A/N: Hey guys! I hope everyone had a GREAT weekend!

I wish I could respond to all the reviews like I use to but I can't. So please just know that I do read every single one of them. I appreciate every single one of them; they definitely keep me motivated to write! And though I may not be able to respond to all the reviews anymore, I will still definitely at the very least try to at least respond to the reviews with questions as long as the questions don't spoil the story in any way.

This chapter is longer than usual because I most likely won't be able to post this week because of Thanksgiving.

As always, all errors are mine and thank you for all the support!

Twitter: DrLaurenLewisZP

R/R & ENJOY!

Lauren's POV – Several Days Later – November 19, 2017 – The Mall – Morning

"Shouldn't you have gone to Toys R Us for this girl's birthday gift?" I nodded as we kept walking, looking for a store with the perfect gift for Bo. "Normally yes but, Bo isn't your average kid, Evony. She's mature and intelligent beyond her years. So, I wanted a wider variety of options to choose from for her birthday gift, which is today. By the way, how's school going?"

Evony groaned, "I hate school and I hate you for graduating before me even though traditionally; I'm a year ahead of you. But it's going fine, if you must know…Why don't you just give the kid a naked photo of yourself since she has a huge cru- OW! I was just kidding! No need to hit my arm! Geez, Laur!"

I slapped her arm one more time just for good measure as we kept walking. "That's not funny, Ev and at least Bo has a crush on a real person. Remember when you were her age? You had a huge crush on Peter Pan."

Evony rolled her eyes. "I'm never going to live that down, am I? I wish my drunk-ass never told you that…I really should stop drinking."

"Yes you should, considering you're only seventeen and also because the frequency and the amount of which you consume is rather unhealthy." Evony scoffed with another eye roll. "Yes, Dr. Lewis."

I chuckled at Evony's smartass comment. "I'm not a doctor yet. Speaking of which, at least we'll be going to school together again in college since I can't go until I'm seventeen and by the time I go, you'll be going too."

"Except you'll be going to Yale, Harvard or wherever the hell you want to go while I'll be going to-"

"Oh, look! Let's go into Things Remembered. You're earlier…inappropriate comment just gave me an idea!" I quickly ran off into the store, knowing Evony would follow me.

"Sure, run off. I was totally done what I was saying!" I chuckled before playfully shouting back at her over my shoulder. "You'll be okay, Evs!"

McCorrigan Residence – Living Room - Noon

"Hello Ms. McCorrigan, I hope it's okay that I let myself in with the key that you gave me even though I'm not on the clock today. I just wanted to see if you needed any help with setting up Bo's surprise birthday party while she's baking cookies with Ms. Nashira down the stre-"

I found Aife sitting at her dining room table with her back towards me. Her cell phone was in front of her on the table. She was so lost in thought that she didn't even hear me. And upon closer of observation, she looked very distraught.

Her brunette hair wasn't as neat and proper as it usually is. And she was staring at her phone…But I knew she wasn't really staring at it or anything else in the room at all.

"Ms. McCorrigan? Are you okay?" I cautiously took the seat across from her at the table so I wouldn't startle her.

She blinked twice before I finally got her attention. "Oh hello, Lauren…I'm sorry, I was just…lost in thought."

"it's okay, Ms. McCorrigan. Are you okay though? Is everything okay?"

"…Lauren, I gave you the list of people approved to interact with Bo when I'm not around, right?"

I nodded quickly, hoping to ease whatever she was so distraught about. "Yes Ma'am. I haven't and will not deviate from the list. Is…is everything okay?"

She smoothed down her hair before she answered me. "Yes…it's…it's just that Bo's father, Jack. He just contacted me, which is a violation of the restraining order that I have against him. But he doesn't care because he wants to see Bo. He has a violent history which is why he is never allowed around Bo."

She picked up her phone and after a moment, showed me a picture of an attractive older man with salt and pepper hair, brown eyes, slight tan and perfect teeth. There's no doubt in my mind that he's definitely a charmer. And charmers are more likely to have violent tendencies than the average Joe.

"This is Bo's father. He is absolutely not ever allowed to be around Bo. He's never put a violent finger on Bo and I refuse to let that streak die."

I nodded, "…I know this isn't any of my business. But, did he ever hurt you…?"

Aife gave me a tight smile with pain in her eyes before she looked around our surroundings to avoid my question. "What do you think about the streamers and balloons for Bo's birthday party? Oh and I got her a large chocolate Carnival birthday ice cream cake."

I did as she silently requested and let go of my question. "It's amazing, I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner to help you decorate. I ran later than I thought I would to find a birthday gift for Bo." I explained, gesturing towards big blue birthday gift bag with colorful tissue paper.

