I'm sorry for the long wait. I'm not and still not satisfied with this current chapter, I feel like its dragged out a little and my mind was completely confused while writing this because I was writing two other different things. (hence, don't start three different stories at once!) lol. Please review guys! P.s sorry for the slight spelling mistakes in this one, I haven't had the time to go over it properly.
"You seem to be making a good impression on my children Gardner" Alicia teased. They have just finished afternoon dinner outside on the deck in the backyard and are both watching Grace and Zach try and teach their Grandmother how to pitch a baseball.
"I told you, it's the charm" he winks and she rolls her eyes.
"No but seriously, they seem to really like you" she stares at him curious.
"Yea well I like them" he replies honestly. "They're so much like you, it's not even funny"
"Oh really?" she smirks "How are they like me?"
He shrugs "They look like you, they do things like you, and they have your humour. Zach may have already inherited your eye roll" he grins and she smacks him against the chest "Grace has your quietness but she's shy and likes to be on her own" Alicia stares at Will in slight shock and amusement. "And you recognised this all in one day?"
He chuckles "Yea, but it's easy to recognise it when they're standing next to you"
"Do you see Peter in them?" she questions curious.
He ponders on her question for a few seconds before replying "Do you?"
"You have to answer my question first"
"Kind of" he states "Would it be a bad thing if I did?"
She shakes her head while staring at Zach and Grace from a far, admiring them as they run around, Grace giggling while chasing after him. "Peter's a great father" she states in all conscience.
Will nods towards her way. "I know" he watches her as she watches the kids play and admires how her eyelashes blink every few seconds. "Do you see Peter in them?" he repeats his first question.
She nods her head after thinking thoroughly "Yes. Although everyone always says they both look like me, they have some of Peter's characteristic. Like how Zach thinks hard before he makes a decision or how he can get really protective" she grins
"And Grace?"
"To be honest I think she's really different compared to me or Peter. She's her own little person, she likes to be on her own, she doesn't have much friends at school and she doesn't seem to mind. She's really shy around other people which is odd because Peter and I have always been sociable, well Peter has" she explains. "I love her character; every Sunday morning before I wake up which is usually around eight thirty she, my three year old daughter, gets up and turns on the coffee maker so that when I wake up the temperature will be just right" she states in awe "I swear, when she hits that age she'll be making me breakfast on the weekends"
Will smiles at her words "That's cute" she nods her head agreeably. "Do you ever consider having children?" she asks out of curiosity and feels like kicking herself afterwards. This is crossing the boundary Alicia, you can't make him think what he may or not be thinking.
Will chuckles "Well if I were to have kids as cute as yours, than yea I would probably consider it, one day" he smiles
"They're not always angels" she chuckles. "Things can get pretty hectic"
"Have you and Peter talked about the living arrangements?" he asks hesitantly, not wanting to push her on the discussion.
She sighs leaning against the wooden chair. She takes a sip of her wine first before answering "Yes but we have yet discussed the night arrangements. I think he wants to wait until he can get settled in at an apartment before bringing the kids over and getting them used the whole idea. For now, they'll be staying with me and the house until Peter has officially settled in at a place. I just realised it's all becoming real" she sighs sadly.
"Are you still considering moving out?" he asks softly and she smiles at his hesitancy. He's always been gentle towards her.
She shrugs "Once Peter has settled in his apartment and the kids have gotten used to staying at his place over night then I'll definitely look into places near the city, I just want to see how they take staying in the city with Peter before making any decisions. This has been there home for their whole childhood, I'm unsure of how they're going to take the news of both their parents moving and living in a place where there are no backyards, replaced with tall buildings and business people running around." Will nods his head understandably.
"If you need any help Alicia, I'm always here"
"Thank you" she forms one of her prize worthy smiles. "No, I mean it" he repeats "Anything, anytime during the day or even in the middle of the night, just call me" he asserts.
