1. Baby?

Chapter One: Baby?

Allen

"Allen, go home."

I looked up from my paperwork to see Melissa standing in the doorway of my office, her coat on and her purse slung over her shoulder. When had it gotten late enough for her to be leaving?

Glancing back down at my desk, I sighed. "I'm almost done."

"No, you're not. You need to go home. It's late."

I didn't look up as I answered, searching for the file I needed. "There's nothing there for me. Not since-" I cut myself off with a shake of my head. I didn't want to think of that right now.

"Allen," Melissa sighed. I heard her heels click against the floor as she walked over and stood directly in front of my desk. I looked up at her, already knowing what she was going to say, considering she tells me the same thing all the time. "You need to move on. It's been months, Allen. The only way you'll forget about her is if you let yourself move forward with your life. Not drowning yourself in your work every night."

I let out another sigh, rubbing my face with my hands. How could I do that? Sarah was my world. I was even going to propose to her, but before I could she just up and vanished. She left me a note, telling me she needed to leave, but that was it. I haven't heard anything from her in nearly eight months. I just keep thinking that someday she'll come back. I know she will. But until then, I need to keep myself busy with my work. It's the only way I can stay sane.

"Allen, please. It's after nine. You've been here for thirteen hours. You need to go home, eat something, and get some sleep. Please."

I nodded my head slowly, getting to my feet. She was right about that. I wasn't sure when the last time I had eaten was. And sleep? I haven't gotten a good night's sleep since before Sarah left, but that's a different story altogether.

Melissa gave me a small smile. "Thank you, Allen. Grab your things. I'll walk down with you."

We made our way down the hall to the elevator, then down it, all the while Melissa was trying to take my mind off everything by talking about her youngest daughter's dance recital last night. I listened like a good friend, no matter how much I didn't want to. But she's done so much for me, it was the least I could do.

"Go home and get some rest, Allen," Melissa said once we reached the parking lot. Our two cars were the only ones left, aside from the night janitor's. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye."

Sliding into the driver's seat, I shut the door and turned on the car, immediately cranking up the heat. Why was it this cold out? I thought the weather had been warming up recently?

Thankfully, the heat worked well in my car and I was at a nice temperature ten minutes later. Only another twenty before I got home, which wouldn't be so bad of a drive at this time of night.

Once I got home, I unlocked the front door and made my way into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. Unlike most people, coffee helps me sleep, so I only ever drink it at night.

While that was brewing, I headed upstairs to the bathroom. Looking myself in the mirror, I noticed just how shitty I looked. I looked old, much older than I should at the age of twenty six. But I guess that's what happens when you're thrown into a situation like mine.

I was suddenly drawn from the thoughts as the doorbell rang. Who would be stopping by this late? Actually, who would be stopping by at all? People never just did that with me. At least, not anymore. People would do that sometimes, when Sarah was still living here and I was happy.

Once I was downstairs, I pulled open the door to find no one outside of it. I looked up and down the street, but I didn't see anyone. And that's when I heard it: the tiny mumble of what could only be a baby, right under my feet.

And sure enough, that's exactly what it was. Bending down over the small basket, I pulled gently on the blue blanket to reveal the small face of a baby, fast asleep. Why was there a baby on my porch? Who did it belong to?

But I couldn't just leave it out here, not with it being so cold out tonight. So, picking up the basket, I carried it inside to place it in the center of the kitchen table.

The baby was still sleeping as I put down the basket, thankfully. I didn't know anything about babies, and having one start crying right now would not go very well, for either of us.

Now that it was in better lighting, I noticed the corner of an envelop sticking out from the edge of the basket. Pulling on it, I saw my name written in a handwriting I never thought I'd ever see again.

Ripping open the card, I read:

Allen, my dear Allen,

I am so sorry for everything - leaving you the way I did, and now this. But you just have to trust me. I was scared, so scared when I found out I was pregnant. And now there's no way I can take care of our little baby. I'm sorry, Allen. But I know you'll take real good care of him. Please do that, for me, Allen?

I don't think I'll ever see you again. You or the baby. But this is for the best. And just know that I'll always love you, Allen. You and the baby.

He was born yesterday, and he doesn't have a name yet. I figured you could do that. You were always better with names than me. In the basket by his feet I have a bottle of formula for his dinner tonight and one for the morning. There's also a couple extra diapers. There's directions with it for heating the bottle up too. I'm sorry I couldn't provide more. Hopefully one day I can explain in person, but that's probably very unlikely. I'm so sorry.

