Baby Steps

38.

B A B Y   S T E P S

[CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN]

♡

"Home, sweet home!" Noah cheered as the car drove across the gravel leading to the front door.

"I thought you preferred uni?" My mum laughed slightly as she turned off the car engine.

"I do!" He shrugged, jumping out of the car. "But the food is better here-"

"Charming!" She whistled before looking over her shoulder to me. "Happy to be home?"

"Yeah." I shrugged.

"I can tell." She commented sarcastically as I let out a large sigh. "Why don't you head over to Brad's whilst I go and get dinner ready?"

"I can help with dinner!" I insisted. "I can go over and see Brad another time-"

"Sienna, you have never helped with dinner in our life!" She announced, shaking her head. "You can't keep avoiding Brad forever-"

"I'm not!"

"He's probably missed you."

"Probably not!" I altered her words.

"You need to sort everything out between you or things will just get worse!" Her voice echoed strongly in the small space. I knew she was right.

"I'll be half an hour." I promised.

"Good girl-"

Forcing a smile, I opened the car door and made my way over to Brad's with my feet dragging across the floor. Feeling of a heavy weight on my shoulders as my finger pressed the bell. Please, don't answer. Please, don't answer.

"Sienna!" A voice gasped, my eyes traveled from the floor to the person stood in front of me. He wore a bright smile, his curls covered in white powder, wearing no t-shirt and his daughter clung to his hip.

"You're busy, I'll come back later." I muttered, watching his face drop as I spoke the sentence.

"I'm not." He insisted strongly, grasping hold my wrist with his spare hand. "I'm never too busy for you, just changing Arabella-"

"Can I come in?" I asked politely, he nodded in response and stepped backwards allowing space for me to enter. "Thanks-"

"Arabella missed you."

"I missed her too." I admitted truthfully as he handed me the child. Her eyes glared up at me as a smile drew on her face. "I never want to leave you again." I whispered to her.

"I missed you too." Brad spoke quietly as he stepped closer towards me. "I'm sorry, can we just forget about it all?"

"Forget that you're given up your child?" I spat out in shock. "I can't let you do that-"

"It's for the best!" He announced, stressfully running his hand through his curls.

"The best for Arabella or Mils?"

"Both, Arabella and I." He answered. "She deserves a family, not just a father. Mils is in a stable relationship, Arabella will have a mother and she'll have a man that she'll soon call father-"

"What about me?" I questioned suddenly. "Us?"

"I can't put you under that pressure, you're only just a kid yourself."

"I'm eighteen Brad!" I raised my voice slightly. "I know how to change a nappy and feed her-"

"I won't let you through away your life to look after someone else's child-"

"But I wouldn't be, it will be for you." I whispered weakly.

"And I need to think about the band." He then added. "I can't go on tour with Arabella, but I can't leave her and come back. She's need routine and a steady life."

"We can work around it."

"I've made up my mind, Sienna." He whispered before rubbing his thumb on my cheek.  "I think I know that what's right for my daughter, doesn't she deserve the best?"

"She does." I agreed. "But I believe the best is with you-"

"My family have invited Mils round tomorrow, so she can bound with Arabella." He explained with a sad smile.

"It's happening so fast."

"She isn't taking her for another two weeks because we still need to sort out arrangements where I can see Arabella. I don't want to miss out on her growing up." He said with a shaky voice as he took hold of his child. "Will you be there for me tomorrow?"

"In always here for you-"

"No, physically be here." He shook his head. "Right by my side."

"Are you sure that will go down with Mils?"

"It shouldn't bother her, she's moved on and so have I."

"Yes then." An awkward silence arrived in the room as Brad and I stood staring at each other. Nobody knowing what to say."I have to go back now." I faked a smile. "I promised mum I wouldn't be long-"

"Oh." Brad shrugged, sounding disappointed.

"I'll see you tomorrow though." I gulped as he opened up his arms, welcoming a hug.

"Yeah." He whispered into my ear, before placing his hands either side of my shoulders. "I love you, you do know that?"