She nods her head appreciative of his words "I know and I will" she smiles and pats the palm of his hand, they catch each other's eyes and for a second he thinks time has stopped. This is probably the hundredth time this has happened today and it's starting to get ridiculous. Alicia suddenly wishes that they weren't sitting so close together because she has the sudden desire to lean over and kiss him. This can't be happening, he's my best friend, I've only just met up with him a week ago and I already have some odd craving to stick my tongue down his throat. It's the loneliness, I'm just lonely. She tells herself but the longing to kiss him is still lingering.
"You two want some more wine?" Veronica's words bring them back to reality, she's standing behind them with that all knowing smirk and a wine bottle in her hand. "Yes please" they both hand their glasses out and Veronica fills both glasses right up to the top in which Alicia glares at her.
"So, Peter's press conference is in a week" Veronica starts off and Alicia flinches at the mention of her ex-husband – mainly because Alicia knows what her mother is thinking and she's probably ecstatic of the fact that she's staying overnight so she can have a little chit chat over this whole scenario.
"Yes, Friday afternoon" she explains. Veronica nods her head acknowledging it before sitting down opposite them and admiring the view from the high deck of Alicia's backyard.
"God I love this house, I would have killed for this if there was a house like this back in the day" Alicia shakes her head "You hated it when we first got it" she recalls.
"Yes but that was before; when it was yours and Peter's house. Now it's your house, I don't have a problem with it anymore" Veronica shrugs and Will finds her words interesting, she obviously never had much attentiveness towards her son in-law.
"This is still Peter's house" Alicia corrects "This is Zach and Graces house therefor their fathers"
Veronica rolls her eyes and smirks towards Will. "So Will, tell me about yourself. What have you been doing in the last five years?"
"Well, not much except for working real hard" he chuckles "I travelled around the world for two months a couple of years ago; took some vacation time and did something productive" he grins.
"Really?" Veronica's eyes widen at the mention of traveling "Where did you go?"
"I travelled to France-Paris first for a few weeks. Then I made my way over to England; spent a few nights in London and then travelled across the coast of Ireland. After that I flew to Thailand and spent a couple of weeks their before returning home"
"Oh wow, that sounds like a heap of fun. I went to Italy last year" Veronica explains "A friend and I, we travelled across the coast of Rome, it's amazing there"
Will nods his head agreeably "It is. I stopped in Italy whilst in France, I had a fantastic time."
"Me too, I'm planning on going back at the end of the year."
"Alicia told me you're getting married?" he recalls Alicia's sarcasm towards it being her mother's third oo fourth marriage.
Veronica chuckles "Yes, and I can imagine Alicia has informed you on all the details?" she smirks towards her daughters way and Alicia offers a sarcastic smile.
"She's….. told me enough" he replies hesitantly "But she's probably the only person in the world who knows the most about me (good and bad) so I'm fine with learning a few more stuff about her that I am unaware of" he jokes and Alicia rolls her eyes grinning.
She still hasn't said a word amongst their exchange but instead listens in and finds herself laughing at some of their words. This is the most relaxed she has felt in a long time, with the sun setting and the suns colour reflections dazzling on her porcelain skin, with a wine glass in her hand and sitting comfortable on the deck in her backyard watching her kids play, it's the most relaxed she has felt in a long time.
In anyone else eyes, (particularly maybe in Peters) Alicia and Will would be known as sitting too close for a title of friends, they're all sitting amongst the outdoor couch set but Will and Alicia are set on the same wide chair, she has her legs crossed but they're leaning to the side near Will's legs, she has the elbow of her hand rested on the couch just above Will's shoulder, the palm of her hand supporting the left side of her face as she tilts her head to the side while talking to Veronica. She can smell his cologne as she inhales his scent and it is so wrong but she can't help herself, he leans against the couch and his shoulder, the nape of his neck can feel her hand and the smooth skin that comes with it. They're both thinking the same thing but choose to ignore the feeling, for everyone else's sake. She knows what she's doing is wrong for her marriage's sake but she's always – ever since Georgetown – felt the need to be close to him. He is her best friend and so she could probably use that as an incuse as they sit comfortably together but the urge to kiss him? What excuse could she use for that?
