Chapter Four

Adrianna’s POV 

            I hold Mackenzie close until I feel her breathing even out against my chest. I have my left hand on her belly and I can feel the babies moving and kicking around inside her and smile to myself. She is going to be such an amazing mother. These babies are going to be so lucky. I’m brought out of my thoughts when I feel my phone vibrate next to us on the couch. I look over and see a text from my sister.

            From Nicka: Mom and dad just told me you aren’t able to pick up Autumn for a while, so I’m going to take my favorite niece shopping. ;)

            To Nicka: Omg. She’s not even one yet, how much shopping can you do with her? She already has enough clothes to last her until she’s 3!

            From Nicka: Hey, I don’t get to spend that much time with her and I’m in London next week for a show, so I have to get my Autumn/Auntie time in now.

            To Nicka: Alright, you can take her with you, but please don’t buy her anything. Really, she doesn’t need anything else. I’m serious Nickayla!

            From Nicka: Yea.. okay. ;) And tell those b*****s of friends that you’re with that you need to come home soon. Mom and dad are kinda pissed you didn’t spend your morning off with your daughter.

            I want to cry when I read this because I did tell them I wanted to get home to Autumn, but Mackenzie really needs me too and I know Autumn is in good hands.

            To Nicka: I did tell them and I don’t think they’ll be talking to me for a while because I kinda went crazy Latina on them for being rude to their coworker. So, I’m not with them right now. I’m with an old friend.

I don’t want my family to know just what’s going on right now until I know for myself. They won’t care in the least, they love Kenzie and they would welcome her back with open arms, but I don’t know her situation right now and we really haven’t talked since we broke up.

            From Nicka: Since when do you stick up for strangers? And old friend? Which one? Why are you on the DL?

            To Nicka: I can’t talk about it right now. Thank you for taking Autumn and I’ll deal with mom and dad later. I gotta go though, I’ll see you when I get to mom and dad’s tonight.

            From Nicka: Good luck!

            I exhale a long breath and I hold the blonde woman in my arms a little tighter. I place both my hands back on her stomach and I feel her relax again; the babies inside her calming down and not moving as much. I still feel little kicks and movements here and there, but for the most part I think they are finally calm now that their mommy is relaxed.

            I’m just trying to keep my mind off the fact that her ex-boyfriend, the father of these babies, hurt her and tried to hurt them and essentially got away with it just because his family has money. It’s disgusting and if I ever meet him, we’re going to have issues. I made her a promise years ago and I couldn’t keep it. She got hurt and experienced pure hatred. I tried hard to keep her world sunshine and rainbows, as she liked it, when we were dating. As I drift off to sleep, with my first love back in my arms, my mind goes back to where it was in the car on the way over.

            “I think you just want me to be your little wifey.” I wink and she gives me a slight smile. “Don’t worry, my love. I’d love to play your wifey.” I lean in and kiss her on her lips that are still wet from tears. She leans into me and kisses back. Just as my tongue runs along her bottom lip asking for entrance, I hear someone clear their throat from behind me.

            We pull apart quickly from each other and I turn just as Mackenzie’s eyes widen. “Mom! Dad!”

            My head whips around to see a very wide eyed Aaron Jackson and an absolutely livid Heather Jackson. I have known Mackenzie for about 9 months now, but her parents are almost never around or we are over at my house, so I’ve only met them a handful of times. Plus, they don’t know we’re dating and from what Kenzie tells me, they probably aren’t going to take this lightly.

            Mrs. Jackson is the first of the four of us to come out of the state of shock, “What in God’s creation are you doing to my daughter?” She yelled looking directly into my eyes. I was frozen. This wasn’t supposed to be happening. “So, you don’t have anything to say for yourself? For corrupting my daughter?”

            “Mom, she wasn’t corrupting me! I was kissing her too! We.. we’re..” I turn to look at Mackenzie to silently tell her she doesn’t have to say anything she doesn’t want to. I’ll go along with whatever she says. However, what I see in her eyes as she looks back at me is honesty and complete fear. She’s going to tell them and I just grab her hand and hold it tight. “We’re dating. Adrianna is my girlfriend. I love her and she loves me and we have been dating for a while now and I’ve never felt this way about anyone. She is so kind and loving and..”

            “You don’t know anything about love, Mackenzie! You’re 16 years old! You can’t even drive a car and can barely be alone in a house! What would you know about love? You’re ignorant, Mackenzie, and naïve. She’s taking advantage of you and trying to drag you to Hell with her!” This time it was Mr. Jackson yelling and his voice was so deep and loud that the two of us actually coward into the couch a little.

