10. Rebel

I couldn't believeI had a child. She's beautiful and sweet, and I already love her. I needed to go by and talk to the grandma. It was hard for her to care for the baby while Patty worked. I kept staring at Hannah, and she stared right back at me.

"Let's borrow a car seat after breakfast, and you and I will visit Grandma and see how she's doing." We walked over to Viper's, where I knew a car seat would be. He looked at me like I was crazy.

"Where did you get that baby?" he asked, looking at me like I had stolen a baby.

"This is Hannah, and she's my daughter. I found her in a box on my porch this morning. Do you remember Patty?" I asked.

"Yes, Patty was one beautiful woman. Are you saying she put Hannah on your porch in a box? That's unbelievable."

"Let me see her," Bailey said, handing the one she held to Viper. I turned when she reached out for her.

"I don't want her to get scared by being passed around to different people," I saw both of them grin.

"That is so sweet," Bailey said, taking her out of my arms.

I looked at Viper. Patty died because the note said her mother had died, and she was too old to take care of her. I'm guessing her grandmother put her on my porch early this morning. I need to borrow a car seat to visit Patty's grandmother and see what the hell is going on. I need to see how Patty died and let Hannah's great-grandma know she will always be in the baby's life if that's what she wants."

"So I'm assuming you believe she is yours, no blood test or anything else."

"Look at her eyes."

"Oh, she has Gramp's eyes. Not any of you had his eyes, but this little Sweetheart does. He would have loved seeing her smiling at him with his eyes. Welcome to parenthood; I can see you already love her," Viper said.

The moment I looked at her, I knew she was mine. I need to do some shopping for her. I need to learn about diapers and potty training and what size of clothes she wears. I can only put soft things against her smooth skin. I don't want anything to scratch her. So maybe you can go with me, Bailey; you know everything about baby clothes," I said as I followed Viper outside so he could get the car seat from his vehicle.

"I wouldn't say I know everything," she said, following us outside. "Why won't you let anyone hold Hannah?" Bailey asked.

"Hannah is my child. I have to keep her safe. I have never had anything with so much responsibility. This scares me," I tried explaining. "I have never taken care of a baby," I said. I heard Viper chuckle. "You'll have to show me how to buckle her inside. Walk to my vehicle with me."

Thirty minutes later, Hannah and I were on our way. Since the grandmother lived two towns over, it took an hour. I decided to buy stickers saying baby on board to keep the other vehicles on the road away from us. I pulled in front of the grandma's home. I got out, and then I took Hannah from her car seat.

I knocked on the door and waited for her to open it; when she saw Hannah, tears filled her eyes. "Hello, may I come inside?" Hannah was jumping up and down and excited to see her great-grandma.

"Yes, of course you can. Take a seat. You didn't waste any time coming here."

"I need to know what foods Hannah likes and what size of clothes to buy her. I need your phone number to call you for advice on caring for a baby girl. I love Hannah. The moment I saw her eyes, I knew she was mine. Tell me about Patty if it's not too hard to talk about."

"Patty found out she was pregnant and told me she would call you. But I found out later that she never called you. My baby girl got cancer. She was seven months pregnant and refused to take anything for fear of hurting the baby," she wiped tears from her eyes.

"Patty never fully recovered after Hannah was born. Before she died, she told me she never called you. She wanted me to give Hannah to you to raise. I was scared you would be angry, and like a crazy old lady, I put her on the porch.

"I'm so sorry Patty died. She should have told me about Hannah; I could have helped her," I replied.

"She was afraid of losing Hannah. I'm so sorry that I left Hannah on your front porch. I sat outside for over an hour waiting for a light to come on and then waited until you opened the door. My neighbor Henry almost left me there because I wouldn't let him go until I knew Hannah was safe. Henry is eighty-six, and he was afraid he would get stopped by the police, and he no longer has a driver's license."