They both don't dear to move, the only time she moves is to grab a few more drinks or when the kids have had enough of playing and she dresses them in their pyjamas and sets them inside watching movies and eating ice cream. The sun has set and the porch lights are one, the outdoor fire has been turned on. The fire place came with the house when they brought it, it was one of the only things she liked about the house because it complemented the deck. Veronica is on her fourth glass of wine while Will is only on his first bottle of bear and Alicia has replaced her glass of wine with a glass of lemonade. They sit and talk, laugh for what seems like hours but when she checks the time it's only been an hour and a half. Every few minutes she gazes at the back of her through the glass wall keeping an eye on the kids as they snuggle on the couch and watch TV. She doesn't realise that Owen has turned up until she hears the sliding door open even wider and meets his amused and suspicious eyes.
Veronica had called him and informed that she was going to L.A and that she would be spending some time with Alicia and the kids and she wanted him to come and visit, and also have some heart to heart talk with his sister, 'god knows she needs it'-Veronicas words.
He wanted the arrival to be a surprise and so when he turned up at his sisters house and found three cars on the driveway instead of two,he couldn't recognise the third one, he figured that it might be Peters, maybe he brought a new flash car? But then that wouldn't make sense because as far as he knew from his mother's words-that Peter wasn't in town. He would have opened the door himself, like he always did but as usual it was locked (Alicia had crazy ideas of someone breaking in and kidnapping the kids so the door was made to automatically lock after being shut) -after repeatedly knocking, a couple of minutes later he was met by a pyjama dressed Zach "Hi Zach!" Owen stretched his arms out, in which Zach returned with a hurried hug before running back to the living room and his sister. Owen followed him and found a very cute Zach and Grace propped up against the couch, in their night wear with popcorn set on the coffee table. "Hi Gracie, its Uncle Owen" he says from behind the couch, leaning over and giving her a quick kiss against the cheek. "HI" Grace smiles at him shyly before taking in his appearance. "Uncle Owen shaved his beard" she giggles and touches his face. He chuckles and tickles her chest "Where's your mom?"
"They're outside" Zach points towards the deck and Owen glances for the first time through the wide open glassed sliding door that there a three people including his mother and sister currently sitting on the deck surrounding the outdoor fireplace, Alicia and somebody else's back facing his way. When he grasps in the fact that his sister is currently sitting very close to a man who Owen can't recognise is certainly alarming. He walks past the kitchen, stealing a wine glass on his way before making his appearance known. "Hello"
"Hello darling" Veronica stretches her arm out for a hug and Owen walks towards her giving her a quick hug and then a kiss against his sister's cheek. "Hello?" Owen smiles towards him and Will stands up extending his hand out for a manly handshake. "Hi, I don't know if you remember me, I'm Will" Will says cutting Alicia off as she was about to introduce them. "Will?" It takes a while for Owen to recognise him, he's familiar of the name but can't quite get to it. "Yes, I believe we met several years ago, Georgetown." He explains and it all comes flooding back to him.
"Ah, of course, I'm so sorry. I didn't recognise you" he chuckles and then faces his sister with an amused expression and a lifted eyebrow in which Alicia shakes her head begging him to dismiss it, just this once.
Owen makes himself at home by grabbing the bottle of wine off the table and pouring himself a glass before taking a seat opposite Will and Alicia and propping his feet on the coffee table. "I didn't know you were coming?" Alicia states surprised and then gazes at her mother as if to say I-know-you-had-something-to-do-with-this.
"Yea, I wanted to surprise you all!" he states enthusiastically. "I'll be staying here for a couple of night's sis, that alright with you?' he asked uninterested in her reply, he'd stay here regardless of her authority.
"Yea, but you'll be sleeping on the couch" she replies bluntly and he furrows his eyebrows confused. He is aware that this house has two guest bedrooms, two other rooms that belong to the kids and then the master bedroom. "What's wrong with the other guest room?" he said knowing that Veronica would have the first one and the second one? Unless Will is sleeping here in which that would just be as confusing.
"That room belongs to Peter" she replies bluntly and Owen laughs at himself for forgetting.
