Our Lives Need a Rewrite (og; being rewritten)

Chapter 32 - The Porch Reeked of Hormones

"So," Caitlyn started as we sat down, coffee in hand. Her eyes had dark circles under them. "I got a job offer." I grinned at her, setting my own mocha on the table.

"Cait, that's fantastic!" I exclaimed, grabbing her wrist. She smiled weakly and nodded. "What's wrong?"

"The bad news is that it's in Washington," she admitted. My smile dropped.

"Oh," it was all I could think to say.

"Yeah," she replied. "They want to interview me in the next week. I'd have to go up and talk to them. So, I was just wondering if you could take Maggie for the week." I smiled.

"Of course," I said earnestly. "Of course she can stay with. She can always stay with me."

"Allie," Caitlyn looked me in the eye. "If all goes well, and I get the job, Maggie would have a choice to make. It would be her senior year and I don't want to take her away from here."

"Then she'll stay with me," I said fiercely. "If that's what you want."

"I don't want to be separated from her, but I don't want to take her away either," Caitlyn sighed. "But I need this job. I need it to work."

I looked at Caitlyn more closely. Since her freshman year of college, she'd had life harder than me. Mom and Dad could barely look at her while she was pregnant. It wasn't until Will called them out on it, the fact that they were shunning their daughter on a mistake- something they'd always told us would be okay as long as we made the best of it.

My dad was the first to come to Caitlyn and really comfort her. He's the real reason Caitlyn kept Maggie. He promised to help her in any way he could so she could keep her baby. 

Mom came around later. I think she had a hard getting past the judging stages of it all. Her own daughter had gotten pregnant and quite possibly ruined a career. But she cared, deep down, and when Caitlyn went into labor, my mom was the first one there. The one who helped her through hours upon hours of pushing. She acted as the father of the child should have.

But he was gone and he never even came back to check on Maggie.

My mom admitted she was wrong. One of the few times I'd ever heard her say it aloud. She told Caitlyn she was wrong about everything and made a similar vow as my dad. Since Maggie had been born, they'd both gone to great efforts to make Caitlyn's life easier.

But it didn't work like that. Caitlyn tried to get better jobs, but always came out with the crappier end. It became a niche she was used to. She came to expect not to get the job. Our parents had offered to buy her a house, support her in every way possible but Caitlyn was stubborn. 

She wanted to support her own family, and it became harder as time went on. She eventually let them help pay for a small apartment, but nothing more.

"Caitlyn, what about Finn?" Caitlyn gave me a pained look and I suddenly realized what really made her lose sleep. 

Because Caitlyn and our brothers and I almost co-raised Maggie. She'd trust us with her life and Maggie's ten times over. She knew if it came to it, Maggie could stay here for senior year before going to college. In fact, it was probably already in her plans.

But Finn? 

"I don't know," she said honestly. 

"Do... do you love him?" He was the first guy I'd seen her in a real relationship with for a long time. 

Tears sparkled in Caitlyn's eyes. "I... I don't know."

It most definitely meant yes. If Caitlyn wasn't sure, it was yes. It was just hard for her to admit it to herself because of how untrusting she was these days of men. And why shouldn't she be? The father of her child doesn't even know the kid exists because he left her to get picked up by the cops.