*Thank-you to everyone that reviewed the last chapter..you guys are great thank-you.
*This chapter is a little upsetting not really bad but it's upsetting.
Dave and Alex arrived in Washington D.C. for about 3 days before they had to fly out and go back to work. Dave was planning on using the next couple days to spend time with Alex and spend a couple days with the girls. He wasn't sure how Alex felt about that and hadn't mentioned it to her. They arrived at the house and Dave took the luggage out of the car and carried it to the front door. They entered the house and Dave put the bags by the door. They walked into the living room and sat down on the couch. Alex took her shoes off and put her legs up on Dave's lap. "I'm exhausted," she said.
"Me too. That was the busiest weekend of my life. I am so sorry that we didn't spend that much time together. I wish I could have seen you more and that we could have done more stuff together while we were in Orlando but I had obligations," he said.
"It's fine, Dave. I know you have a job and I know you have to do things for it even if it means sacrificing time with me but you made a promise to make it up and you did. I had so much fun at Discovery Cove. It's not everyday I get to swim with dolphins or touch a sting ray. I just couldn't get over how you were so scared of the animals. You're a 290 lb man yet you're scared of a little stingray and a little dolphin and a couple birds. It was funny."
"I still feel like I should make up for the weekend. How about I take you out to eat and then go see a movie or come back here and watch a movie?"
"Do you really want to go out to dinner tonight?"
"Yeah if that's what you want to do."
"Okay and then we can come back here and watch a movie."
"All right," he said, "that's what we'll do then."
"What time are we going?"
"Probably not until 6."
"What time is it now?"
"It's 3:30," said Dave as he rubbed her feet.
"Do I have time to take a quick nap?"
"Yes, Sleeping Beauty," he said.
"Okay. I think I'm going to go take a nap," she said as she got up off the couch.
"That's fine, Baby. You should get some rest anyway. I'll see you in about an hour," he said. She walked upstairs to their bedroom and laid down on the bed and fell asleep. She was so exhausted she had only gotten about 4 hours sleep in the last two days.
While Alex was taking a nap Dave took the luggage upstairs to their room. He was quiet not to wake Alex up as he empty their suitcases to put their clothes into the laundry. He wasn't sure if he should touch Alex's stuff or if she wanted him washing her clothes with his. He figured she probably wouldn't have a problem with it so he separated their clothes and got them ready to put in the washer. After he put a load of laundry in he sat down in the living room on the couch and pulled out his cell phone. He saw he had 10 missed calls from Melina so he called her back.
"Hey, Baby," she said as she answered the phone.
"What did you want Melina?"
"I miss you. Where's your fiancée?"
"She's sleeping. Melina, I told you I don't want anything to do with you."
"You wanted something to do with me the other night when you had sex with me because Alex wouldn't. I like being the back up when she's not in the mood."
"Melina, that was a mistake."
"Sure, Dave. It's always a mistake but it's never a mistake when you're ready and willing right?"
"Look I can't do that shit anymore. Alex and me had a fight and now we're on good terms with one another. I don't want to cheat on her again."
"Dave, you'll end up cheating again because you're you. You're a ladies' man and can't keep a commitment to save your life. Look at the other night. Your fiancée turned you away from sex and you were at my door knocking for a little action. You got what you wanted and I got what I wanted. It's all good."
"Melina, you're not going to tell Alex are you?"
"No but maybe I should but I'd rather see her played for a fool. I don't really like her so..it's more fun seeing her get played."
"Look. I'm not down with this stuff anymore. I can't do this behind Alex's back anymore. I love her too much and she loves me. I am going to tell her about it and just move on with our lives. And I'm hoping she doesn't leave me because I slept with you twice."
"Dave, if she does leave you, you know you can always come back to me."
"Melina, I don't want you. I only want Alex."
"If you only wanted Alex you wouldn't have been all over me the other night while she was in your hotel room sleeping. If you only wanted Alex you wouldn't be on the phone calling me while she was sleeping."
