Clare P.O.V.

"Clare, there's a call for you downstairs!" my mother called.

"I'll be there in just a second mom," I called down to her. I ran down the stairs and into the kitchen. "Hello," I said into the phone.

"Clare, its Cece. Eli's gone. He said he had some stuff to take care of and he won't be back for two months, at least. Clare, he also left a legal document stating that until his return, while you are a minor at sixteen and Eli is a minor at seventeen, he has left Isabella in your custody."

"Isabella is in my custody?" I questioned in a shocked voice.

"Yes, I just want to tell you that you don't have to take her."

"NO," I practically shouted, "I want to take care of her. You know I feel like shes my own daughter. I'll be there to get her things soon. Just give me a half-hour to get there."

"Okay, Clare. Just please bring her by to visit."

"I will. I love her. Be there soon," I said before I hung up the phone and went upstairs. I put on my cross necklace and my light blue ballet flats with their black bows. I put a dark blue head band in my auburn hair and then proceded to grab my phone.

"Mom, can I borrow the car for like an hour?"

"Why?"

"I just have to run a few errands. I'll have it back in time to drive you to the airport for your business trip."

"Okay, but be careful and be back in an hour."

I grabbed the keys and got into the car. I made sure I was buckled in and drove over to Eli's old house. I stopped at a few lights along the way and played my mix CD from Eli. I felt so much closer to him using that.

The second I pulled up outside the house I saw Cece standing there with Isabella in her arms. I loved her and I was going to raise her. I would be her mother.

"Clare. We have her crib and other furniture in a few pieces so you can put them in the car. We also have all of her clothes, toys, diapers, wipes, bottles, formula, spit cloths, sheets, blankets, you name it, and we packed it. You just need to sign a few of the papers Eli left. He signed them before he left and it appears that he had been planning this for a while."

"Okay, give me Isa, then I'll sign the papers," I said. I shifted Isa in my arms and walked into the house. Isa was only four months old and her black hair was in little curls and a bright pink ribbon was clipped into them. She was in a black onesie that said I 3 R 'N' R! in bright pink like her bow. She had little black baby converse on that I'm sure Eli specially ordered. I walked over to the lone piece of paper on the table and picked it up. I read through it and sure enough, the second I signed this, I gained parental custody of Isa. Eli got to keep his because basically I was just becoming her mother legally. Just sign on the dotted line. And that's what I did.

"Well, Isa. I'm your momma now. And you are coming to live with me. Don't worry though, Grandma Helen and Grandpa Roland won't bother us. They have no say in this. And, Cece, you and Bullfrog come by any time. We both love you. Can you help me get her things in the car though; I have to get home so my mom can go on a business trip this week."

"Of course, Clare. Put her in the play pen, then we can put her things in your car," she said as she grabbed a couple parts of the crib.

I put Isabella down and grabbed a few suitcases. I put them in the trunk. I went back and grabbed more as Cece strapped the furniture to the roof. I finished loading the trunk and setting up the car seat and grabbed Isa.

I strapped her in and gave Cece a big hug.

"He'll come back. But take care of yourself. We have to go if we're gonna make it back in time to say goodbye to my mom."

"Take care of her, Clare. And love her. That's what children need."

"I will, I promise. I already would give my life for her."

I drove off with the same cd from before on. I made sure that it was not too loud so it wouldn't scare her. Actually, it seemed like she really liked it. It almost calmed her. Courtesy of Eli, I'm sure. I looked in the rear view mirror every few minutes to check on her. I needed to keep her safe. She was my responsibility.

About twenty minutes later we arrived at my house. I had texted my mom to let her know I was in traffic and that she should call a cab. She texted back Ok. And that was it. Oh well. She doesn't need to know.

I pulled up to the house and got out of the car. The first thing I did was get Isa out and in the house, away from prying eyes. Then I called Adam and asked him to help me put Isa's furniture together. He said he didn't know how but I told him that there were instructions with the stuff. He came over not five minutes later. Drew must've driven him.

"Hey, Clare. Hey, Bella-baby. Sooo. Why is Bella living with you and not Eli?" Adam asked me as we unloaded the stuff from the car.

