We found you •Chaelisa

Chapter 5

Pov Lalisa Manoban

2 weeks later....

I hurried home, it was raining very heavily that afternoon. It was very difficult to drive home because of the traffic, which made me very tired.

I left my wet clothes in the laundry room and went upstairs to the bathroom, the hot water fell on my body and it didn't take long for me to relax in it.

I put my head under it, closed my eyes and thought about the decisions I hadn't yet had the courage to make, nor did I know how. After a long few minutes, I got out and dried my body and my hair. I put on a black hobby and tied it tightly around my body. I went down to the living room, sat on the sofa and took my cell phone in my hands, looking at the sad screen once again, no sign of Rose.

After the conversation we had with Jisoo and Jennie, we didn't go back to the shelter, we just decided to take some time to think about all the possibilities, one of them would be for me to help Anthony anonymously as Jisoo had said, the other would be for me to apply for adoption, this option made me extremely insecure and afraid because the responsibility of having a child and raising it was too great and doing it alone would be a challenge.

I had already accepted the fact that Rose didn't want to continue in the middle of all this, no matter how much I saw her affection for him, or that she was just more sensible than me, thinking as rationally as ever.

I knew that applying for adoption alone would be a challenge, I really didn't want to be alone in all those possibilities but I didn't have anyone at the moment, maybe I would in the future but here now if I decided I would be alone.

I thought about what Jennie had told me, that if we chose not to adopt, the best thing to do would be to stay away from Anthony. That idea made my chest tighten, I felt an enormous desire to see him grow up, to see him start talking like all children.

The doorbell rang and I stared at the door, putting my cell phone aside; I wasn't expecting anyone.

I opened the door to find Rose soaking wet.

- My God, come in. - I said, ushering her in and closing the door.

- I'm sorry to barge in on you. - She said, standing in the doorway.

- No problem, I'll get you a towel, okay? - She nodded, which reminded me of Anthony, and I smiled involuntarily.

I went downstairs quickly with the towel and a black adidas sweatshirt, Rose took it in her hands, opened it and held it up in the air.

- Is it okay if I wear it? - she asked worriedly.

- Yes, don't worry, it's new, I've never worn it.

- Is there a bathroom around here?

- Oh, of course. - She followed me down the corridor.

- I'm sorry I'm wetting your whole floor. - Rose said awkwardly, stopping in front of the bathroom door.

- Don't worry about it, I'll be waiting for you in the hall.

I went back to the sofa feeling completely nervous, why had she come to me, had she finally decided what to do, she would surely tell me that this was all too crazy, that we should just forget everything that had happened and get on with our lives, maybe I needed someone to tell me all that.

Involuntarily, I began to think that if Rose didn't have a girlfriend, maybe we could try something, I pushed those thoughts away when I saw her approaching, the sweatshirt was perfect on her body, contrasting with her red hair, which was wet and had slight waves, I couldn't deny how beautiful she was.

Rose sat down next to me on the sofa in silence, I gave her the time she needed to speak, the redhead rested her arms on her leg, interlacing her fingers with each other, staring into the void at the same time as me.

- Lisa. - She called my name, making me face her. She sat down on the sofa, facing me with her legs crossed. - I don't want to get away from Anthony. - Her voice changed as she spoke that sentence, as if it was painful to say it. - I haven't stopped thinking about him for a minute.

- Wow, it's really good to hear that, because I didn't either, I went through a lot of things in my head and I tried to find a way to stay in his life.

- I've done a lot of research into adoption around here, I don't think it will be difficult for you to get it, your conditions are better than mine.

- I thought about it Rose, but I'm too scared to take that step alone.

- I won't leave you alone. - Those words took a weight off my shoulders that I hadn't even imagined I had.

- How does joint adoption work? - I asked curiously, and Rose took her time answering, staring at her own fingers.

- It's only possible with a stable union. - I leaned back on the sofa, letting my shoulders slump. - But if that's the last case.

- What do you mean? - I stared at her in confusion.

- Do you think we can live in harmony sharing our love with him?

- I do, if we have a good relationship with each other it wouldn't be a problem, but you have a girlfriend and I don't think it would be easy for her.

- I'd have to talk to her about it, but if she won't accept it. - Rose paused as if it was difficult to say those words. - I'm going to do everything I can to see Anthony well, and I mean really well.

- I'm really relieved. - I smiled, letting all the air out of my lungs. - Don't worry about money or anything, I'll take that part.

- Now we have to see what exactly we're going to do.

- If you promise not to abandon me in the process, I'll file for adoption, in which case I'll have to do it alone.

- I promise Lisa, no matter what happens I won't abandon you. - I felt the truth in Rose's words and eyes.

- Thank you, you've really taken a load off my back, we're not going to abandon our little one in that shelter, he deserves all the love we can give him.

- Yes, you're right, can we go and talk to Sarah tomorrow? I also wanted to meet Jisoo and Jennie again to ask some questions.

- I feel that the two of them will be a good support for us in this process, especially as Lilly is so attached to Anthony.

- I feel very light with them around, I'm glad we're not alone in this.

I held Rose's hand over her leg and she didn't flinch, on the contrary, she held my fingers firmly and we smiled at each other, we had taken the first step, the right decision.