It had been a few days since AJ and Punk's run in regarding their new other half's. The only time they had been seeing each other was when dropping the kids off or picking them up. They hadn't spoke a word to each other yet, and unfortunately for both of them, they had to interact to figure out what they were doing with the kids for Easter. Punk wanted to have them for the day, but of course, AJ did too, and it was something they had to discuss.
"I uh… wanted to talk to you about Easter." Punk said, taking a hold of AJ's arm before she left his house. The kids were already strapped into the car ready to go home to their mother's whilst AJ had their small backpacks in hand.
"We always go to my mom's for dinner." AJ told him truthfully, "She always cooks dinner, has an Easter egg hunt for the kids." AJ told him.
"I didn't even know you still spoke to your mom." Punk admitted truthfully. He hadn't heard AJ mention her mother once since he'd been in Puerto Rico. Maybe she just never got round to it, but he just suspected they didn't see each other.
"Of course I do." AJ said.
"Why'd you need a babysitter then?" Punk questioned curiously.
"My mom is seventy, retired and struggling on her own. You think I'd dump her with three kids for eight hours each day?" She raised her eyebrows.
"Well I didn't know she was seventy, did I?" Punk scoffed with rolling eyes, "So I'm taking it you want the kids for Easter?" He asked.
"Yeah." AJ nodded, "I'll bring them over on the Monday. It's just… we always go-"
"It's fine." Punk said, "I can occupy myself for the day without them." Punk nodded, "Is uh… Jeff going with you?" He asked hesitantly as she looked up at him.
"No." She told him, "Not that it concerns you." She added.
"Well it does, April. Those are my kids in that car incase you haven't noticed." Punk said as AJ looked out into the car where the three kids were strapped in, in the back seat.
"Yeah, and they're my kids too, Phil. You aren't in control of who they see. You wanted to separate, so guess what? We make separate decisions. If you want your… girlfriend..." She said with a small amount of disgust to her voice "To see the kids, then that's ok with me." She said as he rolled his eyes.
"Oh, you're sure about that, because you can't even get the word girlfriend out." Punk said, "I know you can't stand the thought of the kids having any sort of step mom." He said.
"I'm fine with it." AJ said, trying to convince herself never mind Punk, "In fact, we should meet. Yeah, maybe we could even double date." She smiled up at him as he grunted under his breath.
"I think I'll pass." Punk laughed as she scowled.
"I still want to meet her." AJ said, "I better get going, they're going to be getting hungry." She said, going down the two steps to Punk's door.
"Tell the kids to enjoy their Easter." Punk said as she nodded, watching her head on out to the car, placing their backpacks in the passengers side as she got in to drive. It was still remarkable to see her walking so confidently. She had recovered amazingly. She still had to go to physio therapy for her back, and was on medication for life of course with her head, but never would you have expected her to be half paralysed no more than a few months ago. Although very heated right now, he couldn't deny how strong his ex wife really was.
"April, they are getting so big. Especially little Nick." AJ's mother, Teresa said. She was an older lady and was struggling to get by on her own, but AJ made sure she visited as regularly as she could. For the kids sake also, so they could meet their grandmother. Unfortunately they couldn't remember much of their grandfather. He died not long after they came out to Puerto Rico, and now it was just her mother.
"I know." AJ nodded with a smile, both of them standing in the kitchen, watching the kids look around the back garden for their Easter egg hunt. AJ knew her mother always went to a lot of trouble when they visited, and with her age and her slowing down state, she really appreciated it, "I really don't want them to grow up." She admitted with a small chuckle.
"Oh, they're still just babies. It's a lifetime away until you have to deal with them being grown up." Teresa said.
"You know how fast time goes by, mom." AJ said, "It felt like just yesterday I was having Harli." She said.
"I know, sweetheart. But you're still young. Got your whole life ahead of you with them." She said as AJ smiled. Her mother always had a warm heart from as long as she could remember. It really hurt her to know she was slowing down in life and struggling more.
"I know." AJ smiled, "How are you? Have you been ok?" She asked.
"Oh, you know. Just getting by, dear." Teresa smiled, "I go for my walk every morning. I've actually been looking at those small dogs… to keep me company." She said as AJ smiled.
