I'd Sell My Soul

Chapter 5: Growing Pains

Ali Monroe's POV

"What the hell do you think YOU'RE doing?!" I yank the beer away from her and dump it out in the tall grass.

"It's not that big a deal, mellow out." She slurs and stumbles like she lost her balance. This clearly wasn't her first drink of the night.

"Yeah mellow out, Aunt Ali." The man with her mocks. I grab Sophie and pull her away from him, she trips and almost falls, she's very intoxicated.

"She's a little girl man, you could fucking go to jail." Levi gets between us and the man.

"Oh yeah and are you her daddy?" The guy tosses his beer can in the tall grass beside him and makes direct eye contact with Levi.

"No I'm the guy who's about to fuck your face up." Levi squares up. The guy swings on him but misses as Levi dodges it. Sophie screams, becoming aware of the situation. Katie gets in front of Levi and sprays the guy in the face with pepper spray.

"Katie!" Levi grabs her from behind and pulls her away as the guy falls on the ground screaming and writhing.

"You crazy bitch!" The man groans.

"That's what you get for touching a little girl!" Katie flips the guy the middle finger as we drag her and Sophie to Levi's truck.

"Aunt Ali I thought you were cool." Sophie continues to slur her words as I lift her into the truck and flop her over on the bench seat.

"I'm cool like take you to get a new piercing cool, not go to a party and get sloshed cool." I grunt and I lift her legs in. I climb in the truck and Levi shuts the door behind me. I sit on a seat and strap in. Sophie lays her head on my lap.

"Everything is spinning." She groans as Levi starts the truck.

"Awww baby's first hangover." Katie pokes her head over the passenger seat and looks at Sophie.

"Sit down buckle up." Levi tells her. She rolls her eyes but complies. I brush blonde hair out of Sophie's face as she stares up at the ceiling.

"If you need to puke, tell me. Don't puke in this nice man's truck." I sigh as I brush hair out of her face.

"Hi Mom." Sophie looks up at me and a smile forms on her face.

"Sophie it's Ali." My shoulders fall as I correct her.

"You look just like my mom." She shakes her head and stares at me like a grew another head.

"You'll be okay." I sigh and look out the window. Growing up I was always told I could be Farrah's twin. It hurt to think about it now that she's gone. Sophie has to look at someone every day who reminds her of the mother she lost so young. I look up at the rear view mirror and I catch Levi looking at me, that's when I notice the tear rolling down my face. I brush it off and look back out the window.

When we get back to Farrah's house, Levi carries Sophie in the house as I hold the door for him. He sets her down on her bed and leaves the room as Katie and i untie her shoes. We toss them aside and pull her blankets back for her to crawl under. Katie wanders off to the bathroom and comes back with a trash can and Tylenol. Katie sets the trash can beside the bed and the pills on the bedside table. I look at her and she gives me a knowing look while patting my back. We turn the bedroom light off and leave a sleeping drunk Sophie. Katie follows me down the hall and to the living room where Levi is waiting.

"First night and I already screwed up and the kid's drunk." I sigh and sit on the couch, putting my head in my hands. I feel Katie and Levi take a seat on either side of me. Katie wraps her arms around me.

"You're doing the best you can with what you've got Ali." Levi reminds me.

"I'm not a mother and that's what she needs right now. I didn't have my own kids, I knew I wouldn't be good at it. She's better off with Aunt Carla." I shake my head.

"But Farrah didn't want Carla to raise Sophie. She wanted you to. She saw something in you that made her trust you with her only child. You just need to give it some time Ali." Katie insists.

"How did you know I'm the one in the will to be named guardian for Sophie?" I took my hands away from my face.

"I figured if it was Carla, then you wouldn't be here right now. You'd be in Seattle still." Katie shrugged.

"You're not wrong. I'm just not good at this parenting thing." I sigh. "Farrah was always the maternal one."

"You've barely given it a chance. You have to at least try Allison, if not for Sophie then for Farrah." Levi asserts.

"Yeah. I kind of have to." I nod. "I owe it to my sister."

"Aunt Ali?" Sophie looms in the hallway.

"What's up?" I ask tilting my head up at her.

"I threw up all over my bed." She steps into the light and I see bits of her hair stuck in the vomit on her face.

"Super." I say sarcastically. Katie elbows me. "Go get in the shower, I'll get your bed cleaned up."

"And that's our cue to leave. Sorry Ali I don't do vomit." Katie stands and gestures to Levi to leave.

"I'll come by the restaurant Monday after I drop Sophie off at school...will you both be there?" I ask as I walk them over to the front door. Sophie had since disappeared to get in the shower.

"Yeah I'll be there working a shift." Katie nods.

"You've got this Allison, we all believe in you." Levi puts a hand on my shoulder before walking out to his truck with Katie in tow. I close the front door gently behind them before slumping over with my back against the door.