She smiled with a chuckle as she looked at the birthday bag before she looked back at me. "Lauren, you've done more than enough by working 10 hour days since Bo is off for Thanksgiving. But don't worry, after the break ends you'll be working 2pm to 6pm since I am usually able to see Bo off to school in the morning. But, if you need more money I can extend your hours if you don't mind doing some of the household errands for me while I'm at work and Bo's at school. But anyway, what did you end up getting Bo?"

I gestured for her to look inside the bag with a nod. She did as I prompted and I explained each of the gifts that she pulled out one at a time. "I got the 6x9 silver horizontal picture frame engraved to say, "Bo and Lauren" on the top border of the frame and then, "Forever" on the button border of the frame. The picture of me and Bo inside the frame was taken the other day since Bo wanted a selfie of us hugging."

I chuckled at the adorable memory. "Bo was sitting on my lap as we watched Beauty and The Beast on the couch and when the movie ended; she asked to take a selfie of us with my phone. She then happily pressed our cheeks together in a tight hug for the perfect selfie. But anyway, I also got her a new tea party set, a journal to keep track of all her bold questions and a cookbook with mostly baking recipes…I just really wanted to make sure that I covered all my bases to get her at least one thing that she would really love."

Aife chuckled, "You did way too much. She'll love all of it. But, she would have been thrilled just because you're here today for her birthday…Thank you Lauren, for being so good with Bo."

1 Hour Later

"THANK YOU LAUREN! I LOVE ALL MY PRESENTS SO MUCH!" Bo excitedly and expectedly jumped into my arms for a hug after she opened my gifts for her that I gift wrapped right before she got here. The excited hug was expected because she excitedly jumps into my arms at least twice a day without fail which always brings a smile to both our faces.

Bo gave me a kiss on the cheek before looking around the room at all her friends. "….KENZI! COME HERE!"

A little girl with short, shoulder length black hair and brown eyes with pig tails gave Bo a nod and a smile before she started her way over to us. She looked like an adorable mini version of Abby from NCIS. "What BoBo?"

Bo wrapped her arms around my neck as she smiled at Kenzi, I'm assuming. "…This is Lauren, my angel and future wife that I told you about. Lauren, this is my best friend, Kenzi. She's still six for another two weeks."

"It's nice to meet yo-"

"HOLY, DR. HOTPANTS! No wonder BoBo is always talking about you. You're really hot! Now, I see why she wants to marry a future doctor!"

Bo giggled while I was blushing. Clearly, Bo talks about me a lot. "I told you she was pretty. But, it's what's on the inside that matters most, right Lauren?"

I nodded while still blushing. "Right, Bo." Kenzi just grabbed Bo's hand, prompting me to put Bo back down on her feet. "I'm still going to get me a tall, dark and handsome, Knight in shining armor one day. So you can keep your Dr. Hotpants, BoBo."

I chuckled with my red hot cheeks that I'm sure I have at this point as I crouched down to their level to ask Kenzi a question. "Where did you learn such a colorful vocabulary?" Kenzi shrugged, "You can't teach The Kenz awesomeness because I was born with awesomeness."

I chuckled again as Kenzi dragged Bo off to go play with the other kids before it was time to bring the cake out.

…I really should have made Bo wait to open my presents for her until after we did the cake. But, she just got so excited when she saw that there were multiple gifts inside the birthday bag...So, I just couldn't resist her adorable request to open her birthday gifts from me right then and there.

30 Minutes Later

When it was time for Bo to make a wish and blow out the candles; she looked at me with a smile for a moment before she blew the candles out. Her mother and I shared a knowing look that ultimately made me blush…We both knew what she wished for without any doubt in our minds.

2 Hours Later

I offered to stay behind and do the cleanup after the party ended while Aife took Bo to see her Grandpa Trick for her birthday at his bar called The Dal. Aife wanted to make sure that Bo got to see her grandpa before the bar opened up for the night in a few hours. But, she was worried about a late night if she had to clean and visit Trick all in one night. So, I happily offered to stay and do the cleaning for free. However, Aife would hear none of it and told me that she is going to pay me for my time.

2 Hours Later

I just finished cleaning the whole living room when the duo returned from their visit. "Thank you so much again, Lauren. I'm going to take a quick shower before you leave if you don't mind?"

I shook my head with a smile. "No problem, Ms. McCorrigan. I'll just hang out with the birthday girl!"

Aife gave me an appreciative smile before she went upstairs, leaving the two of us to find something to do. "So, how's your grandpa?" Bo giggled, "He's good, he gave me money for my birthday like he always does because he says he doesn't know how to shop which doesn't make sense to me…"

Bo paused in thought for a moment before she had something else to say. "…Is this one of those guy things that mommy always talks about?" I laughed, "I think so. You'll have to ask her when she gets out of the shower. So, do you want to watch a movie?"

