Brunch
"I really don't want you to go." AJ sighed, sitting up in bed as she watched Punk close his suitcase. It was around 5am and he was headed for the airport to catch his flight to California. She wanted him to stay desperately now that it had come down to it, but she knew he had to go.
"I don't wanna go either." Punk nodded, "But I'll see you soon. It won't be as bad as you think." He said, "I'll be back here in no time." He said, tilting his suitcase up as AJ just frowned, getting out of bed and walking over to him, wrapping her arms around him tightly as he smiled and hugged her back.
"Please don't meet a maid in the hotel you're staying at." She said as Punk laughed a little.
"That was strictly a one-time thing." He said, kissing her head and rubbing her back softly, "I'll call you when I land." He said as she pulled back from the hug and nodded, "Remember if you need anything you just call my mom or Renee. Anything at all." He said as AJ nodded.
"I know." AJ said, "Be safe and… good luck on the trial." She said, cupping his cheek softly as he smiled, leaning down and pressing his lips against hers, tugging her into him by the waist as she kissed back. She was going to miss that kiss, but she had to tell herself she'd have it very soon.
"Ok." He said as he crouched down in eye level with her stomach as AJ smiled to herself, "You take care of your mom, little guy." Punk said.
"Stop saying little guy. Could be a little girl." AJ shook her head.
"Well I gotta call it something. I hate saying it." He said, "I know it's a little guy anyway."
"Oh, you know?" AJ laughed a little.
"Just a feeling." Punk shrugged, kissing her stomach and standing back up straight as she smiled, "I will see you soon, alright?" He said as AJ nodded.
"One more kiss." She said as he smiled, leaning down and pressing his lips against hers as she kissed him passionately, pulling back as she watched him grab his suitcase and head out of the bedroom, "One more?" She said as he laughed to himself, turning back around as she walked over to him, grabbing his face and kissing him again.
"I really gotta go now." Punk told her, pulling back from the kiss as AJ nodded.
"Ok." AJ sighed, "Call me as soon as you land." She said.
"I will." He said, "Go back to bed. It's still early." He told her as she nodded.
"I can walk you to the door." She shrugged as Punk just laughed to himself, leaving the bedroom and carrying his suitcase down the stairs as AJ followed, "Once I get the rota this week for work, I'll let you know when I can fly out." She said as Punk nodded, patting Milo on the head who had woken up and made his way to the door.
"Ok. You can let me know." Punk said, "I'll see you soon." He said as she nodded, watching him open up the door and head to the car as she watched him and sighed.
She watched him all the way until he drove off before she closed the door over. It wasn't that she felt completely unsafe when he wasn't there, but his presence really always did help her feel safe and comforted. She hadn't forgotten about the window incident. She knew she maybe overreacted, but she knew what she felt. But she had to convince herself she'd be fine.
"C'mon, let's go back to bed." AJ said to Milo tiredly as the dog ran upstairs as AJ followed whilst yawning. It was still dark outside and she needed her sleep.
AJ woke up a few hours later after having a long lie in. She got up and showered before heading downstairs for breakfast.
"Milo, should I have cereal for breakfast or the rest of the apple pie?" AJ hummed to herself as Milo sat looking over at her, "Apple pie?" She nodded, "Mhm, I thought so too." She said, taking the tray out and walking over to the table with it, sitting down with it as she suddenly heard the front door open.
"It's only me." Grace said loud enough for her to hear as AJ watched her walk into the kitchen, "What is that you're eating?" She looked over with concern.
"Apple pie." AJ shrugged, "It tastes so good." She shook her head as Grace just smiled.
"I'm sure it does but you can't have that for breakfast." She shook her head, "I was going to take you out."
"Oh, really. It's ok. I know Phil probably told you to keep checking up on me but I'm ok. You don't have to baby me." AJ said.
"I'm not. I just thought you'd like some company." Grace said, "I am going to spoil you whether you like it or not. I'm having another grandbaby thanks to you." She said.
"I didn't do it all on my own." AJ said as Grace nodded.
"Mhm, I do know the biology of it all." Grace smiled, "How have you been feeling?" She asked.
"Ok." AJ nodded, "The morning sickness phase has seemed to pass. I've got a little bump now." She said, standing up and rolling her t-shirt up to show her, "See." She said as Grace smiled.
"Sounds like you're already getting used to it." Grace smiled, sitting her purse down and taking a seat at the table.
"I am." AJ nodded, "I just wish Phil was here. He only left a few hours ago and I already miss him." She sighed.
