Falling In Love: Of All The Dumb Luck (On Hold)

Chapter 22

Jared:

Kelsea left after she took the call from Paris. Nick texted me about ten minutes later, reminding me about the banquet tomorrow night and volunteering tomorrow morning.

I woke up at around 5:00 because Asher was crying, I was actually probably up earlier than that.

"Jared can you come here." My mom yelled up the stairs fifteen minutes later after I finished pouring myself a cup of coffee.

"Here." I said handing her the half empty cup.

"I have to get going. Holly said just to have you wake her up before you leave. What time should you be home."

"We are going to come back after volunteering this morning, then we are leaving here at like 6:00 tonight for the banquet. I'm not sure when we are coming back after that, but I'll text you."

"Okay, just make sure it's not to late because I don't want her home alone that long especially at night."

"Okay, but can I just say that I stayed home that late with her since I was like thirteen, so I don't see what the big deal is."

"Jared, because I said and that's final!" She snapped and I jumped a little. My mom rarely yelled at me and it was so out of character for her. "I'm sorry." She said as she walked out of the nursery and down the stairs.

Asher was wiggling in my arms, screaming. "Shhh! Come on Asher, it's okay." I was walking through the upstairs hallway rocking Asher, when I saw my phone light up on my dresser. When I picked it up the caller ID read, "Kelsea". I clicked the answer button and put the phone up to my ear.

Kelsea said something but I couldn't make out what. I spoke into the phone, "Kelsea I can't hear you! If you want to talk you're going to have to come over!" It came out really harsh and I instantly felt bad. Before I could say anything else, I heard the phone click. I knew she had hung up. Taking a deep breath I returned to trying to calm Asher down.

After another ten minutes of crying, I walked into Holly's room and opened the blinds. The sky was still as dark as it was when I went to bed last night, but it was worth a try. "Holly, come on. Get up... Come on. I need your help with Asher."

She rolled over on her bed to looked at her alarm clock. "Jared... Come on. You know I didn't get home till like midnight."

"And if I had ever pulled something like that I would have been laid into by mom and dad. Then grounded for the rest of the century. Good thing they were both still at work. Mom said I had to wake you up when I leave anyway." I interrupted.

"And your leaving at six o'clock, why?"

"I told Nick I'd go and volunteer with him and Kelsea for something at his work. I can't get ready with a crying baby. So you need to get up. There's coffee downstairs."

Holly climbed out of bed and took, a still squirming Asher out of my arms, when we heard the front door slam shut. I walked to the top of the stairs and saw a very upset Kelsea sitting on the couch. I looked to Holly, and she nodded her head, answering the unspoken question.

I tiptoed halfway down the stairs, very quietly, and stopped. I turned back around and ascended up the stairs. Holly had closed her door but I could still here Asher crying.

Once in my room, I closed the door behind me and wondered why I was so worried about talking to Kelsea. I had talked to Kelsea thousands of times before, and plenty of times after I've acted like I did to her. She was still the same old Kelsea... But we aren't the same old Jared and Kelsea.

Kicking myself for acting so selfish, I opened the door and went downstairs to talk to Kelsea

I stopped at the bottom of the stairs and just peaked into the living room. Kelsea sat on the couch, weeping. Her elbows were sitting on her knees, and her hands were covering her face.