She nodded with a smile. "Yes!" I chuckled as we went over to the couch to start up Netflix on the TV.

But then, there was a knock at the door. So I told Bo to stay on the couch and pick a movie for us to watch while I went to see who was at the door.

…I ended up opening the door only to wish that I hadn't done so. It was Jack…Bo's very unwelcomed father.

I crossed my arms and glanced over my shoulder to make sure Bo didn't see who was here. Jack had the same charming smile that Bo has…But, his aura wasn't warm and loving like Bo's is. His aura was cold and heartless which made his smile completely useless to get on anyone's good side.

"By the death glare you're giving me I'm assuming you know who I am." I nodded, "Yes, you are correct. Therefore, please leave."

When I started to shut the door in his face he stopped me from closing the door on him all the way. "Wait. You can't stop me from seeing my daughter on her birthday."

"Yes, I can because that is what her mother wants. So this discussion is over because as far as I'm concerned you are not coming anywhere near Bo or her mother ever again."

His fake smile disappeared only to be replaced by a death glare of his own in an instant after my firm statement. "Listen here kid, I don't know who you are nor do I care to know who you are. But you will not keep me from seeing my family, especially on my little girl's birthday."

He then tried to force his way into the home. But, I shoved him out of the doorway and back onto the porch before I roughly slam him against the house right next to the door frame with both his arms twisted behind his neck. He was panting heavily in pain as he uselessly struggled to free himself from my grip.

"Let me be perfectly clear. You are not going anywhere near those two ever again. I know who you are and I know what you've done. I know that you've hit Ms. McCorrigan and that Bo wants nothing to do with you. How do I know these things, you ask? Ms. McCorrigan told me with just her eyes and body language and kids always talk about people that they love or at least care for even in the slightest. And Bo has never mentioned you, not even once. Now, you're also probably wondering why you can't break free from my grip…Well, let's just say being super genius did not help me get along other kids when I was a kid. So, my mother had to sign me up for martial arts classes when I was four and guess what? I still take classes today. And in case you're wondering…I have a black belt in Taekwondo."

"Unhand me, you little bitc-"

"That's enough Jack." I looked towards my right to see Aife standing there with her arms crossed glaring at Jack with her cell phone in her hand. "You can let him go, Lauren. The cops are already on their way because Jack is clearly violating his restraining order to stay away from me and Bo."

I obeyed Aife after a quick pause before I roughly let go of Jack. "Please go inside and check on Bo while I deal with this…man." I nodded after a moment of hesitation. "Yes Ma'am."

When I got back inside to the living room where I left Bo, she came running over to me and jumped up into my arms like always. "Are you okay? Is mommy okay? I saw my daddy out there and he hurts people. I've seen him hit mommy before and he use to yell at me a lot."

We saw and heard the police sirens pull up through the small living room window just as I was about to answer a very worried little girl. "Yes, we're fine and I'm sorry to hear that." I kissed Bo's forehead in attempt to comfort her as a thought just occurred to me.

Aife made it sound like Bo didn't know about her father's violent tendencies. "…Does your mommy know that you know that your daddy has hurt her…?" Bo shook her head with sad eyes and a heartbreaking expression.

"No, people always think that kids don't see or hear grownup things. But we see and hear everything…Where you think Kenzi got her colorful vocabulary?"

I chuckled as I kissed Bo's forehead again. "You're right; I always heard and saw everything when I was a kid too. But Bo, I promise you that everything is okay. I won't let your daddy hurt either one of you ever again."

Bo gave me a small but genuine smile. "I know you won't let him hurt us anymore because you're my ange- MOMMY!"

Bo jumped out of my arms as soon as Aife came in the room and jumped right into her arms. They held each other tightly and whispered to each other as Aife carried Bo over to the couch. I decided not to intrude on their intimate moment by leaving for the night. But then, Bo stopped me in my tracks when I turned to leave.

"Lauren, where are you going? It's still my birthday and you agreed to watch a movie with me. I want both you and mommy to watch a movie with me and doesn't the birthday girl get what she wants on her birthday?"

I smiled at Bo as she patted the empty seat next to her on the couch prompting me to sit down with her. So I did as I was instructed by the birthday girl and went over to her to take my seat. "So, what are we watching birthday girl?" I asked Bo as she bounced up and down on her mother's lap.

"Both Mulan movies! She's my favorite because she's a girl that can kick butt!" Bo immediately paused after her statement and looked up at Aife. "Mommy, I can say "butt" on my birthday, right?"

Instead of answering Bo, Aife joined me in my laughter that I completely failed to contain. Our laughter caused Bo to give us a confused, pouty expression with a small frown. "…Is that a yes, mommy? What's so funny?"