Next chapter for you lovely readers!! I hope you enjoy! Think of this chapter like you're on a roller coaster and you're going up the big hill before the drop off.
Something wicked this way comes... :)
Petey blinked several times as sleep dissipated from his body. Bright sunshine filtered through the curtains and the smell of coffee and sausage hit his nose. A small part of him was envious that Alex would get to wake up every morning like this. Aiden would spoil him, he knew. He pushed away thoughts of her and reached for Bailey. She was curled tightly in a fetal position.
"Morning beautiful." He whispered kissing the back of her head.
She sniffed softly.
"Bay, what's wrong?" he questioned rolling her over to face him.
Her face was splotchy and her eyes were red and swollen from crying most of the night.
"Riley went to Aiden instead of me last night." She cried, "She pushed out of my arms and made me take her to her room."
A sob tore through her as Petey wrapped her in his arms.
"Bailey, I'm so sorry. Why didn't you wake me up?" He asked gently rubbing her back.
"Everybody loves Aiden more than me." She said crying harder.
He hugged her tighter trying to take her pain away.
"Why would you say that honey?" he asked.
She pushed out of his arms and sat up, "Because she cooks and cleans and has designer everything, she's sweet and pretty and her family is perfect and she's got animals…"
She began crying too hard to finish. She crossed her arms over her knees and buried her face in them, sobs racking her body.
Petey crawled in front of her and pulled her chin up to look at him, "What about what you do? You cook and clean, and take care of Riley and me and Alex sometimes. You're a great friend and an even better lover. You're sweet and you're beautiful. Every time I look at you I wonder how in the world a guy like me got so damn lucky. And if you want more designer stuff or some animals, tell me and I'll go get them for you, anything you want. Don't be jealous of her family, look at what you have, you've got a great family yourself, no need in comparing the two. They love her and we love you."
"I just feel like everybody wants to be around her, and like her more than they do me. Is it because I'm a bad person? Am I not sugary sweet enough, what?" Bailey asked sarcastically.
Petey sighed, "I guess everybody likes Aiden because she's different from us. She talks differently; she acts differently than we do. But that's not saying that we've forgotten about you. Bailey you're the center of a lot of things, I wish you would see and focus on that. You're my soul mate, you're Ajay's best friend, you're Riley's mom, you're Alex's baby mama, you're Scott's favorite niece, and you're Carrie's daughter. Aiden is none of those things, don't you see that? Loving her and loving you are completely different things."
Bailey had stopped crying and was pouting, "Well I still have a bad feeling about her. It's like she's up to something."
Petey masked his face perfectly she never saw his face falter, "Why don't you go take a shower and freshen up and then we'll grab some breakfast and go for a walk or something."
Bailey nodded reluctantly, "I love you for putting up with me."
He leaned forward and kissed her lips, "I always will."
When she closed the door to the bathroom he collapsed on the bed. Guilt was tearing him apart. Bailey couldn't know how awful she'd just made him feel. Every time he thought about Aiden the memory stung his senses, every time he said her name it burned his tongue. His heart broke for Bailey. She didn't deserve this, he didn't deserve her. He'd cheated on her with her frienemy. He had no clue how he was going to make it up to her but he knew that he was not going to think about Aiden like he had been anymore. Aiden would not be a priority of his anymore; if he had to he would avoid her like the plague and shower Bailey with affection. He would do whatever it took to make sure that Bailey knew how much she meant to him because he knew he was on borrowed time. He had to live with the possibility that Bailey could very well find out and leave him. He had to do everything in his power to make sure that never happened.
After her shower Petey and Bailey went to the kitchen to find Riley and Joey helping to make breakfast. Ajay, Chris, Alex, and Aiden's brothers were out on the porch enjoying breakfast already.
"Mama, A-Ten knows how to make funny face pancakes!" Riley grinned.
Of course she does. "That's good honey." Bailey smiled.
"Grab a plate and get what you want, okay." Caroline smiled warmly.
"Did ya'll sleep okay?" Aiden asked helping Joey pour pancake batter into a skillet.
Bailey bit her lip, "Yeah, other than Riley waking up."
"Good." Aiden smiled.
"Mama, we made a tent so the storm wouldn't get us and A-Ten got flashlights so the dark would go away and daddy could stay asleep." Riley said never looking up from decorating their pancakes for them.
Petey placed a hand on Bailey's hip to reassure her.
"That's good sweetheart." Bailey ground out.
"Aiden used to do that all the time when a storm would come up, nothing could get her in her tent." Caroline chirped as she fluttered around the kitchen.
"Aiden's so cool isn't she?" Alex joked coming into the kitchen to kiss her cheek, "Have you tried these, what are they, grits? Have you tried them yet?"
Bailey rolled her eyes at him and went to the patio. Petey looked uncomfortable but followed her.
"Whatever, more for me." Alex said, completely oblivious.
A FEW DAYS LATER
"Riley come on and get dressed so we won't be late." Bailey called down the hall.
