Chapter 2

Chapter 2
Serenity smiled to herself as she walked into her house and heard her cousin’s voice talking to her baby. “Hi! Evie I am home!” She called taking of her coat and hanging it on the coat rack. She followed the sound of her baby’s giggles into the kitchen where she found Evie feeding Serena a greenish goo that looked like something very different then just green beans. “Hi baby” She said walking over to the high chair and kissing her daughter’s head. She ran her fingers through the golden brown ringlets. “Were you a good girl for auntie Evie?”
Serena looked up and gave her a big smile before sticking out her tongue revealing a big lob of green goop.
“Eww” Serenity giggled looking away from her. “How lady like.”
Evie laughed as she stood up to let Serenity take her place. “You look beat little one. Long day at work?”
Serenity smiled “I am guessing since you followed the little one comment with a question about work you were referring to me and not Serena.”
Evie nodded as she stood behind Serenity. She pulled out the rubber band that was holding Serenity’s raven colored hair letting it fall out of its tight bun in to its natural place of the middle of Serenity’s back. “I can’t help it, that you’re tiny nor the fact that this family gave you that nick name. I’ve been calling you that you’re whole life.”
“I know.” She groaned “and don’t tell anyone else but I actually kind of like it. How ever I don’t like being tiny. I had a guy card me today after I brought him his beer. Turns out he was a health inspector under cover and he thought I was fourteen!”
“Ouch” Evie said as she began to laugh. “I am sorry baby, but I have a feeling that wasn’t the worst part of your day.”
Serenity offered Serena another bite of her green goop before she replied to Evie. “No that was actually the high light of my day.”
“That bad?” Evie asked handing Serenity a cloth to wipe away the green goo that Serena just spit on her.
“Thanks.” She said taking the cloth to wipe off her shirt. “The worst part of my day would be Scarlet showing up.”
“Oh no” Evie groaned covering her eyes with her hands. “Scarlet showed up at your work?”
“Oh yes.”
“Last time I checked she didn’t know you were working did she?”
Serenity nodded “No she knew I was working, she just didn’t know that my career choice at this second was being a waitress at a restaurant one step above being a Denny’s.”
“She must have been shocked.”
“You can say that.” Serenity said standing up. She removed the tray of the high chair and handed it to Evie so she could get Serena out. “She’ll be coming over here in just a little bit. If I hadn’t of stopped her she would have bitched me out right then and there.”
“Ma ma” Serena squealed grabbing a chunk of Serenity’s hair and pulling on it.
“Ow” Serenity whined untangling her hair out of her daughter’s baby fingers “Don’t do that honey it hurts mommy.”
Evie laughed “She’s got quite a grip, doesn’t she?”
Serenity nodded as she brought her lips to Serena’s head. “Mommy missed you. Do you know how much I missed you?” she said with her voice cracking.
“Serenity, don’t beat yourself up. You’re doing what you have to. And I admire you so much for that.” Evie said as she began to clean up Serena’s mess.
Serenity put her hand up “don’t worry about that I can do it.”
Evie shook her head. “No, I can do it. You spend time with your daughter.”
“Now that is something I can handle.” Serenity said with a laugh as she left the kitchen. She had no sooner sat down when the doorbell rang. “Serena, that would be Auntie Scarlet. Do you remember her huh?” Serenity got back on her feet and made her way to the door. “When’s the last time she saw you huh?”
Serena put her thumb in her mouth and put her head on Serenity’s shoulder. “aww baby are you tired?” she asked as she got ready to open the door. I wish I’d changed out of my uniform. She thought as she opened the door. “Scarlet, Hi”
Scarlet stood on the front porch with her arms across her chest. “Don’t you dare Hi me. We need to talk.”
“I know. But let me start when was the last time you saw Serena?”
Scarlet’s eyes landed on the infant who was starring at her. “Hi Serena. How are you doing, little girl?” Scarlet held her arms out so she could take the baby. “You’ve gotten so big and pretty.”
