his little girl // jiley

Chapter XXI

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C H A P T E R
T W E N T Y O N E
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Riley's POV

I STARE AT James when he takes tells me he found the test in the bathroom. Shit, I thought I hid that pretty well. Well, I guess not. I'll need to work on my skills for next time.

I mean, there will be no next time. Nope. No way...

"I... um," is all I can say. I'm overcome with a nervous feeling that invades my whole conscience. I can't think straight.

"Please, Riley, just tell me," James sighs. "You're pregnant."

I open my mouth to say something, but  close it again. I just nod feebly instead. "How long have you known?" James asks, his face hard as he stares at me.

"James—"

"How long have you known?" He demands. He seems mad, and I know that, when James is angry, he can be scary.

"A-a few weeks..."

He sighs, leaning back on the counter. "And you just thought you'd have it be a surprise, huh?"

"You did the same thing, just remember that."

"Okay. Fair enough," he says. "But that doesn't make it right."

I bite my lip and look at the ground.

"There's something else," James says. "Isn't there?"

"Yes, sort of," I say. He looks at me expectantly. "Twins."

He takes a deep, sharp breathe.

"Are you mad at me?" I ask him shyly. He just stares at me for a second, and I'm almost sure that means he's mad, and I lose my last shred of hope. But he just shakes his head.

"No." he says. "I just need time to adjust to it," he adds. He pushes past me and walks out. I sigh. He'll be back soon, I tell myself. He'll probably hide out at Eldon and Wests for a while, come home, apologise, kiss me, and boom. We're happy again.

Hazel walks into the kitchen after the door slams shut. "What was that?" She asks innocently.

"Um, it was nothing," I tell her. "Just a little fight."

"Where's daddy going?" She asks.

"I don't know," I admit, sighing. "Now, don't you have homework to do?"

She groans. "Yeah," she says.

"Come on," I laugh, walking into the living room with her.

She sits on the sofa and lifts her math book, scribing answers into it. "Daddy isn't very good at math," she says, grinning. "But I am. Maybe I get it from my mom."

"Maybe," I say.

"I don't know her at all, you know," she sighs. "Daddy refuses to talk about her."

"He has his reasons," I tell her. "Maybe when you're older."

She nods.

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About a solid five hours later, Hazel asks me again, as she's getting into bed, where James is. This time I really have no clue.

"Hell be back soon," I promise her. Lies, I think. He kind of just disappeared, not answering calls, neither Eldon and West haven't seen him. I'm worried sick, and it's all my fault.

She nods and closes her eyes. "I hope he comes back." She says tiredly. I bite my lip and then kiss her forehead before leaving her room to let her sleep.

I collapse on the sofa when I get into the living room. I try and tell myself he'll be back soon, it's not like he's going to never come back. Leave Hazel. Leave me. Leave his two unborn children. I mean, he isn't like that.

I turn on the TV to distract myself. For a while it helps, but my mind keeps wandering to James. Is he even okay? Is he safe? Where did he go?

Why did he go?

I get that the twins thing scared him. It scared me. But was running away really the only logical thing he could think of doing?

I try and stay awake, just in case he comes back late at night, but at about three o'clock I feel myself dozing off, and then I can't control myself, and I'm asleep.

When I wake up the next morning, Saturday, he's my first thought. I check the front door first. It's still locked. I sigh a little. He isn't home.

Hazel comes downstairs a while later, carrying her teddy bear. "Morning, Riley," she says, happily. I envy her, because even in bad times, she's too young to understand. She doesn't have to be effected. She doesn't need to be.

"Morning," I reply.

"Can Daddy make pancakes this morning?" She asks. "Where is he?"

I hesitate. "He's... at Eldon and Wests. Eldon dropped his PlayStation again."

She shakes his head. "I still don't see how that's possible," she says. "Where was he carrying it to? I mean..."

I laugh and she bites into her toast. "Last time I was over there West was being a raccoon again."

"Again? Really?"

"Yep. Then he wandered off and me and Eldon couldn't find him."

"Where was he?"

"Beside the bins."

I pour myself a cup of coffee. Hazel goes on in her usual 6-year-old babble, and I sip on my strongly made coffee as I try to stay awake.

"In my foster home there was a girl who drank coffee all the time," she randomly remembers. "Hayley, I think her name was. She was mean."

She never really talks about her foster home. I know pretty much nothing about it — but then again, hearing her talk about it hurts.

"That's nice, sweetheart," is all I say. "Eat up and we'll go to the studio."

Later on when I'm watching Hazels solo, I glance at the clock and see it's 4 o'clock. It's been a whole 24 hours since James left.

And he still isn't back...

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Sorry for updating so much lol... I got a new phone and I wanted to write on it haha
Hope you enjoyed this! Please vote and comment!!
- Emma xx