We Don't Belong

Four months later.
Andy's POV

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure Andrew. I can watch her alone. I'll call you if anything goes on."

"Okay. I love you. I'll be back in five hours."

"Okay. I love you too."

He kissed my lips and I looked down at my little girl.

"I love you Soph."

She just started back at me with her blue eyes.

I kissed her cheek before leaving. I knew that I was going to the graveyard where they buried my best friend when I was 14.

I felt like her spirit has helped me through everything from Ash to Sophia.

I pulled up to the place. They were still maintaining it. I smiled when I noticed the stone with the purple converse shoes nailed to the side with a glass case over them. I also noticed the cinnamon scented candle sitting there.

I grabbed the candle and sat cross legged on the ground. I pulled my pack of matches out of my bag. I don't know why I still keep them. I don't smoke anymore.

I lit the candle and put out the match. I watched the smoke go into the air and I closed my eyes. I didn't say anything. I just let my mind take over; replaying memories, thanking her, and just sharing everything that's been going on.

About an hour later I was disturbed by a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see someone I instantly knew.

"Hey Byron. Long time no see."

"Hey Andy. You come out here?"

"I haven't been in a few years, but my daughter was born two months ago and I kinda spoke to Lizzy why we were there. There were some complications during delivery and I feel like she helped us."

"Oh...so you have a daughter now?"

"Yep. Sophia Elyeece Purdy."

I pulled out a picture that I had alright go developed.

"She's cute."

"Yeah she's a little angel. What's been up with you?"

"Helping grandma out. She's a little sick. I graduated last year and I'm in school right now. I'm working a double shift for grandma. She couldn't work in the hospital anymore. She's too sick. It's scaring me actually. That's why I came out here. I alway come out here. It relaxes me."

"Oh. That's why it's been burning down. You use this?"

"Yeah. I came out here a few years ago and notice it."

"Oh..."

He sat beside me and touched the stone.

"Never knew why grandma put these shoes here."

"I sat them there actually. Liz said that she wanted purple converse for Christmas so I saved and got them for her. I never got to give them to her so I sat them here after the funeral. 10 years later here they were."

"Wow."

"Yep."

We sat in silence for a while before I spoke up.

"I have to run to the mall and get somethings for Sophia. We can grab lunch there if you want."

"Sure."

"Did you drive or...?"

"Yeah. Grandma sold her van to buy me a car."

"Cool. C'mon then. We'll just trail behind each other."

He got up first and I looked back at the candle. I inhaled and exhaled before blowing out the candle and putting the top back on.

"I love you Liz. Thank you."

I sat it down and walked away. I followed behind Byron in my car before soon passing him on the highway. I found a parking spot at the mall and walked to the doors waiting on him.

When he finally caught up I did my shopping. Since she came so early and we weren't expecting it, we didn't have much. We needed clothes and lots of diapers. It's sad that Alison didn't get to have a baby shower.

I grabbed the right sized diapers, baby wipes, clothes, baby food, and pacifiers, and a better car seat than what the hospital gave us. I paid for everything before turning to Byron.

"Okay where to?"

"Er...how about pizza?"

"Sounds cool."

I found us a table while Byron got our pizza. He opened the box to half ham and pineapples and the other half was meat lovers. I kinda smiled to myself.

"That's exactly what Liz used to eat."

"Really? Grandma made me try it once now I love it."

"She did too. I never understood the point of putting fruit on pizza."

"The tomato sauce is made of fruit."

"She used to say that too."

He smiled a little before looking down.

"She sounds like she was an amazing person. Grandma tells me stories about her all of the time."

"She was an amazing person. She was excited about her new baby brother too. I remember when you were born. She called me from a pay phone in the hospital. She refused to leave that day. It was nice to see her so happy."

"Can you tell me more?"

I spent hours talking to him about Lizzy. He laughed a lot of the stories I told him. I had looked at my phone and realized that I was supposed to be home in an hour.

"Hey I have to go. Ashley and Sophia are waiting on me."

"Okay. Thank you for today. It means a lot."

"Your sister was my best friend. Talking to you is nothing you should thank me for. Just being Andy. Call if you need anything. Tell Nan I said hi."

"I will bye Andy."

I waved before getting my bags and leaving.

*•*•*•*•*

I walked into the house to hear Sophia crying.

"Ash?"

I didn't get a reply. I walked towards the back and peeked into Soph's room. She was in her crib crying. I went over to her and sniffed her butt. I pulled away quickly and took her into the bathroom.

"It's okay little angel. Daddy's going to change you. I'm gonna beat your Papa's butt when I wake him up."

I held her while she still cried. I was bouncing her as I walked into our room. Ashley was sleeping on the bed. I wanted to kick the door and make a loud noise so I could wake him up. The baby monitor was right there. How could he not hear her?

I went back into her room and put my lips towards the monitor.

"Ashley Purdy! Get you A double S up and get in here right now!"

I didn't like to cuss in front of Sophia so I said things like that. A sleepy Ashley appeared in her door way.

"What is it babe?"

"What is it?! Our daughter was crying because her diaper was full and her Papa was to busy being a lazy donkey butt!"

"I'm sorry 'Drew. I fell asleep when she did."

"You fell asleep? If you heard me then you surely heard her! You can't just leave her here with a full diaper. We're lucky that she doesn't have a rash or something!

"I'm sorry Andrew! I'm trying, but it's hard when your partner was out later than he said! Why the hell did it take you so long!"

"Don't say that in front of her! She doesn't need to–"

My sentence was cut off by her crying again. Ashley ran to my side and took her out of my arms.

"Shh. It's okay BatKitty. We're not mad. See? Daddy and Papa are okay."

"Yeah. We didn't mean to argue in front of our little angel."

Ashley calmed her down and put her back into the crib. We turned on the night light and left the room.

I sat on the couch; crossing my arms. Ashley sat beside me and started laughing.

"What's funny? I'm mad at you. You're not supposed to be laughing."

"You realize that our daughter just stopped a fight by crying. She could have been crying for another reason but we just assumed that it was us because we both felt guilty about it. Let's not do that again. I was getting somewhere though."

"Were not. I was getting my point across."

"Sure Andrew."

I pouted but smiled when he kissed my cheek. He wrapped his arms around me and I snuggled into his chest.

"I'm sorry for falling asleep. I honestly didn't hear her but I should have waited for you to come home."

"Sorry for yelling. I know it's exhausting and I was hanging out with Byron today."

"Lizzy's Byron?"

"Yeah. We were both at her grave stone."

"So that's where you went. I wanted to go shopping with you."

"Me you and Soph go tomorrow oaky?"

"Sounds like a plan..."