“Uh, kids like cartoons right? Um…. Let’s see, I don’t know the channels here uh…here, the Simpsons, you like the Simpsons? It’s a cartoon, here you go, you watch that I’ll uh…I’ll be right back just sit here and don’t go anywhere okay?”
Looking up at me from his perch on the edge of the bed, Cooper blinked.
“Stay.” I said slowly, holding a hand up as I backed away from him.
Watching me curiously, he stared after me as I backed up to the bathroom door and knocked.
“What?” Grace called out.
“Let me in!” I hissed, glancing over my shoulder at Cooper, “It’s an emergency!”
“Calum you’re twenty-three not three I think you can hold it.”
“Not that kind of emergency Grace! Open the door?”
I heard her sigh, followed by the click of the door unlocking before it swung open revealing Grace stood there in a towel.
“What?” she demanded.
Glancing over my shoulder to make sure the kid was still in place, I pushed her into the bathroom, hurriedly entering behind her and pushing the door closed behind us.
“Cal what the hell are you doing?” Grace demanded.
“Shit.” I breathed, the severity of the situation setting in, “Shit fuck, damn!”
“Calum?” Grace said slowly.
“I fucked up.” I whispered, tugging at my hair, “Royally.”
“What did you do?” she asked.
Walking past her I sat down on the closed lid of the toilet and buried my face in my hands.
“Cal?” she pressed, “What’s wrong?”
Opening my mouth I tried to form words however feeling bile rising I promptly closed it.
“Calum what did you do?” Grace asked, kneeling down infront of me and placing a hand on my knee, “You can talk to me, you know that.”
“I had a dog once.” I whispered.
“Okay.” Grace said slowly.
“It died.” I whimpered, “It ate the chocolate out of my Easter basket and died.”
“Oh my God.” She breathed, “That’s horrible.”
“I had a fish.” I continued, “I forgot to feed it, and it died.”
“Cal….”
“I had a guinea pig, and I took it outside and left it when I went in for lunch and a hawk took it.”
“Wow, okay so… pets are not your thing.”
“Exactly!” I cried, “I can’t handle a gold fish! I can’t take care of a kid!”
“You don’t have to.” She replied, “I’m not pregnant thank God, and we’re young things will change and someday if you want kids we’ll have th….”
“Grace.” I choked out, “There’s a kid outside.”
“Outside?” she questioned.
“On the bed.” I whispered.
“What Ashley or a lost kid? You can’t just let strange kids in your room Calum they can charge you with ki….”
“My kid.” I interrupted.
“Wait, what?”Grace asked.
Tears rolling down my cheeks I handed her the letter. Frowning, she snatched it from me, her eyes widening with each passing line. Raising her hand up to her mouth when she was finished she lowered it.