            I can feel her nails digging into my hand and can tell she is terrified right now. After one attack already and her being sick, I know this is not going to end well. “Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, I know you two don’t accept us, but if you could just calm..”

            “Calm, what? Calm down? This is my house and that is my daughter, I will speak however I damn well please!” the blonde man yelled as he stepped towards us and I feel my girlfriend pull back on my arm. At this point my anger is rising and I just want to curse these people for letting their daughter feel scared of her own parents.

            “Mackenzie is sick and already had a panic attack tonight. She needs to calm down and you two are not helping.” I say calmly because I will be damned if I lose it and force another attack on my girl. We were doing nothing wrong and her parents just need to accept that.

            “Get out of our house.” Mrs. Jackson’s voice was so cold that I swear the temperature dropped in the room. “You are no longer allowed to be in this house or around our daughter. Don’t try to text or call her either. Get.. out.” Mackenzie was fully sobbing at this point, but I knew if I fought with her parents, everything would end. I couldn’t do that to her.

            I turned to face the love of my life and my heart shattered at the sight. Her eyes were bloodshot and her face was puffy and pale. She was going to throw up soon and I couldn’t do anything for her. I took her right hand and put it over my heart. At this point, I don’t give a f**k if her parents are in the room. Once her hand was in place, I took my left hand and put it over her heart. She never broke eye contact with me and I poured all my love and support into her with a simple look.

            “Choochie, I need you to be strong right now.” I started whispering to her calmly, so she could understand everything through her frazzled state. “I know you don’t feel good, but I have to go for now. I’m not going to fight with your parents right now. If you throw up, take your inhaler afterwards.” F**k it. I’m not babying her, she just can’t comprehend complex directions when she’s in this state. I need her to focus and stay with me.

            After I see her nod her head, I continue quickly, because I can hear her parents getting more upset and I know her father will probably physically remove me from his house soon. “Don’t let them get to you. If you have to, go in the bathroom and take your medicine and wait in there until it kicks in. You need to relax, honey, or else you’ll end up in the hospital.”

            “That’s enough. Stop filling her head with all of this. She’ll be fine. It’s all an act for attention. You’ll leave and she’ll be fine.”

            “Mr. and Mrs. Jackson,” I start at them as I stand up from the couch, letting go of Mackenzie’s hand as I do, “I feel sorry for you both. I feel sorry, because neither of you know anything about your beautiful, amazing, sweet, and caring daughter. You both push her aside like she’s nothing, because in your eyes she isn’t as perfect as Tyler and Quinn. Did you know that Mackenzie has had straight As all through junior high and high school? Not even one A minus. How about the fact that she is one of everyone’s favorite lifeguards at the beach? Everyone is always talking with her and asking her for advice, because she is everyone’s friend. She never turns anyone away. She treats them all with respect and such care. I wish I could say she learned it from you two, but that’s not what I’ve noticed the last nine months. I’m sorry to disrespect you in your home, but please, don’t disrespect Mackenzie either.”

            And with that I turned around and walked back to Mackenzie who, although was still crying, had a ghost of a smile on her lips. I leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on her forehead. “I love you.” I whispered in her ear. “Love you.” I barely heard in my ear, but it gave me enough confidence to walk out with my head high.

            I forgot it was still storming outside, so I ran to my car. Not that I was completely dry from when I arrived just fifteen minutes before. Once I got into my car, I started it up, and drove away from the gaudy house. I finally let myself break down about four houses down. I cannot believe they reacted like that and said those things about my baby. Between the rain on the windshield and the tears in my eyes, I’m surprised I arrived home safely. I run into my house with my head in my hands and I run straight to my mom, even though I know I’m in trouble from running out earlier.

            My family is sitting around watching a movie in the living room and I run passed them all to get to my mom. I collapse into her arms, soaking wet, and sob into her neck. I hear the movie pause, or shut off I’m not sure but I’m sure I effectively have everyone’s attention now.

            “Niña, cálmate. Qué está mal? Shhh.. Bebé, deja de llorar. Necesito que me digas por qué estás llorando. Shh…” My mom is whispering into my ear and rubbing my back and I can feel pains in my chest from how hard I’m crying. We continue like this for a good ten minutes before I calm down enough to lean into my mom and just relax in her arms. I turn on her chest and see my family looking at me with wide, concerned eyes.

