PLEASE READ. IMPORTANT.
Hello everyone, here comes a long explanation.
My co-writer/creator Alyssa (Alybear on FF) and I decided overall that we didn't like where the direction of the original DLL story was going. Some chapters we liked, others we didn't so we're starting fresh. We didn't want to abandon this story as a whole, we love it too much and have put so much thought into the plot and characters.
So here is a new and revised version of Dianna's Little Lambs (same title because Alyssa insisted that we kept it the same). Only this time it's in order! Not like last time where it was Ava and Zoe at different ages. I'm sure it confused you as readers and it even made us frustrated to keep track of as the writers! Haha!
We thank all of our supporters and readers for sticking with this story, it means a lot to us.
Don't forget to follow, favorite and review :)
Dianna woke up around nine thirty, and had to admit it was one of the most well rested nights she had had in a while. She turned over and saw that Sean's side was turned down, he was gone and she probably wouldn't see him again until later that night, expecting a handwritten note on the kitchen island from him, as always.
Sitting up in the bed, she leaned back on the headboard. Soon Ava would wake up so Dianna wanted to take this quiet moment to herself. She rested her hand on her protruding five-month belly and felt a few kicks, making her smile, "Hi baby."
Dianna never planned to get pregnant, the first or the second time, which happened so soon after. Not to say that her children were regrets, she loved Ava and the baby growing inside of her, but she wasn't ready for this in late twenties. Everything happened so fast; meeting Sean, getting married, having her first baby and now on her second. This even made her put her career on hold. She always thought that all of this would happen in her thirties, but sometimes shit happens.
The blonde was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard whimpers coming from the baby monitor on her side table. That was Ava's signal for Dianna to come get her. Dianna stood up from the bed and made her way down the hall and into Ava's nursery. The baby's face quickly changed from discouraged to delighted at the sight of her mother entering the room. Dianna smiled brightly at the child, "Good morning baby girl!"
She walked closer to the crib where Ava stood, holding onto the edge of the railing. The baby held up her hands towards Dianna, letting her know to pick her up. "Did you sleep well?" Dianna asked, scooping up her one-year-old. She assumed that Sean already changed her diaper since he was usually the one to do so first thing when he got up in the mornings. "Guess what, we get to see Collins and her mommy today at class," Dianna said to Ava who just simply smiled in return.
She carried the baby downstairs and into the kitchen where she found a note left by Sean.
Di,
Left early again, changed Ava's diaper before I left. I won't be back until later tonight.
Love you both,
Sean
Dianna rolled her eyes and gave the note to Ava for her to hold, "Hold this for a second baby." She walked over to the trashcan, taking the note back from Ava and throwing it away. She had been getting those notes for at least a good two months.
She proceeded to place Ava in her highchair, fetching her usual breakfast consisting of chopped up bananas and Cheerio's in a small bowl. Dianna made herself an omelet with some toast, which was all she needed. After breakfast, the two of them got ready for their Mommy and Me class.
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"Hi Dianna," Anna said sweetly. Anna was Collins' mom and was the closest with Dianna and Ava out of the whole group. Collins was only a few months younger than Ava, and the two were best friends. They were babies of course, but they were always together during the free time part of the class.
"Hi Anna," Dianna said back, taking Ava out of her stroller. Anna was already holding Collins and was waiting for Dianna to sit on the mat, the same places they usually sat.
"How've you been? The baby too," Anna asked.
"Good, both of us. Just tired I guess."
"Is Sean still not home a lot?"
Dianna shook her head; "He's always working all the time, spending less and less time with Ava. I'm more annoyed than upset or worried."
"You need to talk to him Di."
"I would if he was around to talk to."
"David and I talked before we had Collins. He was always working and we decided that he would work less once she was here."
"Well Sean was around more at first…"
Anna sighed, "I know this isn't my place but did Sean even want a second child?"
"No he um, he never said."
"Just talk to him, sort things out. I'm sure it will help and if not I'll kick his ass for you okay?"
"Thanks Anna," Dianna laughed. Ever since she started the Mommy and Me classes with Ava, her and Anna have become closer and closer as friends, and it was nice to have a friend that wasn't in the entertainment business and who was also a mother.