"Ah, yes, sorry I forgot and didn't realise" he giggles "The couch is fine with me."
"You can have the other guest room tomorrow, mom flies out in the morning."
"How long are you staying in L.A?" Owen asked his mother
"I don't know yet" she replies "As long as I want to I guess, I'm moving there after we get married you know" she replicates.
"Yes I know, you told me. So does this means you won't be staying out at the lake house anymore?" Owen asked with slight enthusiasm and Veronica can already read his mind.
"Don't even think about it" she grins.
"What?" Owen tries to act all innocent and Alicia rolls her eyes and then glances at Will, locking eyes with his, both smirking before turning their attention back to Owen and Veronica.
"I've given your sister the keys to the house and she is the only one who is allowed to step foot in that house so don't even think about going out there and creating one of your dramatic parties before taking off and leaving it a mess like last time" she states rather stern and Alicia just laughs at her words, Veronica has never really been the stern parent, as far as Alicia can remember she used to actually encourage her and Owen to throw parties and Alicia would always have to be the adult and point out the aftereffects. But Veronica is right, she's beginning to get sick of Owen's little events, especially when it comes to her houses.
Owen rolls his eyes "Well I wasn't planning on going out there anyway" he defends himself and then changes the subject to what's currently more interesting. "So Will, I wasn't aware that you and Alicia were still….. friends." looking more like friends though.
"We were always friends" Alicia corrects him "We've both been really busy, as you can see Owen, I am a lawyer with two toddlers and Will owns and is in charge of 200 hundred other employees so we haven't exactly had the time to chat" she smiles sarcastically and Owen rolls his eyes. "Yes, sorry, how rude of me. I have no life therefore you and Will mustn't have a life right?" he says with a cheeky smile and Alicia glares at him.
"So, Owen" Will clears his throat "Alicia tells me you're a teacher now?" he asked genuinely interested and Owen lifts an eyebrow at his sister.
"Yes, that's correct, freshly graduated. I didn't know Alicia talked much about me?" he smirks and Alicia smiles warmly.
"Are you kidding?" Will chuckles "She talks about you all the time, I think you have become some sort of inspiration towards your sister, she can't stop talking about how proud she is of you, I'm serious" he laughs and Alicia smacks him against the shoulder.
"He's joking, I don't talk about you all the time Owen" she defends herself
"Yea yea yea, whatever" Owen blows his sister off. "Anyway, back to Will, you have your own law firm now?"
"Technically it's not mine" he corrects "But my name is on the letterhead" he laughs.
"So if say, I need a lawyer for drinking and driving charges, and could possibly go to jail due to a ridiculous amount of overdue fines, I could hire you for some assistants?"
"YOU WHAT?" Alicia snaps and Veronica groans. Not another argument. She mumbles something about going inside and leaves the three of them.
"It's not real Alicia" he assures "I'm just checking it out, you know, if something like that was going to happen" he explains and Alicia shakes her head. "Well that's not going to happen right Owen? I'm not bailing you out of prison" she exaggerates and Will grins. He's beginning to think he loves her and her uncoordinated family even more.
"No, that's not going to happen Alicia" he said sarcastically with a grin. "Anyway, back to our conversation before we were rudely interrupted. Do you have a variety of clients at your firm Will, or are they all billionaires?" he said with exaggeration and a grin in which Will shakes his head.
"No, we have a lot of different cases and clients to deal with. But some of the clients I deal with are mostly the snobby wealthy ones" he jokes.
"I've hired Wills law firm for the divorce" Alicia interrupts changing the subject. Owen seems slightly taken aback. He wasn't really aware that Will knew the full details of the separation and divorce. Owen just wonders if he knows about all the woman.
"Oh wow, okay, that seems ideal. Better to go with someone you trust. When is it becoming official?"
"Thursday"
"Thursday!" Owen reacts shocked. "This Thursday?"
