It was close to eight, and the gang had eaten and was now doing their own thing. Hailey was doing her hair in the bathroom, Hana was in the bedroom with the baby, and the boys played games in the living room, though, they were yelled at by Hana for their screaming because the baby was asleep.

“She’s going all mommy on us, huh?” asked Jake, returning his attention back to the TV.

Someone’s phone rang, and Seth said, “Hailey, it’s your phone.” He grabbed it, stood up, and went to his girlfriend. Seconds later, they walked out of the bathroom, and Hailey was furious while listening to something on the phone.

Seth hinted to the boys that Hailey’s father was on the phone, so Jake and Logan immediately stood up and tried to calm and remind Hailey that there was a baby in the next room.

Hailey didn’t care. Instead, she squeezed Jake by the ear, and Logan backed away to avoid the same punishment.

Logan went to Seth. “It’s your girlfriend. You calm her down.” He walked to the room where Hana and the baby were in. “Imma check on them.” He gently opened the door to the room and entered. He saw Hana lying on the bed on her side. He grinned as he closed the door behind him. Quietly, he uttered to himself, “She wanted us to stay quiet so she could sleep.” He thought of an idea to get back at her by shoving her off the bed.

He carefully tiptoed to the bed but stopped when he saw the baby sleep closely beside Hana. The view of them together made his stomach fluttered with joy. Before he knew it, his feet dragged him to climb onto the bed to lay on the opposite side of the baby. He saw the baby hold onto Hana’s pinky. He laughed to himself.

He situated himself to lay on his side and had his head plopped on his palm. He looked at his friend, and his free hand slowly reached to her cheek to move the hair covering a part of her face.

At this, she woke up and was shocked to see him on the same bed, so she fell to the floor.

He was about to get up and help her, but his abrupt movement made the baby flinch and squirm. He became scared to move, so he stayed frozen at his spot.

Her head popped up from under the bed. “You scared me!”

“Didn’t mean to.”

She got up and tapped her clothes free of dust. “Why are you in here?”

He carefully slid down the bed to the ground, then he stood up. It was the only option he could do to avoid the baby waking up to his movements. “Hailey’s talking with her dad on the phone.”

She gaped her mouth opened. “We can’t have her shouting and screaming.”

“That’s why I came here to check on you,” he said in a sing-song voice. He stopped and said to himself. “Oh, that’s what I came here for, duh.”

“No time for that. Hailey first.”

The friends jolted out of the room and saw Hailey packing up. “What’s wrong?” they asked together.

“My dad proposed to the gold-digging wrench, and I’m going to give him a piece of my mind,” answered a furious Hailey with a tone loud enough for the baby to hear in the next room.

Seth and Jake slapped a finger at Hailey’s mouth but quickly moved it away when she attempted to bite them off.

“I’ll be back tomorrow,” said Hailey.

Hana raised a brow. She knew it was late already and didn’t feel comfortable to have her friend go home alone. “Let Seth go with you.”

“You guys don’t need me?” asked a worried Seth.

“We need your place,” answered a joking Logan. “Now that we got it, you’re useless. Shoo.”

The friends laughed.

“You know what,” said Hana. “Jake, you should go home too.”

Everyone looked at her. They had planned to spend the week together until the baby situation was solved.

“It’s only Logan and me that are in this. We shouldn’t have involved all of you.”

Hailey pouted and walked to her. “You’re not involving us in anything. Even if you guys didn’t or wouldn’t, I’d absolutely find a way to be involved.”

“Told ya she’s scary,” said Jake, purposely out loud with a laugh.

“Yeah, I know,” said Hana in response to Hailey’s. She looked at Jake. “But you should head home though. It’s best if all of you are less involved in this. Friends look out for each other, right?”

Jake sighed and dragged his body to get his stuff. “Okay, if you’re that persistent.” He hugged Hana and shook Logan’s hand before taking off with Hailey and Seth. “I’ll see you guys first thing in the morning.”

“Well, duh,” said a scoffing Hailey. She turned around and looked at Hana. “I’ll call you later.”

Hana nodded. “Okay.”

*

Logan awoke from the sofa to a dry throat, so he got up to get a drink of water. He passed by the room where Hana and the baby slept, and noticed that the door was cracked opened a bit. He saw the lamp was on, so he figured she was up. Curious to prove his assumption, he walked to the door and heard her talking. He pressed his ears on the door.

