Chapter Two-
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I woke up to Mom shaking me. I could tell she was mad. "Manuella Santos!!!! HOW could you be so irresponsible?" Looks like my grammar was wrong.
I had grown up believing I was "unresponsible." Ah well. When I opened my eyes, she was holding Carmel in one hand, shaking her fist at me
with the other. "You should have put her in her crib! What in the world were you thinking? She almost rolled off before I got here!" I opened my mouth to say, "I wasn't thinking," but that wouldn't
help so I didn't say anything. I got out of bed, and noticed that it was 9:00. Only 9. I took Carmel from her and scowled. "Don't freak out! Jeez! I just took a nap
with MY daughter, it's not like I put her on a saw table!!" I walked off, leaving her there. She was probably rewinding in her head of what just happened.
I put on my shoes and coat, and decided to go to Emma's.
Her mom looked like she expected it. When do you expect Manny Santos and her baby to arrive at 9? If your daughter was Emma, that's when. She let me in, and I walked to Emma's room.
I sat down on her bed and sighed. "Are you okay?" She asked me. "Yeah," I lied. We talked a bit, and then played with Carmel. Emma took Mr. Simpson's old wig and we put it on Carmel's
head. She laughed the whole time. I love her laugh. It was getting late, and Carmel was very sleepy. As I was walking home, guess who I bumped into AGAIN?
Tommy was walking, (surprisingly) and while I was buttoning up Carmel's jacket we literally bumped into each other. At first he smiled, but when he saw Carmel he tried rushing past me.
I grabbed his arm and pulled him toward me. "Stop it. Don't run away like you did. Look your daughter in the eye and tell her you love her. If you don't, never get near me again."
He hesitated, then shook my grip off and walked away. I ran home, tears streaming down my eyes.
FLASHBACK ---------------------
"Tommy, I have to tell you something."
"Let's get to the movies first, k babe?"
"No, Tommy. Now."
He sighed. "What is it?"
"Tommy, you got me pregnant."
He laughed. "Stop kidding me, come on, we'll be late." He pulled my arm.
"I'm NOT joking Tommy!" I was crying now.
He shook his head and pulled me along to the movies. I hated him now. I despised him.
"Let me go." I ordered. He did, and I ran off.
END OF FLASHBACK -------------------
The next day, I was getting ready to take Carmel to the park when I got a phone call. I have my own phone, and usually only Emma calls,
so I casually answered it.
"Hello?"
"Look, Babe, I'm sorry."
"For what?" I wanted to see what he would say.
"The whole sex thing, I should have bought protection and stuff."
I wanted to reach into the phone and wring his neck.
"You think this is about protection?? Tommy, it's too late!! Carmel is here, and she's your daughter if you like it or not!! Can't you just accept it the way it is? Life's tough!"
I hung up, and wiped the tears from my face. Carmel was crying now, she needed a new diaper. I changed it, and then Mom came up.
"Manny, dear, I can't take care of Carmelita on weekdays. This case is on a roll. But I just called Wanda, she's an expert on babies, and she'll be Carmelita's babysitter everyday,
except Sundays. Okay?" I nodded. It didn't matter, as long as SOMEONE was here with her. I dressed Carmel, and before you knew it we were out on the block walking to the park. I was to meet Emma there. Jack would be with her.
When we got to the park, Emma was pushing Jack on the baby swing. I put Carmel in the one next to Jack's, and Emma and I started talking.
"So, you did break up with Tommy, didn't you?" she asked me.
"Emma, I broke up with him right after I told him I was pregnant."
"Yeah, I was just checking."
"Okay."
We stayed silent for a while, until Emma spoke up.
"After this, do you want to go to the mall or something?"
"Sure."
