Peace

Chapter Two

"Hey Lucy, can you help me with this," Alex my thirteen-year-old brother said holding up his math homework. Alex has dark brown hair and blue eyes.

"No, he was helping me first," Madilynn cried. She has curly blonde hair and blue eyes she is eight years old.

"Hey, no fighting please," a worn-out Uncle Dennis said from the kitchen. He has light brown hair.

"Were back," Uncle Gage said kissing both Madilynn and Alex on the head. My older brother Westin and Cousin Layne followed behind him.

"How was school baby brother," Westin asked. Westin has bright red hair and blue eyes. He is also tall and skinny.

"Good," I replied.

"You can always quit and work at the restaurant with us," Wes said.

"He's not quitting," Uncle Gage said, "we'll just have to hire new staff."

"We got a little busy this evening," Layne clued me in.

"I can," I started but was cut off.

"No," both Wes and Uncle Gage said.

"Lucy help," Madilynn shouted. I got back to helping the kids with their homework. The others left the room.

There was a knock on the door. I heard a car door slam and tires squeal. But I still opened it to see two babies sitting in front of the door. One of them was in pink while the other was in blue. I reached down picking up what looked like an envelope that sat between them. One of them started crying so I immediately bent down to pick it up. It was in pink so I assumed she was a girl but who am I to judge we'll see in a few years.

"Hey Uncle Dennis help," I shouted.

"What's wrong," he asked rushing out of the kitchen.

"Someone just left their babies on our porch I don't want to leave him by himself," I said.

"Who would just leave their kids on our steps," Dennis asked rushing over to pick up the one in blue.

"I don't know I was trying to read the letter when she started to cry," I said.

"Let me see," Westin said holding his hands out for a child. I handed him the child opening the letter and I immediately saw Leland's name.

"Leland get down here," I shouted.

Leland,

I never wanted children in fact I hated them. I should have aborted them. I thought it would be different with my own children, but I was wrong. So very wrong, I hate them I can't do this anymore. Then the thought came to me. Why should I be the only one to suffer?

Well not anymore, I can't do it. So, they're your problem now. Do with them what you like. Put them up for adoption, throw them in a trash can I don't care. I just figured I'd give you a chance to care. They are yours in case you're worried. The girl's name is Lily and the boy's name is Luke. It felt fitting to stick with the L name's that you and your twin brother share.

I give up all rights to them, I want nothing to do with them or you.

Sincerely, Allison.

"What," Leland asked, "What's going on?" I handed him the letter watching his face as he read it. Watching as he fell to the floor tears falling from his eyes.

"I hadn't seen her in about a year," he said "I didn't know. I ruined my life, and I didn't even know. I can't be a father. I don't want to be a father. We can find someone to adopt them, can't we?"

"What are you talking about," Gage asked.

"He's their father," Westin said looking lovingly at the little girl in his hands.

"No, I can't be a dad I just got into my dream school," Leland said "in my dream program. This will ruin my life. I don't want to throw them away, but I don't want to throw my life away. We have to put them up for adoption."

"But they're so cute," Westin said, "Look at this cute little face." He was holding up the little girl showing her off.

"I can't be a dad Westin not now," he said crawling over to Westin grabbing his jeans crying into them.

"Well, what about their uncle," Westin said after a moment of consideration.

"What," Leland asked.

"What if I took them," Westin said.

We don't have a lot of cash but we had a large amount of land on the outside of town. It was like we had our own little community. There's a two bedroom that Dennis lived in for a long time. Two three-bedroom houses, one that was their family home, and the other Gage and my cousin's had lived in. Then a four-bedroom that our grandparents had built when we were younger, the attic was made into a bedroom, and so was the basement.

"You could take your grandparents house," Gage says.

"Leland If you think that you would be okay with it. I could raise them," Westin said "that way we can keep our small family together. All we have in the world is each other we can't stop now. So, what do you say Uncle Leland."

"Yes," he said.

***

I made my way over to the back table in the library. There were some rowdy kids hanging out at a table beside me. I pulled out some books to start my homework. Sadly, my Tuesday classes are shorter than the other's so I'm just hanging out.

"Is this spot taken," a deeper male voice said. I looked up to see a pretty attractive guy.

"No go ahead," I said.

"Hey," he said looking at me "Do you have a name," he waited a few seconds "or can I just call you mine." I couldn't believe it did this attractive man just say that to me. I stood up picking up my stuff walking over to him leaning down beside his ear.

"Someone's feeling brave today," I whispered to him "but that was so cheesy maybe you should try again." I walked away leaving him there. I actually needed to be in there but that was such a cool walk out. Oh no did I really walk out on a hot guy.

I hadn't seen the cute guy since he hit on me on Tuesday, then suddenly on Friday he appeared. As he walked by my table, he stopped for a minute touching the table making eye contact with me. Then he continued to walk towards the lunch line.

"Who was that," Sammy asked.

"I have no clue myself just some guy who used a pickup line on me on Tuesday," I said.

"You should get with that," Sammy said.

"I don't know," I said.

"Come on he was cute," Sammy said, "what did you think Oli."

"He was totally cute," Oli said.

"Hey cutie can I sit here," the guy from earlier said setting his plate down.

"Sure," I replied.

"Since you won't tell me your name my name is Aaron," he said.

"Lucian," I said.

"So do you want to go on a date with me this Saturday," he said.

"Say yes," Sam whispers in my ear.

"Yes," I say.

That was possibly the worst thing I let Sammy talk me into in my life. Even worse than the time he talked me into Sneaking out and stealing Uncle Gages wine. But I wouldn't know that for at least another six months.