“Scarlet when is the last time you saw her?” Serenity asked again.
Scarlet bit her lip. “A few months ago.”
Serenity narrowed her eyes at her and crossed her arms over her chest. “Wrong answer! It’s been eleven months two weeks and four days! The last time you saw her she was three weeks old at my HUSBANDS Funeral!” she yelled as she stormed into the living room.
Scarlet tapped Serena’s nose “I think your mommy needs a nap”
“na” Serena tried to mimic as she reached for one of her aunts hoop earrings.
Scarlet caught her hand right away. “Some day when you are big enough Auntie Scarlet will buy you your own earrings like this. Until that day, back off baby.” She said as she lifted Serena’s shirt to blow on her tummy, causing the infant to burst into a giggling fit. Scarlet played with her for a few minutes while receiving an icy glare from Serenity. She finally settled Serena into her playpen before joining her sister on the couch.
“The only reason you know what she looks like now is because I send you pictures every month.” Serenity said in a quiet voice.
Scarlet was about to say something when Evie came into the living room wiping her hands on her jeans. “Hi Sweetie” she said giving Scarlet a hug. “I haven’t seen you in awhile.”
Scarlet blushed at that comment knowing exactly what her sister was thinking. “Yeah, well I’ve been really busy lately. Advertising is a busy business.”
“I can imagine. I have to say I loved your commercial with the purple elephant, makes me laugh every time I see it.”
“Thanks, I hope it makes you want to buy the product too.”
“My boys made me by five jars!”
Scarlet laughed “I guess that means I am doing my job.”
Evie bent down and kissed Scarlet’s forehead. “Don’t be such a stranger baby. We miss you.”
“I miss you too. I promise I’ll be around more.”
Serenity got to her feet again and walked Evie to the door. “Evie, I can’t thank you enough for all you do for me.”
Evie held up her hand “Stop. No need to thank me. We are family I love you and Serena. I live next door; it’s not like I lose family time watching her. I just bring her home with me until half an hour before you’re home. I get the best of all worlds. Helping you out spending time with her while I spend time with my boys and my husband. So don’t you dare go thanking me. Now you march into that living room and you and Scarlet work this out. Do you understand me?"”
Serenity’s response was to lean in and hug Evie. “I love you”
“I love you too. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Serenity took a deep breath and counted to five before she made her way back into the living room. “Ok, Scarlet lets talk.”

Scarlet shook her head and got to her feet. “Not right this second. First go change. You don’t look all that comfortable. While you are changing I’ll wash up Serena. She looks like she wore her dinner more than ate it.”
Serenity made a goofy face at Serena “Say auntie Scarlet, that is normal.” She said in a baby voice “That’s normal huh?”
Serena slapped her hands over her face and began to laugh.
“You are a silly girl. Mommy’s silly girl.” She said as she bent down to pick up her baby. She gave her a few kisses before handing her over to Scarlet. “Her P.J.s are in the third drawer of her white dresser.”
Scarlet raised her eyebrow as she shifted Serena to her hip. “White dresser? How many dressers does this kid have?”
“Three.”
“Three? Are you kidding me? What baby needs three dressers?” She asked in shock.
Serenity smiled and bit her lip. “When Connor found out I was carrying a girl, he went crazy. I swear I won’t have to buy the girl clothes until she is eight. He even bought her, her first prom dress. It’s in her closet.”
“But that’s like fifteen years away. Styles change.”
“Conner didn’t care. Besides the dress is gorgeous. It won’t ever go out of style.”
Scarlet shook her head but said nothing as continued to her way up the stairs to Serena’s room.
* * *
Scarlet changed Serena and rocked her for awhile noticing the tired look she had in her eyes. Within seconds she was asleep. She carefully laid her down in the crib and ran a finger over the baby’s soft cheek. “Don’t worry Serena. Your aunt Scarlet will fix this. Your mommy won’t be working in such a lousy dump for long. I will make sure she fixes her life. I just hope you know what a special mommy you have.” Scarlet bent down and kissed the sleeping infant before leaving the room. She was about to down stairs but her gut told her to go down the hall to Serenity’s room.
