Life

“ I can’t keep doing this.” I said. “ I won’t raise my child like this.”

“ Calm down. Even I know stress isn’t good for you, or your baby.” He said.

“ Why are you so nice to me?” I asked. “ You hardly know me.”

“ Because I uh, I like you, a lot, and because I’ve never known anyone like you, and-” He stopped.

“ Dillion…I, I, ow.” I said.

“ Hey what’s wrong?” Dillion said, taking my arm and leading me over to a bench. “ Ella?”

“ I’m fine. It was just a really sharp, really quick pain. Like pin prick quick.” I said. “ I’m ok.”

“ You sure?” He asked. I nodded.

Another month passed. Dillion and I were really close, I was falling hard for him.

“ Is it wrong to fall in love with someone you haven’t known very long?” I asked my mom over the phone.

“ Not if he feels the same way.” She said.

“ I don’t know if he feels the same way or not.” I said.

“ Ask him.” She said.

“ Gabriella?” I heard Carly, my step mother call.

“ Momma I’ll talk to you soon.” I said. “ Love you bye.”

“ Love you too.” She said. Then we hung up. I went downstairs.

“ Yes Carly?” I asked.

“ Pack your things.” Carly said.

“ Why?” I asked.

“ You’re going back tonight. I’ve already arranged for you to be taken.” She said.

“ I’m not going back yet.” I said.

“ Yes you are.” She said.

“ My father never-” She cut me off.

“ He doesn’t know yet.” She said. “ I can’t have you here causing problems.”

“ Problems with who?” I asked.

“ Lucky…my family.” She said.

“ I’m not leaving.” I said. “ You can’t make me.”

“ Yes I can.” She said.

“ Go to hell.” I said.

“ I’m there everyday you’re here. My sons are being overlooked because of you.” She said.

“ My father loves his children equally, even Michael who isn’t even his.” I said. “ You, Lucky, the whole Spencer family can go to hell.” I said. “ Except Bobbie, she’s the only exception.”

“ Ella?” My dad asked, walking in.

“ Your dear wide here is planning on sending me back to Puerto Rico.” I said.

“ Why?” My dad asked.

“ It’s times she go back.” Carly said.

“ Carly this is her home too.” He said.

“ No Sonny this is OUR home.” She said.

“ Carly she is my daughter.” He said.

“ Michael and Morgan are your sons.” Carly said.

“ Morgan is his son. Michael is A.J.’s.” I said. “ Quit trying to pawn your child off on everyone.”

“ Michael is my son too Gabriella.” My dad said. “ I love him equally to you and Morgan.”

“ Everything revolved around her and that fatherless baby.” Carly said.

“ A few minutes ago I was stealing Lucky’s baby.” I said. “ I’m not doing this Daddy. I’ll go back to Puerto Rico, and after that I won’t be back.” I added. I ran upstairs to pack my things. My dad followed.

“ Gabriella?” He asked.

“ It’s fine. I kind of miss home anyway.” I said, not lokking at him.

“ I don’t want you to go.” He said. “ Carly had and has no right to do that.”

“ Daddy I won’t compete with her. She hates me, for whatever reason, she hates me.” I said. I threw the shirt in my hand down on the bed and ran out. I left and went to find Dillion. I called him. “ Meet me on the docks.” I said, then hung up. I stood waiting.

“ Are you crazy? It’s pouring, you’re drenched, you could get sick…” He said, walking up to me about 15 minutes later. “ You could-” I took his hand and kissed him. He kissed back. We kissed for quite a few minutes.

“ I wanted to say goodbye.” I said.

“ Goodbye?” He asked.

“ Carly wants me to go back to Puerto Rico…I won’t cause problems for her and my dad. I can’t do that to Morgan or Michael.” I said.

“ You can’t go.” He said.

“ I’ll be back to visit occasionally.” I said. “ We can still talk.”

“ Ella-“ I covered his mouth.

“ I have to go. If I don’t I won’t leave y-” I stopped. I went to walk awaybut he grabbed my arm and pulled me back into a kiss. “ I’m sorry.” I left and went back to my dad’s.

“ Gabriella you are soaked.” My dad said.

“ I’ll get the rest of my things and we can go.” I said, fighting back tears.

“ Ella I truly don’t want you to leave.” He said.

“ I’m not going to cause problems anymore.” I said.

“ If you want to stay and not be here with Carly, we can pick out an apartment or house for you , the baby…” My dad said.

“ Daddy that’s-” He cut me off.

“ Ella it’s perfect.” He said. “ You can go home to Puerto Rico anytime you want, and I’ll get to see you often too.”

“ Carly won’t like-“ He cut me off.

“ Do you like the idea?” He asked.

“ Yes, but Daddy-” I stopped.

“ Alright then.” He said. He smiled. We hugged. “ We’ll go tomorrow.”

“ Ok.” I smiled.

“ Now go take a hot shower and warm your body up.” He said.

“ Are you kidding? I have to go tell Dillion.” I smiled.

“ It’s raining.” He said.

“ I’ll be back.” I said. I went back to the docks. Luckily he was still there. I ran over to him. “ I’m not going. My dad’s keeping me here.” I smiled.

“ Really?” He asked.

“ Yeah.” I nodded.

“ I didn’t want you to go.” He said. “ Ella-“ I cut him off. We kissed.

“ Maybe it isn’t mine after all.” I heard behind me. I turned to see Lucky and Elizabeth.

“ I really wish it wasn’t.” I said. “ After that comment I’d like you to sign the papers.”

“ Lucky just sign them.” Elizabeth said. “ Please.”

“ Fine.” Lucky said. “ Pick them up tomorrow at the PCPD.”

“ Good.” I said. They left. Dillion took me home and then left. “ Lucky’s going to sign the papers. He saw Dillion and I, and now doesn’t believe it’s his.“ I paused. “ I think I should go back to Puerto Rico now…at least for a little while.”

” Is that what you want?” He asked. (My Dad).

“ I don’t know what I want.” I said. “ I want to go back when it was just me and my baby.” I ended up going back to Puerto Rico. I told Dillion I needed to see Momma and Miguel, my brother Juan. He understood. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever go back. I was home for about a month when the papers came. “ He signed them Momma.”