NANNY FOR MENDES.

Hundred

Today, in the afternoon, Aaliyah and I told everyone we'll go to her apartment to get her some clothes and that I would be helping her.

That's not the truth. And not entirely a lie. We wanted to go to her apartment so that she could take the pregnancy test. She didn't wanna take it with everybody around. Especially Noah.

So here we are in her apartment. I'm waiting outside the bathroom, she's inside taking the test.

Suddenly, she opens the door. The look on her face tells me everything.

She nods and start sobbing. I pull her to my arms and pat her back.

"It's okay. You'll figure it out."

***********************************
I took some clothes for her before leaving. This time, I'm driving; she can't drive.

"Aaliyah."

From my peripheral vision, she's nodding. "We can go to Mom's house; Mom can keep a secret. Or a coffeeshop, or something."

"No, it's fine. Let's go to my brother's house."

"As you like."

Speaking of Mom....

"Hey, Mom." I answer her call.

"Hey, Soph. I was just wondering if Jul and I could come visit?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Okay, I'll go get ready, then."

"Okay, Mom. I'll be waiting." And I hang up.

***************************
"Aaliyah. It's too obvious you were crying."

"Yeah..."

"They'll notice something is up."

"I know."

"What now, then?"

"I don't know."

I sigh loudly.

"You go. I'll take the car for a bit and drive around. I need to think."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"What do I tell them?"

"Tell them a friend called me for an emergency..."

"Okay."

**************************
Mom and Julien came to visit Shawn an hour after they called me. They didn't stay that long, though, and left an hour later.

I kept calling Aaliyah, with no avail. She's not answering her phone. I don't think that Karen believed me, and she keeps calling Aaliyah as well.

I sigh loudly.

"I'm okay. Tell Mom that I can't answer my phone right now."

"Karen?"

"Yeah?"

"Aaliyah just texted me. She says she's fine and that she can't answer right now."

"Why didn't she text me?"

Oops. "I don't know."

She nods and lets it go.

Three hours later, Aaliyah finally came home. She looks....good. Her eyes aren't red anymore, her cheeks aren't stained with tears or smeared mascara anymore.

"Where were you?" Karen asks her.

"With a friend, Mom."

"Where?"