New Lives

"Jeff I need your help in here," Lexie yelled from the baby's room. Jeff came in and grabbed his wife's waist.

"Baby what are you doing up here," he asked as he helped her down.

"I was just trying to hang this name plate but I'm too fat."
"You're not fat, you're pregnant. Getting bigger tends to happen when you have somebody growing inside of you."
"Well sorry if I'm trying to get this done before the baby gets here."
"We can't be anymore prepared then we are now. The room is painted, the furniture is in here, there is nothing more that we can do."
"I just want to get this up. Either you can do it or you can watch me try to do it."
"Lexie don't get testy with me right now."
"And why not?"
"Just don't okay. I'll finish putting this up. Why don't go and relax, make dinner or something."
"Fine I'll call Casey, see if she needs some relaxing time."
"It's just like you to let Casey relax before you do."
"Well since Ryan was born she hasn't really had much time to herself."
"Alright, then give Casey a call and I'll make us dinner."
"Alright babe, I love you."
"Love you too." Jeff leaned down and gave Lexie a kiss, putting his hand on her stomach and she went into their bedroom, sitting on their bed.

"Hey Casey."
"Hey girly, how are you feeling?"
"I'm alright I guess, just bored."
"I'd love to know that feeling again."
"Well you can for a while if you want."
"What do you mean?"
"Well…if you want me to take Ryan for the night I think that it could arranged."
"Like for the entire night?"
"If you want me to I think that it would be fine. That's if he doesn't mind sleeping in a girl's room."
"I think that he will learn to deal. Thanks a lot Lexie, I can't tell you how much I appreciate it."
"No problem, that's what friends are for."
"So I'll bring him by in about an hour."
"Sounds great."
Lexie hung up the phone and went downstairs.

"Jeff have you heard from Matt lately?"
"No I haven't, why?"
"I was wondering is all, no big deal."
"Are you sure Lex? You seem like there is something else that you want to say."
"Well yeah but I don't want to at the same time."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want you to get mad."
"Just say what you want to say and get it out into the open."
"I just don't understand how somebody could just walk away from his pregnant girlfriend."
"Well I'm not saying that what Matt did is right but he was going through a lot."
"And so is Casey. She's now raising Ryan all by herself, with no income and bills to pay. She can't afford a nanny so that she can go back to work either."
"I know that Matt left Casey in a terrible position. He probably feels terrible but nobody would know because he just dropped off the face of the planet. Nobody has heard from him and nobody knows where he is."
"Does anybody know where he might have gone?"
"No, he hasn't even talked to daddy, which he does usually at least once a week. If he doesn't talk to daddy then he freaks out."
"Well it can't be good that he is out there by himself then."
"I'm really worried about him because he hasn't talked to anyone that we know and it's just really starting to scare me."
"Me too, I don't know because I'm pissed off that he left Casey alone with Ryan and he hasn't even seen his kid but because he's my brother in law I do worry about him."
"He hasn't talked to Vince either because Vince called me earlier to see if I had. If he doesn't talk to Vince soon he's not going to have a job."
"Speaking of that, why haven't you gone to work in a few weeks?"
"I want to be here for you during your pregnancy."
"Well baby, not that I don't love having you here but you need to go to work, only for another month. After that the baby will be coming but I have people here to help me."
"Who?"
"Well I have Casey and daddy, I don't need anymore help then that. Allyn's mom has been coming by a lot to check up on everything and I'm really okay by myself. I need to get some shopping done tomorrow so you can spend the day with Shannon or something."
"I guess that I could do that. How did talking to Casey go?"
"They will be here soon and Ryan is going to spend the night."
"Alright. Do you want me to stay in tonight because I kind of have plans?"
"No go ahead, I will be fine. Maybe I can just do my shopping tonight."
"7 and a half months pregnant with a newborn."
"He's not a newborn, he's six months old."
"Fine, do what you think is best."
Jeff and Lexie sat down at the counter of their house and ate their dinner. Afterwards Jeff got up and went upstairs to get dressed while Lexie relaxed in the living room. 10 minutes later the doorbell rang and Lexie got up to answer it. Casey was standing at the doorway holding Ryan in his carrier, with 3 bags strapped around her shoulders.

"Casey come in. Let me take him."
Lexie grabbed Ryan and a bag from Casey and they made their way to the living room.
"You know that he's only staying for the night right?"
"Yeah I know but I just want to make sure that he has everything that he needs."
"Well you've got that and then some."
Lexie smiled as she took Ryan out of his carrier. "And how is my favorite godson doing," Lexie asked while she held him on her belly. He started smiling at her and started giggling as she tickled his belly gentally.
"Are you going to be okay with him?"
"I'll be fine Casey, just go and get some sleep. Relax, watch a movie, alright?"
"Yeah sure no problem."
"And don't you dare call me, he's going to be fine."

