“Five,” I repeat, trying to do the mental math.
Mom left when I was twelve. She has to have known she was pregnant when she left. I wonder if that’s what prompted her to go?
Holy shit. I can’t handle this right now.
“So, ummm…your dad?”
She shrugs her little shoulders. “I don’t have a dad.”
“Right.”
“Your family?”
“Mom said you were family.”
I suck in a breath and place my hand against my chest, indicating to myself. “Me?” I question, just in case the little girl is confused.
Aria nods.
Shit.
My heart stammers in my chest.
‘She’s your problem now.’ ‘She’s your problem now.’ ‘She’s your problem now.’
My mother’s words repeat over and over again in my mind to the point I can’t even spare a second to think about the fact that I just saw the woman for the first time in over five years. Hell, I can’t even manage to calm my racing heart. What does she mean? ‘She’s your problem now.’ Is this kid being dumped on us? On me?
“So… where did your mom go?” I ask, secretly hoping she was just ducking down to the store and will be back in a few minutes. I mean, I’m not cut out for looking after children. I wouldn’t know the first thing to do with her.
Aria shrugs again as my eyes continue raking over the features that seem so similar to my dad’s. “Don’t know.”
I slowly nod my head, my mind whirring with unspoken thoughts as I try to remember the girl is only five and probably won’t have a single answer for me.
Aria crosses her arms over her chest and it’s then I notice that she’s in a tiny pair of sleep shorts and a tank that looks about two sizes too small for her. I quickly grab the remote for the heating and switch it on before looking down at her. “Are you cold? Do you need anything?”
She shakes her head. “I’m used to it.”
What. The. Actual. Fuck? ‘I’m used to it.’ What kind of kid has to get used to being cold?
I ask her again, though this time with a little more pressure, letting her know I need a straight answer. “Aria. Are you cold?”
She looks up at me with her sad little eyes and nods her head.
“Ok,” I tell her, getting up and crossing the room to grab the throw from off the other couch. “This is only going to work if you’re honest with me, alright?”
She nods again and I curl the throw around her shoulders. She instantly snuggles into it and I look around, realizing that nothing got brought along with her. “Your mom didn’t leave you any clothes or…I don’t know, your things?”
She shakes her head.
Fuck. Fuck. FUCK. What is this?
What do I do? I’m just a kid myself. I’m not ready to be looking after another human being. Hell, half the time I forget to feed Frog. I have too many questions to even concentrate on giving her what she needs right now.
She has no clothes. She’s cold. She probably hasn’t eaten. Shit, has she eaten? “Are you hungry?” I rush out. “When was the last time you ate?”
She shrugs her shoulders and I quickly realize that she doesn’t get asked a lot of questions. “I had breakfast.”
I blanch. “Breakfast?” I shriek.
She flinches and curls into the back of the couch and I curse myself for raising my voice. “I’m tired,” she murmurs.
“Ok, I’m sorry, but you’re not sleeping until you’ve eaten a little something, ok?”
Her eyes cast down and she slowly nods her head. I take that as my cue to get on with things. I hurry into the kitchen and rummage through the fridge for something I could give her. “Are you allergic to anything?” I call out before wondering if she even knows what that means. She doesn’t respond and I shake it off. I probably wouldn’t respond if I was in her situation either.
I find a frozen pizza and shove it in the oven. You can’t go wrong with pizza, but knowing my luck, I probably could.
As it heats, I hurry down to my room, giving her a forced smile as I pass her, hoping to ease her worries. I snatch my phone off my bedside table and dial dad’s number as fast as I can. “Come on,” I groan as it rings over and over again.
I start making my way back to the kitchen and don’t miss the way her cautious eyes follow every step I take. “Henley,” dad’s voice comes through the line in a panic, drawing my attention away from Aria. “What’s wrong? Why are you calling so late?” he rushes out, though it’s clear as hell I just woke him from what would have been a shitty sleep anyway.
I hurry into the kitchen, not wanting to have this conversation in front of her. “Mom was just here,” I whisper yell into the phone.