"I called you because you called me 10 times in one day. If I didn't answer the first time what made you think I was going to answer the 10th time? Seriously, Melina you need to stop calling and blowing up my phone. Alex already saw you calling me and she was upset about it. I'm going to tell you now anything we had or anything we were doing is done. I'm cutting you off. I can't go on doing this behind Alex's back. I know the first time you drugged me but the second time I was willing and ready but it will not happen again. I can't hurt Alex this way and I'm not going to. I was stupid to do it but I will not be stupid enough to do it again so from now on don't call me, don't text me, don't talk to me and don't even look at me. I don't want anything to do with you anymore whatever we had it's done. We're through and I have nothing more to say to you. Goodbye," he said slamming his phone shut. He felt really bad for everything he had done behind Alex's back and he was planning on telling her about it all but he just didn't know when. He was kind of hoping that he would never have to tell her and that she would never find out but he knew that was never going to happen. He knew that she would find out eventually. He just hoped it wouldn't be for a really long time. He laid back on the couch and turned on ESPN to watch some of the baseball game between the Yankees and the Angels. As he was watching the game his phone started going off. First it was a text from Melina saying she was sorry and she would do anything to have him back but he just deleted it. Next his phone went off because she called him. HE didn't know Alex was coming down the stairs when he answered it, "I told you. I want nothing to do with you. Stop calling me. I have nothing to say to you and I don't want to talk to you. Just leave me alone," he said before slamming the phone shut.
"Who don't you want anything to do with?" asked Alex as she reached the bottom step.
Dave jumped at Alex's sudden presence and said, "Melina."
"Why is she calling you anyway?" she asked walking over to the couch.
"I don't know. She's trying to get with me again," he said lying about the real reason Melina was calling. He didn't understand why the lies flowed so easily from his mouth. Alex was his fiancée and the woman he loved but it was way too easy for him to lie to her and he hated the feeling of the lies flowing off his lips.
"Do you want me to handle it?" she asked as she sat down on the couch next to him.
"Easy killer," he said, "she's not worth getting in trouble for." He wished he could take his own advice because he knew that when Alex found out about some of the things that were going on behind her back he would be in a lot of trouble. He felt like the biggest hypocrite saying that to Alex. What he meant was that he didn't' want her to lose her job because of Melina.
"She's not worth getting in trouble for? She's calling my fiancée and won't back off. I think she's pretty worth it."
"Alex, she's not worth it and what I mean by that is, she's not worth losing your job over." Just like she wasn't worth losing his fiancée over which is why he broke everything off with Melina because he wanted to save his relationship before it was too late. If it was able to be saved after Alex found out.
Alex was getting that feeling again that Dave was hiding something from her and she didn't like it. She decided it wasn't worth the fight for now but eventually it would be so she dropped it. "So I see you're watching the game," she said looking at the TV.
"Yeah. I just turned it on though but I won't be able to finish watching it because we're going out to eat."
"Oh. Did you want to watch the game?" she asked.
"I do but I would rather spend time with the woman I love," he said. That was the only true statement he had said in the entire conversation.
"Where are we going to eat?"
"I don't know. We did sushi the other night. I'm sure you don't want Italian. We can do Mexican if you want."
"Sure. It doesn't matter," she said.
"Oh by the way I put your laundry in with mine is that okay?"
"It doesn't matter. You did separate the colors right?"
"Of course, Alex."
"Okay. I was just checking because when Tony was nice enough to do laundry he just threw it in together and I hated that. I pay a lot for my clothes and I don't like them faded, bleached or have my whites ruined."
"Alex, that's because Tony is an idiot and he didn't know what he was doing. I was raised in a house of females. I know how to do laundry. I can pretty much do all that feminine stuff. One day in my life I might just become a stay at home dad but that's up to my wife; Alex, on what her take on that would be," he said.