"That's a really good idea actually." AJ said, "Especially with the walks in the morning." She said as Teresa nodded.
"But I'm not sure. Maybe it will be too much work for me." She laughed a little.
"Well I'd be happy to help out." AJ told her mother with a positive smile as Teresa nodded.
But when AJ turned to face out the window, looking on at the excitement in the kids faces, she seen at the corner of her eye as her mother dropped her mug of tea on the kitchen tiles, smashing it into a million pieces.
"Mom!"
"Who keeps calling you?" Brie moaned, straddling Punk's hips in the centre of his bed, having just leaned up from buried into his neck, having been catching her eye on the repeated phone calls he had been getting through his cell phone on the bedside cabinet.
"It's no one. Who cares?" Punk shook his head without thought, pulling her back down, pressing his lips against her own as the phone yet again began to vibrate on the night-stand, "For crying out loud-" Punk spat as Brie collapsed beside him with a sigh, watching him sit up and grab the phone.
He knew it was AJ, but he could only assume she was phoning for something that was no doubt not important.
"What?" He answered, his anger settling as he began to hear muffled breathing down the phone with soft whimpers, "April?" He stood up from the bed, grabbing his shirt as he listened to his upset ex through the phone, all the while Brie watched and listened out of curiosity.
"I'll be right there." Punk said as Brie sighed, "I'm leaving just now." He said, hanging up on the phone as he shimmied his jeans on and turned to see Brie getting her things.
"Who was that?" Brie asked, already knowing who it was.
"It was AJ. Her-Her mother's just died." Punk said as Brie nodded.
"That's a shame." Brie said sincerely, "I hope she's ok." She said.
"I'm gonna go… you know, get the kids, see if she's ok… you don't mind, do you?" He asked as Brie shook her head.
"Not at all." Brie smiled kindly, "She clearly needs someone. Why wouldn't she phone you?" Brie said as Punk tilted his head.
"It's nothing like-"
"Of course it isn't." Brie nodded, "I'll tell you what, Phil. You let me know when you want to start taking this seriously. I am fed up being your bit on the side." She said.
"Brie." Punk sighed, "C'mon, her mom has just died."
"It's not just about that, is it?" Brie said, "Who are you trying to kid on here? Me? Her? Yourself?" She said, "I told you, I'm not setting myself up to get hurt here. You have to- you have to figure this out." She said, "Tell April I'm sorry for her loss." Brie said sincerely, walking by Punk and out of the bedroom, rushing down the stairs and leaving immediately as Punk sighed, running his hand through his hair.
About just less than an hour later, Punk arrived at AJ's house where she had gone back to with the kids after the ambulance took her mother away. She was still in complete shock, and trying to pretend everything was ok for the sake of her kids was incredibly hard.
As soon as she heard the door, she shot up immediately from the couch she had been dazing out on, and let Punk in straight away who examined her to see if she was ok, of course not expecting her to be.
"Hey, are you ok?" He asked her, following her into the living room as she just shook her head, placing her hand over her mouth as a few tears rolled down her cheek, threatening more and more of them, "Hey, it's ok." Punk sighed, pulling her in as she mutually fell into him, taking advantage of his embrace that she desperately needed.
"It just happened so fast. Right in front… right in front of me." She cried as he rubbed her back in circular notions.
"I'm here." Punk said, "Let it all out. I'm right here." He told her, it still breaking his heart to see her in so much pain. She seemed to be looking forward to seeing her mother. It was such a tragic shame and he was so willing to be here for her, despite what they had going on around them.
AJ hadn't even realised that he was the first person she immediately called after 911. There was no hesitation, and she realised why. Because this embrace. His arms wrapped around her. His calming words. Just him being here. It made her just that little bit better, even in the saddest of times. She had phoned Jeff, multiple times after Punk hadn't answered the first few times, but he hadn't responded, and still hadn't.
She was just glad someone was here. And secretly glad that it was Phil who was here. She needed him right now. More than she ever thought she would.
A/N: What a shame! Wonder how it will all play out. Thanks for the reviews, drop another on this chapter and let me know what you think! Thanks again and enjoy the Easter weekend everybody!
