𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐄 ~ 𝐌𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐓

⁰⁰³

After Aunt Jane had left, the doctor suggested that me and Mike join her for a walk, just so we could talk in a better environment than in her office.

"She-she doesn't even care about Abby, all she wants is the monthly check from the state. But, I mean, she-she has some good points, though, I'm hardly fit to be raising a kid" Mike said to the doctor, I was looking at Abby through the window, watching how peaceful she looked while she was drawing outside.

"I know a little girl who would strongly disagree, I'm sure your girlfriend would also disagree" I snapped out of my thoughts, nodding my head after processing what the doctor had just said.

"Mike, Abby loves you, since you gained custody of Abby you made sure that she pretty much has everything she wants" I said, holding his hand and offering a smile.

"Come on, she talks to air more than she talks to me, I could drop dead tomorrow, and she'd be too busy drawing to even notice" Mike said and I rolled my eyes and shook my head slightly.

"You know, pictures hold tremendous power for children. Before we learn to speak, images are the most important tool we have for understanding the world around us, what's real, what matters to us most. These are things children learn to communicate almost exclusively through pictures"

"Yeah, her pictures mean something"

"And who is at the center of nine out of ten of them?" The doctor asked and Mike sighed, looking at Abby outside.

"Me and Grace" he answered, squeezing my hand slightly.

"Mm-hmm, like it or not, you're her world" I smiled, Abby is my entire world, both her and Mike mean so much to me but Abby has a special place in my heart.

"But what if it's not up to me? My aunt, she's an idiot, but she's right. No judge in their right mind is ever gonna side with me" Mike said, I was slightly worried about that, if we went to court then they would probably take Abby from us and give custody to her aunt and Abby doesn't like her.

"Did you find a job yet?" Mike shook his head and so did I.

"Not yet" I said to the doctor and she nodded.

"Okay, that would be a good place to start" she said, we said goodbye to her and left the room we were just talking to her in.

"Maybe we should take up the security gig Mr Raglan offered us?" I suggested to Mike.

"I think we have to, we don't have much choice in this" I nodded, we went over to Abby and told her it was time to go home, we helped her pack her things away and went back to the car.

"Can we watch cartoons together when we get home Grace?" Abby asked and I nodded.

"Of course, anything for my favourite girl" I said before I started driving us home.

"At some point when we get back, we need to phone Mr Raglan about the job offer" Mike reminded me and I looked at him quickly and smiled.

"Well it can wait for a little bit once we get home, just relax, there's no way your aunt will take Abby" I whispered so Abby couldn't hear, she was in the back seat after all.

"I hope you're right" Mike muttered as he sat back properly in his seat after checking to see if Abby was okay.

We got home shortly after our conversation about getting the security gig Mr Raglan offered us. Abby and I turned on the TV, trying to find some cartoons for us to sit and watch while Mike was at the table, looking at the phone.

"Hey Abby I'm gonna get a drink, you want one?" I asked na she nodded so I got up and went to the kitchen.

I got Abby and I some apple juice and decided to get Mike some too, I filled the cups up with the juice before putting the carton back into the fridge. I bought Abby her drink before going to her brother and giving him his drink too.