I haven't been in the mall since Carmel was born, and Mom didn't give me any extra money except for "Baby Money" as she likes to call it. Emma took Jack back, and I had to
take care of Carmel today anyway, so I took her along. We were looking around and then we came upon the baby store, "Baby Wonderland." I oohed and aahed my way through,
Emma behind me. I found a cute outfit for Carmel, and when I was finished Emma looked at me like I transformed into someone else in front of her eyes. "Wow, Manny,
I never knew you were so into this." I looked at her. "Into it? Since when do I have to be 'into it?' I'm a mom now, I have to do mom things." I added something. "And be a normal
teenager." She looked relieved, and we walked around a bit more until we got bored and didn't have any money left.
As we walked out of the mall, we were headed toward Emma's house, but I changed my mind. "Hey, Em, wanna come to my house?" She seemed okay with it. "Okay, let me use
your cell phone." I handed her my phone and she called her house. Her mom said it was okay, and we headed toward my house.
"I don't really remember how you met Tommy. I just know one day you called me and were so excited because you had found a boyfriend that you thought would.." she hesitated, "treat you right."
I sighed, but I wanted to get it all out. "Well, last year, I was at the Dot and he was sitting there, and he looked confused so I went over to help him out. We started talking, and he told me
that he was a new 10th grader, his name was Tommy, and stuff like that. We decided to meet at the Dot the next day, and it went on like that until we had real dates.
Then I guess we were officially together, and then I called you." Emma nodded. I knew she felt sorry for me, so I guess I sort of read her mind.
"Emma, don't feel sorry for me. Don't. I am lucky to have Carmel. She is the cutest baby you could ever see, don't you think?" She smiled and nodded again. "And plus, if I never
went to the Dot that day, I would have met him anyway, probably. And if I didn't, this cute little thing would have never been born." I took Carmel's hand and pretended to talk "baby talk" with her.
Carmel giggled and Emma laughed. When we got to my house, we went upstairs to my room. I sat down on my computer to check my e-mails. One from some girls in her Social Studies group,
one was spam, and then... oh no. One from Mr. Simpson. I gulped. Emma came by me and looked over my shoulder. "Snake? Why would he e-mail you?" I knew why. It had to do with my
grades. I didn't tell Emma that. I pretended not to look worried. "I'll check it later. It's nothing. Probably just a notice or something, he sends those a lot, right?" Emma nodded but I knew she
was suspicious.
We got up on my bed and I put Carmel in my lap. We looked through some magazines, and cut out pictures of guys we thought were hot to make a collage later. Emma sighed. "School night today. I can't stay late."
I looked at the clock and it was almost 9. "Yeah, it's dark now. Want my mom to drive you?" She shook her head. "No, it's okay." But right at that minute Mom came in and smiled. "Hey Emma!" She glanced at the window.
"It's pretty dark. And I think it will rain. Let me drive you home, okay?" Emma smiled and thanked her. As they headed out the door, I waved to Emma and Carmel did too.
The next day, Monday, school day. I woke up earlier than usual, and after I got ready I checked Mr. Simpson's e-mail. It said:
Manny,
You're falling behind. If you need extra help after school, talk to me and I can arrange something, maybe tutoring. I know it's been tough for you
at home, but I just want to let you know that we here at the school are here if you need help. Don't be ashamed if you do. If you don't want it,
please try and bring up your grades a bit. The finals are near. I truly don't want you to fail.
-Mr. Simpson
I sighed. Help? That's exactly what I was trying to avoid. I guess it isn't working. Okay, Mr. Simpson, I'll try to bring my grades up a bit. There's no way I'm getting tutored after school.
The doorbell rang and I rushed down to get the door. A tall, frizzy brown haired woman stood at the door. She had a big pink duffel bag that had ducks all over it. "Hello, I'm Wanda Pinkton.
I'll be Carmelita's babysitter." I smiled and greeted her inside. "You can call her Carmel for short. I lead her upstairs and into the small nursery, and she inspected it. "I like the atmosphere,
perfect for a baby. Well done." I thanked her, and left out the part that Mom hired a specialist to do it. I went downstairs and ate a great breakfest made by Marla, and then zoomed out the door onto my bike.
