Changing For You { Waterloo Road}

Four

Rachel couldn't believe what Bailee had said. She couldn't believe Bailee wanted to give her daughter up for adoption. "Bailee, you can't be serious."

"I am. That baby needs better than me."

Rachel sighed. She knew she wouldn't be able to convince her daughter otherwise.

***
Rachel had asked Lenni and Eddie to come up to visit Bailee. Deep down, she was hoping Lenni could convince Bailee to keep the baby.

Rachel smiled as they walked in. "Thank you for coming."

Lenni smiled. "Can I see Bailee?"

***
Lenni walked in. Bailee looked up at her. "Hey."

"Hey mummy. How are you?" Lenni asked.

Bailee began crying. Lenni ran over and held her close. "It's alright Lee. I'm here."

Lenni cuddled up with Bailee. Bailee cried into her and let her cry. "Shall we go and see her?"

"I can't."

***
Reluctantly, Bailee was taken to see her daughter. Lenni held her hand the whole time. "We're here to see baby Mason."

"This way."

Bailee was led over to her daughter. She saw the tiniest human being ever. The baby had Bailee's hair colour. Lenni smiled. "Lee, she's so cute."

"Y-Yeah."

The doctor came over. "Bailee, your baby is a little unwell right now. She's going to have such a fight on her hands until she gets bigger. She can't breathe on her own."

Bailee nodded. "Okay."

Lenni held Bailee's hand. She smiled at the baby. "She looks like you."

All Bailee could do was nod. Lenni sighed. "Who's her father?" She asked.

"Don't know," Bailee mumbled. She didn't want to tell anyone who the father was. They wouldn't believe her and neither would he.

Lenni smiled. "That's alright. She'll have you won't she?"

Bailee shook her head. "I'm giving her up for adoption as soon as she's better. She needs a better life than what I can give her. She needs someone better than me."

"That's not true Lee. She knows you're her mummy."

Bailee began crying. "I don't feel anything for her. She doesn't feel like my baby at all."

Lenni held her best friend as she cried. "What would you name her?" She asked.

Bailee shrugged. She didn't know what she would name her daughter. "Lenni, I'm giving her up. Her parents can name her."

***
Lenni took Bailee back to her room. She was crying. "Lenni, let me talk to her."

"Alright."

Lenni walked out and Rachel sighed. "Bailee, she's your little girl. She needs a mummy."

"She'll get one. When she's been adopted."

Rachel nodded. She looked at Bailee. "You give her up. What happens if she gets put into a care home? Or bullied all her life?"

"Stop it!" Bailee sobbed.

"She could grow up in care thinking no one wants her or loves her. She could grow up resenting you Bailee. Is that what you want?" Rachel said.

Bailee was in tears. "Please. Just stop it," she sobbed. She looked at Rachel. "How horrible can you get? You don't tell me that," she sobbed.

Rachel sat down. "I'm trying to make you realise what could happen if you give your little girl up," she said.

"She's not my little girl!" Bailee screamed. She broke down crying. "Go."

Rachel was shocked. "Bailee?"

"GET OUT!" She screamed. She curled up into a ball and cried. "Please. Just leave me," she sobbed.

***
Rachel walked out. She saw Eddie and Lenni. "Rach?"

"I tried to explain to her what could happen if she gives her baby up. She broke down and told me to leave," Rachel said.

Eddie walked over to Rachel and held her tightly. "We'll get her through this. We can help her be a mum," he said.

***
Lenni walked in to see Bailee curled up in a ball crying. She didn't know what to say to her best friend. "Lee?"

Bailee sat up and she cried. "My mum told me she was going to get bullied and grow up thinking she's unloved and unwanted," she sobbed.

Lenni held her tightly. "I promise that if you keep that little girl, then I'll help you out with her. I'll be a second mummy to her," she said.

Bailee smiled through her tears. She knew if she had Lenni by her side then she could do it. But did she want to?