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“Alright, whose responsible for this one?” Tori walked into the apartment holding what seemed like an oddly shaped bundle.
“Responsible for what?” Beverly asked. It was evening and everyone with sense was going to bed. Last Beverly knew, Tori had just left the apartment to refill her emergency stash of energy drinks. An emergency stash that seemed less emergency and more daily necessity.
“For this,” Tori gestured awkwardly to whatever she was holding in her arms. It was not any clearer as to what that exactly was.
“Can this wait till morning?” a groggy voice called out. Chloe had an early shift and well she had been sleeping until Tori’s voice woke her up.
Normally Tori at least tried to be more quiet at night.
“Does this look like it can wait till morning?”
The bundle finally decided to give out a piercing scream.
Beverly and Chloe got a good look at what was causing the screaming.
“Ummm… Tori, where exactly did you find a baby?”
“Someone dropped it in front of our building instead. I nearly tripped over it and its only luck that I spotted it before it got hurt.”
“So just to make sure, this is the baby?”
“I’m not gonna leave a fucking baby out in the cold.”
“I would hope not. But now we need to figure out how to take care of a baby. I can call my mother in the morning. Hopefully in between the lectures she might have some decent advice.”
While she spoke, Beverly gently took the baby from Tori’s arms and began to rock the child.
“Before then though, we’re going to need diapers and formula. Also maybe some baby food. They don’t seem old enough for baby food but like babies grow fast. Also wipes.”
“Are we just going to keep the baby?” Chloe asked.
There was a moment of silence.
“I mean maybe we can hire the Bytes to find out the kid’s real parents but someone has to care for a kid.”
“We at least need supplies for tonight and we can plan better when we’re less tired,” Beverly seconded.
Chloe sighed. “Well, give me a few minutes to get ready, Tori, and I’ll help with finding the baby supplies. If there’s a will there’s a way.”
“What’s that one supposed to do?”
Chloe blushed. “Its another phrase I’m trying out. Its supposed to give me directions to a place I have a will to go to. So far I haven’t quite mastered it. The last time I used it I was trying to find an affordable gym but it led me to a pizza parlor instead.”
“Was the pizza good at least?” Tori asked.
“Maybe, but hopefully this time it’ll guide us to a store with baby supplies that’s still open. So we don’t have to break into it.”
Neither of the roommates commented on Chloe’s statement. Ever since their accidental adventure into Professor Quantum’s secret lair or base or whatever, she seemed to be gaining far more confident and when while still not exactly villainous, Chloe did seem more open to breaking the law. Though less obvious.
Approximately, an hour or so later, they returned. Part of what took so long was them trying to search for a note or something that didn’t appear to exist. Whoever had decided to dump the baby randomly on their apartment step apparently hadn’t bothered to leave any sort of explanation or request. They'd have to work to gain more than that.
For now, all that mattered was the baby was abandoned and for all intents and purposes theirs.