Among the Trees

Chapter 28 - New Responsibilities

Kieran's Point of View

"Mum! For God sake help me!" No matter how I tried, I couldn't seem to comfort her. "Just take her for a damn second!" The constant screaming from the small girl was getting on my last nerve. I was starting to wonder why anyone thought this would be a good idea.

"MUM!" The louder I shouted the louder Clarissa cried. Mum sauntered into the room and silently took the screaming girl from my arms.

"I'm not surprised she won't settle. Between your constant shouting, and the stench in this room, there's barely any rest for her poor senses. Sort it out and I might consider helping you." Clarissa had fallen asleep and so she was handed back to me.

She was right. The only part of the room that was actually tidy was my bed, which made a change. I hastily put the sleeping girl down on the tidy covers, eager not to wake her again. I turned my back on her to look at the room. Where to start?

By the end of the morning the laundry basket was overflowing, as was the bin. Clarissa had woken an hour after falling asleep but for once my mother picked her up without being asked. Even after the removal of the bin, there was still a stench of dirty nappies. It was at that pint that mum came back in, pushing and oversized pram in front of her.

"Not a chance." I wouldn't be seen dead with that thing. My friends didn't know even slept with Lily, let alone had a kid with another women. This would ruin any shred of pride and dignity that I had left.

"Do you want to do this completely on your own?" The was a silence that spoke louder than words. No, I didn't want to do this on my own, I didn't want to do this at all. I didn't want to admit my mistake, I wasn't ready to do that yet.

"That's what I thought. Now, off you go."

Unsurprisingly Vincent and Cole were hanging around, outside the convenience store with a box of some beer or other on the floor between them. At first neither of them noticed me and, fortunately, they did they didn't notice the pram in front of me.

"Dude! Where have you been man?" Cole slapped my shoulder uncomfortably hard. I cringed as my arm jolted forward, Clarissa had only just dozed off and I really didn't want her waking. Fortunately she didn't wake when the pram jostled.

"You should join us tonight man. We're just waiting for Eli to finish his shift." Vincent nodded his head towards the shop.

"Actually I'm busy tonight. And every night after that actually." They both looked completely bewildered for a moment, then Clarissa woke and began to screech. I picked her up out of the old pram and began to rock her. "Shh. It's okay sweetie, go back to sleep." When I looked up again I could see that Vincent was trying his hardest not to laugh and and Cole didn't know weather to believe his eyes or not.

"What on earth? When did this happen mate?" I closed my eyes in order to try and convince myself this wasn't happening.

"Please don't man."

"So where's Lil? When do we send the brat back?"

"Eli, just stop mate."

"Nah come on Kieran. When do you take the brat back to her mum?"

"Eli! I said stop!" I shouted and Clarissa began to cry once again. It was Cole who grew up quickly and took her from me. After all he probably had more experience than I as he had a tiny niece he looked after all the time.

"Look Eli you really need to stop asking questions mate. The girl isn't Lily's and her mother's not around anymore. I am her only living parent and she needs me. You guys need to get it into hour heads that this is my life now. I can't just get up and go out anymore." With my rant over, I took Clarissa back and push the pram into the shop with my stomach.

Cole followed quickly behind and took Clarissa off me, in an attempt to assist me.

"You really ready for this responsibility mate?"

"No, but I don't have a choice."