Chapter Three

Addie walked across the road with the car seat in her right hand. She sat Grace down and went back to the taxi. She grabbed her two suitcases and paid the driver. Then, she went back to the place she would now have to call home. Addie looked at her father.

" Hello, Dad." she said casually, doing her best to stay calm.

" You little slut." he said.

Then, without a word, he got into his sports car and drove off.

" Hello, Adelaide." Julie said nervously.

" Hi." she replied as she picked up the car seat. " This is my baby sister, Grace. If my father would've stayed long enough to listen, he would've found out."

" Well, come on in. Peter, Andy, could you grab her luggage?"

Andy did so with a smile, unlike his friend, who just scowled.

Inside the house, fifteen minutes later.

" Adelaide, I'm sorry about leaving you here on your first day, but I really have to work." Julie said with a weak smile.

" That's okay. I don't mind."

" Um…Okay. Peter," Julie said, " if you go anywhere, be back before your stepfather does. Which will be around six."

Julie grabbed her keys off the kitchen counter and left.

Addie pick Grace up out of the car seat and started to go upstairs.

" Hey, Addie! Come here!" Peter called from the living room.

" Yes?" she said as she entered the heavily furnished room.

" These are my friends," he pointed to each, " Andy, Gabriella, and Jordy. Guys,"

" And girls." Gabriella added.

" And girls," Peter agreed, " this is my stepsister Addie and my-"

" My half sister Gracie."

" So, would ya like to come to the skate park?"

" I'll just stay here." Addie said a little too quickly. " I might be by later."

" Right…"

Addie watched them leave.

" It's just you and me." she smiled at Grace who was cradled lovingly in her arms.

Addie walked up the stairs and went into her room, which Julie had shown her earlier. It only had a bed, crib, dresser, changing table, and a vanity. The walls were painted a light blue. The bed, crib, and dresser were to the left of the room, and the table and vanity were to the right. The corner in the far right was a closet, and in the middle of the center wall was a sitting window. In between the vanity and the table was a door leading to the bathroom, which she would be sharing with Peter. Addie sat Grace down in the crib and began unpacking the suitcase with her clothes. She put her two outfits in the closet, and Grace's clothes and her undergarments in the dresser.

Addie opened the second suitcase, which had a can of powdered formula, three bottles, a bib, ten diapers, baby wipes, Dexaton® Cream, baby powders, baby shampoo, and a rag. She sat the diapers, cream, wipes, and powders on the shelf under the changing table. She then walked into the bathroom and placed the rag and shampoo on the bathroom sick counter.

" We need to go to the store." she said to Grace.

Addie picked the baby up and walked down to the living room. Balancing Grace on her hip, while picking up the phone, she dialed Julie's office number.

" Hello?"

" May I speak to Julie Calhoun?"

" One moment."

" Hello?"

" Julie, can I borrow some money? I'll pay you back A.S.A.P."

" Don't worry about it, dear. I left about $100 for you in your top dresser drawer."

" Uh…Thanks. I'm gonna go." she said, still not believing she missed the money.

" Bye, dear."

Addie hung the phone up and went back upstairs. After getting the money, she went back downstairs and place Grace in her car seat. She went back into the living room and called the cab company. Fifteen minutes later, she stepped out into the hot September afternoon and got into the cab.

A.N.- Thanks ,you, guys for the reviews! They mean a lot. I'm sorry about not updating for so long. But, you know how it is. I also must apologize for my spelling errors and for leaving out words or phrases. It annoys me to death when I do it, and I generally don't notice until after I've posted the chapter. Anyways, thanks again! Later!