A/N – Kind of had an inspired moment in the middle of my history exam and this story came into my head so I decided to write about it.
Karen had been back in New York for a couple of weeks after the fiasco in Boston and she'd finally moved into the townhouse her parents were helping her rent. She woke up at around 6am, the time she'd gotten used to since previews and heard her doorbell ring. She rushed down the stairs to open to door but when she opened it no-one stood on her doorstep. Feeling slightly annoyed at the inconsiderate, nameless person who'd ding dong ditched her so early in the morning, she went to close the door muttering several profanities as she did but then she heard a deafening cry which could only come from a young baby. She looked down and saw a baby with big brown eyes wearing a pink little outfit sat in a car seat, with a note on the front.
Karen took the young child into the house and set her on the couch as she removed the envelope, opened it and began to read.
Dear whoever you may be,
I am entrusting my daughter in your care, hopefully permanently. She is two weeks old and I cannot afford to take care of her. I realise that it is an awful lot to ask of someone I don't even know but I had nowhere else to go. My only wish is that you give her the name Olivia and that she has the life I could never afford to give her. Her birth has not been registered yet.
Yours Sincerely,
The Mother
Karen looked from the note to the young baby in shock, the mother of this child had been so desperate to find someone to look after her child that she'd put her on Karen's doorstep. There and then Karen decided to look after this young baby girl but she didn't know where on earth to start or who to call regarding it: her parents would tell her to put her up for adoption, all of her ensemble friends would tell her the same; she didn't really know Julia, Tom or Eileen well enough to call them. Then it hit her, she could call Derek, over the few weeks they were in Boston they'd gotten along well enough and he'd become a protector of sorts to her after discovering her in the midst of her break down. She began the search for her phone and the moment she'd found it and dialled Derek's phone number, Olivia began to cry. "Karen darling, how are you?" came Derek's gruff British accent.
"Okay considering..." Karen trailed off mid-reply.
"Considering what? Is this about Dev again? Is that a baby crying?" he questioned, Karen had learnt in the few weeks they'd been friends that he had a tendency to be like the Spanish Inquisition when he got a hold of something.
"Umm... yeah, it is," Karen replied cryptically.
"Yes, it is about Dev? Or yes, there is a baby crying over there?" Derek questioned, slightly confused.
"The latter," Karen sighed almost shamefully.
"Karen, what the hell?" Derek asked, not really requiring a reply.
"I got up this morning and there was a ring at the door so I went downstairs to find out who it was, and there wasn't anybody at the door but there was this baby on my doorstep, sat in a car seat with a note, so I took her inside and read the note and I have no clue what to do Derek," Karen rambled only stopping for breath at the end of her explanation.
"Okay, I'll be round to yours as quickly as I can," Derek said, shaking his head in wonder at how on earth Karen could be so kind as to take in a stranger's child.