The Other Story

Noel

I sit on the hood of the car and stare at my feet. I don't want to be in the same place where Johnny's body is.

"What are you doing out here?" I hear a voice ask and I look up. I see Soda standing there and I shrug.

"The hospital brings back too many memories." I say quietly as he walks over to me. He stands next to me and stares at me.

"Shouldn't you be inside? You're gonna be an uncle." I ask.

"I just want to make sure you're okay." He says and I nod.

"I'm fine." I reassure him. It's quiet for a while after that.

"Um.. I talked to the other girl... and she's not pregnant." He somewhat stumbles over his words.

"You're not very good with comforting you know that?" I joke and he laughs.

"I know.. I just thought it might be good for you to know." He explains.

"So.. Have you talked to your dad since he went back to the South side?" He asks and I shake my head.

"He's too busy with Farrah and her pregnancy and my half brother." I roll my eyes.

"You don't sound too happy." He points out and I shrug.

"I mean.. I don't even know how long he's been clean but when you think about it.. He got clean, fell in love, got married, impregnated his wife and then decided to find me and Blair." I say and he nods.

"He's just trying to get back into your life." He sounds sympathetic but I'm not feeling any sympathy.

"Yeah but clean or not he's still the man that beat me and Blair." I remind him and he's silent.

"Listen.. I don't want to be like your dad. I want to be there for the baby. The baby can have your last name for all I care but just if you can consider it.. My dad's name was Michael and my mom's name was Heidi. I don't-"

"I'll do it." I cut him off and he smiles.

"Thank you." He whispers and I nod.

-five hours later-

"So was your labor peaceful?" I question and she laughs.

"Oh god no." She tells me and I nod.

"I told you." I say and she smiles.

"Thank you." She says and I look at her.

"For what?"

"Not leaving." I shrug as I look down at the pink bundle in my arms.

"It's not a problem." I say quietly as Alice opens her eyes.

"Hello beautiful." I say in a high pitched voice. Her blue eyes look up at me and I smile.

"Hello." I say again and Darry laughs at me.

"I didn't think I'd ever hear Noel Jackson use a baby voice." He says.

"And your daddy is a dick but you're too little to understand that word so it's okay." I say in the same voice and they both laugh.

A nurse comes in with two certificates and Dawn smiles.

"Here are their birth certificates. Congratulations." The nurse says and Dawn nods.

"Alice Brooke Curtis and Johnny Andrew Curtis." She reads proudly.

Alice starts crying and I carefully give her back to Dawn.

"Alright she's crying and she's not my kid so I'm going to watch you take care of the situation." I joke and they laugh.

For as bad as I thought this situation would be I'm really grateful and relieved to see them putting on their big girl and big boy pants and taking care of these kids.