Corbin
I sat at home, my daughter in my arms. My mother had gone to the hospital to see Niamh and Addaline had gone with her. Madeline cooed and batted her hands at me, her tiny arms moving as fast as they could. Smiling down at her, I kissed her fingertips. Her and her sister were four months now, and Addaline was insane when it came to them talking.
Every time they made a noise she'd step into the room and peer at them as if they were animals on display and she was waiting for them to perform a trick. Then, if they weren't saying anything, she'd turn around and go about her business. Addaline really didn't have much of a mothering instinct, and the only attention the girls got, the good kind anyway, came from my mother and I.
Rowen lay in her crib, reaching for her toes and talking quietly to herself. Addaline has been pressuring me into moving my mother out or for us to move out. She says she doesn't want the girls around an alcoholic. I can't really blame her, if I'm honest, but at the same time, she's not that much better for the girls than my mother is. At least my mother talks to the girls and plays with them. Addaline feeds them and deals with their base needs if no one's home.
The other day, I came home from work a little early, one of the stoves in the kitchen had exploded and caught the building on fire. Thankfully it wasn't a big fire; we were able to put it out, but my boss still gave us the day off. When I walked into the house it was unusually quiet. Usually when I came home, I'd arrive to my mother and Addaline fighting or my mother and Addaline's mother or Addaline yelling at the girls because one of them threw up on her, but not this time.
I came home and it was silent. I stepped into the house, and my mind raced in fear. I could hear the girls talking to themselves, and my first thought was, She's left me. She's taken her things, and left me and the girls. Now, I know Addaline seems like a bad mom, but she's really not. She's just young, and not used to the idea of having a baby, let alone two babies. She's just as afraid as I am, and it would kill her to leave her girls, but I also wasn't stupid. Addaline was terrible at commitments; if this "stay-at-home-mom-thing" got to be too much for her, she'd run an never look back.
Taking deep breathes, I made my way down the hall, heart in my throat. I was terrified. I couldn't be left alone with two babies. I wasn't ready. I couldn't be a single father. I didn't want to be a single father. My mind raced with all the possible outcomes that could be awaiting me. The one I walked in on was not what I was expecting.
I peaked around the corner of the girls' bedroom to find them laying on their backs on the floor. Addaline sat in front of them, her back to me. She was shaking a rattle above them, speaking to them in a voice too low for me to hear. The girls were smiling, and every time their smile dropped, Addaline shook the rattle harder so they'd smile again.
It was weird, to say the least, but I couldn't help but smile. It was different, seeing her spending time with the girls in a way that was motherly and made it seem like she liked them. I hadn't told Addaline I saw her with the girls. I was afraid it'd scare her and keep her from doing it again.
With a sigh, I set Madeline on a blanket on the floor and took out Rowen. Setting her beside her sister, I made my way into the kitchen.
My heart hurt in my chest, and I was fighting back tears as I fell into one of the chairs at the island. I rested my elbows on the counter and my head in my hands. I was shaking, but it wasn't from being cold. I wanted to go see Niamh, but her mother wouldn't let me. She wouldn't let me see her while she was sleeping, so I knew she wouldn't let me see her now.
It was my fault she was in a coma and hurt so bad in the first place. I had hit her with my car, like an idiot. I'm such a prick. I mean, seriously, who does that? I sleep with her and then ditch her. I flaunt my girlfriend and how involved with the pregnancy I am in Niamh's face. I try to steal her son from her, even though, if I was honest, I really didn't want a third child living with me; I'd be happy with visitation rights. Not to mention, I marry Addaline when I know she's not the girl I'm meant to be with. Then, to put the icing on the "I'm-A-Huge-Asshole" cake, I hit her with my fucking car.
I can completely understand why her mother doesn't want me anywhere near her daughter or grandsons.
Biting my lip, I pick up the cameras sitting on the counter. They're small cameras, the kind that you won't know they're there unless you put them there. My plan was to put them up in the nursery, but once I bought one, I bought one for every room, minus my mother's.
It wasn't because I wanted to spy on anyone; well, the ones not in the nursery weren't to spy on anyone. They were for safety.
The cameras that were going into the nursery were to protect the girls and to spy on what happens in the room.
When I had picked Rowen up a few days ago, I had noticed a huge bruise on the back of her leg. Now, she's been moving around a lot, but it's not the first bruise I've found.
So, as I waited for my mother to call and update me on Niamh, I began putting cameras in the house.
~~~~~
Hello Readers,
Here's another chapter. I know it's not Sunday, but I wanted to make it up to you guys and give you an extra chapter to make up for not updating on time.
I'm sorry I was late in updating, and I hope you enjoy this "filler-type" chapter. :)
So, I'm thinking of having a little cover contest; interested? All you have to do is make a new cover for Terrible Things. It would be helpful if you shared my story or the contest with others you know of, but of course you don't have to do that to participate.
Everyone who participates will get a chapter dedicated to them.
First Place Winners:
-Your cover will be the cover of Terrible Things for at least a month; You will get credit for the cover, if you're worried about that, because I will write your copyright for the cover in the book description; Your cover will be featured in one of the chapters; I will read at least two of your stories (voting and commenting of course); You will get a chapter dedicated to you, and I will give your favorite story you've written/are working on a shout-out.
Second Place Winners:
-Your cover will be featured in one of the chapters; I will read two of your books (voting and commenting); I will give your favorite story you've written/are working on a shout-out, and I will dedicate a chapter to you.
Third Place Winners:
-Your cover will be featured in one of the chapters; I will read one of your books, and I will dedicate a chapter to you.
Anyone Else Who Participates:
-I will feature up to four of my other favorites in separate chapters.
-The rest will get a chapter dedicated to them.
If you're interested in participating, just send me a private message of your cover or send it to authorjaxnicoles@gmail.com.
Thank you for voting and commenting.
Sincerely,
Jax Nicoles
YOU ARE READING
Learning to Live, Again
Fiksi Remaja-Book Two of the Angel Academy Duology- -Formerly named "Terrible Things"- Original Blurb: After Niamh's disappearance, Caleb does all he can to find her. Accusations fly, and tensions rise as days pass without a sign from Niamh. When she is finally...