She was in her daughter's closet picking out an outfit. They were all going out to dinner with Scott that night. Riley came bounding into the room. Bailey came out of the closet with a pair of jeans and a warm sweater for her to wear.
Riley stopped bouncing, "I don't want to wear that."
Bailey narrowed her eyes, "Why not?"
"Because I want to wear a dress." Riley huffed.
"It's too cold to wear a dress." Bailey said.
Riley shook her head, "A-Ten wears dresses when it's cold."
Bailey gritted her teeth, "Aiden is an adult and can wear whatever she wants. You are a child and will be too cold to wear a dress. So put this on and let's go."
"No."
Bailey took a deep breath, "Riley, it's very cold outside, you're not wearing a dress."
Tears were pooling in Riley's eyes, "Yes I am. A-Ten wears dresses and I want to wear one too!"
"Either wear this or we'll just stay home." Bailey said.
"No! I want my daddy!" Riley screamed throwing herself on the bed.
"I'll be back in ten minutes if you aren't dressed in what I picked out we're not going." Bailey warned.
"I want to go!" Riley cried.
"Then get dressed." Bailey ordered closing the door behind her.
She heard the doorbell ring and went to answer it. Alex and Aiden were standing on the doorstep looking like they had just stepped off the set of some glam photo shoot.
The little fashion whore was rubbing off on everybody it seemed like.
Alex wore jeans and a dark green button up with a brown leather jacket while Aiden wore a long sleeved mini dress and tights with a long trench coat on, much to Bailey's disappointment.
"Riley forgot her coat in my car and I figured she would need it." Alex smiled.
"We were on the way and wanted to stop by and drop it off." Aiden said.
"Thanks." Bailey muttered, taking the jacket from him.
Riley let out a piercing scream from upstairs.
Alex went into "daddy mode" instantly, "Is she okay?"
Bailey rolled her eyes, "She didn't like what I picked out for her to wear, so she's throwing a tantrum."
"I'll go talk to her." Alex said going upstairs.
"Great, make it worse." Bailey groaned.
Aiden stepped in the door, and shut it behind her, "She always looks really cute, I don't know why she wouldn't like what you picked out."
"She wanted to wear a dress because YOU always wear one." Bailey noted angrily.
Aiden dropped her eyes.
"She'll probably want her hair in a little braided up do like yours too." Bailey said going to her room.
Alex appeared at the top of the stairs, "Will you come and pick out an outfit for her so we won't be late?"
Aiden heard Bailey's door slam shut, "She won't wear what Bailey picked out?"
Alex shook his head, "Not a chance. I tried."
Aiden sighed. She was going to be damned either way. She hesitated a moment longer before going up the stairs.
AT DINNER
Bailey and Petey walked into the restaurant.
"Where's Riley?" Ajay asked.
She Chris and Joey were waiting to be seated.
"With Alex." Petey answered.
Bailey gave Scott and Traci a hug and followed them to the table.
"What's that about?" Chris asked.
"You'll see." Petey said going to the table as well.
Alex, Aiden and Riley walked in. Chris smirked and Ajay concentrated on not letting her jaw drop to the floor.
"Hey." Alex smiled giving them a nod.
Riley skipped over to Joey and took his hand to go to the table. Ajay raised her eyebrows in question.
"She wouldn't leave the house unless Aiden picked out her outfit." Alex answered.
Aiden was blushing furiously.
"How does it feel to be a three year olds fashion consultant?" Chris smiled nudging her playfully.
Aiden shrugged, avoiding eye contact with them. Riley was busy showing off her dark green crushed velvet dress and black tights to Traci when they walked up.
As Alex was introducing Aiden, Ajay sat beside Bailey, "Riley's turning to Aiden's mini me, huh?"
Bailey plastered a fake smile on her face, "I know. I want to stab myself in the face with a spoon."
Ajay giggled as they both watched Aiden.
ONE WEEK LATER
Bailey and Riley were at the mall wandering around.
"Mommy, I want dat!" Riley squealed as they were walking by one of the pricey designer stores.
It was a sequined clutch that Bailey remembered Aiden carrying on a few occasions.
She spied the price tag and laughed, "Sorry honey, mommy's not going to be able to buy that today."
Riley was puzzled, "Why not?"
"Because mommy's not going to spend three hundred dollars on a silly purse." Bailey retorted.
"I want it though. A-Ten has one and I want one too!" Riley said poking out her lip.
"A-Ten has a lot of things that you and I won't have." Bailey said.
Because she's a materialistic bitch who is trying to convert my daughter to her plastic world of robot nothingness.
"That's not fair." Riley pouted.
Bailey laughed, "Tell me about it."
Before Bailey could even register what was going on, Riley sprinted into the store, grabbed the display model and took off back out of the store. It was only when the stores alarms began blaring that Bailey reacted.
"Riley!! Bring that back right now!" She yelled taking off after her daughter along with several store clerks.
