The Butterfly House by Lori Meckley

in between contractions.
    “I'm keeping him, please just sign the papers. I'll explain it all later. I don't want my baby to be alone if I die!” She cried out.
    I had no idea what was going on but this baby was coming so for now I'd sign them. I grabbed a pen from my bedroom and signed them, then Angela signed them. She was going to live and so was the baby if I had anything to do with it.
    I called 911 and asked for ambulance. The men had been gone long enough that I felt safe taking the risk. The baby wasn't waiting, a few minutes later with the help of the 911 operator Angela's son was born. With the operator's help I managed to cut the baby's cord. I felt Angela’s hand on my arm. She smiled at me.
    “ Baby Miles will need you Ava, please take care of him for me.”
    A few seconds later she was suddenly very still. At first I thought she had just passed out or had fallen asleep. I heard the ambulance and ran for the door, carrying the baby in my arms in a towel.
    The medics worked on her for almost thirty minutes via the radio with the hospital. When we arrived at the hospital she was still not moving. They took Miles from me. I was taken to a waiting room. Baby Miles was very tiny, he had come too early. It felt like hours until they finally came to me asking me about her family or next of kin. I had no idea who her family was. I had those papers in my pocket. I thought about the bruises she always had and her begging me to sign them. I told them I was the baby's guardian and her only family. They explained she had a stroke with a brain bleed. Angela was placed in a coma-induced state to decrease the swelling of her brain. Then they told me about baby Miles.
    My world just stopped as the impact of the situation hit me. I was now responsible for a premature infant who had a critical heart issue and his mother was in a coma. I was taking a serious risk if Angela's husband or family found out. I had looked over those papers I signed. I wondered how this would play out if the baby was promised to a family and Angela's husband or that family came forth. I filled out the baby's birth certificate giving him both our last names, Miles Mercy Wild.
    The more I thought about it the less I worried because Angela's husband didn't know who I was to my knowledge. I quit my job the next day. I went home, cleaned up my apartment and got rid of all Angela's bloody clothes by taking them into the hospital. I dumped them in the bio-hazard bins. I put the custody papers in my safety deposit box but kept a copy hidden in my apartment. I never looked back. I didn't tell a soul. As much as I wanted to share this with Nolan there was no way I could yet.
    I had just enough time to shower and change. I plugged in my flat-iron as I was digging in my closet for something to wear. I pulled on a pair of low rise Mudd jeans and a white blouse. I was going to keep it pretty casual, after all pizza was casual. I flat ironed my hair and went with a light hand on my makeup. I put on some vanilla lime scented lotion then stepped into a pair of sandals.
    I heard a knock at my door then my cell vibrated with a text from Nolan. He was here. Smiling I tossed my cell phone into my purse, I was nervous but I had looked forward to seeing him all day. I was hoping he felt the same way as I turned out my bedroom light and left.
     
     
     
     
    Nolan ~ Thirteen
    My palms were sweating as I knocked on her door. She lived in a warehouse style apartment in a pretty nice looking neighborhood.
    When she opened the door I was speechless at first. She was wearing jeans that fit her curves perfectly, her belly was pierced and she had on a white blouse that gave glimpses of her bare belly and the curve of her hips. It was sexy as fuck! I could barely take my eyes off her.
    “ Hi!”
    “ Hi, God you look beautiful.” It just came right out of my mouth. The more time I spent near her, the less control I had over myself.
    “ Thank you Nolan,” she said blushing. God