The family's baby

Chapter 5

You all can thank my cg for this surprise chapter since it was his suggestion that I update it since I have so many chapters ready!

*Grace's P.O.V*

When I wake up, it's daylight again. I fumble to unzip my backpack and smile slightly as I check the time. It's seven in the morning and I have completed about 26 hours of the trip. That meant I had five more hours to get through, which if I did the math right, it would be 12 o'clock by the time that I got home.

Luckily it wasn't that far from the bus stop to Zahira's first and then go surprise my parents. I wanted to go to Zahira's first since it was closer and I didn't want to have to walk. You would think that I would want to considering I had been stuck on a bus for so long but you thought wrong. So Zahira was first on my list.

I rub the sleep out of my eyes, hoping to stay awake from now until six. My stomach growls, distracting me from my thoughts. I dig through my bag, pulling out a small bag of fruit snacks. I tug on it, trying to open it as best as I can. I struggle though and I pause, taking a deep breath before trying again. I eventually just bite into it, ripping the package open while trying to catch some of the fruit snacks that fall out.

Luckily I manage to catch the few that fall out. It's only two but they're grape flavored so I didn't really need to catch them since the grape ones aren't even that good. I'm not one to waste good food though so I pop them into my mouth before looking through the bag to sort them. It was mostly strawberry, orange, white grape peach, and of course the regular nasty grape. I eat them in order from least favorite to most favorite, with strawberry obviously being on top. Which was weird when I thought about it since I didn't like actual strawberries.

I chew on one of the fruit snacks as I look through my phone, mostly just scrolling on Tiktok and listening to my saved sounds over and over again. It wasn't my fault that they were so catchy. I have to pull out my phone charger to plug it in. I would use my power bank but I don't want to use all of the charge in it.

I pop another fruit snack in my mouth, just sucking on it and checking on my texts from last night. Ashley had texted me and so I click on it, opening it up.

'I miss you but I don't. Mostly because I just had the best hookup ever and we used your bed,' she had texted me. She had sent me a photo of her laying down on my bed with someone laying on top of her. They're clothed in the photo thankfully but I can see that the person's head is resting on her chest as her hand runs through their hair.

'I was gone for less than 24 hours. Wtf?!' I text back before rolling my eyes. I shake my head with an amused smile on my lips. I couldn't believe she was already partying and bringing people back to the dorm. That was just like her though so I honestly wasn't surprised.

I have a few more texts, some of them scam texts or wrong numbers, but a few are from my friends. One of which is from a guy that I had dated for a short period of time. His name was Jacob. He had texted me to see how I was doing but I scrolled up to when we had actually been dating, taking a screenshot from when he had texted me 'Hey babe ♥️'. I made sure to include the timestamp and date when I screenshot it. I scroll through my texts before just clicking on one that says 'Boss'. That was a nickname me and my sisters had given our mom since she was always so bossy.

'See? I do date,' I text her. Perhaps my sleep deprivation made me want to prove a point from yesterday and perhaps it was stupid but I still felt a little smug to prove my mother wrong. I try to look at the last thing I had texted her but I pause when I realize I had texted the family group chat. I want to delete it but I know it is too late.

I close my eyes as I try to think of a way to get my family to not think about what I just said. I knew I couldn't bribe them, that wouldn't work. Maybe I could threaten them, at least one of them. Elena would be the easiest by far but maybe I could threaten Zahira to not tell anyone by saying I wouldn't babysit for her or run to the store when she needed me to. I'm not surprised when my phone vibrates after a moment.

'You had a boyfriend!?' Elena texts and I can imagine the shock coming from her.

'Who is he? Are you still together?' Zahira texts right after. I roll my eyes, knowing that is was going to be relentlessly nosey about it.

'No. It was a short time thing,' I respond, deciding to inform them before our father jumps in and wants to know about it.

'How short? How come you never told your mother and I about him?' Dad texts and I roll my eyes.

'Because you two are so nosey🤨?' I respond.

'We are not. I just want another son in law,' Dad states and I roll my eyes. He's always looking for someone else to get to join his fishing team. He had recruited me and my sisters for it when we were younger but he was still trying to add to it. I know for a fact that's he kidnapped Zahira's husband Oliver to take him on fishing trips when he was supposed to be working.

'He doesn't even like fishing' I type back quickly, having to pause to edit when I make several mistakes.

'👎' is all my dad texts back. I shake my head with a fond smile on my lips.

'It's okay dad, they just weren't meant to be together,' Zahira texts to him.

'I know....I need to take someone else fishing now. Either of you two girls free?' Dad texts. Of course he was using the opportunity to make someone go fishing with him.

'I'm free today,' Elena texts back.

'Just let me do one meeting with a client and then we will go, okay dad?' She continues her text.

'👍' is all he texts back and now I know he is busy getting his fishing rod and tackle box ready.

'Would love to but I can't. I don't want Jazmin out in the sun for too long,' Zahira texts back.

'It is too early for y'all to be planning out today,' Mom finally texts and I figure that she finally decided to respond to us since we just kept texting. She was more of a watch and then text rather than respond right away person.

'It is never too early to fish,' Dad replies and I snort, not believing that he would actually text her that.

'Of course not dear🙄,' Mom texts back. 'Did you have fun at the party?' she texts. I consider not answering but I think that would be more suspicious than texting back yes.

'I had so much fun,' I finally type out and press send.

'Meet anyone?' Zahira texts me. 'Like a sweetheart that you could marry so I am no longer the only married one of us three?' she adds and I roll my eyes.

'No. I am not interested in getting married right now Za,' I respond.

'But pleaseeeee. Just go to Vegas and get married,' Zahira texts.

'Stop encouraging your little sister to get married. She just finished college,' Mom replies for me and I let out a breath of relief. I had never been more thankful than now that she was on my side.

'Speaking of finishing college, when are Dad and I supposed to pick you up?' Mom texts and I freeze up.

'.....' is all I text back. Perhaps a stupid decision but it is the only response that I can think of at the moment.

'You still need to pack don't you?' Mom suggests and I am so glad she said that since I was blanking on an excuse that she would actually believe.

'Yes... I'll get right on doing that,' I respond and then put my phone up. I just need some time to try and contain my excitement at the thought of being home so soon. I keep checking my phone, even as we stop for breakfast. After that though, we're back on the bus and I just can't wait to be home.

I spent the last hour of the trip constantly checking my phone, my leg bouncing with anxiousness. When the bus finally pulls and parks, I have to wait and be patient which sucks so much. I still manage to do that though and when I finally get off the bus, I take a deep breath. I was home...well I almost was there that is.