"So you were raised around females and dominated by them while I was raised around males and were dominated by them. Interesting," she said.
"Alex, I've been dominated by women all my life. I grew up with my little sister and lived with my mom. Then I got married to the girls' mom and had two girls. I have to have a son somewhere down the road. At least I hope to."
"I want a daughter. I've been around boys all my life," she said.
"Well, we still have 5 years to wait until we try for a baby so we don't have to worry about that for now," said Dave. "So did you have a good nap?"
"Yeah. I feel much better now. I think I'm going to go take a shower and then get ready for tonight," she said.
"Okay," he said, "I should start getting ready too," he said as he got up off the couch and flipped off the TV. They walked upstairs and Alex jumped in the shower while Dave got dressed to go out. When Alex got out of the shower she put on a red long sleeved shirt with blue jeans that were a little on the tight side. She blow dried her hair and brushed it into a low ponytail. While she was getting ready Dave was downstairs watching the game in his white t-shirt and blue jeans. Alex came down the stairs and Dave asked, "Are you ready?"
"Yeah," she said.
"All right," he said as he got up and turned off the TV. They walked out the door, got in his car and headed to the Mexican restaurant down the street. When they got there they got their table and sat down. It was one of the most peaceful dinners the two were going to have in the last 5 days. There were no fans bothering Dave for autographs or pictures and they were enjoying it. "So Alex, what are you going to get?"
"I don't know but I really want rice and beans and Chicken enchiladas. What about you?"
"I think I'm going to have the same thing. I don't usually eat a lot of Mexican food."
"Then why did you want to come here? I would have been fine going somewhere else," said Alex.
"I don't know. I just wanted us to eat something different for once."
"I see. So did you talk to the girls today?"
"No but they're coming over tomorrow."
"They're coming over tomorrow?" asked Alex because she had no idea the kids were going to be there at all. She didn't have a problem with them it was the girls that had a problem with Alex.
"Yeah. I'm sorry I forgot to tell you. I wanted to spend some time with them and tell them about the wedding."
"Great. They're going to hate me even more."
"Alex, they don't hate you."
"Dave, they hate me. They made it perfectly clear at Christmas time that they didn't want me with you and they didn't want me there."
"Well, we can't always give kids what they want now can we? I want you there and I want to be with you. I love my kids but they're not getting their way this time. So I guess they're out of luck."
"Dave, I don't want to come between you and your kids"
"You're not. I love them but they can be a little bratty at times. They get that from their mother," he said.
"Bratty at times? Your daughter dropped chips on a freshly vacuumed floor and then proceeded to crunch them up on the floor.. I'd say that was a little more than bratty. It was pure disrespect. I don't know I wasn't raised that way to disrespect adults no matter how much I disliked them."
"I know and I'm sorry about that."
"I'm scared that if and when I become a parent I'm going to be one of those moms that lets their kids do whatever they want and they'll never get in trouble. My kid is definitely going to be spoiled."
"You're asking for trouble by spoiling a kid. Trust me I know. Why do you think Keilani and Athena act the way they do? Because their mother and me have both spoiled them beyond belief. Look at Glenda, she lets Keilani run wild and do whatever she wants. It's asking for trouble. I am not going down that road again. If you and me do have kids they won't be spoiled and they won't do whatever they want. Although our kids would turn out differently than the kids I have with Glenda because mine and Glenda's genes are trouble. At least with you the kid has a chance of being intelligent and well mannered because of your genes but we'll see," he said.
"Maybe. Are the girls going to be upset about us getting married?"
"Probably but they'll get over it eventually. They can't stay mad about it forever," said Dave.
"I just have a bad feeling about tomorrow," said Alex.
"It will be fine," said Dave.
"I hope so," she said.
