A Real Family

By Aspen Faraway

Emma has done a lot of growing up since she had Paris, but raising her little girl isn't easy. Things have gotten much better for Emma, but there is just one thing missing!

Emma longs for a real family, a husband, and a father for Paris. When she finds

• Language: English
• Publisher: Haven Street Publishing
• Release date: Jun 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9781988742755

Aspen Faraway

Aspen Faraway is a Canadian author living in Nova Scotia by the sea.

Book preview

1.png

DIARY OF A TEENAGE MOM

BOOK 3:

A REAL FAMILY

By

Aspen Faraway

Copyright © 2012 Aspen Faraway

All Rights Reserved

Epub Edition

ISBN: 978-1-988742-75-5 

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including but not limited to: graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photo copying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system, without the permission, in writing, of the publisher. Infringement of this can and will result in legal action.

This book is a complete work of fiction. No characters, situations, or events are based on real events, situations, or people, living or dead. The entirety of this story is a complete product of the author’s imagination.

Published by Haven Street Publishing

www.havenstreetpublishing.com

DIARY OF A TEENAGE MOM

BOOK 3:

A REAL FAMILY

By

Aspen Faraway

Chapter 1

I saved $25 out of my grocery allowance to buy Paris a birthday cake and a small gift. I was super thankful that Paris was still too small to realize the monetary value of gifts, but I still felt guilty. My precious baby girl was turning one, and I couldn’t even afford to get her something better than an outfit that I found on sale for $10 at the discount store. It would look adorable on her, but I still felt guilty. I knew how much I hated getting clothes for presents. Clothes were a necessity and parents should provide the necessities as part of parenting. Gifts should be extra! I felt ashamed at having been a brat about it with my own parents. Although, my parents had money though. As I paid for the knitted blue fall outfit, I resolved that this would be the only birthday in Paris’s life that she would ever have to go without. I would never let my child go without again. I didn’t care what I had to do, I was not going to have my daughter be poor.

I picked up a small cake from the grocery store. Thankfully, they were willing to write ‘Happy Birthday, Paris’ on it for free.

I pondered my situation as I walked home. As it was, it was really difficult going to school in the daytime. I hated leaving Paris in the daycare every day. I appreciated the service provided at Better Futures, but I just hated leaving her. I dreaded the thought of getting an afterschool job and being away from her even more! Then, as I thought about the awful present I got for her and how her very first birthday was going to be so awful, I knew what I had to do. I would bite the bullet and get a job. Living on assistance money was not going to really provide for us. Sure, it put a roof over our heads and afforded me the luxury of going to school, but it was a new school full of strangers.

I took the cake and outfit up to the apartment before getting Paris from daycare. She was playing with a new child that had arrived at the home the day before. He was a bully of two years old and was just yanking a teddy bear out of Paris’s grasp when I entered the room. I wanted to grab it back out of his hands and give it back to Paris, but his mother was standing there. A hefty teenager with blue hair, black fingernails, and tattoos up her arm. I was shocked to see that even her child had a tattoo! Who does that to a kid? I wondered. Maybe it was just a stick-on tattoo, I hoped. There was no way a person would really get a two-year-old tattooed was there?

I picked Paris up just as she was about to burst into tears.

Hey, Paris! I said cheerfully. At least she was too young to realize I was faking my mood.

Thankfully, she immediately changed her mind about crying and wrapped her chubby little arms around my neck. I kissed her and suddenly all was right with my world. My adorable little blonde-haired angel had the capacity to make my world seem brighter. I knew I had to do whatever it took to provide for her. She deserved it.

I hugged Paris tightly and carried her up to our apartment.

Happy Birthday, Sweetie! I told her as I sat her in the highchair before removing my jacket. Nana and Grampy are coming up today!

Nana! Paris shouted and clapped her chubby little hands. I laughed. As if on command, there was a knock at the door.

Come in! I yelled.

Happy Birthday, Birthday Girl! Mom shouted as soon as she burst into the apartment. How’s my little baby? She set down a bag of gifts on the counter and picked Paris up from her high chair.

Nana! Paris squealed in delight. I was glad Mom and I were back on speaking terms. This was the first time she’d visited me at my Better Futures apartment. It was weird how we got along so much better when we weren’t living under the same roof.

Hey there, Pickle! Dad said, patting Paris on the head.

Nana! Paris squealed at him and reached out her arms. Mom laughed as she handed Paris over to Dad.

What do you mean, ‘Nana?’ Dad asked with a laugh. I’m not Nana!

Nana! Paris squealed again and laughed.

I suppose it’s better than calling me ‘Grampa,’ Dad said. I don’t want to be called Grampa, it makes me sound too old! Nana is fine with me!

That’s what you get for calling her ‘Pickle,’ I said. I still felt a little resentful towards my parents, especially since they could show up after not seeing me for a month and act like they’d always been totally supportive of me. They were lucky I’d invited them to Paris’s first birthday party! I’d given in and decided to invite them only because I’d have other people there. Like my friend, Lisa, down the hall, and her baby, Aaron.

Is her father coming up? Mom asked, taking Paris back from Dad.

He’s supposed to, I said as another knock came to the door, and I went and let Lisa and Aaron in. She handed me a gift from her and Aaron.

You didn’t have to do that, I said, knowing that she had it just as hard for money as I did.

"Well, we’ll wait a little while longer, and if he isn’t here, we can begin," Mom said. I felt my hackles go up. I hated the way she took over everything. This was my home, and it was her very first visit here, and yet she thought she was going to control everything.

Finally, Ethan arrived just in time. Mom was just about to light the candles on the cake when he arrived.

Thank heavens you’re here, I said as I let him in. I was pleased to see that he honored my request and hadn’t brought Katie with him. Mom is driving me nuts.

Here, he said to me with a shrug as he handed me Paris’s gift, a big rectangular package in bright pink wrapping. I felt so embarrassed that I couldn’t even afford the wrapping for my gift.

There’s my little Princess! Ethan said and took Paris from Mom’s arms.

Nanana! Paris squealed.

Is anyone else coming? Mom asked, but her smile had completely vanished. She didn’t even pretend to hide the fact that she didn’t like Ethan. I was pretty sure she didn’t even like me anymore. I couldn’t figure out why she even wanted to come to Paris’s birthday party. If she didn’t like me because I’d had a baby, or Ethan because he’d gotten me pregnant, why would she even bother to show up for Paris’s party? Especially since she wasn’t even my real mother. Our relationship was so strained that it was only for Paris’s sake that I would grin and bear it. Paris had such a broken family, I wasn’t going to take away her grandparents!

No, this is it, I said. I’d wanted to invite Garrett, but I figured it would have been awkward there with Ethan and Garrett. I hadn’t invited Tank because he’d never actually even met Paris, and I didn’t want to expose him to my parents. Besides, he was just my teacher and not a real friend. He’d just been a concerned adult, and our texting and phone conversations had tapered off. I hadn’t heard from him in three weeks. Even if I had been able to work up the courage to invite him out of the blue, I was afraid he’d show up with his girlfriend, and then I’d feel too weird.

Okay, let’s get this party going! Mom said with enthusiasm that she was most likely faking. She was probably just anxious to get home.

I lit the candle on the cake as Ethan sat down at the table with Paris on his lap. Mom scooped up the presents and carried them to the table, and I carried the cake to the small dining nook.

Happy Birthday to you! we all sang in unison. Paris looked from person to person, just bursting with excitement. She made me smile, seeing how exciting such a small gathering was to her.

"Now,