and leave the house. It was pretty bad. Logan was cussing us out and screaming he was going back to Gulfport and never coming back, then got in his truck and span out."

Rain started sobbing when she heard all this, "He just left me and our baby? God dammit!"

I was about to pull Rain on my lap when Sara beat me to it, so I just held her legs, while she continued crying.

After Rain pulled herself together and we got something to eat, we sat back in the living room, where Jake and I explained our living situation.

"This really sucks, man!" Austin said. "You know we'll help you. Don't worry about it."

Ryan just nodded. "You know we won't let you live in the streets, man. I just want to pummel Logan's ass to the ground for being so irresponsible... to all of you. He needs to grow up. He may be sixteen, but he has a wife and kid to take care of. Even before Jana and I got married, I thought about her before myself because that's what a man does! Dammit, I just want to..."

"Well, I want to kill him!" Rain shouted. "He left me and our baby and didn't give a damn! Now, I may have to raise this child alone if he doesn't come back! That bastard!"

Instantly, I grabbed her shoulders and said. "You will not raise your baby alone. I'll help you. We'll raise the baby together. Okay?"

Despite the crying, Rain laughed a little and hugged me.

"Actually," Jake said. "We'll help her because I will claim her child if Logan does not come back."

Hearing that, I was shocked. "What? Sweetie, I'm carrying your child."

"I can handle two kids if it comes to that and I'll still be with you, so no worrying about that. Rain is our friend and if Logan doesn't come back for her, she and her baby need us. I also would rather raise another child in addition to ours than have a kid raised without a father. I've been through that and do not want another kid going through that shit."

I nodded. "You're right, but it's up to Rain." I turned to her and asked, "Would that be okay with you, sweetheart? I don't think another one would make a difference to us."

"If Logan doesn't come back," Rain answered, "then yes, but I still love him and hope he'll change. So, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt. I have to, you guys. He's my husband and the father of my baby. I just have to!"

Sara and I just put our arms around her as she started to cry again.