„Mother... Tell your children not to walk my way...” I quietly hummed from the passenger seat of Brian’s car, looking out the window as the sun filled streets of Los Angeles ran along us.

„Riles?” Brian’s raspy voice addressed me. He looked like he’d been to hell and back, which wasn’t necessarily a lie. He had flown straight from Washington DC just to be there to drive me to the hospital, knowing I should go into labor any day now. He was crazy – I told him he didn’t need to do this, but he insisted on canceling a show just to be here. With me. He was... insane to say the least.

„Hmm?” I turned my head to look back out the window, trying my best to avoid thinking about the pain in my back. She was kicking and turning, driving me absolutely nuts. Honestly? I just wanted her out of me, the sooner – the better, and this Brian’s idea to get in the car for an hour long ride to go baby clothes shopping clearly showed he didn’t know the very first thing about being pregnant. I was in constant fucking pain.

„What would you say if I... I decided to become the legal guardian of Ralph?” He... what? I turned my head to look back at the sleeping kid and then back at Brian.

„Are you... sure?” I frowned. „A child is a big responsibility, Brian.”

He sent a significant look to my stomach. „Really.”

„You know what I meant,” I waved him off, „You’re on tour every now and then, who’s gonna look after him when you’re gone?”

„Riles, I’m just thinking what’s best for him...” He sighed, running his fingers through his hair, „His grandma is crazy, his mother is a junkey and his sister is a fame crazed lunatic who spreads her legs for anyone who as much as looks like someone who could grant her an air time.”

I couldn’t bare but snicker. Finally he’d realized who his beloved Jennifer is in reality, but I felt like this wasn’t the moment to yell a bloody ‘I told you so’. „And you want my approval... or...” the sudden realization hit me hard, „you want me to babysit when you’re on tour,” he truly was something else. I continued in a hushed voice, „are you bloody insane, Haner? A newborn and a fucking toddler?”

„Listen, my mom and McKenna would surely help you out,” He started, before switching lanes.

„The same McKenna who’s a freshman in college?” My eyes narrowed on him right before I felt a forceful kick from Rosie. For the love of—Yup, she’s all Brian.

He sighed. „Look, Riles... you’re the only one I can trust.”

„Haner,” I took a deep breath, „You know I’m crazy... What happens when I have one of those psychotic break-downs? Rosie will stay with me ‘cause, sadly, she doesn’t have a fucking choice, but Ralph... man... I don’t know. It’s a lot, Brian...”

„I believe in you, babe.”

„yeah, well, I don’t.” I sighed, gently caressing my stomach. „What will Jen say? What happens when she finds out I am the one taking care of Ralph? And by the way, does she even know you’re the father of my kid?”

„Matter of fact – I have already talked to her about this,” Brian said proudly. Why did I get the vibe that after he’ll state whatever bull-crap he’s clearly figured out, he’d want a pat on the back and a sticker of a rainbow on his forehead with me exclaiming – good job, honey! That... clearly wasn’t going to happen.

„Well?” Wasn’t he going to continue? And quit with the smirking, chump. „What did she say?”

„It turns out Ralph’s mom doesn’t have custody over him. At least not after she’d enrolled in rehab for the sixth time.” Brian explained, „Jen is his legal guardian and seeing how she is all about rockstar life I persuaded her to let me adopt Ralph.”

„Persuaded how?” I cocked my eyebrow.

„I offered her the part on our Europe tour as an opening act,” He smiled victoriously.

„She sold you a child for the chance to get drunk and do blow?” I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from a tree. I mean... wow. At least someone has her priorities set right. „Bloody hell, Brian... You do realize you bought a child. Brownie points for not doing it through deep web and those shady black market offers. Can totally rip you off.”

„You are a deeply disturbed individual, you did know that, right?” He shot me a short side glance.

„Loud and proud,” I grinned, „Anyhow, you didn’t answer me, does she know about Rosie?”

„After short-shit drunkenly blurted out that SYNYSTER FUCKING GATES IS GONNA BECOME A DAD on that interview,” I jumped instantly when he started shouting just to see if Ralph in the back didn’t get a heart-attack or something, „Relax, he has earphones in and Dre and Dre put on replay.”

