Alfie's P.O.V
After a day of telling all of our friends, at around 10pm we decided we would leave nandos and head home finally. We were going to walk and began down the dark alleys through Brighton.
'Alfie I can't believe we're having a baby boy'
She said with one arm around me and one hand on her stomach. I placed one arm around her shoulder and kissed her head as we walked down the pitch black alley. As we walked in silence, only our steady footsteps to be heard.
But as we strolled we passed a skip, lightly lit by the streetlight we'd just walked past. I heard something. We both heard something. A whining. Like a child. We both stopped and looked at each other, then looked around. Then I saw it, beside the skip against the old alley wall. A little child, wrapped in a dirty blanket, muddy, wet, cold, crying.
I quickly ran and knelt by the childs side and Zoe joined me.
'Excuse me'
I said politely and the little girl looked from under her blanket. Longish brown hair, matted in a messy ponytail. Her face all muddy, partially washed away by her tears.
'Sweetie, where's your mum or dad?'
Zoe asked quietly and she cried more. She didn't speak.
'Umm lets take her to ours then call the police.'
I said quietly and Zoe nodded. I leant towards her to pick her up and she pressed herself further into the skip and wall to get away from me.
'We're going to get you some more clothes and food okay? you can walk if you want?'
She warily tried to push herself to her feet but fell backward and winced. I slid my hands under her arms and held her on my hip. She was scarily light. After the 20 minute walk in silence I felt her begin to shiver. Zoe passed me her coat that she held in her arms and I wrapped it around the girl on my hip. She quietly said a.
'Th..th'
As it she was trying to say thank you. I added.
'You're welcome'
I said and Zoe softly smiled at me, looking worried. I was too. Who is this girl? Where are her parents? Why isn't she at a house, happy? It's December for christs sake. Who could disown a child at christmas?
Once we reached Zoe's flat I placed the girl down and in the light it was worse. She had on an oversized red, dirty jumper and ripped leggings. She did not look at me or Zoe. Just at the floor. She was shaking. I took off her dirty jumper to see a ragged old shirt and I wrapped a blanket around her shoulders.
'Would you like some food?'
I mumbled and she slowly shook her head, and I saw a tear roll down her cheek. Soon enough Zoe got a makeup wipe of hers and gently wiped the mud from the girls face. She was still crying and shaking. Zoe leant near to her and whispered.
'Would you like me to clean you up?'
And the girl nodded as grabbed her hand and they slowly walked into the bathroom as I switched on my laptop and searched the child protection agency website and found the number. I called the number and there was a message. It said that they were closed until Monday. It is Saturday night. Shit. I ran up the stairs to see the girls hair was now in a pony tail but less messy, and one of my Zoe's shirts so it came down to her shins. She looked so sweet yet so broken. She had stunning blue eyes and long brown hair.
'Zo, they aren't open until Monday '
'Umm, I guess we're parents for a day then'
As she said that, the girl stood in front of her and started crying gently and as Zoe put her hand out to her she whimpered and backed away. This young girl is truly broken.
I headed downstairs and came back up and brought the girl a packet of crisps but once I reached her I saw she was under the covers of our bed and crying as Zoe sat beside her, rubbing the girls shoulder as she cried in a cold ball. As it was late, I decided I'd get ready for bed, I wore no shirt and flannel pajama bottoms and Zoe then got ready in the bathroom with me. She wore an oversized pajama shit and I wrapped my arms around her, washing her face.
'what do we do?'
She mumbled.
'look after her, for a day, thats all we can do'
As Zoe hopped in the shower quickly I headed back in and slowly creeped into my side of the bed beside her. I could feel how cold she was. I slowly slid my arm under her head and pulled her slowly against me. She shook and cried as I said slowly.
'Can you tell me your name?'
'I, I d..'
She struggled to speak.. so I assumed.
'you don't know it?'
'n..no sir'
I sighed and said.
'I'm no sir, but keep talking to me'
I let her head settle in my chest and felt kind of proud that this broken little girl was so comfortable with me.
'm..my d..daddy hit m..e'
'aww.. don't worry you're safe now'
I mumbled and felt my heart break a little.
'he s..scary'
'don't worry little one, you are okay'
She shook against me and I began to cry, not a lot, I just don't know how anyone could hurt such a sweet little girl.
'are y..You my new daddy?'
'no, I'm just looking after you for a day or two'
'you a..are leave then?'
I pulled the shaken girl against me and kissed the top of her head.
'go to sleep please'
'night d..dadd.. I'm sorry'
'don't worry, night sweetie'
I mumbled and felt her tears on my chest, just because she accidentally called me daddy.. Zoe came in and gave me a sorry smile as she saw the sleeping girl against me and me crying still. She turned the light off and held my hand as the girl shakily slept between us. This is going to be tough.
Love jawyerandshoey xx