The next morning Alex and Dave were sleeping in each others' arms when Dave's cell phone started going off. Dave groaned as he reached over to the nightstand trying not to wake Alex up. He looked at the screen and saw it was Melina again. He just ignored the call, put it back on the nightstand and wrapped his arm around Alex again. He tried going back to sleep but his cell phone started going off again. This time it had woken Alex up. She turned to face Dave and groaned, "what time is it?"
"It's 6:30," he said.
"Ugh. Make it stop. We just got to bed like an hour ago. Who is calling at this time?" she asked.
"I'm trying. It's Melina."
"Again? Give me the phone," she said. She was starting to get annoyed with Melina constantly calling Dave. She had been calling almost all night. She wasn't' sure what she wasn't understanding when Dave never answered the phone. Alex wasn't sure why she kept calling after being ignored time and time again.
"Alex, you don't need to handle this. I'll just silence my phone," he said.
"Well, do something because last night during the movie she kept calling, when we were having our alone time together she called and now she's still calling. I want to get some sleep. If I hear the phone go off again I'm answering it and I'm not going to be so nice," she said.
"Okay. I'm silencing it right now," he said showing her that he turned the sound off so they wouldn't be woken up again by her calling. He did mark in his mind to talk to Melina later again about not calling and leaving him alone.
"Good," said Alex as she laid her head on Dave's chest and started to go back to sleep. When Alex went back to sleep Dave just stayed awake thinking about how he was going to tell Alex how he messed up and slept with Melina. He wanted to tell her but knowing how to do it was the hard part. There was no easy way around it he cheated on her and she was going to be upset. She was probably going to tear Melina to shreds and then she was going to tear him apart too. He had never seen Alex really angry and he hoped he wouldn't have to but he knew eventually he would and it wouldn't be pretty. He continued to think that maybe Alex wouldn't get upset because it took a lot for her to get really pissed off so he thought maybe this wouldn't get her pissed. He laughed at himself for even thinking like that. She was going to destroy him. The more he thought about the more he thought not telling her would be the best thing. In the end of his thought process he finally decided it was better that he didn't tell her. He figured the chances of her ever finding out were 5 % so he figured he wouldn't tell her and she would never know because she wasn't going to be in that 5 %. He also decided he was going to get advice from John and Randy on how to handle the situation.
Later that day Athena and Keilani came over for a couple hours to spend time with their dad. They weren't very thrilled when they saw Alex there. "Dad, why is she still here?" asked Keilani.
"I told you, she's not going anywhere. You mines well get used to her because she's going to be here forever," he said
"Not if we have anything to do with it," said Keilani under her breath.
"Excuse me?"
"Nothing, Dad."
"That's what I thought," he said.
Athena was sitting quietly and had barely spoken a word since she got there. Alex was worried about her because she wasn't talking. "Athena, what's wrong?" asked Alex.
"Nothing," she said in a gloomy voice.
"She got in trouble before we got here," said Keilani.
"For what?" asked Dave.
"She didn't clean her room," she said.
"Athena always keeps her room clean. So why would she get in trouble for that?" asked Dave.
"Because her room was a mess, Dad."
"No it wasn't. I didn't make it a mess. It was Victoria that made it a mess," said Athena.
"Who is Victoria?" asked Alex.
"It's Glenda's other daughter. If you want to see a brat.. Victoria is the one to look at," said Dave.
"How many kids does she have?"
"Three," said Dave.
"Oh."
"So your mom blamed you for the mess, Athena?"
"Yes."
"Did you tell her it was Victoria?"
"No because she wouldn't have believed me anyway."
"I'm sorry," said Dave. "Come here." Athena walked over to her dad and he hugged her to make her feel better. He felt so bad for her because her mom never treated her the best. Everything always seemed to be her fault and Dave worried about the kind of affect that would have on Athena as she grew up. Athena already knew that her mom wouldn't believe her and that she would doubt anything she said.
"Athena, I'll play a game with you if you want me to so that you feel better," said Alex.
