I never knew that raising a teenager would be so hard. Don't get me wrong, I love Lily with my life, but raising her in my family is hard. My Mother and Father are ALWAYS here criticizing my every parenting technique. Caz is always coming over to hang after work, which means no time for Lily to do school work. Which then always ends up with me being the bad guy. This other night Caz actually sat and watched Lily sleep. Ethan had gone back home much to the disappointment of Lily. Although, Edward had been AWOL recently. He hadn't come around for a while now. Maybe he had a girlfriend? It was concerning to say the least. But Lily had gotten into another fight and this time I was called. She ended up being suspended for two days and everyone praised her for her "bravery". I tried to give her a strong talking too but Mum and Dad told me to leave her alone. Ugh. My child was going to become confused.
Raising a teen is so much harder then I first imagined. I now know what my parents went through with me. The week goes past faster and I don't know what I used to do with my spare time before I was a mother. Now, my every waking moment is trying to make sure she's okay and making sure she has food in her stomach and clean clothes on her back. I never thought I could love someone else more than I love myself, but it turns out I can.
The week had passed quickly and I had gone out to do food shopping. I left Lily at home with Jack as he liked to bond with her. They had become two peas in a pod. I returned from doing the weekly shopping in a record time of an hour and a half. I waddled up the hall with 12 shopping bags in my hand as I'll be damned if I was to do two trips. I entered the kitchen and was greeted with Lily and Jack sitting at the dinning room table along with Liam. I forgot to call him to apologize. I stopped in my tracks and stared at him for a long moment before my arms started to scream out in pain. I lifted the shopping onto the bench and stared at him studying his features.
"Cameron, its good to see you." Liam stated simply as he raised one eyebrow. Indicating he was surprised by the new changes that has happened since we talked last.
"Yeah, its good to see you too." I said with a small smile. "Have you met Lily and Jack?"
"Yeah, I did. I think we have a lot to talk about." Liam said while giving me the side eye.
"That we do. Lily and Jack can you please put away the grocery's while Liam and I have a chat outside." Jack eyed me and looked almost annoyed. What was his problem? He nodded his head none the less and stood to help Lily put away the grocery's. Liam followed me outside and took a seat at the picnic table across from me.
"So Cameron, looks like you've been busy over the time you've been suspended. Cameron, what the fuck, you're a Mum! Its a bit early for a mid-life crisis don't you think?" Liam asked in a quiet whisper.
"Liam, no one's going to hear you. Why does everyone keep saying that? If you must know Lily isn't a mid-life crisis, she's my daughter." I said while looking over his shoulder to see Jack standing by the sliding door staring at Liam and I. I give him a pointed look and he stared back not moving from the sliding door. Liam followed my glare and saw Jack standing trying to look fierce.
"Oh and the doctor from the hospital, you actually date him now! I thought he was way out of your league." Liam said as he turned back to face me.
"LIAM! I don't want to fight with you alright, just tell me why you're here." I grumbled.
"Oh touchy! Parenting does that to people."
"Liam!"
"Alright, alright! I came because you have your review next Monday and I had to bring these forms." He reached into his man purse that he had slung around his shoulder and handed me a wad of papers. "Everyone misses you back at the office. Boss man Brian keeps asking if I got in touch with you. We thought that you would've come home to check up on everyone, guess you don't love us as much as you say you do." Liam stated with a sad face looking down at the papers.
"Don't take it personally, I've had my hands full trying to raise a teenager and my family hasn't been making it easy." I examined the papers more closely and sighed deeply. "She's already been in two fights while in my care. Speaking of which can you give her some boxing lessons, I know you were the region boxing champ back in the old days."
"Um, excuse me! I'm not old, I'm turning 33 in a couple of months. I'll be glad to show her some stuff. Do your parents agree with the adoption?" He asked thoughtfully.
"Yeah, that's the problem. They're always here. Not just them my whole fucking family. They always interfere when I try to tell her to do something and its driving me crazy. Also, I found at Caz's wedding that my father, Craig, wasn't actually my father. Mummy dearest had an affair, that's why growing up Dad treated me differently."
"Shut the fuck up!" Liam said while gasping dramatically to add emphasis on his surprise at the brand new information. "How did you find out?"
"My biological father is related to Daniel and he was at the wedding. It all came to blows and I walked in at the wrong time I guess." I sighed thinking back to that day.
"Shit! Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I got over it and forgave them. I don't know, they all drive me crazy but I wouldn't be able to survive without them. Oh, how's the Mrs? She's going to pop soon isn't she?" I asked with raised eyebrows.
"Yeah, she's driving me crazy. She wants peanut butter toast at the strangest of times and don't get me wrong, I love sex as much as the next guy but she wants it all the time and I'm so tired the next day. I love her though." He laughed to himself and smiled at me.
"Man it sucks to be you." I said sarcastically. "I find it weird to have sex and my daughter is up the hall sleeping, how do you have sex with a baby in her belly?"
