Oh, Baby! #Wattys2020

Chapter Twenty Nine

He was just about to unpack the last box for his room when the doorbell rang. He looks around at the remnants of his 13th birthday party, that only his grandma attended and begrudgingly moves towards the door. Everything about him is dull, lifeless. His body is still healing from Kevin's abuse, yellow bruises coating his skin like wildflowers in an open field.

Hale stands on his toes to look out of the door's peep hole. No one stands in the hall, but he opens the door anyway. It was probably just some of those dumb teenagers he saw when they first got here. Gran tried to make him talk to them.

He looks down the hall, both ways and finds nothing but empty space. Just as he is about to swing the door shut again, a soft cooing draws his attention down to a baby carrier. He takes a step back, eyeing the happy baby.

"Gran, did you have a baby delivered?" He calls behind him, knowing she's asleep, and definitely won't hear him.

At his raised voice, the baby begins to sniffle. Hale's eyes widen in horror as the baby begins to cry. "Shh, shh, you're alright." He tries to calm, but panic creeps into his voice.

Nervously, he grabs the handle of the carrier and brings the crying baby in. Once the door is closed and locked behind him, he hurries over to the couch, setting the car seat on the coffee table. As he is about to grab the wailing child he notices a note tucked in next to the baby. He grabs the crumpled up piece of paper and frowns.

I'm sorry, I'm going to try and get my life together. Until then, please take care of Mia because I can't.

Emily

He crumples up the note, anger coursing through his veins at the thought of his sister. And now she's dumped her problems on him. She hasn't talked to him or mom in years, and next thing he knows, she's dropping her daughter off for them to take care of. Typical Emily, always running away from responsibility. She's always done that, since they were kids. Responsibility was never her thing. And if one were to ask him if he was surprised this was happening now, he would be truthful and answer no. He always expected this from her.

"Shh, Mia." He soothes, leaning over to pick her up. He slides a hand under her diapered butt and the other under her head to support it. She sniffles, staring up at him as he cradles her in his arms.

"Well aren't you just a beauty." He mumbles, tucking her head into the crook of his elbow as he holds a finger out to her. She grips it, wrapping her tiny fingers around his.

In that moment, everything felt okay again. Almost as if the clouds had parted ways and opened his life up to sunny days. He knew then that Mia would be his saving grace. He fell in love with his niece, vowing to protect her. And never let anyone hurt her.

"Hale, calm down. I think I saw Kyle grab her. He probably just took her somewhere safe." Bella's voice barely breaks his panic, and what normally calms him only makes him worse.

"Breathe." She tries to reassure, her panicked face turning away from him.

"Leroy, where is Kyle?" She asks, her voices raising to a high pitch. "What do you mean you can't reach him?"

"Well try again! He can't just have disappeared." She orders, running her hands through her hair. 

Hale's phone buzzes in his pocket and he snatches it out. He stares at the screen for a second, expecting Kyle's number. Instead, the wind is knocked out of him.

Unknown

I told you to watch out. Now I have something you want, and you have something I want. Follow my instructions carefully, and no one gets hurt.