Scarlet carefully pushed open her sister’s door, to find Serenity laying on her stomach with her face buried in her arms. Scarlet crossed the room and crawled next to Serenity. She placed her hand on her back. “Serenity?”
Serenity sat up. Her eyes and nose were red and puffy showing that she had been crying. “Where’s Serena?”
“She fell asleep. So I laid her down. What’s wrong?” Scarlet asked as she moved to her own stomach to lie next to her sister.
“I can’t believe Serena is already asleep. I hardly spent anytime with her.”
Scarlet sighed and blew a wisp of her hair away from her eyes. She hated it when Serenity tried to avoid a subject. She knew her sister only did it to protect others from feeling sorry for her, but it was just frustrating when its obvious, she is in pain. “It’s me you are talking to. Tell me what’s really wrong.”
Serenity tightly closed her eyes and began to massage her temples. “I hate that you can do that! How is it that you can always read me? Sometimes I can’t even read myself.” Serenity opened her eyes and exhaled loudly. “And I know that didn’t make a whole lot of sense.”
Scarlet reached out and put her hand on Serenity’s cheek. “I can read you because I know you honey. I’ve been with you since the day you were born.”
“Then how come you didn’t know I was waitressing? Face it Scarlet, you have not been around a lot lately.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I should have paid more attention to you and your needs. I am here now.”
Serenity smiled and let a tear fall freely down her cheek. “I know.” She was about to say more when the phone rang. “It never ends.” She moaned as she sat up and grabbed the phone. “Hello¼”
Scarlet watched as all the blood left her sister’s face. She also noticed that Serenity was starting to shake. She sat up quickly and placed her hand on her sister’s knee.
“No there must be some kind of mistake. My parents are at home right now. I talked to them, this morning. They didn’t have any plans to leave the house tonight.” Serenity said with her voice starting to crack.
Scarlet quickly grabbed the phone from Serenity. What ever this person was saying to Serenity was upsetting her greatly. “Hello this Scarlet Tumwater Serenity’s sister.” Scarlet listened to the voice on the other end. She felt her body go stiff and numb. Out of no where her mouth began to take over for her. “I understand. Thank you Officer, Serenity and I are on the way right now.” She clicked the phone off and tossed it beside her. Her gaze went to her sister right away. Serenity was sitting up with her arms wrapped around her knees rocking back and forth. “Serenity, we’ve got to go to the hospital.”
“It’s not true.” She whispered “It’s not happening again. They are at home. Call them Scarlet! Call them now!” Serenity began to yell reaching for the phone.
Scarlet acted quickly and grabbed a hold of Serenity and pulled her to her. She held her tightly and let her sister struggle in her arms. “Shh, take a deep breath. Come on.” She coaxed. She waited for her to take a deep breath. Scarlet felt her relax a little bit. “Where are your shoes?” she asked letting go of Serenity.
Serenity stood up and made her way to the closet. She found a pair and quickly put them on. “Scarlet?” Scarlet looked up. “I am in my pajamas should I change?”
Scarlet shook her head after looking over sister. “You’re pretty much wearing sweats. Should I call Evie? Or should we bring Serena with us?”
Serenity’s mouth hung open. “ I don’t know. It’s late. Evie is spending time with her boys. Besides what if they are wrong and we scare her for nothing?”
Scarlet licked her lips, knowing what the officer had said was true. “We can bring her with us honey. You have a stroller that reclines. She’ll be able to sleep. I was just worried about it being a late night.”
“She should be with us.” Serenity said sounding unsure of her self.
Scarlet nodded “Ok, I’ll go get her.”
“No wait. She’s already in bed. Call Evie please.” Serenity pleaded falling to her knees on the bed room floor. “God, I can’t do this again.” She cried.
Scarlet was torn on going to her or calling Evie. She chose to call Evie first and deal with Serenity next.