River “Thank you for coming with me to see Jim.” I’m telling Sydney as we are walking into the police station where they are holding Jim for the kidnapping of me. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else,” Sydney tells me, then takes my free hand and squeezes it. We walked up to the clerk’s desk to let her know we were there to see Jim Darby. She looks up at us with a smile on her face. “Yes, Jim has been telling us you were coming to visit with him.” She tells us and Sydney and I just look at each other. This lady is acting like it’s no big deal that Jim is in jail for the kidnapping and attempted murder of his own child. Leave it to my father to make friends with everyone here. That’s what Jim does. He manipulates everyone into thinking he is a good guy, but I’ve always known he was a monster. “Right this way, Ms. River.” The clerk tells me and we follow her down a narrow hall. Then she walks us into another room that has rows of glass and chairs. We find a chair that’s empty and walk over to

River “River, I’m home, sis,” Sydney says from the other side of my door. I’ve been hiding out in my dorm room as much as I can lately. I need to talk to my mom and Gab before Thanksgiving this weekend, but I don’t know how to approach them with this and I don’t want them to be disappointed in me. I walk out to the front room and drop down onto the sofa. “Soon, I need to have a conversation with mom and Gab.” I tell Syd. “Do you want to call them to meet us at the pizza place today?” Syd asks me. I think for a minute, and honestly, that would be the best thing. That way there is no chance of running into Rock. He is home for the Thanksgiving break where I stayed at the dorm. “Yea, that’s a good idea.” I tell her, then pick my phone up and call my mom. After our phone call, we made plans to meet at the pizza place in an hour, around 5. Realizing the limited time, I quickly get off the sofa, rush to take a shower, and grab a pair of slacks and a blouse to wear. By the time Sydney

River “He doesn’t want the baby.” I yell at mom and Gab, so mad at Rock. I really didn’t mean to rat him out like that, but I’m fed up with his hot and cold crap. I’m having a baby. If he doesn’t want to be a part of this baby’s life, that’s fine, but that does not give him the right to tell me who I can and who I can’t tell about this child. I jump into my jeep and get the heck out of there before he can come and demand crap from me again. I’m halfway home when my phone rings. It’s Sydney so I answer it. “Hello.” I answer. “Hey how is your Sunday going?” She asks me. “Well, I’m on my way home because, as always, Rock has to be an ass about everything.” I told her. “What do you mean he’s an ass?” Sydney asks me. “Well, I guess his mom said something to him about the baby or something I’m not really sure. But he dragged me to my room demanding to know who all I told and was mad that I told anyone before him. So I got kinda mad and stormed out of my room and downstairs and right be

River It’s our two week Christmas holiday from school, so Rock and I are at mom and Gabs house these two weeks and Rock is being super sweet and tentative to me. The first day he bought me donuts and hot chocolate, the second day he bought me a thing of fruit and the list goes on of things he has done for me. It’s the day before Christmas Eve and Rock has talked me into going and seeing a movie and then getting a bite to eat. “So what movie are we going to watch?” I ask him, but he is being tight-lipped. But I’m going to assume either the movie is in some fancy theater or he is taking me to a fancy restaurant, but why do either? Ugh, men are so confusing. I really don’t even know why I’m mad at him anymore. He has been so sweet and tentative with me the last month and a half. He finally got to feel Liam Alex Martinaze kick for the first time last night. He was so stoked he kicked to him saying his name. Come to find out, the name I picked out was the name Rock wrote. So that should

River Rock, Liam, and I are finally getting out of the hospital today. Mom went and got me a car. She says it's safer for the baby than getting another Jeep, and when Liam gets older we can ride around in Rock's jeep. I didn't argue with her. So that's what we are taking our baby home in today. Rock and I haven't really talked about where we are going to stay so for now I'm going to stay with my mom and Gab, because I cannot stay in the dorms with a baby and Rock has a shit ton of guys living with him so his apartment is out. We make it to our neighborhood but instead of parking at our house, Rock parks at his old family home. "Rock, what are you doing? I don't want to walk with Liam from here to moms." Rock just smiles at me. "Riv trust me baby, you're going to like this." Rock helps me out of the car then grabs Liam's car seat and heads toward the house we are parked in front of so they must be throwing a welcome home party and wanted t