The Hard Knock Life

Part 26

I was rudely awoken the next morning by a phone call. My clock read 3:10 am. Who on earth could be calling me so early in the morning? I hoped it was Graeme. It probably wasn't. I picked up my phone and saw that it was an unknown number. See, I would have ignored it and went back to sleep but I just felt like this wasn't a coincidence.

"Hello?" I said, quietly, voice raspy.

"Abby, I need your help!"

"Asia?!" I sat up in my bed instantly at the sound of her voice. "Why is your number blocked? Where are you?"

"I'm on Jeopardy st. and Belmont."

That was like, on the other side of the city.
"What are you doing there?"

"Can you come get me? Please?"

After just walking out the way you did? Hell no, I thought. You can sit in your misery and learn a lesson, spoiled brat.

I sighed. "I'm on my way."

"Hurry, please."

I hung up and dialled Jessica. I wouldn't blame her for ignoring my call. Surprisingly, she picked up, "hello?" She said, oddly sounding wide awake.

"Um hey, what are you doing right now?" I asked.

"Binge watching movies, why, what are you doing up?"

"Asia called, I'm gonna go pick her up. Can you watch Aaliyah for me?"

"You want me to sneak out of my house at three in the morning to babysit?"

"Yea.." I was preparing myself for a no because it seemed way out of anyone's way.

"Ok."

"You'll do it?"

"Yea, give me twenty minutes and I'll be right over," she said.

"Thank you," I said, pulling the covers off of me.

"Don't mention it." She hung up.

Wow, that's ride or die right there, I thought.
I truly didn't know what I would do without her. She arrived half an hour later.

"Hey," she said stepping into the house.

"Thanks so much for doing this," I said. I had my keys ready in my hand, my phone and my bag and was all set to head out.

"Girl, this is the most fun I've had in years, this is really not a problem. So she's in her room?"

"Yea she's sleeping. If she wakes up, you know where the diapers and stuff are-"

"Yea, yea, yea. Be safe okay?"

"I will thank you. Thank you again," I gave her a hug which felt both weird but right at the same time.

"No problem hun. Love you!"

"Love you." It felt awkward saying that too, but it made me feel good hearing it being said to me.
I shut the door behind myself and started towards the car. Just as I was about to open my door, Jessica opened the front door and called out to me, "hey, isn't Aaliyah breastfed? What if she's hungry? How long will you be gone?" As she spoke, I observed as a car pulled up in front of my lawn.

"The hell is that?" I heard Jessica say from behind me.

Out stepped Asia in the same clothes I remember her wearing before she left. They were cut up and nasty looking as if she had been in the sewer for years and her hair was just a mess.

"Asia?!" I exclaimed, "how did you get here? Who brought you?"

She looked at me as if she was the smartest person on earth to make it here before I could pick her up myself.
"Some guy found me and offered a ride," she said.