"Okay," she said. "Do you want to play Monopoly?"
"I don't really like monopoly but sure," said Alex.
"It's not regular Monopoly it's Disney Monopoly and it's funner," she said.
"Okay," said Alex.
Athena went upstairs to get the game. She brought it back downstairs and her and Alex went into the dining room to play the game since Dave and Keilani didn't want to play it. Keilani was cold toward Alex but Athena seemed to be coming around. Alex wasn't sure for how long but she was enjoying Athena being nice to her. They played the game until Athena started getting bored with it and wanted to stop. They put the game away and went upstairs to Athena's room to play with her Barbie Dolls. It was going a lot better than Christmas. Dave liked seeing Athena and Alex getting along. He didn't understand why Alex was so scared about having a kid of her own because she was doing a great job with Athena. He just wished that Keilani would be just as friendly but Keilani was so much like her mother that he didn't see it happening.
While Alex and Athena were upstairs in her room Keilani and Dave were downstairs in the living room talking when Keilani said, "Dad, why does Alex have that big ring on her finger?"
The question caught Dave off guard and he didn't know what to say. He didn't want to tell Keilani without telling Athena. "Let me get your sister and we'll talk," he said. He walked over to the stairs and called, "Alex and Athena can you two come down here please?"
He walked back over and sat down on the couch. Athena and Alex came downstairs and joined them in the living room. "Dave, why did you call us down here?" asked Alex.
"Because we need to talk," he said.
"Oh," she said. She knew what he was talking about. She walked over and sat down next to him while Athena took a seat next to Keilani.
"Okay. Girls there's no easy way to tell you this but Alex and me are getting married," said Dave.
"You're getting married?" asked Keilani.
"Yes. Next year," said Dave.
"Why?"
"Because I love her and she loves me."
"Oh," said Keilani.
"So Alex is going to be my step mom?" asked Athena.
"Yes," said Dave.
"Isn't she too young?"
"Not really," said Dave.
"I think she is," said Athena.
"She's not," said Dave. "And we were wondering if you two wanted to be in the wedding."
"No way, Dad. I don't want to be in the wedding," said Keilani.
"Why not?" asked Dave.
"Because I don't' want to be and I don't like Alex."
"That's not very nice," said Dave.
"I don't care. I don't like her and I don't' want to be in the wedding," said Keilani.
"Fine. That's your choice. I'm not going to force you to do something you don't want to but I thought it would be nice if you were in it. How about you Athena do you want to be in it?" asked Dave.
"I don't know, Dad. Maybe. Mom may not like that idea."
"It's not your mom's decision it is yours. Do you want to be in the wedding yes or no?"
"I don't want to make mom mad but I don't want to make you mad either. I don't know!" she said. Dave felt really bad because it was like Athena was torn between him and Glenda. It seemed like she was more worried about making her mom happy and making her dad happy. It was like she wanted to do what they wanted her to do and not what she wanted to do. "Athena, I won't get upset with you if you decide you don't want to be in it and I don't think your mom will be upset if you're in it. It's up to you. You can do what you want. You won't be in trouble for anything you decide."
Athena thought for a minute. She looked at her dad, then to Alex and then to Keilani. Keilani gave her a look and she put her head down. She knew what she was about to say was going to upset her sister and she said, "Dad. I want to be in the wedding."
"You do?"
"Yes," she said.
"That's great!" said Dave.
"You're such a traitor, Athena," said Keilani. "You were supposed to say you didn't want to be in it."
"Why? I like Alex. She's nice. You listen to mom too much," said Athena.
"Whoa. What do you mean you listen to mom too much?" asked Dave. He didn't like the sound of that.
"Mom always tells us that Alex isn't a bad person and that she's going to take you away from us. She doesn't like Alex and she doesn't want us to either."
"So that's what this is all about?"
"Yes," said Athena.
"And you're a big mouth too," said Keilani.
