FORCE | topper thornton

TWENTY SIX

"Zoe? Zoe! What the fuck?" I fell to the ground, checking on her, I moved the blanket from her lap, shooting myself back in shock as I saw the baby laying there, umbilical cord still attached. "Dad!" I screamed as loud as I could, banging my fist against the window, "dad! Hurry, call 911!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, hearing him bustling his way down the stairs inside. I grabbed the baby, he was barely breathing, fuck, fuck, what do I do? I panicked flipping him over in my hands, gently hitting his back, praying that whatever was blocking his airways would loosen itself. He let out a little whimper, before letting out a giant scream, my dad came to a freezing halt at the sight in front of him. "Call 911!" I snapped, I was covered in blood and who knows what else, it was freezing out here, I grabbed the blanket, doing my best to cover up the baby as he screamed, screaming is good right, it means he can breath. That's what I told myself as I was breathing heavily, attempting to soothe the newborn as my dad spoke to a 911 operator. "Zoe!" I called again, shaking her body as I cradled the baby against me, trying to give him as much warmth as possible. She made a groan but didn't move, I chewed my lip anxiously as the sirens could be heard in the distance, yet again, we're having to call paramedics. "She says to pinch the cord." My dad muttered, I nodded, opening the blanket just enough to find the cord, pinching it as tight as I could, the baby had stopped crying which was scaring me, but I saw his little chest moving up and down.

"We'll take him from here." A man shook me from my thoughts, pulling the baby out of my grasp, I moved back, giving them room as they moved so quickly, like a well oiled machine. I got nauseous at the thought of how they had become good at this, like this happens more often then I would think. "Kenzie." My dad sighed opening his arms for me, not caring that I was filthy from Zoe and the baby. I made the mistake of looking back again, the baby being held by a paramedic, now wrapped in thicker blanket, I cried at the sight, finally reacting to what had just happened. "We're losing her, we gotta go!" They shouted, cutting the cord quickly and rolling her onto a stretcher. I watched in shock as the rushed off with her, Sheriff Peterkin pulling up right as they did so. "Kenzie, can you tell me what happened?" She asked, shaking me from my daze, I nodded slowly, walking her through what happened.

"And what about the father?" She asked, I looked to my dad, "Logan was the father." He spoke for me, I couldn't mutter the words, it was too painful. "What's going to happen to the baby?" I piped up, still reeling myself in from the events that just occurred. "Well, if Zoe doesn't pull through, first they'll look for the next of kin, which would presumably be you two, or anyone they can find from her family. If no one will take him, he'll be placed for adoption." The porch started spinning around me, my dad grabbed me as I was about to fall to the ground. "Kenzie." He gently tapped my face, my eyes shot open, I was sitting on the porch in a chair, a blanket draped around me, "you passed out." Peterkin spoke, pressing a water bottle to my lips, I took a shaky sip. Part of me had wished it was some horrible nightmare but when I looked behind me and saw the blood on the ground, I knew it was true. "Sheriff, we really should be heading to the hospital, my grandson needs me." I was shocked by his words, surely he hadn't agreed to taking him in while I was passed out? He couldn't raise another child, he was too old, too busy. "We'll talk in the car." He demanded to me when I was about to speak, Peterkin gave us a nod before heading back to her cruiser, leaving us there in shock, well me in shock at least.

"Dad, you can't take care of a baby." I deadpanned as soon as he started driving down the gravel path in front of our house, he shook his head, "no." He spoke, but I felt there was more to be said, "but?" I egged him on, why was he so hesitant to speak. "But you can." I choked on the air in the car as he muttered the words. "What the fuck?" I looked to him, not even caring that I just dropped an f-bomb. "You're young, you make good money, I can help, Topper make's good money if he want's to be involved." My dad spoke so calmly, as if this was a normal rational decision. "Dad, I just turned eighteen! I can't raise my nephew." I snapped, angrily tying my hair up, I just now realized I was still in my blood stained clothes. Damn it. "Who are you calling?" He asked as I pulled my phone out, "Topper, I need new clothes." I hissed, I was beyond angry with him just assuming I would do this, of course I don't want to see the baby go, but I can't take him, I just can't. "Baby, what's up?" Topper sounded ecstatic to hear my voice again so soon, well his bubble is about to be popped. "Can you go to my house and get me leggings and a sweatshirt, and bring them to the hospital." Pop goes the bubble. "What? The hospital? What's wrong? Are you okay?" It felt like I was under rapid fire as I heard him shuffling around on the other end.

I pinched the bridge of my nose with a sigh, "I'm fine, just please get the clothes and come, call me when you get there, I'll come out and explain." I rushed my words as we approached the hospital, my dad rushing to get out of the car. "Okay, I love you." Topper spoke, "I love you too." I muttered, hanging up, here goes nothing.