Alicia nods her head and shrugs, not really a big deal. "That's quick"
"Not really" Alicia replies "Peter and I have talked it out and made a plan, it all seems to be working out at the moment. My lawyers are filing the divorce papers Thursday afternoon and then Peter's planned a press conference Friday afternoon" she explains.
"Will you be there?" Owen asks Alicia in all curiousness. The idea of his sister standing in front of national television while her husband admits that their marriage is coming to an end, is horrifying in Owens mind. God knows what people might say about her.
Alicia shrugs "Yes, I suppose so" Owen rolls his eyes frustratingly at her intolerableness. Alicia lifts an eyebrow "What?" she asked and he just shook his head while shrugging. "I was the one who demanded for the divorce Owen, I should at least be by his side to support him." She said softly and Owen shakes his head "He was having an affair Alicia" he said in disgust and Alicia sighs exhaustedly glancing at Will who gives her a comforting smile. She's glad that he knows so much about her and her family and that she already considers him as family because if this were anyone else sitting among them she would have made it in all her energy to be having a completely different conversation.
"Do you wanna go inside? Its cold out here" she asked Will and he nods his head.
"Sure" he helps with the empty glasses of wine and beer bottles, taking them inside.
"Come on Owen, no more drinking." Alicia teased her brother while gesturing her hand out to his to assist him to stand up. "I've only had one glass" he pouts and she shakes her head in amusement.
Once they reach inside Owen jumps on the couch next to his niece and nephew stuffing his face with popcorn while Will follows Alicia to the kitchen assisting her with the dishes.
"I'm gonna head home soon" he said hesitantly and it made sense. He had been here for a good six hours and the clock was soon hitting number seven. She nods her head while drying her hands, running a hand through her hair and leaning against the counter while folding her arms exhaustingly.
"Yea, I'm sorry about my mother and brother. Sometimes I wonder if they actually know what they're talking about half the time" she giggles and he chuckles at her words
"Don't worry about. It was fun" he smiles.
"Fun?" she laughs "It was excruciating" Will smirks at her words
"They're not bad, honestly Alicia. Spend a week with my mother and sisters and you'll learn what excruciating feels like" he laughs and she joins in.
He slowly makes his way over to the counter grabbing his belongings and she follows him through the living room. He says his goodbyes to Owen and Veronica who are trying to cover up the fact that they were whispering and Alicia knows exactly what they were whispering about. Will says his last words to Zach and Grace and Alicia can't quite grasp what he's saying to them by the whispering but she can tell that it must be funny because both Zach and Grace are giggling. She follows him outside to the front porch closing the front door half way and she gathers that this is the first time in at least three hours that they've been alone together.
"Thanks for lunch… and dinner" he smiles "I still don't understand why you took a cooking class but I'm guessing you learnt a lot because your knowledge of the foods have increased since I last remember" he jokes.
"My knowledge of the foods?" she burst into laughter.
"But in all seriousness Alicia, the food was great and the company was great so don't hound into Owen and your mom too much ok?" he smiles and she shakes her head.
"I'll try my best but I don't think I'll be the one hounding into them tonight, it might be the other way around." She explains and Will chuckles, taking in her words.
"I don't know what to say to that one." He laughs and after a while they stand there in silence, both leaning against the wall facing each other.
"I better get going" He pushes himself off the wall and Alicia nods her head.
"Goodnight Alicia" he faces her and she stands at the top of the steps with her arms still folded. "Goodnight Will" she smiles and for a moment she thinks that he might kiss her again. Which in all honestly would be totally inappropriate because they're still on the grounds of her home and she's aware that her neighbours are probably watching their every move from their windows.
But instead he tips on his toes and reaches up to kiss the side of her cheek, placing a soft gentle kiss that makes her close her eyes and feel his breath on her skin. It's not too passionate and it's not meaningless; it's just perfect. A perfect normal kiss against the cheek. That's all. She waits for him to reverse out of the driveway and waves goodbye before making her way inside.
Sure enough the minute she reaches the kitchen Owen and Veronica are sitting on the barstool with two cups of coffees with expectant, amused facial expressions.
"So you and Will huh?"
Next chapter is 'The press conference'. Please review!