„Excuse me?” I gave him the brow.

„I’m joking, he’s listening to Nine Inch Nails or Marilyn Manson,” yeah, because that was so much better, „Anyhow, I think everyone knows who’s the groupie I knocked up.” He snickered.

„Groupie? Do I look like your bloody groupie, Haner?”

„You do to the press and some of the fans,” He laughed, pulling in a parking lot of sort. „But on a more serious note, I’m meeting my lawyers next week. Can I put you down as an emergency contact?”

„Why do you even bother asking if we’re both fully aware you’d do it either way.” I replied just as he turned off the engine and pulled out the key from the ignition. His attention shifted from me to the sleeping three-year-old in the back. „You sure you want to wake him up? He’ll probably be grumpy.”

„Nah, I’ll bribe him with some ice-cream and we’ll be golden,” He patted my thigh, „Come on, my wallet is eager to get emptied.”

Wait... what? „You’re paying?” I asked just as he took his pack of Marlboro’s from the dashboard and opened the door to get out.

„My daily credit card limit is ten grand, if you already know you’ll be spending more, just tell me now so I can call the bank,” He said and simply closed the door on me. I... Why would I feel the need to spend his money? Led alone spend so fucking much? I’m the girl who shops at thrift stores for crying out loud.

„Hey, little man,” Brian appeared by Ralph, carefully taking the earphones away. His big blue eyes slowly opened as he let out a yawn. Just then I noticed the cigarette lingering from his lips. I couldn’t bare but roll my eyes. Fucking father of the year. „Who’s up for some ice-cream?”

„Ice-cweam?” Ralph sleepily rubbed his eyes as Brian freed him from those tormenting belts of the child car seat. While Brian was trying to bribe the kid, I undid my seat belt and tried my best to get out of the car, or rather roll out of the car. I felt like a bloody whale. Who’s bright idea was to get pregnant anyway? Once I was out I walked over to the backside and opened the door to reach for my bag.

„What are you doing?” Brian asked when I fished out my wallet from the bag.

The corner of my lips raised as I replied, „Shopping list.”

„So are we set on the baby shit or we need something more?” He questioned before he picked Ralph up and closed the door.

„Give me a moment,” I said unzipping the wallet. With the corner of my eye I noticed him blow out a cloud of smoke right over Ralph’s blond head. „You have to be kidding me...”

„What? Don’t tell me you changed your mind on that vintage stroller we bought the other day,” He glanced at me over his rayban’s, flicking off the ash of the cigarette.

„You’re bloody smoking with a child on your arms!” I exclaimed. My words should be obvious even for a person with severe brain damage, but to Brian here? He couldn’t quite understand what I’m so furious about. „Throw that bloody cigarette away!” I pointed a finger at him. „Now, Haner.”

„Okay. Fine.” He held his hand up in defeat, showing me the half smoked cigarette, before he threw it away. „Happy?”

„I will be if you’ll promise me not to pull shit like this ever again.” I was dead serious. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t permitting him the experience, I knew he picked up his first fag when he was sixteen and the white coffin nail has hardly left his mouth ever since. What I asked... was that he didn’t poison the minors he encountered on a daily basis.

„Okay,” He exasperated, „I promise.”

„And don’t mock me.” I glared at him, before I started walking towards the shopping center. Okay, small steps, Clarke, small steps... Before I knew it, he offered me his free elbow. „Just remember I’m pregnant, okay? No rushing. Slow pace.” I said, accepting his offer.

„Or what? You’ll kick my ass?” He laughed, looking down on me. Okay, I know he had a good foot on me, but come on, dude, respect the lady here. I smacked his arm.

We had spent a good hour marching through the stores while Ralph stained all his clothes with the goddamn ice-cream Brian promised him. Yeah, he’s not a very bright man. I mean... come on, give him gummy bears, candy canes anything, but don’t give him the only thing that actually melts at the speed of sound. Not only had he fed the ice-cream to his outfit, but he’d managed to feed it to the edge of my maxi dress too.

