Raising My Niece

Addy's Friend

Chapter Eight... Addy's Friend

It had been almost three months since Jodie and Luke died.

Though it had taken a while, Addison had finally fully settled in with Marcus and I, and her third birthday was only a month away. I had decided to start planning a big party for her, as she had so many friends from her preschool. The social worker that had been assigned to our case had been by three times, and she'd officially declared us fit to raise Addison and care for her until she is eighteen, by which time she'd be old enough to leave home if she wanted to.

We knew that once we'd had Addison for a year that the social worker would return, but that was okay. We knew that we could raise our young niece, even if we had to make some massive life adjustments to do it. Mom and Tom looked after Addison if both Marcus and I were working, and she attended preschool twice a week. Which she loved.

Marcus and I were getting married in three months. I'd been busily planning our big wedding, which Addison was incredibly excited about. After losing her beloved parents, it was great to see my small niece get excited, and she'd finally come to terms with the fact that her mommy and daddy weren't coming back.

"I'm going to Nanny's house today!" Addison excitedly told Marcus one morning. "Nanny and poppy are taking me to the park, and I gets to ride my new bike!"

"Oh, cool!" Marcus beamed, showing how happy he was. "Nanny and poppy spoil you, don't they?"

"Yes," she answered curtly.

"Did you tell Uncle Moo about your party next month, Addy?" I asked her with a smile.

"Oh yeah, Aunty Pheeb is having a party for me!" She squealed in excitement. "I'm gonna be free you know! And I wants a tampiline, and I wants a Barbie, and I wants a baby sister."

The last line threw me. She wants a baby what?!

"What do you mean, Addy?" Marcus asked Addison curiously, pulling her into his lap.

"I wants a baby sister like Julie," Addison clarified. I was still confused.

"Who's Julie?" Marcus whispered to me. I shrugged.

"Addy, who's Julie?" I questioned her with a smile.

"She my fwiend from school, Aunty Pheeb," she smiled widely. "She has a baby sister named Susie. I wants a baby sister too Aunty Pheeb. Mommy said I'll have one soon."

"When did mommy tell you this?" I asked Addison, confused even more.

"Before she and daddy went to heaven," Addison answered. "She tolds me that there was a baby sister growed in her tummy. And that I'd be a big sister."

Suddenly, something occurred to me. Jodie told me almost everything, but what if this was one thing that she didn't tell me. Was Jodie pregnant when she died? Did mom know? Or Tom? Marcus looked over to see my mind racing, confusion set on my face.

Had she really told Addison that she was going to have another baby?

Brushing it off, I watched Addison eat her breakfast, feeling sick. What if Jodie really was pregnant when she died? Did Luke know? If she'd told Addison, then I'd say yes. But... Why didn't this come from the autopsy report? Maybe she just thought she might've been pregnant? I don't know. But I needed to know.

Once Addison was fully ready, I took her over to mom's house. Mom stood out the front waiting with Tom, who had just collected the paper from the driveway.

I released Addison from her car seat, and she ran off up to mom.

"Nanny!" She squealed with excitement. "Poppy!"