A New Perspective (One Direction Fanfic)

2

     (Cale again! ------>)

    4:07am the clock read. I groaned and swung my legs over the edge of my bed. After finally getting Cale to sleep around midnight, he was up again. I walked over to his spare crib in my room and picked up the wailing infant. I sniffed his diaper and groaned again. I absolutely detest diapers. Even when I had to babysit, diapers were my downfall.

          After cleaning up Cale and settling him back down, I fell back into a light and fitful sleep. The dreams I had all centered on Ann, the good and the bad memories of her. That’s how it has been for the past week. It tears me up inside for her to be gone. She’s been my best friend since we were ten-year-old girls. We have been through so much together. Our first periods, our first love and heartbreak, middle and high school; it’s all over now.

          Cale woke up once more last night but he was quickly back to sleep. At 8:30 I wrestled him into a blue jumper and buckled him into his carrier.

          “Time to go see daddy!” I cooed at him. He blinked at me in response. I loaded him into the car, rejected by the baby. We made the short drive to Jake’s in relative silence, punctuated by a gurgle every now and then. Upon arriving, I found the flat door locked which was strange during the day. I fished under the mat for the spare key and unlocked the door. I squeezed Cale’s carrier through the frame and surveyed the living room. Jake was nowhere in sight. I placed Cale’s carrier on the floor of the living room and proceeded to the kitchen empty handed. No Jake. I did this for every room of the flat until I reached his and Ann’s room. I hadn’t been inside since before Cale was born. I shakily turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.

          Jake was lying on the bed with his eyes close. I walked to him and called his name. No response. I shook his shoulder and continued to call his name. He wasn’t responding to anything. The worst-case scenarios started to run through my head. I got a grip on myself before one could really come into focus. I put my fingers under his nose as I learned in CPR training. No puffs of air met my hands. My eyes started to fill with tears as my brain was screaming out. My hands found their way to his wrist, which I realized, was limp and cold. There was no pulse. Jake was dead. Ann was dead. Cale didn’t have any parents left. I sunk to the ground sobbing. I was sobbing for Ann and Jake and for Cale. The now orphaned infant.

          “What’s going on?” An Irish voice asked laced with worry. My head snapped up and I saw Niall standing in the doorway with Cale against his chest. I shook my head at him and choked out three words that brought him to his knees.

          “Jake, he’s d-dead.” I sputtered. Niall’s legs went weak and he grabbed the doorframe for support. He eased his body down to the ground and held Cale close to his chest. I could see the tears on his face but his sobs were soundless, the worst kind. The whole situation was unbelievable. After five minutes of our crying, he composed himself enough to call an ambulance. He then came over to me and extended a trembling hand. I clasped my hand around his and he hauled me to my feet. As he did this, something caught my eye. An empty pill bottle had rolled slightly under the bed. I reached out a hand for it but Niall swatted my arm away.

          “They might need it for evidence.” He stated in a raw voice. I nodded in agreement and we went into the living room to sit on the couch. I took baby Cale out of Niall’s arms and cuddled him close. Niall was holding his head in his hands and was running his fingers through his messy blonde hair. A knock on the door broke us out of our reverie. I opened it up and was met with three paramedics. I pointed towards the bedroom and let them do their job. When they walked back out fifteen minutes later with Jake in a body bag on a gurney Niall lost it. He walked out of the apartment sobbing into his hands.

          “We found an empty pill bottle.” A woman said to me holding up a bag with the bottle. “There was no sign of a struggle and it seems as if suicide was the cause of death.” I nodded and started to cry again. “The doctor will have some questions at the hospital so if you could please meet us down there Mrs.…” She trailed off mid-sentence wanting me to fill in my name.

          “Oh I’m not married, it’s Miss Grey. Emily Grey. Yeah we’ll meet you down there. Thank you.” I said slightly bewildered. I guess if you see two people together holding an infant it would look slightly like a family. I now understand the saying ‘ignorance is bliss’. The ambulance left with the still body of Jake and I sat about tucking Cale into his carrier.

          “I’m so sorry little guy.” I whispered to him. As if sensing something was very wrong, he started to cry. The wails he was emitting tore right through me and I started to cry again too. I held onto his small hand and we both cried together. I was enveloped in a hug and buried my face into a hard chest.

          “We have to go.” Niall’s voice said in my ear. I nodded and loosened my grip on the back of his t-shirt. We pulled apart and I picked up Cale’s carrier.

          “Thank you.” I said. He nodded in response and we headed outside and to the hospital.