"Stop calling your sister names," said Alex.
"Stop telling me what to do," said Keilani.
"Don't talk to Alex like that," said Dave.
"She's not my boss. Mom told me I don't have to listen to her and I'm not going to," said Keilani.
"When you're in this house Alex is your boss and you will listen to her. You need to get your attitude in check."
"No," said Keilani.
"What?" asked Dave
"I said no," she said.
"Go to your room. You can stay there until your mom picks you up. I'm tired of this attitude."
"Fine," said Keilani as she stomped up the stairs. Dave waited a few seconds for the door to slam. Sure enough she slammed the door when he got to 0.
"I'm sorry, Alex," he said.
"It's fine," she said. I'm not worried about what your ex-wife thinks of me. I don't really like her either so I guess we're even.
"I love you," he said as he smiled.
"I love you too," she said as they gave each other a quick kiss. They sat and watched a Disney movie until Glenda came to pick up the girls. Just like last time it was a struggle trying to get Athena to leave because she didn't want to. It was clear to Dave that Athena hated it with her mom and there wasn't anything he could do right now. Keilani was the opposite she couldn't wait to get out the door and leave. Glenda and Alex exchanged a couple looks that weren't so friendly before Glenda walked out of the house. Dave hugged Athena before she left but before she walked out the door she walked over and gave Alex a hug. Alex smiled as she hugged her back. Dave walked Athena out to the car since Glenda pretty much left her in the house. He was surprised she didn't' drive away and leave her there. He wouldn't expect anything less from her. He watched them drive away before he walked back into the house.
He shut the door behind him and said, "Well, that was an interesting day."
"It was," she said.
"At least Athena is coming around. I was glad to see you two playing together today."
"I really enjoyed playing with her. She's such a sweet kid and she's really smart."
"You were doing a great job with her. I don't know why you're so scared of having kids of your own. You would make a great mom," he said.
"I don't know," she said.
"Trust me. You have the maternal touch. You'll be a great mom."
"I doubt it," she said, "and that's why I'm not sure if I want one or not."
"Well, it's your choice 100 %. I will be happy either way," he said as he wrapped his arms around her waist, "because I'll have you." He kissed her lips and she returned the kiss.
They were making out as Dave's phone went off. Alex pulled away and said, "Ignore it."
"I am," he said as he kissed her again.
Shortly after his phone started going off again. "You have got to be kidding me," she said as she pulled away. She reached in his back pocket and pulled out his phone. She read the name on the screen and it said Melina. Dave tried to take the phone away from her but she didn't let him have it. She flipped the phone open and said, "Listen, Bitch. Dave has a fiancée and he wants nothing to do with you so stop calling."
Melina laughed and said, "Right. He doesn't love you."
"He loves me enough to marry me. If you call him again I'm going to kick your ass.. Leave him alone. He wants nothing to do with you skank."
"Whatever," said Melina as she hung up the phone.
Alex flipped the phone shut and slipped it back in Dave's pocket. "Alex, I told you not to do that."
"I don't care what you told me not to do. I'm not going to stand here doing nothing while some other chick is calling my fiancée. That's messed up," she said.
"Well, she's not worth it."
"Whatever, Dave," she said as she walked away and went upstairs to clean up the mess they had made in Athena's room.
When she was out of sight Dave said to himself, "F**K.. It's over now." He knew now that Melina was going to stop at nothing until she pissed Alex off enough to kick her ass and he knew it would only be a matter of time before Alex found out about everything.
*A/N: *shakes head* Dave, Dave, Dave...so we learned his whereabouts the night of the party when him and Alex got into a fight. Poor Alex..she is so oblivious..but something tells me she has her suspicions she just isn't saying anything to avoid a fight but who thinks this situation is bound to blow up? and how about Keilani? She's a mean little kid isn't she?..Athena seems sweet..but is she really? Please tell me what you think. Please review and as always thank you for reading.