Baby by Rape

SIX

"Hello?" I said through clenched teeth.

"Sophie!" He sounded surprised I would get on the phone, "Oh God, are you alright?"

"I'm fine Dad." I bit the inside of my cheek.

"I know you are still mad at me, and that is fine. You have a right to be. But I found a couple you can take the baby."

"The baby?" I snapped, "My Baby is staying with me."

"Are you sure?" He wanted to know, "Because you still have our whole life ahead of you. Babies are a big responsibility, and I just don't want the baby to derail your life. You have so much poten-"

I stabbed the end button with my thumb and held the phone out.

"He really does want the best for you honey."

I shook the phone and she took it. I wondered if she secretly felt this way too about the baby. That is was derailing my life plans. Sure it was a little early to take care of a baby, and No, I had no idea what I was doing, but the fact that I was going to have one, still remained. He or she was coming, and everyone better just get used to it, because I was keeping my baby. 

And if they didn't want him or her because of how I got pregnant, then I would do this alone. One way or another. I took a shower and got dressed. I stood in front of the mirror sideways and smoothed my hands over my shirt. Could you tell yet? 

There was a knock on the door and I jumped. I looked over at Danny guilty.

"I uh, I was just-"

He walked over and put a hand on my stomach. His thumb rubbed over my belly button, and then he smiled.

"What do you think they'll be when they grow up?"

I smiled too, "Whatever they want to be."

"We have to let them know that we support them in whatever they want."

"Even if it's odd?"

"It's not odd if they are into it."

I smiled, "I want them to do whatever they want to do. I want them to be so confident that it intimidates others."

He laughed, and nodded, "But we're not going to have any money to support them if we don't get jobs."

"Yeah." I snorted.

"I was thinking that we could head over to that strip of tourist shops. I hear a few of them hire minors."

"Okay, yeah I'm ready."

We headed over to the strip and put in applications. I paused at the door of an empty shop. There was a girl sitting on the floor surrounded by Boxes. I opened the door and she hurried to her feet spinning around. She had to be in her early twenties.

"I'm not ready yet." She informed me. "Oh, sorry. I thought you were someone else."

"What is this place?" I looked around.

"Used to be a candy shop I guess." She stood next to me as we took in the shop. "I'm trying to make it into a coffee joint slash book shop."

"Huh."

"Free Wifi though."

"With the purchase of a muffin."

"Huh?"

"Don't ever give anything for free. The business will fail. I totally dig what you are trying to do here, but you should make that back area on the wall look like a coffee bar. Instead of counters with the register do a pastry window display."

"I like it," She nodded. "Except I don't Bake."

"Hi." I held out my hand, "I'm Sophie, I'm sixteen, love to bake, and I will work for the minimum of minimum wages."

"No." She shook her head, "I'll hire for seventeen dollars an hour because you've really just saved my ass kid."

"What is that?" I nodded at a door.

"It's a kitchen. I guess they used to make their own homemade truffles back there."

"Can I look?"

"Sure." She lifted an arm and then bent down at a box.

I poked around in the kitchen. If she got me a mixer and a few bowls it was on. I could make my famous family recipe of cherry cheese cake and just cut it into squares to sale. This is the thing I needed. I would never have to be home when Dad came over, and it would get my mind off of HIM.

 I didn't want to think of HIM, but somehow I always came back to HIM. I left the kitchen and came back into the main hall. I saw Danny across the street. He pulled out his phone, looked at it and then put it to his ear. I walked over to the window. My phone vibrated, and I answered it.

"Where are you?"

"Look up."

He looked up from the ground and I waved at him. He smiled and waved back. He jogged across the street and came inside.

"Hey." He gave me a hug, "I put in a few Apps, but nothing looked promising.

"I got a job here."

"That's great." He smiled, "I'll find something soon I promise."

The girl walked over, "Hey, I'm Milow."

"Hey." He shook her hand.

"You know, Danny is quiet the handy man. He's a computer whiz and came make a mean cup of coffee."

"Sounds good enough to me." Milow shrugged, "My Dad thinks that this place isn't going to amount to anything, but I'll show him."

"Yeah we will."

I high fived her.

"Can you guys start tomorrow at Nine?"

"I'm free." I looked to Danny.

"Me too." He nodded. "I can drive you."
I nodded, "What should we wear?"

"Just jeans and a T-shirt for now. We'll be doing a lot of moving around." She turned to a box.

Danny looked at me, eye brows raised.

"Um, yeah, I can't really do a lot of heavy lifting," I said, as she turned to face me.

"That's okay. You two can be on shopping. Yes! You can go to IKEA and get tables and chairs. You can get bowls and stuff to bake with. Whatever ingredients you need. I have a guy coming at nine thirty to hook up a new double door fridge and double topped stove for you tomorrow. I'll give you guys the shops credit card. If you guys could get like eight to twelve retro book shelves too that would be great. I have a work van coming in too you guys can take that for the load."

"Sounds good."

"Thanks guys. See you tomorrow." She dug through a box, "Shitty idea my ass, Old Man."