Baby by Rape - Chalen D. (robert munsch read aloud .txt) 📗

cops where almost literally dragging James by his signature leather jacket. As they came closer, slow motion hit again. Danny’s arms lifter over our heads. I looked at him confused, and He grabbed me by the shoulders, and guided me towards Kara, who grabbed me and pulled me around her out of the way of Danny.

He only got in a couple of steps before Ben and Nicholas grabbed his arms. And then James was upon us.
“Kara,” He sneered, “You need to stop this. You know you liked it. You where begging for it, your whore.”

 There are multiple things that a Dad will teach his daughter throughout her life. How to change a tire, and how to realize that she is better than some boy who cheats on her. But the most important thing that he will teach his daughter, and will be the most proud of, is the right hook she will master. Everyone paused, mouths open.
“I’m sorry.” I looked at my hand middle knuckle split open a bit, “I don’t know what happened. “
“I hear muscle spasms are getting crucial these days.” Kara grabbed me by my arms and walked me down the hall away.

I looked over my shoulder so See Danny scooping up our bags. People moved out of our way as we passed.
“They’re scared of me?” I questioned.
“Well you did just knock a guy out.” Kara was trying to not laugh.

“I did?” I asked, eyes wide, and then she was laughing, “I don’t even remember!”

*

   Ben offered me a ride home and I took it. I stood in the arch way of the kitchen, watching Mom talk on the phone. She looked annoyed, yet understanding. She had to be talking to my Dad. I raised my fist and knocked on the wall twice. Mom spun around.
“Sophie!” She huffed, “You scared me!”

“Sorry.” I set my bag on the table, “They arrested them. I even got a trophy.”
        I showed her my hand and she gasped.
“Damn you Mitch.” Mom said handing me the phone.

I put it to my ear to hear him laughing, then, “What did I do?”
“I punched James.”
“You did?”
“Want me to send you a picture?” I could hear mom in the bathroom opening the mirror.
“Yeah.”
        I took a picture of my hand and sent it to him.

“Did you get it?”

A pause, then a ridiculous laugh that made me smile.
“That’s my girl.”
“Mom ran to the medicine cabinet.”
“Nothing a bag of peas can’t fix, put her on.”

I found Mom digging through a first aid box.
“Dad.” I held the phone out and she reached for it. I raised my hand, “I’m going to find a bag of peas.”

“Honestly,” Mom was saying as I walked away, “I had to have a daughter with an Idiot.”

     I smiled as I pulled onto the fridge and looked around for a bag of peas. When I finally found one I sat down at the table and Placed it on my hand. Ouch. I lifted it off to see the damage.

I was already bruising. I washed my hand off and dried it off with a paper towel. Then I placed the bag of peas back.  I looked up as Danny came in.
“Twinsies.” He showed me his bag of carrots.

 We laughed and fist bumped with our bags. Mom chose that time to walk in hands full of medical supplies. She looked at the both of us and sighed.
“You too?” She demanded.
     Kara came in next and Mom glared at her, “Let me see your hands.”
Confused she held them out.
Mom sighed, “Well at least one of you aren’t dumb.”

  Still confused, she looked over at us. Then at our bags and laughed. Mom glared at her, and she stopped, eyes going wide. Danny and I both had our turns of hand wrapping. The bag of peas and carrots really did help with the swelling.

 *

  As the months passed I got really close with Kara. We continued to go to the group therapies, and Kara smiled with pride as she had first showed off my hand to the other girls. School was a mix of support and hate. Kara and I went on independent study, and a few weeks later Danny joined us. The three of us soon became so close, that you wouldn’t of eve guested that Danny and I had grown up without Kara.

    The three of us sat in chairs lined against the wall as Mom and Holly-Kara’s mom- signed us in. I think Danny was the most excited of us all.
“Well, are we excited or what?” He wanted to know.
“I have to pee.” Kara whined.
“Me too.”
“Full bladder makes it easier for them to see the baby.” He informed us.
“Huh?” Kara looked at him and then me.
“He’s reading what to expect when you are expecting.” I explained.
“And I joined a blog.” He announced proudly.
Kara snorted, and I laughed.

“Well when you two have issues, I’ll be the one with the answers.”

   The ultrasound Tech called us back and all of us crammed into the small room. The tech got the chair ready and then turned to us.
“Who want’s to go first.”
“Me.” I pushed past Kara, “Out of the way.”
      We all laughed as I sat down. The tech smeared the gel onto my stomach and typed something into the machine. Everyone got their phones out and started filming. The tech was about to put the stick on my stomach but jumped startled, as Kara let out a sob. She was crying full blown, holding my phone and hers.

“It’s hormones.” Danny felt the need to inform us all.

“This is going to be the biggest moment of our lives so far.” She hiccupped. “This is a big moment okay?”

   Everyone laughed as her mom gave her a hug. The tech then continued to find the baby. I grabbed Danny’s free hand. I watched as the baby sucked it’s thumb. No one said anything, which made it easy for the rest of the world to fall away.

 A human being was inside of me. This was real. Then the tech spoke and I wiped my face.
“Did you want to know the sex yet?”
“Yes!” Kara yelled, and then cried again.