“Who she talking to?” he asked himself, quietly. He realized it was Hailey because the girls had promised to talk to each other. He was about to enter the room when something Hana said made him still.

“I’m going to keep the baby. Not Logan.”

*

“Good morning!” Hailey happily greeted Hana at the door. She raised her hands to show that she had done some grocery shopping, much to Hana’s surprise. 

Behind her was her boyfriend with even more grocery bags. 

Hailey added, “We’re partying today ‘cause we didn’t get to yesterday.”

“Thanks, guys.” Hana led them inside and closed the door.

Hailey pouted when she saw Jake already in the room. He had a console in his hand, and his eyes were glued to the screen. She pointed to him and whined, “Aww, you got here before me?”

Jake smirked. “Yep. I gotta continue my game from yesterday.”

“That’s why you’re here?”

Jake paused the game. “O-of course not!” He smiled at Hana. “I’m here for you, Logan, and that cutie.”

“Whatever, Jake,” laughed the girls, knowing his true intentions.

Jake saw the cupcakes in one of the bags and ran to it. He opened the package and took one out. “Whoa, y’all bought lots of stuff.” He looked worriedly at Hana. “Sure you can cook all this by yourself? We all know someone here can’t cook.” He side-eyed Hailey and did not bother to be subtle with it.

Hailey grabbed a celery stick that was nearby and started chasing Jake around for the mockery. “I so can help!”

Seth and Hana let the two friends play around.

Seth looked around and noticed his pal, Logan, wasn’t present. “Where’s Logan?”

Hana laughed. “Still knocked out.”

“You guys slept late?”

“I think I slept earlier than he did ‘cause he was playing games out in the living room, but I think he’s mentally exhausted after a situation like that.”

Seth yawned and stretched. “Gotta admit. Suddenly becoming a father to a kid is something.” He glanced at Hana. “Glad you’re here for him. Thanks.” He walked away to save Jake from the chase.

Hana turned depressed. I didn’t do it for him. I’m doing it for me. I’m the jerk.

*

“Hey,” greeted Jake to Logan when Logan bumped into Jake at the door of the bedroom. “’bout time you woke up. It’s nine.” Jake had come inside for a muffin, and he handed one to Logan. He told Logan that everyone was outside.

Logan looked around. “Even Hana?”

Jake took a bite of his muffin and nodded. He pointed to the yard and went out with Logan. They got outside and were hit by the savory smell of grilled oysters and steak.

Logan immediately went to Hana. “Hey, we gotta talk.”

“Sure, what’s up?” She made a face. “Oh, my gosh. Is the baby awake?” She shoved him to the side to run inside, but he pulled her back.

“The baby’s what’s wrong.” His tone was unpleasant. He didn’t sound happy nor did he look happy.

The friends quietly watched from the sideline, not knowing what to say or do.

Hana had a feeling her friend wasn’t in a good mood. “You okay?”

Logan decided to cut to the chase because their conversation was too important to beat around the bush. “I heard what you and Hailey talked about last night.”

Hana’s heart dropped.

“You’re not keeping the baby. No one is.”

*

Everyone had gathered in the living room once again. The barbecue event was put on hold.

“You want to keep the baby?” asked Jake to Hana. He was sitting on top of the kitchen table and was rummaging through a bowl of fruits. “I get that he’s cute, and knowing your love for kids, but—”

“That’s not why I’m doing it,” interrupted Hana. “I’m doing it for me.”

“That baby was dropped at my door,” intercepted Logan, “not yours.”

“Logan…” Hana fidgeted with her hands. “I hate kids now.” She finally said the horrific words.

Logan pulled back. Jake tumbled with the fruits. Seth blinked multiple times. Hailey ran over to hug her. The male friends couldn’t believe what they had heard. They knew Hana adored kids, and they could never believe what she had said.

“Guys,” said Hailey. “For a year now, Hana’s been emotionally unstable. A part of her wants to watch over her siblings’ children because she wants to keep the bonds she has with them, but the other side of her feels used and emotionally tired because of all the house-hopping she does. She rarely gets time to herself, let alone time to spend with us.”

Logan pulled Hana from Hailey and hugged her. “You doofus. I told you you’re too stupid. And kind.”

Jake broke the sad atmosphere with his unintentional but insensitive question. “So, why keep the baby?”

Hana answered, “I want to see if I really do hate kids.”

“And by keeping the brat…?” asked Logan.

“I want to love kids again.”