The rest of the day consisted of a late lunch with Anna and Collins and some grocery shopping she had to do. Ava kept on receiving complements on how cute she was and always helped Dianna by holding the grocery list for her, never letting go of it.
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It was almost ten o'clock at night and Sean still wasn't back. This was the latest he had been gone for and Dianna was starting to get worried. Ava had been asleep for a few hours and Dianna was on the couch watching one of her favorite Audrey Hepburn movies, Funny Face.
She heard the door open and quickly grabbed the remote to pause the movie, "Sean?"
"Yeah," he slurred. "It's me."
Dianna stood up from the couch and approached him in the foyer, "Where the hell were you?"
"I was working Dianna. Where do you think I was?"
"You're a book publisher, your hours are flexible and you have never worked this late before."
"We were going over some things okay? Don't worry about it, how are you?"
She ignored the question and got closer to him, giving him a quick observation. He was disheveled and his sandy blonde hair was messed up. "You're drunk," she said, looking at him into his piercing blue eyes.
"I'm not drunk, yes I went out and I had a couple drinks with the guys, but I'm not drunk."
Dianna laughed, "Oh okay, so your first objective after you get off work is to go out and have a couple drinks with the guys? While your pregnant wife and your one-year-old are waiting for you to come home? You don't even call me to let me know what's going on anymore!"
"I leave you a note in the morning Di…"
"Oh enough with your god damn notes! You reek of bullshit Sean and I'm tired of it," Dianna shouted.
"Bullshit? You want to know what's bullshit? My fucking life, sure everything was great at first but then," Sean shouted back, his words falling short.
"But then I got pregnant, is that what you were going to say?"
"No, now you're just putting words into my mouth."
"It's exactly what you're thinking though, you never wanted kids and I could tell but then I thought 'Maybe he'll change his mind once we have at least one.' but no, you never changed! Do you think this is what I wanted Sean? I didn't want kids so early in my life, putting my career on hold but things change and it's time for you to grow up," Dianna shouted back, her voice going up and down as she cried.
"I have grown up Dianna."
"Oh yeah? Then prove it, prove it by loving Ava and this baby."
"Are you saying I don't love my own kids?"
Dianna laughed again, "Oh now you're putting words in my mouth?"
The bickering and yelling continued until Ava woke up crying. Both Dianna and Sean jumped in her direction but Dianna stopped him, "Don't you dare go near her in the state you're in."
She went upstairs, wiping her tears away, putting on a face for her baby girl. Dianna entered the room and immediately went to the crib where Ava was on her knees, red faced and crying. "Shh, Ava it's okay, Mommy's here now. It's okay," she said, scooping the baby up in her arms, rubbing soothing circles on her back.
"You heard Mommy and Daddy fighting didn't you?"
Dianna went over to the rocking chair in the corner of the room. She sat down and held Ava in her arms until she stopped crying.
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Sean stayed in the living room that night, not even bothering to go back upstairs, but he wasn't sleeping. He grabbed his things that he could find in sight, going upstairs a few times for other things and packed them into his suitcase. He certainly had enough money for a plane ticket and for a hotel where he would need to stay until he got settled in an apartment but other than that, he was good to leave, for good.
He tore off a piece of paper from the notepad he always used to write Dianna notes on in the morning to write his last note. Sean took his time to write it, short but well thought out explaining why he was leaving. He also pulled out a stuffed animal duck that he bought earlier that day for the baby and placed it by the note on the countertop.
Sean left the kitchen and went upstairs to say goodbye to Ava. Her room was dimly lit by a small nightlight. He went over to her crib and saw his daughter sleeping peacefully. He wanted so badly to pick her up and give her one last hug before leaving but he knew that would wake her up. So all he could do was gracefully touch her cheek with the back of his hand and think about how much she looked like Dianna and how much he would miss her. "I love you Ava, so much. I always will." Sean kissed the tips of his two fingers and pressed them against her forehead, moving them to run through her brown hair. He knew it was for the best that he left, or so he thought.
Sean went back downstairs and into the kitchen again. He approached the refrigerator and scanned the front of it for a specific picture he wanted to take with him. He found it and put it in his jean pocket before grabbing his suitcase and leaving. He had finally given up.