ADRIENNE PARKER

APARTMENT HUNTING

" Okay, I like this one. What do you guys think?" I said, sitting at the kitchen counter with my laptop on the counter in front of me. Jake, Drew, Leah, and I were looking at apartments in Tuscaloosa. We were all accepted to the University of Alabama, so we decided to get apartment together, so that it would be less expensive for all of us.

" It is a three bedroom. It has a decent sized kitchen and living room, and its only a five minute walk from the school." I said. Jake, Leah, and Drew looked over my shoulder at the pictures of the apartment.

" I think it looks good, and it's not bad for rent." Jake said. " Carter said he'd take the girls." He added. I looked up at him. " Is Byron gonna give up his rights? Let Carter take them? Will a court even let him do it?" I asked him. He sighed. " I don't know. I'm hoping that a court will see how good Carter's been doing, especially with Brinley. Plus, Carly's a really good person and she's always been a mama at heart. Plus, my grandparents don't live to far away, so I just hope they'll see that Byron isn't fit to be their dad." He said.

It's been almost two months since Christmas, and Jake and the girl's spent New Year's with us, and that's when he told me about Byron. All of it. And, we've been working on getting Carter and Carly started on the adoption process. Jake wanted to be their legal guardian, but he got a football scholarship to U of A, and even the lawyer said that he should take it, so, here we are. We wanted three bedrooms in our apartment, so that the girl's could come stay on the weekends.

" I say, we go and check out the apartment tomorrow." Leah said. I know, grabbing my phone, to call the number of the landlord. " Okay. We have to be there by three tomorrow, to look at the apartment, and meet with the landlord." I said, getting off the phone with the landlord. " Drew's driving!" Jake said, from the couch. " Why do I have to drive?" Drew said, working on his homework on the floor, for some odd reason. Two couches and a chair and he chose the floor.

" Because, I drove most of the way when we went to Colorado, and Jake drove when we went to see Emmett awhile back, and Leah drove us to the lake last weekend." I said. " Your turn brother." I said, writing down the address for the apartment before shutting my computer.

I walked out to the living room, and sat down next to Jake. " So, after our adventure to Tuscaloosa tomorrow, what do we wanna do?" He asked. " Oh! My cousin lives in Tuscaloosa. Could we stop by to see her?" Leah asked. I shrugged. " Sure. Your boyfriend is driving." I said. Drew rolled his eyes, and Leah laughed at him.

" I have a question for you guys... how would y'all feel on us getting a dog when we moved into our apartment?" Jake asked. My head immediately snapped up to his, and I am pretty sure he saw the excitement that was in my eyes. " What kind of dog?" I asked. " I was thinking a Husky." He said.

One of the two dogs I always swore I would get when I moved out. A husky, and a golden retriever. " Yes!" I said. He chuckled, looking at the other two. " How would you guys feel?" He asked. They agreed. " Sure. But, we are planning on bringing Diesel with us, too." Drew said. Diesel is his three year old chocolate lab. He is one of the sweetest dogs you will ever meet.

" Yes. Two dogs. The husky is sleeping in our room." I told my brother. He shrugged. " Fine, but Diesel stays with us." He said, smirking. I stuck my tongue out at him. We watched a little Fast and Furious when the front door opened. " Kids!" Mom shouted. " Come help me with the groceries!" Mom said. We got up, and walked into the kitchen. " Hey, Mama. Where's Dad?" I asked. " Your father  is hanging out with your uncle Atticus tonight." She said.

I raised an eyebrow. " Uh-oh. What happened?" I asked. She sighed. " Just a disagreement. Don't worry about it. He'll be home later. I didn't wanna say or do anything I might regret, so I may or may not have driven away before he could get in the car." She said. " Mom!" I said. She shrugged. " What!? Baby, it was either that or walk home, and I was too tired to walk all the home. Plus, I called your dad, and told him I was sorry. He said he'd hang out with Atticus for a bit tonight." She said.