Dead Baby Kickball

Chapter Six

 I have no idea how long it was after that, but Blake had started drinking again shortly, almost immediately, after he made the promise. I'd moved in with him and Kyle, and I'd been dubbed "Blake's Girlfriend" by the insolent idiots he called his buddies. The past 

 "Why do you stay with him, Em?" Cal asked me as we walked down the pink and blue clad rack of clothing. Baby shopping. I sighed softly as I grabbed a yellow jumpsuit, avoiding his eyes, and question. "You make it sound like he's an abusive asshole, cal. He isn't."

"Wait, has he hit you, Em?"

"What? No. I'd knock his ass out if he tried." This, of course, was 100% true. I'd seen my father beat my mother many of times before his untimely death. And I was never going to ruin mine or my kid's life like that. I sighed and put the yellow clothing down, not trying to let Cal's lack of words get to me. Finally, he spoke. "Em, I just worry. You let him walk all over you, you know? He drinks all the fucking time, has groupies coming in and out of his dressing rooms. Blaine went to interview him the other night and-"

"Cal, Enough." I growled, cutting him off. He looked at me with an unreadable expression somewhere between surprise, worry, and guilt.

   My face softened. "Cal. I'm sorry. I know you're only looking out for me, but you shouldn't worry... I'm fine." I smiled apologetically and he just nodded.  "Yeah... Look, Em... I'm not stupid. You aren't happy with him. You might think you are, but you should get out of the relationship before it's entirely too late, you know?" I bit at my lip softly, trying to think of a way to draw attention off of myself. "So... Uh... How did the article on my dad turn out?" I asked, turning away from Cal and grabbing the nearest thing to my right hand, which was a blue three piece outfit, displaying the child's love for "Daddy". Cal sighed softly and shook his head. 

  "It was great... Em?"

"Hmm?" I replied, still pretending to inspect the dreadfully simple outfit. Cal knew better and took it from my hands, placing it on the shelf I'd taken it from. "Who are you going home to after this?"

"Well... Kyle. I mean, if Blake isn't there, that is." But Cal and I both knew that Blake was almost never there when I got home. And if he was, he usually left before I could say anything to him.  Kyle usually stayed home and had a drink or two, but stayed sober enough to keep me company. 

Cal nodded a bit and picked up a small book, then grinned. "You need this, Em." He said, handing me the small hardcover covered in blue, amongst other colors. I raised an eyebrow and looked at the cover. "Go the Fuck to Sleep? Really, Cal?" I smirked and handed it back to my friend who was now laughing like an idiot. He grinned and kept hold to it through out our shopping trip. 

  As we checked everything out, he managed to slip the book in with the crib, clothes, and other various items for an infant. I cocked an eyebrow at him as he handed the cashier his dark blue credit card. "Cal?"

"Yes, babydoll?"

"Water you doing?" I asked, crossing my arms. "Paying."

"It's my baby."

"And it's my gift to your baby." He said, grabbing the crib and slinging it over his shoulder, using his free hand to grab a few bags. I grabbed the rest and trudged out to his car. "You didn't have to do that." I said curtly as a strong gust of wind blew over us on the particularly dismal and grey afternoon. I looked over at him and he smiled. "Em, you've made me so much money just by being the greatest journalist I've ever known, I should start giving back." We had reached his car and had the trunk propped open by now. Arranging everything strategically, then shutting the trunk, I turned and grinned at him, suddenly feeling the need to adopt a British accent similar to my father's. "Oh, dahling, I'm sure you say that to all the girls you Hire." I chirped before laughing lightly and climbing into the passenger seat.  

  He chuckled softly and got into the car, starting it almost immediately. "Oh, how did you know?" he asked, smirking softly at me. "I had a hunch." I replied softly, my own Los Angeles born accent returning. 

--

  "And just like that?!" I yelped, using my now growing stomach to fold the white onesie and place it on the table beside me. Kyle nodded, laughing a little bit. "Yep! Just like that, Blake fell from the back of the truck. He swears that it didn't hurt, but I think anyone else who needed twelve stitches and two weeks in the Hospital would gladly disagree." He said, taking a sip of the beer he'd opened. "We laugh about it now, but we were all really freaked out." he finished.

  I nodded, trying to imagine what it would have been like to make all these memories with my favorite band. Kyle smiled at me as he sat down on the black couch beside me. "So what did you do today?" he asked. I shrugged and told him about Cal and I's baby shopping spree and about how he took me to lunch afterwards. He nodded a bit and crossed his legs Indian style. "Oh, that's cool. Sounds kinda like Cal has a crush on you, though." He said, raising an eyebrow at me. I rolled my eyes and set another folded article of unisex clothing on the table in front of me. "Everyone seems to think that. It isn't like that, really, we've just been friends for years."

  Kyle nodded and finished off his beer, starting in on another conversation as the phone rang. He picked up and his face went from a smile to a scowl. "Yeah," he said with a sigh, "I'll be there in twenty minutes." As he hung up I looked at him with a cocked eyebrow and cheeky grin. "Got a job working the corners there, Kyle?"

"Nope. Actually, Blake's been arrested."