It was Sunday now and early to say the least.
"Mummy? Daddy?" Alexis asked as she jumped on the bottom of the bed. Gerry awoke suddenly which woke Sandra, whose head was resting on his head. She looked up at Gerry slightly annoyed and then pulled the duvet up to cover her more as she noticed Alexis on the end of the bed.
"Alexis? Are you okay sweetie?" Sandra asked, Alexis nodded at her. "Well what's the problem then?"
"Nothing, I want to watch TV." Alexis replied sweetly.
"Okay hunny, go back to bed and me and mummy will get up and come down with you. Just give us a minute." Gerry interrupted and then watched Alexis skip happily back to her bedroom.
"What time is it?" Sandra asked him as it still looked dark outside.
"Half 6." Sandra sighed.
"We better get up then, she wants to watch TV." She got up out of bed. "We need to be more careful now Gerry."
"What do you mean?"
"Well we can't fall asleep naked and we can't do what we want when we want. We have Alexis to think of now."
"I agree. Anyway just throw on some pyjamas and a dressing gown and we can go down."
It wasn't long before they were all downstairs. Alexis sat watching early morning cartoons on channels Sandra hadn't even realised she had, while Sandra and Gerry were sat in the kitchen.
"So what's the plan for the day?" Gerry asked as he cracked another egg on the side of the frying pan for the full English he was making them all.
"I was thinking a nice day out for us all. Alexis needs some new clothes and we deserve some time out all together."
"Good idea."
It had taken two hours for them all to get ready and get into the car but they were now on their way to a nearby shopping centre.
"I like this song mummy, can you turn it up?" Sandra did as she was told and Alexis sang along to the radio. To Sandra the lyrics of the song sounded pretty dodgy but then she realised Alexis had no idea what it all meant she just liked the beat and singer.
"Come on Alexis, we're here. You can listen to this song later." Gerry told her as she refused to get out the car until the song finished. "Come on angel, we have to go shopping." But Alexis being stubborn refused to move from the car until the song had finished, which turned out to be seconds later.
"I want to go to M&CO." Alexis stated as she led the way while her parents wandered along behind her hand in hand.
"Okay princess, wherever you want to go." Gerry replied. Gerry was now faced with something he hadn't had to do in nearly 15 years, girl shopping.
"Right, you need some jeans, a few tops, a couple of jumpers, new pyjamas, a coat, underwear, a dress for special occasions and then we need to find a shoe shop." Came Sandra's voice of reason.
"I like this." Alexis told Sandra when she spotted a knee length blue dress with diamantes over the straps.
"That can be your dress for special occasions then." This carried on for over two hours until finally they had everything they needed and they'd eaten lunch and were now back in the car.
"Happy with everything sweetie?" Gerry asked as he pulled up onto the drive of their home.
"Yes. I love it daddy."
"Good, you can stick the telly on if you want or play with toys in your room while we make dinner."
"Okay, what are we having?"
"Whatever you want."
"Chicken pasta bake please."
"Yes madam." This made Alexis laugh, she was still giggling away as she ran up the stairs.
"You're spoiling her Gerry." Sandra warned him.
"She deserves spoiling."
"Yes I know, but we don't want her getting used to this."
"I suppose, I'll stop." Gerry promised her.
Sandra walked out the kitchen and went and put the TV on for a bit, as soon as she'd turned it on Alexis had ran downstairs and curled up into her mummy.
"Alexis, Princess Diaries is on, do you want to watch it?"
"Will you watch it with me mummy?" Alexis asked her and all she could do was nod as she melted inside at the look of love and brightness in Alexis' eyes. She loved being a mum but most of all she loved this little girl.
So for an hour and a half they sat curled up on the sofa together watching a film Sandra had never thought she would. Gerry stood at the entry to the living room just watching them, he needed to tell them dinner was ready but he didn't want to disturb this beautiful moment.
"Oh daddy, is dinner ready?" Alexis asked as she turned her head and noticed her daddy. He nodded and she got up from her mum's arms and ran through to what was now her spot at the table.
"Enjoy it?" Gerry asked, earning a confused look from Sandra. "The film." He clarified.
"It was okay, I just liked sitting curled up with Alexis. Anyway let's go eat."
Dinner had been uneventful, Alexis had now eaten, been in the bath and had her hair dried by Sandra.
"Night angel." Sandra said as she tucked Alexis up in bed and kissed her cheek.
"Night mummy."
"I'll wake you up in the morning and we'll go look around what will be your new school."
"Do I have to go to school mummy?"
"Yes sweetie, me and daddy have to go to work and if you don't you won't be able to be Prime Minister when you're older."
"Okay, I'll go to school then."
"Good girl, now night night."
Sandra left the room and grabbed her phone from the bottom of the stairs.
"Sandra?" Gerry called through to the living room.
"Oi, quieten down. Alexis is in bed." Sandra told him as she walked through to join him in the kitchen.
"Sorry, I was just wondering whether you wanted a drink."
"Yes please, I need to phone Strickland first though." He shot her a questioning look. "To get us both the week off."
"Ah okay."
She picked up the phone and scrolled through her contacts until she came across her boss' name.
"Everything okay Sandra?" Strickland asked as he answered the phone.
"Yes sir, I just needed to ask you if it was okay if Gerry and I could take the week off."
"But Sandra we need you here at UCOS."
"And Alexis needs me here, at least until she starts school next Monday."
"Okay, I suppose you can both take this week off, but I expect you both back in next Monday morning."
"We will be sir, thanks." She put the phone down and took the glass that Gerry was handing her. "I'm sorry Gerry, I'm exhausted. I'm off to bed." She leant across and kissed him passionately before heading for bed.
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"Mummy? Daddy? Wake up." Sandra opened her eyes to see Alexis stood at the end of the bed with tears streaming down her face.
"What's wrong baby?" Sandra asked just as Gerry woke up.
"He's coming for me."
"Who's coming for you princess?" Gerry asked her.
"Fake daddy. He's angry at me. He's coming to get me. Don't let him hurt me, please mummy." Alexis stood as more tears poured from her face. Sandra jumped out of bed and hugged Alexis tightly, she realised Alexis wasn't as unaffected by her past as she first seemed. "Don't let him get me mummy." Alexis managed to get out between sobs.
"Sweetie, I won't let him. He's not going anywhere near you ever again. Get into bed sweetie; your arms are getting cold. You can sleep with us tonight."
I hope this is okay, I can't promise how quick updates will be as life is pretty stressful at the moment but when ever I get a moment I will do my best to get something posted. Reviews welcome and thanks to anyone who's read and/or reviewed it means a lot.
Beth xxx