Baby be Mine

Chapter 9

[Mic]

"How was your day?" Nancy asks as I settle down on the sofa.

"My day was school." I say, with a smile.

Nancy affectionately taps my shoulder. "Cheeky. Did your friends have a nice summer? Did they go anywhere nice?"

"You know I'm in sixth form, right? It's not primary school where we tell stories of the summer in class." I joke, trying to change the subject.

"Alright miss adult. Was it at least nice seeing your friends?" she tries again. Only I don't know how to answer and Nancy seems to pick up on that. "What? What's with that face? Did something happen with your friends?"

I cringe with the response I'm about to give. How lame does this make me? "I don't have any friends in school."

The confusion on her face is easy to register. It's the range of emotions that come after I struggle to identify.

"But you had a big group of friends."

"I used to, but after mum and dad they became distant. Stopped involving me in things until we just stopped talking altogether. They all went to the local college for their 'A' levels last I knew."

She looks to the ceiling and I can see that she is having a conversation in her head. What she is thinking I can't tell.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here for you more." Nancy sighs, before muttering "I shouldn't have followed that letter." At least that is what I think she says. What that means I don't know but my embarrassment is taking precedent. In a rational mindset I might wonder what she said and ask what she meant. I'm not in that mindset though. "Mic, you've been keeping a lot from me, I don't expect you to tell me everything. You're allowed to have a private life. Just please know you can talk to me; you don't have to keep this stuff to yourself. I'm here, I'm staying here. Even if you get tired of having me in the house, I will buy a place nearby. You're not alone."

I don't know how to respond. For the longest time I thought I was doing okay on my own. I was fine. Bills were covered, food in the fridge. Communication with the outside world came through customers and phone calls with Nancy. School work was going fine, my results were good. Life was passing smoothly.

Or so I thought.

Two weeks living with Nancy and Elsie showed me the difference.

Having Nancy in the house instead of the on the other end of a phone is more comforting than I thought it would be. It's like I've been riding a rollercoaster for the last few years and now I've gotten off it. Legs a little wobbly, heart racing. I was glad I'd done it but much preferred having my two feet on the ground. Having someone to just talk about random things that happened in the day. It surprisingly lifts your mood. Little things that cross your mind, Nancy listens without judgement.

And I enjoy listening to her stories as well.

As for Elsie. The instant love I've felt for that little girl. I'm not just existing anymore. Going from job to job to have enough money to live on. Trying to squeeze school work around shifts. Now I get up for Elsie. I'm working for her. I get out of bed to spend time with her. To watch her grow. Admittedly at three weeks she still doesn't do much but sleep, eat and poop. Yet I'm glad I get to be there for it.

Like last week, I had the scary moment of witnessing her umbilical cord fall off. For a panic inducing moment, I thought I'd done something wrong. A feeling I'm sure to feel a lot in the coming years. But I want to be there for every one of them.

Nancy cracked up laughing when I told her what happened and my reaction. Without Nancy I wouldn't have had anyone to laugh about that with. Then again without Nancy Elsie would have probably been taken off me.