"Man, I'm never going to get use to you having a daughter. I don't know really, when you get going you end up forgetting she's even pregnant." He explained.
"So what does it look like, do you reckon I'll be keeping my job?" I asked pointing to the papers in-front of me. He looked at the papers and sighed.
"Honestly Cameron, I really don't know." Liam said sadly. "Read over it and write a response to it. I better get going, I have to buy some more peanut butter." We walked back to the house and I escorted him to the front door.
"Liam," He turned around and waited for me to speak. "I'm sorry about what happened that day and for not listening." He smiled brightly and pulled me into a big hug.
"I love you Cameron. That daughter of yours has changed you, the old Cameron would have never apologised. Just remember I'm the boss and I call the shots." Liam laughed as I pushed him away and pulled a 'fuck off' face. He drove off pulling the middle finger and laughing as I pulled one back.
I walked back into the living area and found Lily and Jack staring at me pointedly like they were about to give me a serious talk.
"What's going on?" I asked. They gave eachother a look and signalled for me to sit on the couch across from them.
"Cameron, Lily and I had been discussing this day for a while now. We knew that once the three weeks were up you would most likely return back to work. Lily had confided in me her fears in regards to you going back to work." Jack said cautiously. I looked between them and then focused on Lily.
"Is this true Lily?" I said softly.
"Yes. I'm worried about you." Lily said softly, patting Bart on the head who had nuzzled his nose into her leg.
"Worried that I might get hurt?" I asked quietly.
"Yes, but..." She paused and looked at Jack who urged her to go on. "I'm worried that you wont...come home." I stared at her, my vision becoming blurry as I took in her words. I never really considered that she would worry about me being a police woman. The first time I told her I was a police woman she seemed excited.
Movement from the hallway caught my eye and I saw Edward and Damon walk around the corner with serious faces. Obviously they had heard what Lily said. Edward sat next to Lily and planted a kiss on her forehead before turning to me waiting for my reply.
"Lily, you don't have anything to worry about. I will always come home." I clarified. She turned suddenly tense and serious.
"Will you? How do you know that for sure? Can you promise me you will come home after every shift?" She shot at me.
"Lily," I started.
"You can't even promise me, can you." She shot back angrily.
"No, I can't promise you, and I wont. You need to understand its just part and parcel of my job, honey."
"And, what happens if you die?" She frowned.
"You're thinking about it too much." I stated, rolling my eyes. She raised her eyebrows in defiance.
"What happens if you die? Where do I go?"
"In the highly unlikely event that I will die, you're Aunty Caz becomes your guardian. Have we cleared that up?" I said back. She sat and thought about this for a while.
"And Lisa and Bart?" She said with a little bit of attitude.
"I'm assuming they will come with you. You get the house too." I said calmly. She scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"Do you not get it? I don't want the house and I don't want to live with Aunty Caz. I don't want you to be a police officer any more. Its too dangerous." She said with volume.
"Honey, that's not an option."
"WHY?" She shouted as she stood up to pace up and down the room.
"Watch your tone, Lily. It's my job, I can't just stop being a police officer."
"It's not that you can't, its that you wont." She shot back.
"I love my job and I'm not going to stop being a police officer. Is that what you wanted to hear?" I asked. Edward, Jack and Damon sat quietly observing the heated discussion going back and forth between Lily and I.
"You have a Law degree, become a lawyer for fuck sakes." She said as she pointed at my Law degree hanging on the wall.
"HEY! Watch your mouth!" I spat angrily. She turned sharply to face me.
"You swear ALL the time!"
"Yeah, but I'm your Mother and I'm allowed to." We stood eyeing each other for a long moment before she turned on her heel and walked up the hall way.
"I'm going to Nana and Papa's house." She stated.
"No your not! LILY! LILY, GET BACK HERE!" I yelled. She opened the front door quickly and bolted out the front gate. Mum and Dad lived ten minutes away and I knew Lily would run there. I went for my keys but Edward got to them faster.
"Calm down. I'll go after her." He said with no room left for arguing.
"Give me my keys." I ground out. He really wanted to fuck with Momma bear right now?
"No." He quickly pushed past me and ran to his car. "Jack hold her! Damon hurry." Before I could reach him big arms wrapped around me and lifted me back inside. Jack closed the door with his foot and quickly got us into my room before closing the door behind him.
"Jack, get out of my way." I warned. He eyed me and stood tall with his hands protecting his baby makers.
"No. Now listen, Edward has got this, he can go and talk to her about this. She loves him. She loves you too, but you don't let her have her say. Let her go and calm down. Edward will bring her back when everything has calm down. Please don't hurt me." Jack said in strong voice. I thought about what he said for a moment before I decided he was right. I sighed and plonked myself onto my bed.
"I can't seem to get it right." I said feeling defeated.