Baby On Board ✓

Chapter 12: Payments

Movement snapped Autumn awake just in time to hear what she assumed was the bathroom, close. With a sigh, she glanced at her phone to see that a little less than an hour had passed. Despite her best efforts of keeping Gian hydrated and feeding on bland foods, the sickness was determined to stay.

Bzzt! Bzzt! His phone rocketed on the table. Bzzt. She glanced back to where Gian had disappeared to. Bzzt. Bzzt. Bzzt. She grabbed it. "Maybe I can just..."

A beep made her grimace. Dang it, I didn't mean to answer it. She looked at the caller ID. Gabriella?

"Hello?"

"Autumn?" Autumn could practically imagine her frown. "What are you doing with Gian's phone?"

"He's um....preoccupied at the moment." She hesitated. "Maybe I can leave a message?"

"Oh, um, it's kind of personal. Are you sure he can't come to the phone right now? Where is he?"

"Well, he's kind of puking his guts out at the moment."

"Wait, what? Is he alright?"

"Yeah, he just has some bad turkey."

Footsteps made her glance up toward Gian. Running a hand down his face, his eyebrows rose at the sight of her on his phone. "What are you doing?"

"Hold on, he's here now." She covered the speaker. "Your phone was ringing and I was trying to get it to stop but accidentally answered it. It's your sister."

Gain's eyes widened before he released a small sigh. He held out his hand. "Let me see it." She handed the phone over to him.

Plopping down on the couch, he covered his arm with his eyes. "Hello?" He shifted. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. No, I told you I'm fine." He glanced at Autumn. "Yeah, I'm home."

Suddenly, his eyes widened. "You need how much?" Gian pressed a finger to his nose. "What happened to the money Paul was sending?"

Paul? He must be Meadow's father. She glanced toward the door. Maybe I should go. Sounds like things are getting quite personal.

Another sigh snapped her gaze back to Gian. "Yeah, I have it. You don't have to pay me back. No, I won't accept it anyways." Gian's gaze met hers. "Sure, I'll send it to you as soon as I can."

Closing his eyes, he swallowed. "Yeah, yeah, hey Genny, I'll call you back in a few ok? No, no I swear I'm fine. Just give me a minute..."

Dropping the phone, he rushed back to the restroom and returned a few minutes later. "Hey, Genny? Genny?" He sighed and tossed his phone. "Great, she hung up."

"Is that bad?"

"Yes, because..."Gian trailed off. "It doesn't matter." He ran a hand down his face before he looked up at her. "Thanks for dropping me off, but you can leave now." He gestured to the door. "You don't have to stay."

"Yeah but..." Autumn pressed her lips together. She shifted. "I wanted to make sure you are at least alright, especially after all the help you gave me."

"But I don't want to make you sick."

"It's food poisoning." She nodded. "I had the sweet and sour chicken, remember? Besides, I'll be fine if I wash my hands and don't eat after you."

Gian grimaced. "Please don't talk about food around me right now."

Autumn's cheeks burned. "Yeah, sorry, that wasn't smart."

Gian leaned back before he grabbed his phone. Releasing a sigh, he rubbed his eyes. "Now to just send in six hundred dollars."

His voice was soft, almost as if he didn't want Autumn to hear it.

However, she did. "How much?" She blurted out. "Was that what Gabriella needed? Money?"

Gian's grip tightened. "Next time my phone rings just let it ring, ok?" There was a slight bite to his words.

Autumn grimaced. "I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to answer it. My finger must have pressed the button."

Gian sighed. "Yeah, it's alright. Just please don't do that again."

As the silence fell between them again, Autumn hesitated. "I know it's not my place Gian, but don't you think six hundred is a lot of money?"

His grip tightened again. "It's for Meadow's private school. My sister missed the payment last time, and if she misses it again, they'll drop Meadow."

Oh. Autumn licked her lips.

Growing up with her mother and sisters, she knew about money trouble. There had been many things she wanted that she couldn't get and even more hand me downs. It was why she told herself that she would get a good job and never let her own children go hungry. At the thought, her hand cupped her stomach.

"And I'm assuming Paul is Meadow's father?"

Another nod. Autumn bit her lip. She was treading on thin ground from the way his grip threatened to crush the phone. "And he's the dead beat right?"

"Yeah." Gian sighed. "He is." Dropping his arm over his eyes, he shook his head. "Idiot always has some excuse for not paying and then he dumps it all on my sister."

"And then she dumps it on you." As soon as she said the words, she regretted it.

Gian's eyebrow frowned with annoyance. "She's my sister, Autumn." He sat up and dropped the phone onto the table. "She's not just dumping it on me."

"But six hundred is a lot of money, and you said she missed the first payment. So clearly it must have been more than six hundred if that's the second payment she missed. Does that mean she has both of them now or-"

She's just going to ask for another six hundred later?

Her question hung in the air, unanswered. As she waited, Gian pressed a hand to his forehead. "Ugh, my head is throbbing."

Frowning, she pushed the glass of apple juice toward him. "You should finish this."

Glancing at the juice, Gian shook his head. "I don't want to."

"You need to keep your strength up. Remember what you said to me?" She wiggled her eyebrows. "Something you just need to ask for help once in and while?"

Gian chuckled. "Are you trying to use my words against me?"

"Is it working?"

"Maybe a little." Her smile grew when he grabbed the apple juice.