Two hours, a spanking, and several lectures later they were back home.
"Hey honey." Petey called from the living room.
"Go up to your room and do not step one foot outside until I tell you to." Bailey ordered.
Riley who was still crying stomped up the stairs, screaming as she slammed her door.
"What the hell is going on?" Petey asked coming into the kitchen.
"I am so beyond furious and embarrassed I don't know what to do." She said.
"Petey pulled her into his arms, "Tell me what happened."
"My daughter grabbed an exact replica of A-Ten's purse from a store and bolted through the mall." Bailey grated out.
Petey looked at her, "Are you serious?"
She nodded, "I just got through convincing the store and mall security that it would never happen again and that I would keep a closer eye on my child. They looked at me like I was an idiot, like what kind of parent are you that your three year old daughter is already attempting to steal shit. I could have literally died I was so embarrassed."
"I'm sorry babe." He said a small smile formed on his face, "She was a mirror image of you just a minute ago though."
Bailey grabbed a beer from the fridge, "Yeah, but I'm not precious, sweet, perfect Aiden though."
Petey swallowed slowly, "Do you think you should call Alex?"
Bailey shrugged, "I guess. I don't want him to see it on the news, he'd be pissed."
Petey gawked at her, "It's gonna be on the news?"
"Who knows? With my luck it'll be on there." Bailey said dialing Alex's number.
ONE WEEK LATER
After Riley's failed grand theft attempt she had been on much better behavior. Alex and Aiden had come over to talk to her and whatever they had said had made a difference. Bailey had been so grateful that Riley had not had any more "Aiden Arguments" with her; until…
It was around midnight and Bailey and Petey were on the couch making out. Bailey was straddling Petey kissing his neck and grinding her hips against him slowly.
"Let's go upstairs so you can put on that little school girl outfit that I love." Petey growled into her breasts.
"Hmm, are you going to send me to detention?" Bailey whispered sucking on his bottom lip as a flash of lightening illuminated the dark room.
"Yeah, you've been a bad girl." He moaned, caressing her thighs.
She laughed into his mouth as she gripped his broad shoulders.
"Mommy?" Riley called.
"Shit." Petey cursed as Bailey got off of him.
"What's wrong sweetie?" Bailey asked adjusting her clothing.
A loud blast of thunder shook the room.
"I want A-Ten." Riley said.
Bailey got up from the couch to come over to Riley, "Honey, it's okay, it's just a storm. You're safe inside the house with us."
Her bottom lip trembled, "I want A-Ten."
"Riley, Aiden's at Alex's house and they're probably already asleep." Petey tried.
"Wake her up again, please?" Riley asked, a tear falling down her face.
"No. We're not going over there in this weather. Did you want me to build a tent here? Would that make you feel better?" Bailey suggested.
"You don't know how to." Riley said.
Petey smirked, "Mommy's really good at making tents."
Bailey laughed and grabbed a blanket and grouped some chairs together and threw it over them.
"Come on Riley." Bailey encouraged sitting in the tent.
Riley shook her head stubbornly as more tears fell, "That's not how A-ten does it. I don't like your tent.
Bailey bit her lip trying to maintain a level head, "I'm sorry that you don't like it, but it's going to have to do"
Riley yanked down the blanket and dropped it on the floor, "You don't know how to do it! A-Ten makes better tents than you do Mommy!"
"Why don't you show us how she does it then?" Petey suggested.
"I don't know, only she does! I want daddy! I want A-Ten!" Riley screamed.
Bailey sat on the floor in between the chairs crying silently. Petey went to hug Riley to calm her down.
"You're not my daddy! I want my daddy! I want A-Ten!" Riley yelled pushing out of his arms.
"Go to your room." Bailey ordered.
"No!" Riley said collapsing and banging her feet and fists on the floor.
Another loud peal of thunder echoed.
"I don't want to live here anymore. I want to live with daddy." Riley shouted.
"That's enough Riley and I mean it. This is getting ridiculous. You are not going to live with Alex. You are going to stay here and you are going to go back to sleep right now." Bailey shouted back.
Riley got up and grabbed the phone to dial Alex's number.
Bailey snatched the phone away, "No ma'am. Go to your room"
"I hate you!" Riley spat furiously.
The phone dropped out of Bailey's hands and crashed to the floor. It felt like she'd been bludgeoned with a baseball bat. Her chest burned with the pain of her heart fragmenting into little pieces.
"Go get your coat." Bailey whispered.
Petey came up behind her, "Bay, come on, you don't need to be driving in this storm. She didn't mean it. She was just mad and trying to get her way."
Riley came running back downstairs with her coat on, the 'A' that Aiden had given her around her neck and her favorite stuffed animal that Alex had bought her for her birthday.
"I'll be back in a little while." Bailey whispered kissing Petey's cheek.
Sooo....Bailey has every reason to be upset right? Next chapter will be "the peak" of the roller coaster, so buckle up and hold on!! lol Please review and let me know what you're thinking hotties!!