The Second Chance {Tyler Carter}

Through A Child's Eyes

*Jenna's POV*

I heard Tyler and Kayla talking through the thin wall between our rooms and listened. I did that a lot. I don't know why. It was just something to do.

"I can't be his fucking coworker," I heard Uncle Tyler complain. He said a dirty word. That's not a good word. I should tell him. He should know. Dirty words are bad.

"Tyler, relax. It's not like you have to see him every day."

I wondered who the 'he' they were talking about was, but I knew they wouldn't ever tell me. They never, ever did. I wondered why, but I knew it wouldn't change anything.

It was like that first time Uncle Tyler had a black eye, and his face was all messed up. They said he did it. They just didn't say who he was. Was I not old enough to know?

The same thing happened the other times he got beat up. I couldn't understand why anyone would want to hit him. He was so nice to everybody. He had a pretty voice. I liked hearing him sing a lot. Why would anyone want to hurt that?

"Kayla, I can't relax. We're gonna cross paths eventually, and it won't be pretty."

"Then just avoid him. I'm sick of basing our entire life around this one prick."

What's a prick? If 'he' is one, then it must be a mean word. Is it a swear word, too? Why are there so many bad words? Why do people like them so much? What if I said one?

"You and I both know avoiding him doesn't work."

"What else is there to do?"

"Restraining order? Talking to Rise? Getting my band to help me jump him?"

"Tyler, we aren't jumping him."

I heard them laugh a little.

What did they mean by 'jump him'? Is that a funny phrase? Should I use that?

"You know it'd be a hell of a lot of fun for me, and I'm sure the boys would love it."

"You're so bad," I heard Kayla laughing.

"You love it."

"I do."

"Let's just forget it for now, and see if Jenna is up yet so we can tell her the news."

"Good idea."

I quickly jumped back into bed, and I buried myself in the covers. I smiled as I saw the door creak open.

"Jen?" she asked softly.

"I'm awake!"

"Good. We need to talk to you."

"Okay!"

They smiled and shut the door behind them. I sat on the edge of my bed and left feet dangle. Kayla sat on one side of me while Tyler sat down on the other. I giggled because the bed shook, and that was funny to me.

"You're already smiling? We haven't even given you the news yet," Tyler laughed before pulling me on to his lap the way he always did. I giggled and nodded. Aunt Kayla was smiling a lot, too. She always smiled like that with us. She always gave Uncle Tyler this one look, I just didn't know why or what it meant. She'd smile really wide, and she'd just look at him without saying anything. It was like they had their own language sometimes.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Well, your aunt and I just got back from the doctor," Tyler began.

"And we found out that your little cousin is going to be a healthy, little girl," Kayla finished,"And I know you're technically cousins, but it's up to you be kind of like a big sister, got it?"