baby bieber - j.b. [discontinued for time being]

sixteen

justin

after we got out of the pool, all that ran through my mind was hazel's question. it was all innocent but very awkward. "are you my new daddy?"

i guess when edith was holding onto me in the pool earlier, hazel just thought me and edith were together and just thought i was her 'new' daddy. children should stay in a child's place but she's only four and she has no father figure so i couldn't blame her for asking that question. "you look freaked out." edith poked my side, wrapping a towel around her body.

"hazel asked me something and it's just really awkward." i shrug. "i'll tell you later."

edith just nodded, and hazel was just standing in the elevator innocently. i don't know why the question she asked has me like this, it was just unexpected and made me question why edith adopted hazel on her own. as soon as we got to our floor, hazel ran off. "my legs hurt from swimming." edith pretended to have trouble walking.

i couldn't help but laugh at her lie then ran off behind hazel. i scooped her up in arms, and she started giggling. "stop running away."

she shakes her head. when we get into the room, i drop hazel on the bed causing her to bounce on it. she starts laughing and asks me to do it again. when i did it again, edith hit my arm. "stop! i did that when i was a kid and bounced back up and flew to the ground. i had a knot on my forehead the size of a golf ball."

i felt bad for laughing but i couldn't help but imagine her as a kid doing that. "stop laughing!" she pushed my arm which caused me to laugh even harder.

"you're a a di- meanie."

"nice save." i lick my lips, smirking at her. at least she doesn't curse around hazel. hazel was quickly distracted by the cartoons on the tv, as we walked onto the balcony go talk.

"what did you have to tell me?" she looks over at me, pulling her sunglasses over her eyes.

"i think hazel has seen couples hugging and just assumed we were a couple or something because she asked was i her new daddy..." i trailed on, pushing my wet hair out of my face.

edith starts giggling. "what are you laughing for?"

"my mind went somewhere else with that, im sorry." her face went serious afterwards. "she wants a father figure in her life and you're the first male to actually be around is except for jason."

"were you with jason when you adopted her?"

she nods. "he was there for three months. then he said he couldn't take having a child. he didn't want anyone else's child, or a child of his own for that matter. he told me he was happy that i-"

she stopped talking. whatever she was about to say she didn't want to or she didn't mean to start saying it. i reach and grab her hand, "you can tell me. i won't tell anyone."

"it's not about you telling anyone, it's just that..." she lets out a heavy breath. "i have infertility. i'm unable to have a child of my own. that's why i adopted hazel because she was the youngest, and when jason broke up with me he told me he was happy i have infertility, practically saying if we had sex he didn't have to wear a condom and he wouldn't have to worry about having kids."

that was a lot to take in. i moved over to sit by her, and pulled her into a hug. she hugged tightly, me hearing her shaky breathing. "even if you don't want me to, i'm saying something to jason."

"justin-"

"i don't care." i stop her. "you're a strong person, going through all of that alone. taking care of hazel on your own."

"thank you." she mumbles. "if it wasn't for my grandpa handing down his house and his money to me, i honestly don't know what i would've done."

furrowing my eyebrows, i turn to her. "isn't there a treatment for infertility?"

she nods. "i don't want to go through that alone. i don't want to waste our money on it, i have to pay for hazel to go to school next year."

"i'll pay for it." i blurt. "i'll stay with you for it."

"justin, that's nice but i can't ask you to do that."

"you're not asking, i'm willing." i turn to her. "you want kids, don't you?"

"i have one." she pouts.

"i mean like your own offspring." i try not to offend her in any type of way. she nods. "you don't have to do it, it's just a thought."

"i probably won't even be able to find the right man for me. no one wants kids and the fact i already have one just makes every man run away." she says lowly, looking down her feet. that made me sad because it was the truth.

"you can always get the treatment and just wait for the right time to have another child." i suggest. "you already have hazel."

she nods, then hugs me again. "i'll call my doctor tomorrow. but i'm not letting you pay full price."

"yes you are. you save your money for hazel." i cup her cheeks, making her look at me so she knew how am serious i am. "now let's go eat, i'm starving."

she giggles, "okay."

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okay...