Amelia Forbes
I watched Dani and Ben slice vegetables in the kitchen silently. For once they weren't bickering. But they weren't talking to each other, or to me.I gave a silent sigh. Ben had found out about everything from Dani when he came over. It took both Dani and Adrian to stop him from storming off to the Davenports. Afterwards he had screamed his lungs off at me, asking why I could keep something like that from him.Then he'd cried a little. We'd all cried together. Nana included.But there was still a sad kind of tension in the air. No one was talking to each other. They'd even agreed on what to make for dinner for once without arguing.Adrian, Ben and Dani were a part of my small family now. They were constantly around-coming over early in the morning and leaving pretty late at night, although they slept over most nights.And me? I was exhausted. I was still a bit scared from Nana's dizzy spell from earlier. But I felt relieved too. The peoJason DavenportI was exhausted as I walked through the doors of the fourth convenience store I'd been to today. I was trying to find a job. I didn't know what that entailed, nor had I ever had one before, but I was determined to make an effort. And getting a job was a first step. I timidly walked to the counter, conscious of my damp clothes that had begun to give off a weird kind of smell. The salesclerk ignored me until I cleared my throat loudly. He paused in his typing and glared at me, scrunching his face as the stench hit his nose. Holding a napkin briefly to his nose he snapped, "What can I do for you?" My fists clenched at his snarky tone. How dare he disrespect me? People like him were my servants! My anger slowly began to dissipate as I realized it was past tense. I was a nobody now. Trying my best to ignore the attitude I said, "I'm looking for a job?" Loud guffaws from the other salesclerks ran through the air and I felt the back
Jason DavenportI sat on a bench outside a small supermarket. It was my second night sleeping in the streets. To me it still felt like a dream. I'd gotten angry, cried, begged my mother for forgiveness, but still nothing.The tiny hope I'd harbored that Dad would come looking for me has dissipated. And now I was completely hopeless, helpless. I had nowhere to go, no one to talk to. No one in town wanted to employ me because "my family acted like we owned the world". I'd never felt so tired in my entire life. And deep down I knew it was all my fault. Who do I talk to now?Maybe if mom was alive...No, I stopped myself. This was all on me. I sighed, wiping the tears that stood on my cheeks. Maybe if I made an effort, maybe if I proved myself, showed everyone that I was truly remorseful. Maybe dad would take me back. Maybe mom would stop being disappointed in me. Maybe Amelia would forgive me. Maybe Adrian would be friends with me again.
Jason DavenportThe only time I'd ever left Wayne's county was during the holidays, on trips with Dad and mom. Now I was all alone in a strange town. I'd been spending nights cooped up in dark alleys and abandoned cars, still unsuccessful at finding a job. Close to death, I'd scavenged through a trash can behind a small restaurants to pick out leftovers for myself. Today I couldn't find any abandoned cars to sleep in so I was squeezed in an alley, hands deep in the pockets of my hoodie. I shivered, the cold chilling my bones. Trying to think happy thoughts I finally managed to doze off. I woke up to someone shaking me roughly. Instinctively, I backed pushed the figure away, getting prepared to run for my life. These leftovers were my last. I didn't need anyone trying to steal it from me."Hey, hey, calm down boy. I'm not here to hurt you," The figure spoke reassuringly, raising both hands as if in surrender. "I was just passing through."I squi
Amelia Forbes"I despise colleges and their stupid interviews," Dani groaned as she slumped onto my bed.I gave a small laugh. "How'd it go?""Pretty stupid.""Dani?" I warned, laughingly."What? Why would they ask why I applied for their college? Uhh, 'cause I want a degree?"I giggled. "You're silly."She only shrugged. "How did your day go?" She asked, throwing a chip into her mouth.I shrugged. I was tired as hell like always. I just wanted to take this thing out of me. Groaning, I grabbed my chips from her and began to chomp."Oh that reminds me," Dani started, moving closer to me on the bed.She whipped out her phone and shoved it toward me when she opened a picture.I stared at it and shook my head. "What am I looking at exactly?"Dani nearly choked on her potato chips. "That's exactly what I said too!"After she had gulped down a cup of juice she continued. "That's the one and only Jason Davenport."
Jason DavenportI let out a victorious yelp as I fixed that last nail in the shed. It'd taken nearly a week to round everything up. I couldn't count how I'd dismantled everything and started all over. And finally I was through. I stood to the side not believing I'd done it all on my own. Bill stood by my side, congratulating me, patting my back and cheering me on."Good job, Jason," He smiled. "She's beautiful."I beamed, looking down at my callused palms. I'd done this all alone. For the first time in my life I'd achieved something without help from anyone. I quickly swiped the tears that were beginning to form away and dug my hand into my back pocket. I'd managed to scrap up a hundred dollars in total. It still wasn't enough to get a cot but I was proud of myself. I would keep working. I'd work until I could afford to get the baby a good present. I carefully cleaned up the chicken coop and reintroduced the animals into the new shed. Quickly, so I could run up to t
Amelia ForbesI literally could not fit into any of my clothes anymore. Dani and Adrian had to go on a shopping spree for maternal clothes while Benson kept me company. Benson was back, finally. He was exhausted and awaiting the results from the colleges he had applied to. At the moment, he was helping massage my neck and shoulders. Thank gracious. I felt ugly and bloated and by now I'd decided that pregnancies were the worst things to exist. I felt like an elephant, too big to stand on my own. And it was really annoying. As the day of my delivery drew closer, I felt lazier, more and more exhausted, irritated about everything. And the muscle aches were the worst part, hence the massage. I was due in two weeks according to my doctor, and I was nervous. I've read bad things about childbirth; complications like breech births. There was even one where the umbilical cord would wrap around the baby's neck and strangle it to death.I shuddered as I thought about it.
Jason DavenportI'd heard from dad that Amelia was due in two weeks. I was a little worried because I still hadn't saved up enough to get that cot. But I believed that I would have before two weeks. Bill had hired a second farmhand and assigned me to train him. So I was at the store more now. Meaning more tips. And more tips meant more money. I smiled, knowing that I could finally afford the cot soon. As my shift drew to am end, my phone began to ring. It was a cheap one I had paid Bill a few bucks for. At least it works. My brows puckered as I saw that it was dad that was calling. He usually only called in the evenings when he knew I'd be off work. Quickly I picked up."Hello?" I put the phone to my ear. "Jason." Dad's voice was frantic.My heart skipped a beat. "Is something wrong?" "No, no," He reassured me. "Amelia just went into labour."I nearly fell of my seat. "What, when?""I just drove her to the hospital."When I didn't respond, h
Jason DavenportEveryone in the waiting room stood to their feet when the doctor walked in.The only thing I could hear was the beating of my heart as I waited for the doctor to update us. He glanced at each of us and then cleared his throat. "Who's the father?"Before any one could protest, I moved forward. "I am."The death stares from Adrian and Mel's friends pierced my back but I held my ground. No one uttered a word.The doctor finally took off his mask and smiled. "It's a girl!"Everyone gave a sigh of relief in unison, which quickly turned into a cheer. Amelia's grandmother slumped into her chair and began to sob. Adrian signed some words to her which probably made her feel better because she began to laugh."Would you like to see the baby?" The doctor asked me. I wiped my sweaty palms. I was going to face Amelia again after so many months. I didn't know what I was going to say.But I nodded. The others were too busy talking to notice me le