"I'm glad you told me that. I was very angry that my daughter was left on the porch, but I'm happy that I have her," I said. I looked around. Do you have more things of Hannah's that I can take back home? You are welcome to visit Hannah whenever you want to. We'll come and visit you, too. I would never keep Hannah from you."

"Thank you, that means so much to me. I was scared I would never see her again. She's such a good baby. I have her birth certificate and her other things all packed up. I knew you would come by."

We visited for a while, then we left. I stopped at the grocery store for baby food, but when I got home, no one was there. Where is everyone? I fed Hannah some of the baby food, and after one bite, I knew I would be making her food from now on.

"I rocked her to sleep, and still no one showed up. I watched the baby sleeping and wondered how I was going to be able to work and watch Hannah at the same time. I decided to take time off work until I figured out this baby thing. Where will she sleep? It has to be in my room, where I can watch her.

I took out my phone and ordered a bed for Hannah and everything she'd need to go with it. While ordering, I checked out a children's store and ordered some clothes for her. I walked outside, and Adam, Martha, and Reaper drove up.

"I was wondering where everyone was. We went to have Martha checked out by a local doctor. He said she was doing wonderfully. Where is my niece?"

"She's sleeping. Where is Evie?" I asked.

"Evie, I thought she went with you. She must be with Ghost and Allison. I don't know where they went," Reaper explained as we walked inside the house. Reaper went to where Hannah slept. He gazed at her, shaking his head.

"I can't believe you have a baby. She's beautiful. How are you going to take care of a baby and work?" Reaper asked.

"I will take some time off work and try to figure it all out. You're going to love her she is so happy. Even with me a stranger, it's like she knows she belongs to me. She is my baby, my responsibility, and I must do what is right for her. Right now, I don't know what I'm going to do. I've never watched a baby; I'll have to figure everything out as I go."

When Ghost and Allison walked in an hour later without Evie, my heart stopped beating. "Where is Evie?"

"We thought she was with you?" Ghost said. "Are you saying she's been missing since this morning?"

Everyone started talking at once. I heard the baby and went to get her, but Reaper beat me to her. I saw him staring into her beautiful eyes.

"I love her. I will always keep her safe when you aren't around," Reaper said, kissing her forehead. She reached up and pinched his face.

"Thank you. We have to find Evie."

I thought we decided she was with Ghost and Allison."

"We were wrong. No one has seen her. We have to find her. Where could she be?"

"Let's call Spartan and see if she's with him," Reaper said, taking out his phone. I watched him call, and then he shook his head.

"What did he say?" I asked.

"He said why the fuck can't three Delta Force men watch one woman. He's going to start hunting for her," he said, handing me the baby.

"I need to buy you a walker," I said, kissing Hannah on the nose. "I love you, sweet Hannah."

We all split up; I started walking toward our little town and was stopped by everyone I saw asking me about the baby. After I left there, I ran into Spartan, who was also hunting for Evie. He kissed all over Hannah's face. I would have to wash her face before I could kiss her again.

I heard her singing before I saw her. Then I turned, and there she was, walking back home; she walked toward us when she spotted us. "How is little Hannah doing? You are so beautiful, yes, you are," she said as she took Hannah out of Spartan's arms.

"Where were you?" I asked.

"I was at Jaz's home teaching the boys how to play the piano," she said, smiling. "I see everything went well with Hannah's grandma. How is little Hannah doing? You are so beautiful."

"Evie, we have been hunting everywhere for you. You aren't supposed to go anywhere on your own."

"Oh, well, no one was around to go with me, so I just asked people where Jaz lived; they all knew where she lived. It's such a nice day. I didn't mind the walk," she said like everything was fine and there was no mafia guy named Reaper hunting for her.

She walked home, talking away to Hannah like she didn't have a care in the world. She had changed so much compared to that woman who talked to the homeless, drug-addicted people on the streets of New York City. She was trying to find her sister, talking to the homeless people, and asking questions about the cartel. Even her parents were doing better.