The Mysterious Girl

Raven

“Raven,” someone says and I turn around to find Jared standing in front of me. I was currently working at Gillis and was surprised to see Jared here. His eyes lit up as soon I saw him and he had a huge grin on his face.

“Jared? What are you doing here?” I ask and he just smiles.

“I came to see you,” he says and I ask my manager to excuse me and we sit in my manager’s office which he let me borrow to talk to Jared since he was aware of my ongoing case. Our lawyers hadn’t asked us not to see each other since we were on the same side.

“It’s been so long hasn’t it Raven?” he asks and I nod. I was still in my waitress uniform where as he was dressed in normal, comfortable outfit but he looked good in it.

“3 years,” I say and he nods.

“So how have you been?” I ask and he smiles.

“I got my degree in business management and finance a few months ago and I have been accepted to Harvard now,” he says and I was surprised. I always saw Jared getting into Harvard.

“What about you?” he asks curiously.

“I am still working on my master’s degree in Psychology and I work two jobs to pay for college,” I say and he was surprised.

“What?” he asked shocked.

“My parents disowned me as soon as I stepped foot in the house with me being 5 months pregnant. They fell for the letter Jesse and Jack set up and they kicked me out of the house so now I am working to pay for college and my rent for the apartment I live in,” I say and he just stares at me.

“Raven, you could’ve called me. I would’ve helped you because that was my child too,” he says and I sigh.

“But I didn’t know that Hailey was your child then and I didn’t want to ask anyone for help because I was ashamed of myself and no one wanted to speak to me,” I say and he slowly holds my hand. I didn’t flinch because it felt nice.

“Can I see Hailey?” he asks and I think about it. After all he is her father. So I called the Greys and asked them about it and they agreed to let him meet Hailey for about an hour right now since Amanda was pregnant from the IVF treatment they got and they had to go for their doctor’s appointment. So he drove us there according to my directions.

“David and Amanda, this is Jared, Hailey’s biological father and Jared these are Hailey’s parents,” I say and they all shake their hands.

“So how is the baby?” I ask because previously they couldn’t conceive a child but now Amanda was 8 months pregnant with a baby girl.

“Oh she’s healthy and perfect,” Amanda says and I smile. I couldn’t wait for her to come out.

“Raven, we trust you so we will be giving you some privacy alright?” Amanda says and I nod so they walk out. We walk in and see Hailey sitting on the floor, completely dressed in her outfit, looking so beautiful.

“Hailey,” I say and she recognizes me and walks up to me. I kneel down to her level and she hugs me tight. My eyes start watering as she does that.

“Hailey, this is my friend Jared,” I say and Jared kneels down to her level and she looks at him with her big blue-green eyes. His smile widened and he too fell in love with her.

“Hi,” she says looking at him. And I smile. He plays with her and she seems happy with him.

“Raven!” David says coming back with Amanda after an hour and Jared looks at them.

“Mr. and Mrs. Grey, thank you so much for taking care of Hailey and letting me meet her today. And I am so sorry for all the involvement you have with our case,” Jared says and they nod.

“Bye Amanda and David. Thank you and bye Hailey,” I say and she waves back at me.

“You know Raven, Hailey looks just like you,” Jared says and I smile.

“Everyone tells me that,” I say and he smiles too.

“But she looks beautiful just like you,” he says and I blush. He gets a call so he picks it up as we drive back to the city in his car.

“Bye Raven,” he says and I wave as I get off near my apartment. It was pretty late already so I get back home and I study for a while and fall asleep on the couch.

“Hello?” I say picking up my phone because it kept ringing.

“Raven?” I heard Amanda say and I wake up immediately. It was 2 in the morning and her calling at this time was not a good thing.

“Yes Amanda,” I say.

“Raven, come home. Hailey, she’s been crying for the past few hours and we don’t know what to do. Please,” she says and I immediately put the phone down, grab my things, lock my apartment and leave to their house on my bike.

“Raven, come on. She’s in her room,” David says opening the door and I see Hailey crying on top of her lungs in Amanda’s arms. Hailey looked like she didn’t want to be in Amanda’s arms.

“Hailey, honey,” I say going close to them and Hailey slips into my arms without Amanda even passing her and I hug my daughter tight as she cries. She eventually stops.

“Mommy,” she says and I look at Amanda to take her as soon as she goes into Amanda’s arms, she cries again.

“Mommy!” she says looking at me and I was confused. How did she know that I was her mother and not Amanda?

“Mommy!” she screamed again and raises her arms in my direction and I take her into my arms and she immediately calms down. I sway her from side to side and she falls asleep. We sit on the couch in the living room as Hailey holds my finger tight, not letting me go.

“Why is she calling me mommy?” I ask confused and Amanda sighs.

“Raven, Hailey has been always asking for you, well she calls you mommy and keeps crying for you. When you are here, she is the happiest but otherwise, she is always crying,” David says and I look at him.

“But she used to call the both of you mommy and daddy. How could she know that I am her mom?” I ask and Amanda looks at me.

“Raven, the child knows who the mother is. We don’t have to tell them but they just know. And Hailey is now recognizing you as her mom and doesn’t want to stay with us,” she says and I feel sad.

“I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to. I’ll stay away from her,” I say but she holds my other hand.

“No, no Raven. You love Hailey and Hailey loves you. You are her mother and she wants you in her life. You cannot stay away from her,” she says and pauses.

“So we have been thinking, maybe it’s time that you take her home with you,” David says and I was shocked.

“But you both have adopted her,” I say and they nod.

“We can do the legal procedures for you but we think that it’s the best for all of us since Hailey doesn’t want to be away from you Raven,” Amanda says and I look at my daughter sleeping in my arms like an angle.

“Are you sure?” I ask and they nod.

“Stay with us tonight and we can get the paper work done in the morning and you will be Hailey’s mom legally,” they say and I had tears in my eyes. My daughter was coming back to me.

“Thank you David and Amanda,” I say and they smile. I go to the guestroom where I was staying for the night and I took Hailey with me. She never let me go even for a second and she hugs me all night as she sleeps.