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I woke up to Mom shaking me. I could tell she was mad. "Manuella Santos!!!! HOW could you be so irresponsible?" Looks like my grammar was wrong.
I had grown up believing I was "unresponsible." Ah well. When I opened my eyes, she was holding Carmel in one hand, shaking her fist at me
with the other. "You should have put her in her crib! What in the world were you thinking? She almost rolled off before I got here!" I opened my mouth to say, "I wasn't thinking," but that wouldn't
help so I didn't say anything. I got out of bed, and noticed that it was 9:00. Only 9. I took Carmel from her and scowled. "Don't freak out! Jeez! I just took a nap
with MY daughter, it's not like I put her on a saw table!!" I walked off, leaving her there. She was probably rewinding in her head of what just happened.
I put on my shoes and coat, and decided to go to Emma's.
Her mom looked like she expected it. When do you expect Manny Santos and her baby to arrive at 9? If your daughter was Emma, that's when. She let me in, and I walked to Emma's room.
I sat down on her bed and sighed. "Are you okay?" She asked me. "Yeah," I lied. We talked a bit, and then played with Carmel. Emma took Mr. Simpson's old wig and we put it on Carmel's
head. She laughed the whole time. I love her laugh. It was getting late, and Carmel was very sleepy. As I was walking home, guess who I bumped into AGAIN?
Tommy was walking, (surprisingly) and while I was buttoning up Carmel's jacket we literally bumped into each other. At first he smiled, but when he saw Carmel he tried rushing past me.
I grabbed his arm and pulled him toward me. "Stop it. Don't run away like you did. Look your daughter in the eye and tell her you love her. If you don't, never get near me again."
He hesitated, then shook my grip off and walked away. I ran home, tears streaming down my eyes.
FLASHBACK ---------------------
"Tommy, I have to tell you something."
"Let's get to the movies first, k babe?"
"No, Tommy. Now."
He sighed. "What is it?"
"Tommy, you got me pregnant."
He laughed. "Stop kidding me, come on, we'll be late." He pulled my arm.
"I'm NOT joking Tommy!" I was crying now.
He shook his head and pulled me along to the movies. I hated him now. I despised him.
"Let me go." I ordered. He did, and I ran off.
END OF FLASHBACK -------------------
The next day, I was getting ready to take Carmel to the park when I got a phone call. I have my own phone, and usually only Emma calls,
so I casually answered it.
"Hello?"
"Look, Babe, I'm sorry."
"For what?" I wanted to see what he would say.
"The whole sex thing, I should have bought protection and stuff."
I wanted to reach into the phone and wring his neck.
"You think this is about protection?? Tommy, it's too late!! Carmel is here, and she's your daughter if you like it or not!! Can't you just accept it the way it is? Life's tough!"
I hung up, and wiped the tears from my face. Carmel was crying now, she needed a new diaper. I changed it, and then Mom came up.
"Manny, dear, I can't take care of Carmelita on weekdays. This case is on a roll. But I just called Wanda, she's an expert on babies, and she'll be Carmelita's babysitter everyday,
except Sundays. Okay?" I nodded. It didn't matter, as long as SOMEONE was here with her. I dressed Carmel, and before you knew it we were out on the block walking to the park. I was to meet Emma there. Jack would be with her.
When we got to the park, Emma was pushing Jack on the baby swing. I put Carmel in the one next to Jack's, and Emma and I started talking.
"So, you did break up with Tommy, didn't you?" she asked me.
"Emma, I broke up with him right after I told him I was pregnant."
"Yeah, I was just checking."
"Okay."
We stayed silent for a while, until Emma spoke up.
"After this, do you want to go to the mall or something?"
"Sure."