"You'll see him soon." Grace said, "And he'll call." She nodded, "Do you have work today?" She asked.
"Yeah, I'm doing a dinner shift." AJ groaned a little.
"Well c'mon. I'm taking you out for brunch." Grace said, "No way out. You're coming." She said, "I done the same with Renee and I'll do the same with you." She said, "And maybe… we can go into a baby store on the way home." She said, "I don't know about you but I can't wait to start buying things." She said as AJ laughed a little.
"Let me go get my coat." AJ smiled. There were positive vibes around. She was still completely nervous and worried about being a mom, but once they both saw the baby together, and the more people knew about it, she was beginning to have a close connection with the baby, and the love she already had for it was so strong.
"Can I have French toast, bacon, pancakes, oh, you do waffles too?" AJ noticed on the menu, "Waffles too, can you make sure there is plenty of bacon?" She asked, "And a vanilla milkshake." She said.
"Is that… is that everything?" The waitress asked as AJ nodded.
"I think so." AJ nodded, glancing around the menu to see if she wanted anything else, "Yeah, that's me." She decided, handing her menu over.
"I'll just have the French toast." Grace said, "And a coffee." She said, handing her menu over as AJ cringed a little.
"Way to make me look fat." AJ said, once the waitress left the table, "I'll pay, there's no way you're paying for it when I ordered the entire menu." She said as Grace just smiled.
"I'm paying." Grace said as AJ smiled.
"I uh… I wanna thank you for being so good with me." AJ said, "I just sort of came into your life really quickly and now I'm having a baby and… you don't have to be as nice as what you're being, and I appreciate it." She nodded, "I don't have a very good mother so… it's nice." She said as Grace smiled.
"You're part of the family, April." Grace said, "Just because you've been with my son for a short period of time doesn't mean I'd treat you any different." She said, "You mean a lot to Phil. And you make him happy which is all I want for him." She smiled, "Since you mentioned it… have you told your parents you're pregnant?" She asked.
"No." AJ shook her head, "And I don't plan to." She said, "I don't think they'd bother anyway." She shrugged, "They weren't ideal parents growing up. Mom is bipolar like me, dad… done all sorts of illegal jobs just to get money." She said, "And my brother got out and joined the army as soon as he could."
"So it's always been tough?" Grace asked as AJ nodded.
"Ever since I can remember." AJ nodded, "They just looked to me for money to pay their bills. Mom used to call me forty times a day. She was paranoid that I wouldn't be at work. She'd just… put me down at any chance she could. I could tell the days she hadn't taken her meds." She said.
"Must have been hard." Grace sighed.
"It was but I'm not gonna dwell on the past." She shook her head, "Things are looking up for me now. I… I cut all ties with them, and I do think about them all the time, they're still my parents, but… up until before I came here, I'd never done anything for myself." She shook her head, "Now I can go to university. I have a job with a decent pay. I have Phil, an amazing home… a family." She nodded, "I always think that it looks like I just… used Phil to get out of the horrid life I was living but… I know I didn't. He was the first person to tell me to go out there and start living. It all goes by so fast." She shook her head.
"He's right." Grace said, "It felt like yesterday that Dean and Phil were just ten years old. I used to hear other mothers at school and eventually at high school, telling me about all the terrible things their sons would say to them and do to them, how they'd steal from their purse and other awful things and… Dean and Phil were like angels." She said, "I mean, don't get me wrong, they had their moments, more so Phil than Dean, but they were very grateful little kids." She nodded.
"Well they had a great mother." AJ smiled to her, "Phil thinks we're having a boy." She said as Grace smiled.
"I think it's a girl." Grace shook her head, "But I would love a grandson." She nodded.
"I don't know. I've not got a feeling about it yet." AJ admitted, "I think I want a boy too, just because he'd be so cute like Phil." AJ said.
"Phil was a cute kid." Grace nodded, "Time will only tell." Grace smiled.
"Sometimes I do find it hard to believe that he's never had feelings for anyone other than me." AJ admitted, "He even told me that the first crush he had, he slept with her sister so that she would hate him." She shook her head.
"I think he was just scared." Grace said, "Although he didn't know his parents, he knew they'd left him, so I can only assume that he thought if he got close to someone, they'd leave too." She said, "You were obviously different." She said as AJ smiled to herself.
"Well he's stuck with my ass now I've got his kid." AJ said playfully as Grace smiled.
"It's gonna be a lucky kid." Grace smiled.
A/N: Let me know what you think!