"Okay okay. Thanks again Lex, I really appreciate it."
"You're welcome now go."
"Fine." Casey kissed Ryan goodbye for the night and walked out of the door. Jeff then walked down the stairs and saw his nephew sitting on his wife's stomach.

"How's my nephew doing today?"
Ryan looked up at Jeff with a blank expression on his face. "Come here." Jeff reached up his arms and picked up Ryan. He held him in his arms carefully and bounced around with him. Lexie got her camera and took a picture of him.
"I'm gonna tell you something buddy," Jeff said to Ryan. "Even if your daddy isn't around I will always be here for you." Lexie smiled because Jeff was being so sweet and kind and he was going to be the best uncle and godfather that there was in the world. Jeff kissed Lexie goodbye and handed her Ryan.

"Now you three have a good night."
"You too."
Jeff then walked out the door, got in his car and drove away. Lexie sat with Ryan for a minute.
"You wanna go shopping buddy." Lexie paused for a second. "Good."
She put on her shoes and brought his diaper bag with her. She strapped him into the baby seat in the back of her new bmw and they were off to the store. Target was a great place to go for new baby clothes at a really good price so that's where they went. She carried Ryan in his detachable car seat and put him in the top of the carriage. She then went straight for the baby section. She bought a lot of clothes for Ryan because little boys' outfits were just the cutest little things, with baseballs and firetrucks and basically anything. She then bought things for her baby girl, like she needed anymore. The more outfits the better and the same can be said about diapers. Lexie really loved to help out Casey when she could, even if it meant buying Ryan clothes, diapers and food. Lexie also knew that if she was going through the same thing, Casey would be helping her out way more then necessary. After she was done shopping for the babies she went to best buy, a maternatity clothes store and babies r' us. When Lexie goes shopping she goes shopping. She needed to stop a few times to take a rest, to feed and change Ryan, and so on.
"Lexie," a familuar voice said as she was walking back across the mall. She turned around and it was Shannon.

"Shannon," she yelled as she gave him a hug. "How have you been?"
"I've been good."
"You look great."
"Thanks."
"Is this little Ryan?"
"Yeah it is."
"Can I hold him?"
"Go ahead."

Shannon picked up Ryan and smiled. "Where's his mom?"
"At home relaxing."
"And his dad is still nowhere to be found," he asked looking at Ryan but talking to Lexie.
"Yeah. I thought that Jeff was hanging out with you tonight."
"No, we hung out last week."
"Well he said that he had plans, I just figured that they were with you."

"Nope, I'm all alone tonight."
"Well you can shop a little with me and little guy."
"I guess so. How have you been."
"Good, just bored. With everyone gone but me and Casey it gets a little boring."
"I can understand that."
"How are you and Ally?"
"Over and done with."
"Really? When?"
"About 3 weeks ago."
"And you didn't tell me?"
"No, I didn't feel like talking to anybody about it you know?"
"Yeah I guess so."
"So Jeff isn't with you and he isn't with me. I wonder where he is."
"He's probably with daddy."
"Do you need help with the little tyke tonight?"
"If you want to help you are more then welcome to. I just wanted to give Casey the night off so that she could relax."
"That's very nice of you."

"I guess so but I know that she is going to return the favor eventually so I really don't mind."
"Well come on."

Shannon and Lexie shopped around a little bit more before they went back to the car. Shannon packed all of the stuff in while Lexie put Ryan in the car seat. Shannon then walked to his car and they both drove over to the house. Shannon brought in everything while Lexie just stood and watched.

"Why can't I help?"
"Because you are pregnant and you shouldn't be straining yourself. Now be quiet and go put in a movie."
"Fine."
Lexie went into the family room and put a dvd in.

"Do you need me to help with Ryan," she asked Shannon.

"No I can put him down. Just sit down and relax."
"Okay."
Shannon went upstairs with Ryan and put him in the crib. He instantly fell asleep and Shannon covered him up with a blanket. He turned on the walkie talkie and brought the handset downstairs. He sat down and joined Lexie on the couch.

"That was easy," he said as he sat down.

"Well lucky you I can never get him to go to sleep."

"Well I guess that I just have the touch."
"So you staying for a while?"
"If you want some company."
"Company would be great."
They leaned back on the couch and continued watching the movie.

Meanwhile

Jeff pulled up to the hotel and got out of his car, looking around to see if anybody was following him. He pulled out a sheet of paper from his wallet and looked at the room number. As he approached the building he could feel his heart beating faster and faster.

"Should I really be doing this," he said quietly to himself as he walked up to the door. He knocked and almost instantly it opened. A familuar face was looking back at him.

"How have you been," he asked.
"Just come inside and quick."
He got pulled in quickly and he felt like he was making a huge mistake.