            “Mackenzie and I are dating. We have been for the last month.” I feel my mom nodding against my head, and my siblings all have small smiles on their faces. I knew my family wouldn’t care.

            “Mi niña, no es una sorpresa. You two aren’t exactly subtle.” I turn and see my papi smirking at me and I just frown. It just shows that Mr. and Mrs. Jackson don’t pay any attention to Kenzie or else they would have noticed too. “Honestly, you two couldn’t be separated by anything in the last month. As if you two couldn’t be more on top of each other, you two found ways. We’re just glad and proud that you finally told us.”

            I feel a fresh set of tears start in my eyes and slowly start to explain to my family what happened tonight after I left. While all of them look sympathetic, I look at my little sister, Lilly, and see that she is actually crying as well. She really looks up to Kenz.

            “They are the ignorant ones. Even a blind person could see how much you two love each other. Maybe they will come around in a couple days, if not, your father and I will go talk to them. Bueno?” My mother asks me and gives me a kiss on the side of the head. I nod my head and attempt to relax again with my family, but I really just want to make sure my girlfriend is okay. As if on cue, I hear a familiar ringtone. I pull my phone out quickly and answer it right away.

            “Kenzie?!” I say, sitting up next to my mom and I see all eyes on me again. Some nervous, some smiling as if hoping for some good news, but it didn’t come.

            “A-A-Ade.” I can hear her heaving for breath and rain in the background and I wonder why she’s outside. I put her onto speaker so my family can hear. “A-A-”

            “Baby, where are you? Why are you outside?!” I ask, getting up off the couch and rush to fix my shoes. My family all following my lead and I say a silent thank you to them and prayer that my blonde is okay.

            “Ki-ki-kicked o-o-out. He-help.” I heard her choke out. The next thing I heard was her phone fall and the line went dead.

            “Mackenzie!” I scream and my legs give out, just before I hit the ground, I feel Carlos grab me and guide me down to the floor. I break down in sobs again and my whole body is shaking, but I fight him to go get her. “Suéltame! Tengo que encontrarla! Tengo que encontrarla!”

            I hear my mom grab her keys and tell my sisters to get in the car to go find Mackenzie. My breaths are becoming ragged and my chest is on fire. I cannot fight my brother as much and my pleas to let me go are becoming nonexistent. I hear Miguel’s phone ring a couple minutes later and he tells my dad that an ambulance is on its way down the road. That’s all it takes for my chest to completely collapse, my body went limp in my brother’s arms, and my vision went dark.

            I woke up with a start, when I hear my phone vibrating on the couch next to my head. I rub my eyes a little and try to get a sense of where I am. My phone continues to ring and I answer it when I see it’s my mom.

            “Bueno?”

            “Adrianna Guerrilla! Do you have any idea what time it is? You were supposed to be here hours ago to pick up your daughter.” I try to interrupt, but she continues. “Your father and I have lives of our own, you know. I love my granddaughter, but she’s been fussy all day and I’ve been texting and calling you for an hour, because she’s been throwing up!”

            This wakes me up real fast and I bolt to sit upright and run into Mackenzie’s hand which is holding a cold compress. I am barely able to throw an apologetic glance towards her before responding to my mom. “Dios mío. I’m so sorry. It’s a long story to try and explain right now, but I fell asleep. I’m leaving now though, so I should be there in thirty minutes. Lo siento. Bye.”

            I hang up the phone and realize that Mackenzie has been holding the cold compress to my head. I look at my phone for the time and see that it’s already after 8pm. I slept for almost 4 hours! I didn’t even call into work. S**t!

            “You were shaking and sweating. I’m assuming from a night terror, because I remember that’s how you were when we were younger. I was just coming back to wake you.” Mackenzie tells me as she moves the compress from my forehead to my cheeks. "I’ll let you go though. That call seemed important.”

            “It was and I promise I will explain everything soon, but that was my mom and she really needs me home now. What is your number though, before I leave, because I really do want to talk and be friends again.” I smile and hold her hands in between us. She nods her head and I hand her my phone. After she puts her number in I text her and we both hear a ringtone go off by the door.

            “Maybe you can tell me what your nightmare was about too?” Kenzie is looking at me with her ‘You don’t think you were actually going to get away with that?’ look that I used to see all the time when we dated. I smile and nod my head. She smiles back and leans in to kiss my forehead. “I missed you, Ade. I’m glad we found each other again.”