„Okay, so ice-cream wasn’t that good of an idea,” He rested his hand on his hip as he watched me struggle to clean Ralph with the shittiest baby wipes he managed to find throughout this entire complex.

„Gee, you think?” I shot him a glare. Well, at least he was carrying all the shopping bags, so maybe he was doing one thing right. „Here,” I said as I handed him a handful of the wipes, „Find a rubbish bin.”

„It’s called a trash can,” He said, making me roll my eyes as he went to throw the wipes out.

I turned my attention back to Ralph, who seemed kinda clean. „Do you even like Brian, kid?”

He nodded frantically, his tongue sticking out as I tucked the shirt in his shorts, „H-h-he buys i-i-ice cw-weam.”

„Yeah,” I sighed. „That he does.”

„I’m back,” Brian announced, closing in on us.

„We really need to do something with the stutter,” I said as I straightened up.

„You think it won’t pass?”

„Nope,” I popped the ‘p’, looking around, trying to figure where we were and if I’m not forgetting something out of the shopping list. We were standing right next to the Blue Nile jewelry store. Coincidence? I think not. Diamonds are in fact girl’s best friends. What did he say his daily credit limit was?

Without a word I headed in the store, blinded by all the shineys. I wanted them all! That’s why I didn’t go to these fancy-ass places, I did in fact like the smell of money. I stopped to look at the earrings, nearly having a heart-attack when I saw the price tag. I could hear Brian talking in the far distance, but I just... couldn’t... get myself to leave the bloody store.

„Riles? Come ‘ere.” It took every drop of my willpower to turn away from the sapphire beauties and walk across the store to see what Brian was looking for. A very fake woman was standing next to him with a very unnatural smile on her face. Too much botox, darling. „What’cha think about this one?”

He was holding a yellow diamond ring in his fingers. Had he gone completely insane? He was seriously thinking of proposing to Jennifer? She’ll fucking sell the ring at the first opportunity she gets to get a fix of whatever drug is popular among the celebrity people these days. „Too... yellow.”

„And this?” He took a ring that probably cost more than my car. The diamond was big enough for me to see my reflection in it without a magnifying glass.

„Too flashy,” I winced in disgust, my eyes dropping on something I fell in love instantly. The most perfect black diamond ring. My hand reached for the piece of jewelry, before I tried it on. „This... this is perfect.” I said as a wide smile pulled on my lips. It was a perfect fucking fit too. What’s the price on it, maybe I can afford it myself.

„So... this is the one you like...” He mused thoughtful when I turned the price tag to see... nothing. Brian ripped the price tag off, getting a confused frown from me.

„What are you...”

„There isn’t another ring you that could compare to this one in this entire store?” He cocked his eyebrow.

„Well...no,” I answered a bit confused, double checking every possible ring that could’ve slipped me by.

„Are you sure?”

„Yeah, I’m fucking sure, Haner.” I snapped back a tad irritated. What the fuck was gone into him?

„Great,” A smirk appeared in an instant when he turned towards the lady and handed her the price tag, „We’ll be taking this. No need to wrap it.”

Is... is he buying the ring I absolutely love to propose to another girl? Oh, this man is going to die. „What are you doing?”

„Buying you an engagement ring,” He answered simply. Buying me a... what?! ME?! Holy shit! He... But... Please don’t.

„B-but what about the limit on—„

„I took care of it,” he said turning around right after the woman had handed his credit card back. I was beyond shocked. What the hell does this mean? How much did this beast fucking cost?!

„What does this mean, Brian?”

„Well, you’re carrying my child under your heart and you’re wearing an engagement ring I just bought. You’re a smart girl, I think you’ll figure it out.”

Notes

So, apparently this is not going to be a slow paced story. I try my best not to rush things, but I just feel like the story needs to progress and go forwards and not stagnate, if you know what I mean.

Thank you for all the feedback as per usual, I'm trying my best to please you all, but as I've told before, I can't always influence what the characters do in my stories.