Olivia

"Hey Jack, you coming out with us tonight?" Alex asked, shrugging on his jacket.

"No, I've gotta go home." I replied, putting my own jacket on.

"Why? You normally come with us." Rian said.

"I can't tonight. I'm gonna go." I said, making my exit, guitar in hand.

I bowed my head against the rain that was coming down. I ran to my car, opening the back door and putting my guitar in the backseat. I got in the front and started the engine.

I started driving home, with blink-182 playing loudly from the stereo.

Halfway home, I got stuck in traffic. I tapped my fingers against the driving wheel, watching the time on the dashboard.

Four o'clock came and went. As the red numbers went closer to half past four, I got more and more impatient.

In half an hour, I'd moved a total of three blocks in traffic.

By five, I was driving up my road. I pulled into my drive. I grabbed my guitar from the backseat and ran inside, unlocking the front door with wet fingers, almost dropping the key.

As soon as I was in the door, slamming it behind me, I was attacked by Olivia. She clutched me around  waist, her fingers interlocking firmly. I became aware of something wet seeping into my already wet t-shirt. It was Olivia, she was crying.

I bent down and picked her up. She buried her face in my shoulder.

"I thought - I thought..." Olivia said through her tears.

"You thought what Olivia?" I prompted, gently rubbing her back.

"I thought you weren't coming back." She whispered in my ear, still crying.

"Oh Olivia. I'll always come back, don't worry. Next time, just ring me using the house phone, promise?"

She nodded against my shoulder.

I hugged her back, sensing she needed comfort.

"That's sweet."

I looked up and saw that May had just appeared from the living room. I smiled.

"Thanks May, for looking after her." I said, as she put her coat on.

"It's cool, I've gotta go now. Bye Olivia." She said, kneeling down so Olivia could give her a quick hug.

I put Olivia down and she hugged May tightly. Olivia let go of May reluctantly and came over to me.

"Bye May." She said, waving with one hand.

"Bye." May replied, shutting the door.
*-*-*-*-*-*
Olivia was showing me her drawing when the doorbell rang. The person knocked on the door straight after.

"Coming!" I yelled, getting up off the floor where I had been lying with Olivia colouring. I walked briskly to the front door and opened it.

It was Alex, holding a six-pack of beers in his hand. He held them up, saying, "Since you couldn't come out, I came to you."

"Uh..." I glanced back to where Olivia was lying on the floor, "Now isn't really a good time Alex."

"Jack, who's that?" Olivia said, appearing next to me.

"Uh, that's Alex. He's in the band with me, remember?" I said, looking at her.

"Oh yeah," She said, nodding and holding a hand out to a shocked Alex, "I'm Olivia."

"Alex." He replied, shaking Olivia's hand.

"Come in." I said, "Olivia, go and finish that picture you were doing."

"Ok Jack." She said, darting off back into the living room, leaving Alex and I alone.

"So that's why you needed to go. You have a kid?" He said once we were in the kitchen.

I scratched the back of my head, "Er, yeah?"

"Since when did you have a kid, and where did she come from?"

"Her name is Olivia, and I've had her since Friday." I explained.

"What about her parents?" He asked, leaning against the counter.

"She hasn't got any - they died in a fire."

"Poor Olivia. So you took her in?"

"Obviously."

"But why?"

"I felt sorry for her. D'you wanna stay for a bit?" I said, opening the door.

Alex shrugged, "Might as well."

We went and joined Olivia in the living room.

"Is he staying?" She asked me.

"Yeah, I am," Alex said, sitting next to her and asking, "What are you drawing?"

"A dog." She replied, showing him.

"Cool, I've got two dogs."

"Really? What are they called?" Olivia asked.

"Sebastian and Peyton. I could bring them round so you could meet them tomorrow after studio. Would you like that?"

"Please do!" She turned to me and said, "Can he please? Please?"

Laughing, I nodded, "Course Alex can Olivia."
*-*-*-*-*-*
Olivia was in bed and Alex and I were having a beer each from the six-pack he'd brought round.

"Now that I've met Olivia, is she going to come to studio tomorrow?" Alex asked, sipping his beer.

"Maybe." I said, grinning.

"Bring her! You know Rian and Zack would love to meet her!" He insisted.

"Ok, then, since you insist."