I found my Family (On Hold)

Chapter 2: Road Trip

Liah POV: 

I double checked everything I packed in the car and looked at Caleb who was playing on the living room floor. I mentally crossed everything I needed for him on the ride off the list and smiled as I had everything.

The address, which Toni had send me, is in another state, which means Caleb and I will be going on a little road trip together. It was unexpected but I didn't care, I didn't to stay here any longer. And with the stunt I did with Sarah I was sure mom wouldn't be happy about it.

I had everything planned and prepared for the past month if not years and the only thing I had been missing was a place where I could go to be safe. Even if it turned out to be a fluke I was glad I was leaving this place and her. I couldn't stand mom or her friends anymore and I didn't want Caleb anywhere near those people either.

There was nothing holding me here anymore, no family, no friends, nothing. All I needed was my baby.

"Caleb." I called out to him.

He would turn 3 in 2 month and he was walking and running like a little champion if you asked me. He got up from his spot as I called him and wobbled over to me as fast as he could. I was already ready to catch him in case he fell but he balanced himself pretty good and made it safely towards me.

"Mommy carry." He made grabby hands to me and I picked him up, holding him on my waist.

"Are you ready to go on a trip?" I poked his nose and he started to giggle.

"Trip, trip!" He laughed and cheered even though I wasn't sure if he understood what it meant. 

I had never been on a trip with him before. We did move a year ago because mom insisted on it but Caleb was too young at that time.

I walked to the car, opened the back door and put Caleb into his child seat, I buckled him up and gave him his little pink teddy bear which he couldn't live without. His mom had bought it when she found out she was pregnant in expectation of a girl, well that turned out differently. But I was glad he loved the teddy so much, it was one of the only things I could give him from his birth mother, my best friend.

You see Caleb isn't my biological son. He is the son of my two best friends, Adira and Ethan, who died two years ago, they were 17 and 18 at the time I was 15. They were on a date that night, while I was babysitting Caleb. On their way back another car drove them off the road and they died on impact. The police said they probably didn't even feel any pain. I could never say if I was relieved about that or not. I just wished it had never happened. Since Adira and Ethan were both orphans and had no family, at least they didn't know of any, they wanted me to take care of Caleb if anything ever happened to them. I took care of him ever since.

That was two years ago. And yes we had our troubles on the way, I mean I was only 15 when Adira and Ethan died and I was left with their child. But I would never give Caleb away or entrust him to anyone else. I was his mommy and he was my baby now.

I gave Caleb a kiss on the forehead and he grabbed my cheeks in response, then he kissed my cheek. Strangely enough this had turned into our ritual whenever I gave him a kiss. He would scream, cry and complain if he didn't get to kiss me back. I closed his door and got into the driver's seat.

I took a final look at the backseats of the car and saw all of mine and Caleb's belongings secure and safe so that nothing could move or fall during the drive. The car was practically filled to the roof with all of our things. Even the passenger seat was packed.

I quickly put the address in my phone and it was a 12 hour ride from Arlington Arizona to San Francisco California. I already knew the drive would take a good three or four hours longer since I was driving with Caleb and I needed to take enough breaks in between. We would also drive through the night since it was already 5pm. I just hoped that he would sleep during the ride. He was usually getting tired when we drove around the city with the car and I was hoping for that to happen again. I gave a silent prayer as I started the car and drove out of our garage.