Page 16 of Accidental Baby Daddy

“I wish I could offer you a place to stay, but I live in a senior community living center, and they don’t allow overnight guests,” she said regretfully. “But if a job opens up at the grocery store, I’ll call you.” She paused. “Do you have a phone?”

I nodded, wiping at my mouth with a napkin she gave me and handing her my phone. She squinted down at it for a moment before putting on her reading glasses and entering her information. She then called herself to save my number in her phone. Pretty savvy for a seventy-year-old woman.

“Agnes, I can’t pay you for this right now, but?—”

She waved her hand. “I’m always happy to feed the hungry. Especially someone Ollie used to care about so much.” She looked at me curiously. “Have you seen him?”

I stood, ignoring the question. “I should go. I need to call Gillian.”

Agnes nodded, standing up and pulling me into a warm hug. I wanted to cry all over again.

“Thank you so much,” I whispered, and she smiled at me, giving me one more squeeze before letting go.

I walked out into the parking lot, trying to get myself together before calling Gillian.

“Hello?” she answered on the third ring.

“Gilly?” I said shakily.

“Who is… oh, my God. Lexie? Is that you?”

“It’s me,” I said, as a hitching sob came from the other end of the line. I felt a wave of guilt rush through me.

“Lexie,” she whispered. “I’ve been trying to find you for so long!”

“You... you have?”

“When we lost touch, I tried and tried to call you. Where are you? Are you safe?”

“I'm in Wagontown,” I admitted, tears filling my eyes again. “At the Stop ‘n Go. I’m in trouble, Gilly.”

“I’ll be there in ten minutes,” she said, and promptly hung up the phone.

I sat down on the curb, watching cars drive by as I waited for Gilly. There weren’t many.

As promised, Gilly pulled up in a little red Volkswagen about ten minutes later. I stood, squinting to see her through the window. She parked on the street before getting out and running to me, hugging me so tightly my ribs ached.

“Lexie,” she sobbed, tears rolling down her face. Her eyes, green just like mine, were full of fondness. “I’m so happy you called.”

I hadn’t expected that kind of reunion and I wasn’t sure how to feel. I suppose I should’ve been flattered but all I felt was guilt.

“Please, get in. Do you have any luggage?”

I shook my head. “It’s... kind of a long story.”

“Good thing we have plenty of time.”

We drove to her home, which was a little two-bedroom townhouse up on the hill near the water tower. I told her everything along the way. I even told her about Oliver, unable to hold back.

“Jesus, Lex, you’ve had a rough couple of days.”

“You’re telling me,” I groaned as we walked into her townhouse. It was nice, with pictures of me, Mom, Dad, and Gillian hanging up over the fireplace. I felt even more guilty upon seeing them.

“Lexie, why didn’t you call me when he started acting like that? I would have sent you a plane ticket home and have picked you up from the airport.”

“I didn’t want to bother you,” I mumbled, not able to tellher that I’d always felt like I was in her shadow, how she’d always been the golden girl and I was the black sheep.

She stared at me, frowning. “Lex, you wouldn’t have been bothering me. I would have been happy to see you, like I am now.”

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