Sister Wife

The Favorite

I get into Hope's room and have to stop myself from grabbing the baby out of Hope's arms. He's totally fine, just asleep and I can see his little mouth moving every now and then. Hope is staring at me and Justin like we're the ones who are crazy.

"We didn't hear anything," Justin is explaining. "He didn't cry all night?"

"That's good though," Hope whispers. She looks exhausted. "I tried to keep him quiet. So he wouldn't bother you."

"Babies are supposed to cry," Justin takes my hand like he needs strength.

"I'll teach him not to," Hope promises. "He won't bug you."

"How can you teach that? It's an instinct," I've seen plenty of my younger brothers and sisters as babies. They all cried.

"It's easy, they learn fast," Hope picks her boy up and starts unwrapping the blanket from around him. As soon as he gets chilly he starts to cry. "See?" she reaches down and pinches his nose.

"Stop!" I beg her as he starts trying to pull away. The baby has to stop crying so he can breathe. He's too little to get free on his own but he's obviously in distress.

"It doesn't really hurt them," Rachel says. She's come in behind us. "We've always done that."

"You won't," Justin insists. "I don't care what you were taught, you won't do that in my house or I'll take him away."

"Okay," Hope looks shocked that he's given her an order. I wonder if she'll be able to do it or if she's just saying that to make Justin happy. I don't know what to think about her anymore.

Justin takes me back to my room but I can't relax now. I'll be worrying about that baby all the time.

"I don't know what to do with her," Justin sighs. "Right now I don't even want to look at her but I can't leave her alone with that baby."

"I can keep an eye on them," I offer.

"That's not fair," Justin shakes his head. "You need to have your own life too. I have to find a way to get her some help or something."

"What if you talk to Rachel?" I suggest. "Maybe she can stay and watch them for a while?"

"I don't actually know how long Rachel is planning to stay," Justin sits on the edge of my bed. "I should've known when Hope asked if Rachel could come early, how could I be so stupid?" he slams his fist against the bed. "All this time I've been so worried for nothing. It's not even my baby. I shouldn't have to feel like this."

"Maybe Lehi can take the baby," I suggest. Justin laughs but it's a mean laugh, like I've just said something stupid.

"Do you have any idea what those lost boys have to go through?" he asks. "He was thrown out with nothing. If he was lucky he found a rescue organization and they set him up with a place to live and helped him find a job. He'll live in a house with as many as 20 other boys and share a room with at least 3 others making minimum wage which is barely enough for one person to live on. And that's just if he's lucky. If he didn't get lucky he fell in with the boys who steal to get food, or ended up on drugs, or maybe even died before he could find his way."