“I told her that she doesn’t need to worry about that now,” said Hailey, “because she can worry about it in the future when she gets married.”

“But I don’t want to get married knowing that I hate kids. They’re sweet angels. They’re blessings. Yet, I hate them for no reason.”

“You’re not hating kids,” said Logan. “You’re hating yourself because you think you hate kids.” He held her hand. “Yesterday, when I went into the room to get you, I saw you sleeping happily with him. What I wished you could’ve seen was the little brat holding onto your pinky.”

He interlaced his pinky with hers, and she laughed.

He assured her, “You’ve always loved kids, and you always will.”

The doorbell rang and interrupted the discussion.

Everyone looked at each other. They wondered who’d be at the door.

Seth went to open the door.

The friends heard the stranger ask if he could come in. When Seth moved to the side and let the visitor enter, everyone but Logan was curious about their guest.

A name slipped from Logan’s mouth. “Hugo.”

*

Hana closed the bedroom door behind her after a quick check-up on the sleeping baby. She then went to sit next to Jake. They sat across Hugo and Logan, and diagonally across them sat Seth and Hailey.

“Nice place you got,” said Hugo, sincerely pleased and eyes wandering around the place.

“How did you know we’re here?” asked Logan. “I’m sure Dad wants you to have nothing to do with me.”

“I went to your school and found out you’ve been permitted for a week off even though I’m sure our parents did not know and did not allow it.”

The teens attempted to look unphased and unbothered by the lie they were a part of.

“So, I did some snooping in your personal life and found out that your friends had also gotten the week off. I snooped on their lives, and the one that interested me most was Hana’s. She’s a straight-A, honor student with perfect attendance, yet why is she ditching school? I went to her house and found some troubling news. Turns out, she’s, in fact, involved with your matter.”

“Why, what happened?” questioned Hailey, curious and worried. “It’s about her plan, Plan B, isn’t it?”

“I know nothing about that, but her family told—”

“I will tell them,” exclaimed Hana, jumping out of her seat.

Everyone looked at the anxious Hana.

Hugo nodded.

Hana cleared her throat. “I told them…that the baby is mine.”

Her friends stood up in shock.

“You, what?” exclaimed Logan. “So, that was your plan? To take on the baggage of something we didn’t commit?”

“Look, whatever happened, happened already,” said Hana. “I don’t mind, and I don’t regret it. That day was the best day of my life. The little bundle of joy in there,” she pointed to the room where the baby slept, “gave me the courage I needed to break free from the chains that held me back.”

“So, you have plans on keeping the baby?” asked Hugo to Hana. “Or do you want to give it up to adoption?”

“Hey,” interrupted Logan. He looked at his brother. “The baby’s considered mine, so I get to choose. It’s going to adoption.”

Hana pulled Logan back. “Why?”

“Why?” he asked sarcastically. “Because you lost everything for that one brat!”

“Fine.” She turned to look at Hugo. “If he gives the baby up, I’ll adopt the baby.”

Logan dropped to his seat in frustration.

“I-I want this baby. I know I’m still a student and whatnot, but-but give me time. I’ll find a job, and-and—”

Hugo calmed her down. “I’m not here to take the baby away from you—or from anyone. I’m here to help you.”

Everyone furrowed their brows at Hugo.

“I’ll buy you a house. I’ll pay the rent. I’ll give you a job. Everything—anything.”

Logan didn’t trust his brother’s words. It sounded too good to be true. “Why? Why will you do that? Why will you help her raise the brat?”

Hugo looked at his brother. “Actually, your friend will be helping me.”

“Whoa, whoa, there,” said Hailey, waving her hands in the air. “Did we, like, skip something ‘cause I’m not making sense of anything right now.”

Both Seth and Jake nodded from behind Hailey.

“I’m going to find the mother,” clarified Hugo.

“The mom?” everyone said in sync.

Hana frowned. “But Logan said the mom left after a ring-and-run. How would you even know what she looked like, where she lived, or-or anything like that?”

“Let’s just say I got my own connections,” answered Hugo. “And they were able to do some searching for me.”

“You found her?” asked Jake, inching close to the man.

Hugo shook his head. “We got a lead, and it points to a rural area somewhere in South Dakota.”

Everyone was quiet. They needed time to sink everything in.

Hana took a deep breath. “So, you’re saying that I will raise this baby while you go on a hunt for his real mother? Just only until then?”

Hugo nodded. “That’s your job. I’ll pay you to watch over him until his mother is found.”