            “Me too, Kenz. I’ll text you when I can. Promise.” She nods her head and goes to get up off the couch. “No, it’s alright. I can see myself out.”

            She lets out a giggle. “I know you can, you’re a big girl now,” She winks, “But it’s also eight at night and these babies and this mommy are huuuungryyyy!” She laughs and I smile because I miss her laugh so much. “I’m going to order some food and watch Degrassi. Drive safe!”

            “Okay, I will. Good night!” As I’m about to shut the door I hear her yell again.

            “Text me when you get home so I know you drove safe!” The door latched before I could answer and I smiled the whole way home.

            As I pull into the driveway, I see everyone’s cars are at my parents’ house, which is normal for a Thursday night. This means, on top of a sick child, I now have pissed off parents, and curious siblings to deal with. However, Mackenzie is back in my life, so I’m happy. Bring it on, Guerrillas.

            To MJ: I made it home fine. The whole family is here for dinner, so I will be sure to text you tomorrow. I am so glad we found each other again. Good night, Kenzie. :)

            From MJ: I’m glad you got home safe. I just finished dinner and I’m going to finish this episode then head to bed. My back and chest are hurting and my eyes are burning. Thank you for everything today. You honestly have no idea how glad I am that we are together again. Well, not in that

            From MJ: Sorry, sent too soon. Not in that sense, but like we’re in each other’s lives again. Like you said. I’m so happy. I cannot wait to talk more tomorrow. Good night, Adrianna! :)

            To MJ: There you go rambling again. ;) Get some sleep, chooch. Talk tomorrow!

            From MJ: I still don’t think I ramble. *pouts* Talk tomorrow! ;)

            I pocket my phone when I walk in and it’s not very loud, but I can hear voices coming from the family room. As I get closer, I see my oldest brother Miguel and his girlfriend, Alison, and next to them are Carlos and his girlfriend, Holly. I turn the corner and see my sisters and my parents as well. Autumn is laying on my mother’s chest, not sleeping, but definitely not her usual, talkative self.

            “Hola familia!” I wave and smile to everyone as I enter the room and walk towards Autumn, I see my mother scowling at my obvious good mood, and I’m not going to let her bring me down tonight! “Come here, mi niña.” I say softly as I pick up my 11 month old and cradle her to my chest. I sit us both down in between my sisters and I can feel her clothes starting to get damp from sweat.

            “Lilly, can you go get me a cold washcloth, por favor?” My younger sister nods her head silently and leaves the room. “How was everyone’s day?” I ask politely to the rest of my family, but of course my mother speaks up first.

            “Why don’t you go first, since it seems like you’ve had such a wonderful day leaving your daughter at home. You don’t even have the decency to look upset about it!” I seriously don’t know what her issue is right now. One day a week I ask her to watch Autumn and she’s never been upset.

            “Mamí, what is the issue today?” I say as Lilly returns with the compress and I rub it on the back of Autumn’s neck. “You watch her one day a week and you’ve never been upset about it! This is the first time in months that I’ve stayed out late and I explained to you on the phone that it was an accident.”

            “Yea, because you were with an 'old friend,’ we hear.” She spits out and I turn to glare at Nicka, she just shrugs. “Well, this old friend better have been worth you missing work! You know that you are top in your class and your internship, you cannot become lazy now! You need this schooling and job to provide a better life for Autumn. You’re not getting child support and, of course, your father and I will support you, but ultimately, you need to support yourself and your child.” I understand now why she was so upset and I whisper and apology as I look down at my, now sleeping, child.

            “Anyway, Alison and Holly, I haven’t seen you two in a while, how have you been?” I ask my brothers’ girlfriends. Alison starts to respond, but Carlos interrupts her. Poor girl just let him, she’s an only child. I think she’s still getting used to the way a big family works.

            “Hold up! What’s this about an old friend? Who?” I am thankful for my skin tone at this point, because I can feel my cheeks heating up from blushing. “Don’t worry about it. Once I figure out what’s going on. I’ll let you all know.”

            “Do we get a hint?” Lilly bounces a little in her seat nice to me and I laugh. Even though she’s sixteen now, she can still be a little childish. I shake my head towards her and she pouts.

            “Pouts don’t work on me unless your name is Autumn June.” I quip at her and rub my daughter’s back.

            “… or Mackenzie.” I hear Nicka say. She thinks she’s whispering, but I know the whole room practically heard her.

            “Hey, yea.. haven’t heard that name in forever! I wonder what she’s been up to.”