"Because Eli ran away, and left Isabella in my care. Can we just drop the subject, please. I want to get this done so I can feed Isa."

"You got it, Clare."

As soon as Adam had her things unloaded, I found the formula and made her a bottle; I had babysat kids from my church so I knew how to make a bottle just right. I picked up the crying baby and cradled her as I tested the heat of the formula on my wrist. I decided the heat was just right and I propped her up so I could feed her. While I fed her, I went upstairs to the spare room where Adam was putting together Isabella's black crib. All her furniture was black or white. Or mixtures of both in some cases. Eli had explained to me about how he had bought as much of her furniture used as possible. Then he sanded them down and repainted them in colors that he thought would be appropriate for a baby of any gender. He didn't care about the baby's gender, as long as his child was healthy.

He told me he was especially worried about that because Julia cut throughout the entire pregnancy. She didn't care about the child because she didn't want it. She hated it, but couldn't have an abortion because she was too far along in the pregnancy for that by the time she found out. Eli had fought her tooth and nail about adoption. He wanted to keep the baby. Finally they came to the agreement that if Eli wanted to raise Isa and 'ruin his life over a worthless, dirty mistake' then he could. Julia gave birth and signed the papers for legally giving up her rights. When she handed them to Eli, he handed them to the lawyer. Isabella was his daughter and his daughter alone.

But apparently, Julia had set up an adoption for the child. As soon as Eli got home, the couple that wanted to adopt Isa were waiting for him. He explained to them how he still had parental rights, and as such, he was keeping her.

As my mind swept through the small child's history, I was brought back by Isa fussing because her bottle was gone.

I put the bottle down and started to burp her. I saw that Adam had finished the crib and put the mattress in. I held Isa in one arm and looked through all of her luggage and found some small sheets for the bed. While Adam worked on her dresser, I put her sheets on. And put on some padding around the bars so she wouldn't get hurt. Then I placed the sleeping baby in the crib so I could unpack her things before dinner tonight.

I ordered Chinese food for myself and made another bottle for Isa. I also ordered some Chinese for Adam and invited Alli over for a movie night.

"Adam, what time do you have to go home? I can handle Isabella, I just needed help with the furniture," I said.

"My mom is picking me up on her way home from work. What did your mom say about you taking in Bella?" he asked me.

"Err, she doesn't know about it. But I can handle it."

After unpacking the rest of Isa's things, the doorbell rang and it was Alli with the Chinese and some movies.

"Come on in. We can start our movie marathon. First up," I started.

"TWILIGHT!" Alli screamed. I heard Isa crying upstairs and glared at Alli before running upstairs to get my screaming daughter.

"Oh, what's the matter baby?" I cooed to her as I picked her up. "Did your Auntie Alli scare you? Well, as long as you're up, why not go get you fed." I caught a whiff of her diaper. "Oh, but first, maybe mommy should change your diaper."

I walked over to the changing station and picked out her outfit. I found a set of black and pink checker board footie pajamas.

"Okay, let's get you nice and warm, huh?" I asked her in a little baby voice. After I changed her, I put her on my hip and carried her downstairs. I turned on the stove and put her bottle in the boiling water so that it could warm up that way. It was much safer. I had about finished her bottle when I heard Alli scream again. I guess the movie started. But of course, her screams had to set off Isabella's screams. I grabbed the bottle and tested the heat. Once it was cool enough, I fed it to Isa as I walked back to the living room.

"Alli, you have to stop screaming. Its scaring Isabella. Now can I have my food and can we watch the movie?" I asked.

"Fine, but first, WHY THE HELL DO YOU HAVE A BABY?" she screamed. And of course, Isabella started screaming.

"Alli, she is Eli's daughter, now please, shut up. And don't swear. It sets a bad influence for her. Now eat and watch the movie."

A couple of hours later those two had gone home and they left me and my daughter alone. After I set her down in the crib, I went and took a nice, warm bath. Afterwards I got in some nice comfy pjs and went to bed. Somehow I got lucky in that she already slept through the night.

I could so get used to this life.