The tech laughed with us this time, “Okay, so it’s a little girl.”

     A little girl. A girl I had to protect from a rapist. I did do the right thing. I protected my daughter. The tech heled me wipe the gel off and then Kara traded places with me handing me the phones as we did.

I handed my phone to Danny as I switched places with him. I took Kara’s hand and aimed her phone at the screen. I let out a big breath and everyone looked at me.
“I can feel it now.” And I was crying.
“Stop,” Kara sat up crying pulling me in for a hug.

“Okay, if you guys don’t mind.” Danny spoke up, “I’m really just here to see what Kara’s having, so let’s get back on track okay?”

“Oh.” I laughed, wiping my face.
“Okay,” Kara laughed sitting back on the chair.

    Kara’s baby Hand their foot in their hand. I could feel myself crying as I watched the baby. It looked as if they were looking at their foot trying to figure out what it was. I looked at Kara to see if she was getting any of this, and saw how pretty she was when she cried. True love rally did exist.

And hers was on the screen.

I might of protected my daughter by turning in Jason, but I new in my heart that her cousin, Kara’s little boy would protect her when I couldn’t.

*

Kara sighed and Crumpled the paper she was writing on. She tossed it randomly hitting Danny in the head.
“Hey.” He objected.

“Sorry.” She sighed, “I’ll never find a name for this baby.”

“I like Josh.” Danny offered.

“Josh.” She said as if she was testing the name, “Joshua.”

“Josh and Elsie.” I looked over at her.
“I like it.” She nodded, “They flow together really well.”

“Now all we need is middle names.” Danny said from where he sat on the floor his back against the bed.

   Kara and I both reached for a pillow grabbing the same one. Together we used it to smack him in the head.

“Hey!”

“Anyways,” Kara rolled her eyes and him then looked to me, “Wouldn’t it be so cute if we had a joint baby shower?”

“Who’s going to come?” I snorted.
“Well our parents and the girls in the group for sure.”

“At least we don’t need a lot of food.”
“That’s the spirit,” Kara tossed a ball of paper at me. “We can keep it small. Just us you know?”
“I like the idea.” Danny said, then quickly looked over his shoulder holding up his arm ready to fight off an attack.

     I paused with my pillow raised.

“We can use your back yard,” Kara tapped my knee.
“Fine, whatever.”

“Yes.” Kara reached over to give Danny a High five.

   Just then the doorbell rang and we all trooped down stairs to answer the door. I reached for the door knob with Kara and Danny behind me on my heels like two curious toddlers.

“Chris?” I asked confused.
“Sophie!” He came inside like an old friend and gave me a hug.

“Hi.”

“We need to talk. Your Dad is okay.” We all sat down in the living room, “Your Dad wants you to meet the last two girls.”
“No way.”

“I understand where you’re coming from. But it would really mean the world to him if you showed up. You mean a lot to him.”

“I’ll be there.”

    The next Day Mom, Danny, Kara and I were flown to Italy. They stayed in the hotel while I went down to the hotel restaurant and bar. I was pointed in Dad’s dirction and He waved. I headed over.

“You made it!” He gave me a hug, “May I?”
I nodded.

He put a hand on my stomach, “Hey there kiddo, it’s grandpa. I can’t wait to teach you a good right hook.”
“Woah hey!” I pushed his hand away and he laughed.

   The first girl I’m supposed to meet is Alice. She’s pretty enough with a short blonde bob. She walks over, and tried to give me a hug.

“Oh, no hugs. I don’t like anyone near my baby.”
“You’re pregnant.” She looks revolted by me and I smile.

    We shake hands, talk a little bit, and then it’s Kristen’s turn. Kristn had light brown curly hair. The top of her hair is pulled back in  a bun and the rest is flowing down her back. She smiled at me and kisses Dad’s cheek. When she moved onto me I delivered my line.

“Oh, okay,” She smiled, “I completely understand.”
We shook hands.
“Do you know what you’re having yet?”

“A girl. I’m naming her Elsie.”
“Oh that’s such a cute name.”

“You can feel her,” My mouth said before my brain caught up.

“Really?” She smiled, bringing her hands to her chin.

“Yeah.” I nodded.
“This is so exciting.” She reached out, “Okay.”

     As her hand made contact with my stomach Elise kicked. This was the one.

“Oh my gosh.” She gave my stomach a rub.

    Once she leave Dad and I sit outside on the pock with some sodas. We have to pause for a bit so the cameras can get a good shot of father and daughter. Then Dad starts in.
“Thanks for coming.”
“Yeah.” I nodded, mixing my drink with my straw.
“What do you think about the girls?”

  I try not to glance at the cameras, but see the red light to where everyone is watching.

“I don’t like Alice. I think she’s rude and I really don’t see myself getting along with her. I don’t want her around Elise. I like Kristen though.”

He nodded, “Alright, give me a hug.”
And I do. For the cameras.

“Cut!” Someone called, and I quickly pulled away from him.  

*

 For the next week I tried to text with Dad. If he was willing to try and rebuild our relationship, then I could offer him a little more than my gratitude for him showing me how to throw a punch.

“It’s on!” Danny called.

    I hurried from the kitchen with the bowl of popcorn. I sit down next to Kara and hold