            “I bet you can find her on Facebook or Instagram. I think she got rid of her Twitter last year, she never used it anyway.” Lilly replied to Miguel as he took his phone out.

            “Don’t cyber stalk her, you creep!” I say as I threw a throw pillow across the room at him.

            “Too late!” He dodged the pillow. “What was her last name again?”

            As if in stereo, my sisters, parents, and Carlos all responded together, “Jackson.”

            “That was creepy.” I heard Holly whisper to Alison, “Who’s Mackenzie?” She said louder into the room.

            My family all stares at me as if now they’re questioning if they can air my dirty laundry. I just respond for them. “Um.. she’s my ex from back in high school, but we broke up because we decided we wanted to go to different colleges. Didn’t want to worry about the whole long distance thing.” I answer sadly, because now that I’ve seen her again, I can’t imagine what was going through our heads two years ago. Why break up at all?

            I see the girls both nodding their heads in acceptance. That’s when Miguel spoke up, well, I can’t find her on any social med-, what the hell?!“

            "What?” Many of us, including me, ask him at his outburst.

            “Well, I just googled her name to see if anything would come up and this news story from last November came up. It says she was the victim in a domestic violence case against her boyfriend who assaulted her when he found out she was pre-..” I see his eyes look up and lock with mine from across the room. My heart is telling me just to get all this over with and tell my family that I know everything, but my head still doesn’t want me to get ahead of myself.

            “Found out she was what, Miguel?” My mother asks with a slight waver of fear in her voice.

            “When he found out she was pregnant.” He turned to look at my parents and my mom audibly gasps. My dad, Carlos, and now Miguel all just look pissed. After, Kenzie came to live with us when we were sixteen, my family became very protective of her.

            “Dios mio, I’m going to call her parents to find out about how she’s doing.” My mother is already dialing her phone as she leaves the room. The rest of us sit in relative silence while we hear my mother’s murmured tones in the kitchen.

            “I cannot believe someone would hurt Mackenzie. She’s the sweetest girl ever.” Nicka states and the rest of my family nods their heads in agreement.

            “If I ever see that guy, he’s going to wish he hadn’t gotten off easy.” Miguel says as he continued to read, “It says here that he only served a month of his two year sentence, because he got off for 'good behavior.’ Bullshit.”

            “Language, Miguel.” My father said.

            “That family is absolutely appalling. I swear,” My mother is complaining as she reenters the room. We all look to her for her to finish. “Her mother answered the phone and we exchanged pleasantries and then I told her about how I just found out about Mackenzie’s case and she got cold with me. I asked her how Mackenzie was holding up and if she needed any help.. and the b***h told me, 'I don’t have a daughter by that name’ and hung. Up. On. Me! I swear if that b***h did anything to hurt Mackenzie any more than the b*****d that knocked her up and they’ve already kicked her out once! You can’t tell me they did it again. What mother, what parent in their right mind would kick their child out.. I’ll.. I’ll.” My father cuts her off by coming up behind her and stops her pacing to guide her to the couch to sit down.

            I cannot believe what I just heard. Her own family disowned her. Again. How could she not say something to me earlier? I’m frozen in my seat for a second until I feel Autumn shiver against me. I pass her to Lilly, “I’m going to get her a blanket and some medicine. I’ll be right back.”

            I pull my phone out of my pocket and open a new text to the blonde, but what would I say? Plus, she is really tired. I put my phone back in my pocket and decide I’ll talk to her about it another day. I grab Autumn’s blanket and diaper bag from the guest room and medicine from the bathroom. I walk down the stairs at a slower pace and rejoin my family. They all have wide, distant eyes from the night’s turn of events.

            “I think I’m going to give Autumn some medicine and head home to get her into her own bed.” I say as I take the tiny brunette from my sister.

            “Yea, we better get going too. Holly and Alison have work in the morning and we’re their ride.” Carlos says quietly. Everyone goes around and says their goodbyes and I tell my mom I’ll be over when Nicka gets back from London for a girls day with her and Lilly.

            I get Autumn and I home, into pyjamas, and in bed within the half hour. I lay down in bed and fall asleep with a smile on my face, keeping my mind solely on the fact that Mackenzie is back in my life.

Author's Note

Honestly, I'm in such a slump with this story and I haven't been able to write in it for about two years, but it's a goal of mine to finish, because it's the first thing I've ever written. Any constructive reviews could help or anything that would be cool to write about in future chapters. Thanks!