Love always,

Sarah

I ran my hand through my hair and let out a frustrated groan. This couldn't be real. I didn't have a kid. I wouldn't know what to do with a kid. I must be dreaming. I fell asleep at my desk and the stress of everything is just getting to my head. That's all this is.

But unfortunately, it was all real. The baby had woken up and started whining in the basket, making me focus on him again.

How was I going to do this? I don't know how to raise a kid. I didn't even know how to feed it or change its diaper or anything.

Suddenly, the kid let out a scream, making me jump slightly. How do I make it stop? What do I do?

I did the only thing I could think of doing. Taking my phone out of my pocket, I dialed the number for my secretary and moved into the other room as it started ringing so that I'd actually be able to hear her.

"Allen? Is everything okay?" Melissa asked as soon as she picked up.

"How do I get a baby to stop crying?"

"What? Allen, what are you talking about? Why do you need to know?"

I sighed, moving back into the kitchen. Holding out the phone towards the kid for a few seconds, I watched as he kicked around the blanket that was wrapped around his tiny body.

"Help me," I said back into the phone after a moment, once again leaving the room. "I don't know what to do."

"I left you at work not even an hour ago. When did you get a baby?"

I shook my head, still hoping this was all a dream. "Sarah left him with a note. He's mine. I don't-I can't do this."

"Oh, Allen," Melissa sighed. "Go pick him up. Rock him gently. He's probably hungry or wet. If he's not wet, then it's hunger. So check that."

Putting Melissa on speaker, I went back into the kitchen and placed the phone on the table next to the basket. Then, as she walked me through everything, I finally got him to quiet down.

You know, actually holding him like this was really nice. He had fallen asleep again, and I couldn't help but admire his face. The nose was definitely Sarah's, that much was obvious. And his blanket smelled like her. Oh, how I miss her. So, so much.

"See? That wasn't so hard, was it?" Melissa's voice came through the phone that I forgot was still on.

"I don't have anything for him. And all the stores are closed now."

She thought for a moment, while I continued to stand here, gently rocking the baby back in forth in my arms. "I'll come over with a few things. But in the meantime, Allen, you should do some research on things you'll want to get. It'll make everything easier. I'll see you soon, Allen."

I left the phone where it was as I slowly moved over to my laptop in the other room. I didn't want to wake the baby at all, so this was going to be difficult. But somehow I managed to sit down on the couch with the laptop turning on in front of me and the baby still fast asleep in my arms.

When the computer turned on and I had logged in, documents from work stared me in the face. I had work tomorrow. I couldn't go shopping. I couldn't take the kid in with me. So what the hell was I going to do with him?

Opening a new tab, I started looking up daycare services near here. But the more I was reading through the different sites, the more I realized that none of them would work, especially not on such short notice.

Then I noticed an add on one of the sites. It was for a nanny, who came into the home to watch the kid all day. I immediately clicked on the link, down to my last option, but, to my disappointment, it was a dead link.

I sighed in defeat. This was hopeless. I needed to take off tomorrow, that was the only way. And maybe I'll put up fliers around town for a nanny. There's got to be someone who'd be willing to watch the kid, right?

A soft knock came from the door and I stood up, making my way over. As soon as I pulled it open, Melissa and her husband, George, walked in, both carrying things. George was even holding what seemed to be a crib.

"Now, this stuff's a bit old, because Jenna hasn't needed most of it in a few years, but I assure you, Allen, they'll work, definitely," Melissa said, placing the bags she was holding on the ground before turning to me. "He's beautiful, Allen. What's his name?"

Name? Right, I was supposed to do that. I shook my head. "He doesn't have one yet."

"She left you with a nameless child?" George asked. "Tough task."

"Tell me about it."

For the next hour, we set up the crib and Melissa showed me how to use the car seat they brought over and how to properly change the diaper, because I apparently did it wrong. She gave me a ton of advice, and I couldn't be more appreciative of her right now.

"He's going to wake up during the night, hungry," she told me. "So you'll have to feed him again."

"But I barely have any food for him!"

"You have enough to get through the night. Then tomorrow, you'll get more. You still have that list of brands to buy?"

I nodded my head, pulling it out of my pocket.

"Good. Now, good luck tomorrow, Allen. Call me if you have any problems."

I had a feeling I'd be calling her a lot once the morning comes around, but I didn't say that out loud just yet. We'll just have to see where this goes.