Chapter 2

Jace's eyes were closed but he must have been lying on something because he couldn't feel the lady's arms around him anymore, fearing that she had left him at a hospital; he bolted awake.

Jace looked around confused, he defiantly wasn't at a hospital; if Jace was guessing he was in some type of tent, but that couldn't be right he was in new York, how could the lady carry him all the way to a forest, a sense of fear hit him; what if she had taken him to a forest to kill him.

Jace decided he would not have liked to be killed so he flung the blanket off his legs and bolted for the entrance to the tent; in his panic he didn't realize the lady was right next to him and he felt her wrap her arms around his stomach, " Let me go! I don't want to be killed" he yelled, she gently placed him down and looked him in the eyes, "I will never hurt you" said the lady.

The lady sat back on the blanket covering the floor and looked at Jace and said "I know you are afraid but please believe me when I say I just want to help you" she paused and then continued saying "How old are you?" she asked, Jace wondered if he could trust her but he had to try, "I'm six" he said, her eyes widened, "why are you out on the streets did you run away?" she asked.

Jace didn't answer but he didn't have to, once she saw his hesitation she understood, she sat back on the blanket covering the floor and sighed, she didn't look at him like a adult would, like they were disappointed in a child but like a adult that understood, Jace decided he would like her.

Jace crawled closer to her, and when he did that he noticed she wasn't fat on her whole body but just in her stomach area. Jace was curious; he had never a large person with just a large stomach. She must have noticed him looking because she said "I'm expecting in a few months"

Jace looked at her, expecting? expecting what? She saw that he was confused because she clarified, "I'm expecting a little baby" she said.

Jace was shocked, a baby, momma had always said that homeless people didn't have babies, and the lady had to be homeless if she was living in a tent in the middle of New York, so he decided to ask her "Aren't you homeless", she looked surprise that someone so young would know about the homeless, so she answered "Yes, but why does that matter?" she asked,

"My mamma use to say that homeless people weren't able to have kids" Jace said, the lady looked sad at that and said "Most of our children are taken away from us."

Jace didn't understand why they did that, so he asked, "It doesn't matter, and there are so many reasons why" Jocelyn answered, Jace was a bit upset that she didn't real answer the questions but didn't dwell on it. So he just decided to sit there and look around, now that he had calmed down, he could see more details.

He could see that there was a small backpack in one corner of the tent and that the actual tent wasn't a tent you bought in stores but blankets and a tarp probably supported by some ropes outside. He also saw that multiple blankets made up the floor, and the only light was a flashlight that was hanging from the ceiling with a piece of string.

The tent was small so the flashlight filled enough light into the tent to see. Once he looked at everything he started to wonder why the lady at helped him, he looked at his legs and noticed she even put ripped up sheets as bandages on his legs to help with the bites he got from the bugs.

He was amazed that this lady would do this for him, and he didn't even know her name so he turn to her and said " what's your name lady", the lady looked up and said to him " You can call me Jocelyn" she said with a smile.

Jace liked Jocelyn, and he liked that she didn't care that he was a child, and he didn't want to leave her; but then it hit him, what if Jocelyn sent him away, she helped him and she then she will tell him to leave her, she already had a child on the way; why would she want to deal with a runaway child. Jace was so scared he didn't notice Jocelyn's hand fall on his own, "What's that matter?" she asked, "Please don't send me away" Jace begged.

She looked confused, "Why would I send you away", He didn't answer her question, because he wanted to stay with her, he wanted to feel safe.

Then as he got lost in his head, he felt a familiar warmth around him, Jocelyn had taken him in her arms and tried to sooth him, "Please" he said, he could feel Jocelyn smile from where he was in her lap, Then he felt her start talking, "If I let you stay, you have to do me a favor" she said, "Anything" Jace responded,

She set him down in front of her and looked him in the eyes, he got a knew sense of hope, " It is a big responsibility, but I believe you can do it." She said, the hope had now exploded and he just wanted to know what he had to do to stay, "What do I have to do" Jace asked, "If you stay, you have to promise me to; help me take care of my child" she said

Jace couldn't believe this, he could stay with Jocelyn and all he had to do was help her, "Yes" Jace yelled, throwing himself into Jocelyn's arms, "I'll help you with anything" Jace said,

Jocelyn smiled warmly at Jace and she hugged Jace closer, both of them too happy to realize the huge promise Jace had agreed to, and what he will have to do to keep it.