I haven't been in the mall since Carmel was born, and Mom didn't give me any extra money except for "Baby Money" as she likes to call it. Emma took Jack back, and I had to
take care of Carmel today anyway, so I took her along. We were looking around and then we came upon the baby store, "Baby Wonderland." I oohed and aahed my way through,
Emma behind me. I found a cute outfit for Carmel, and when I was finished Emma looked at me like I transformed into someone else in front of her eyes. "Wow, Manny,
I never knew you were so into this." I looked at her. "Into it? Since when do I have to be 'into it?' I'm a mom now, I have to do mom things." I added something. "And be a normal
teenager." She looked relieved, and we walked around a bit more until we got bored and didn't have any money left.
As we walked out of the mall, we were headed toward Emma's house, but I changed my mind. "Hey, Em, wanna come to my house?" She seemed okay with it. "Okay, let me use
your cell phone." I handed her my phone and she called her house. Her mom said it was okay, and we headed toward my house.
"I don't really remember how you met Tommy. I just know one day you called me and were so excited because you had found a boyfriend that you thought would.." she hesitated, "treat you right."
I sighed, but I wanted to get it all out. "Well, last year, I was at the Dot and he was sitting there, and he looked confused so I went over to help him out. We started talking, and he told me
that he was a new 10th grader, his name was Tommy, and stuff like that. We decided to meet at the Dot the next day, and it went on like that until we had real dates.
Then I guess we were officially together, and then I called you." Emma nodded. I knew she felt sorry for me, so I guess I sort of read her mind.
"Emma, don't feel sorry for me. Don't. I am lucky to have Carmel. She is the cutest baby you could ever see, don't you think?" She smiled and nodded again. "And plus, if I never
went to the Dot that day, I would have met him anyway, probably. And if I didn't, this cute little thing would have never been born." I took Carmel's hand and pretended to talk "baby talk" with her.
Carmel giggled and Emma laughed. When we got to my house, we went upstairs to my room. I sat down on my computer to check my e-mails. One from some girls in her Social Studies group,
one was spam, and then... oh no. One from Mr. Simpson. I gulped. Emma came by me and looked over my shoulder. "Snake? Why would he e-mail you?" I knew why. It had to do with my
grades. I didn't tell Emma that. I pretended not to look worried. "I'll check it later. It's nothing. Probably just a notice or something, he sends those a lot, right?" Emma nodded but I knew she
was suspicious.
We got up on my bed and I put Carmel in my lap. We looked through some magazines, and cut out pictures of guys we thought were hot to make a collage later. Emma sighed. "School night today. I can't stay late."
I looked at the clock and it was almost 9. "Yeah, it's dark now. Want my mom to drive you?" She shook her head. "No, it's okay." But right at that minute Mom came in and smiled. "Hey Emma!" She glanced at the window.
"It's pretty dark. And I think it will rain. Let me drive you home, okay?" Emma smiled and thanked her. As they headed out the door, I waved to Emma and Carmel did too.
The next day, Monday, school day. I woke up earlier than usual, and after I got ready I checked Mr. Simpson's e-mail. It said:
Manny,
You're falling behind. If you need extra help after school, talk to me and I can arrange something, maybe tutoring. I know it's been tough for you
at home, but I just want to let you know that we here at the school are here if you need help. Don't be ashamed if you do. If you don't want it,
please try and bring up your grades a bit. The finals are near. I truly don't want you to fail.
-Mr. Simpson
I sighed. Help? That's exactly what I was trying to avoid. I guess it isn't working. Okay, Mr. Simpson, I'll try to bring my grades up a bit. There's no way I'm getting tutored after school.
The doorbell rang and I rushed down to get the door. A tall, frizzy brown haired woman stood at the door. She had a big pink duffel bag that had ducks all over it. "Hello, I'm Wanda Pinkton.
I'll be Carmelita's babysitter." I smiled and greeted her inside. "You can call her Carmel for short. I lead her upstairs and into the small nursery, and she inspected it. "I like the atmosphere,
perfect for a baby. Well done." I thanked her, and left out the part that Mom hired a specialist to do it. I went downstairs and ate a great breakfest made by Marla, and then zoomed out the door onto my bike.