Page 6 of Wreckage of Us
Baby Garner. That’s what the text above the image says.
I almost corrected them and had them addhyphen Knighton there, but I have no idea yet if I should put Dylan’s name on the birth certificate or not.
Despite Oliver’s best efforts to convince me that Dylan deserves to know about the baby, and that I should tell him right away, I didn’t run to him to do just that. I just need time to process everything.
I stand up from the bed, the need to pee hitting me instantly. After I do my business on the toilet, I wash my hands, then decide to wash and moisturize my face for the night as well. Might as well since I’m in here.
I throw on a pair of leggings and a cropped but baggy sweatshirt, and I am finally ready to head downstairs. Some toast with a cup of tea never sounded this good.
When I step into the kitchen, I am surprised to find it exactly as I left it. Since nobody is here with me, it makes sense. I get my teapot going and move to stare out the window that’s above the sink. It gives a perfect view of the back yard.
My eyes fall on the too big of a bush that’s out there, the one where an entire army could hide, and I wouldn’t even know it. I need to find someone to pull that sucker out, I think to myself.
I hear a baby crying out there, and when I lift myself on the tip of my toes to see better, I realize that my next door neighbor, Jessica, is outside with her son. On instinct, I turn the stove off and go outside, too.
“Hey, Jess,” I call out, but she just gives me a pained smile.
“It’s Jessica,” she corrects me when I get closer.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I apologize. “I have a bad habit of shortening people’s names.”
She doesn’t say anything to that, so I just stand here, chuckling nervously. Maybe I should’ve minded my own business and stayed inside the house.
“Is he okay?” I finally manage to snap out of it and ask. The baby is obviously distraught, and Jessica is ready to lose her shit from the looks of it.
“He’s been crying for hours now,” she sounds like she’s about to cry with him. “He’s been fed, burped, changed, loved on, everything I read in the books,” she looks at me with teary eyes. “I am three videos behind that I need to post to stay on schedule, and I can’t do it with him screaming his head off in the background.”
“Oh,” I worry my hands, unsure of how I could help her. Not like I could do the videos myself, and she already made it clear that she wouldn’t be comfortable with me watching the baby inside my house.
“I feel terrible asking you…” she starts, and I perk up.
“Yeah?”
“But do you think you could watch Ryan for an hour or so while I do these videos?”
“I…” That’s not what I thought she’d ask me to do, and now I’m staring at her like a deer in the headlights.
“I don’t know anyone else around here. And I obviously need help.” A lone tear rolls down her cheek, making her look even more perfect than before. I’m starting to think this girl is some sort of artificial intelligence robot type of thing. Colt plays these games where everyone is beautiful and perfect looking, and…
“Please?” she begs. “You’re my only hope, Becca. And I am so sorry. I know I come across as bitchy and standoffish. I just…”
“It’s not a problem.” I rush to get closer to her deck, and she eagerly puts the baby in my arms. He stops crying for a second when the surprise of a new person holding him distracts him, but it doesn’t last long.
“I’ll grab some diapers and some snacks for him, okay?” I nod at her, then wait so she can bring me his things.
“You’re okay, baby,” I bounce him up and down in my arms. “Why all the screaming like this?” I ask even though I know he can’t talk back. “Your gums bothering you again?” There’s drool for days, the top of his onesie completely soaked.
“Hey, Jessica,” I call inside her house. “Maybe a change of clothes, too.”
All this commotion almost made me forget about my terrible headache. But now that I’m reminded of it, every noise this baby makes is like a stab to the side of my head.
“Here,” Jessica sounds all out of breath when she rushes back outside. “I made a bag. I won’t be long, I swear. Thank you so much. I could hug and kiss you right now if I was that type of person.”
She is serious when she says it, but it makes me laugh.
“Just come on over when you’re done, okay?” I tell her. “And I want to see all these videos you make.”
“I’ll show you my account when I come over.”
