Living With Hope

Chapter 2 - Help

NOT EDITED

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Ayla's POV

I have a baby. Hope.

Maybe it is a sign? But for what?

I can't deal with this right now. I immediately called Jaycee.

"Hello?" Jaycee answered, in her bubbly tone.

"Jaycee, it's me. I need your help." I say desperately.

"With what?" she asked.

"Just come over."

"Okay, I'm leaving now." she said, and the line clicked dead.

I sat on my couch, holding Hope, wondering what I was going to do. I can't keep this child, I don't know how to raise it. But I can't get rid of it. As my mind is battling between what to do, I hear a knock on my door. I set the baby down, and rush to answer. Unfortunately, it isn't who I expected.

"Jake? What are you doing here?" I ask. Jake was my old foster brother, who was a total jerk. He is a big part of why I got emancipated, because I just can't deal with the stuff he put me through.

"I wanted to apologize," he muttered. "So I'm sorry, for being a dick to you."

"It's okay, I guess." I replied. Then we just stood in awkward silence for a whle. Neither of us said a word. I can't tell you what he was thinking in that moment, but I was thinking a lot. 

Why is he here? What is he really doing? Why do I trust him? What does he want? I was in the middle of these thoughts when I come back to reality, and see him turn around, and walk back down the porch, into his old, rusty pick-up truck. I can't believe he still has that. I stick my head out the door once he is gone, and I look for Jaycee. No sign of her yet. I push the door shut, and I walk back to my position on the couch. I look at Hope, who is fast asleep. Thankfully, I didn't have a screaming match with Jake, or she probably wouldn't be sleeping so soundly right now. Then, the door burst open.

"Jaycee is here!" she yelled.

"Be quiet!" I half yelled, half whispered.

"Why?" she asked, her face losing it's smile.

"Because.. because of this," I say, then I move out of her line of sight.

"Oh. My. Gosh." Jaycee says. "What is it?"

"It's a baby, idiot," I say. "I need your help."

"I can't take a baby,"

"That's not what I am asking," I tell her, baffled at her stupidity. I wouldn't ask her to keep a baby, whether I want it of not. "I need you to help me take care of it. You have a baby sister, right? You know what to do."

"Look, Ayla, I know you want my help. I just don't know if this is a good choice. Keeping the baby, I mean. You don't know where it came from. What if it is from a serial killer or something?" Jaycee explained.

"You can't inherit the ability to be a serial killer, Jay. But please, help me. I really need it."

"Ugh, fine. But you owe me, okay?"

"YES! Thank you so much, Jay! You're the bestest best friend anyone could have!" I yelled, as I jumped around.

"Duh, I know," Jaycee says, doing a little hair flip.

Once Jaycee agreed to help me, we immediately got to work. We began baby-proofing the house, just to make sure Hope had no way of getting hurt. Thankfully, I kept all of my bubble wrap from when I moved and from packages. We taped bubble wrap on any sharp edges or rough corners. I moved any breakable item out of the way, so Hope wouldn't break anything. When Jaycee and I were finishing, I heard a cry. I ran back to the living room to get Hope. I pick her up, but she continues to cry.

"She's probably hungry," Jaycee says, stating the obvious.

"What do you feed a baby?" I ask.

"I don't know, warm milk?" Jaycee answers, more like a question than a statement.

-

After rushing around trying to calm Hope, she finally falls asleep. I lay her down in the makeshift crib that Jaycee and I put together.

"Well, that was fun," I say.

"Totally," Jaycee replies, in a super sarcastic tone.

"Come on, it was a little fun," I reply, urging her on.

"Yeah, whatever." Jaycee tells me, giving up. Then her phone rings. I sit silently waiting for her to hang up, but she doesn't. Not for a while, at least. Thoughts are running through my head, especially when the smile on her face fades, then changes to a look of terror. What happened? Is she going to be okay? Is everything okay? Now she is crying. I leave my spot on the couch, and walk over to her. I wrap my arms around her torso to comfort her. She looks at me and gives me a warming smile. Then she looks away, talks for a few more minutes, then finally hangs up. I let go of her, and sit on the couch. She comes over, sits right next to me, lays her head in my lap, and begins to sob. I don't bother to ask what's wrong. I just pet her head and tell her that everything is going to be okay.

After she is done sobbing, my lap is soaking wet. She slowly lifts her head, then turns so her body is facing the side of me.

"Are you okay? You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to," I say.

Her response is simple: "I need your help."

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ooh cliffhanger!

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