Chapter 70

"You're going to kill me but I had to do it." Simone started her apology before Alex could say anything else. "What did you do?" The brunette asked from the other side of the door. Simone opened the door wider and let herself in. "Where's my niece and brother?" She asked scanning the lounge when she didn't see any of the two. "Ryan's getting ready for work and Phoebe's in the nursery in her crib." Alex answered closing the door behind her, walking with her arms crossed towards the dining room table. "But don't beat around the bush Simone Booth, what did you do?" Alex questioned and her sister in law took a deep breath before starting.

"Last night when I got to the hotel I called mom and Sita and I told them about what happened to you. And they were really upset that you didn't say anything earlier and now they're on their way over and will be here for lunch. I'm gonna check on Phoebe." Simone ended her statement and dashed off down the hall towards the nursery, before Alex could say anything else.

"Where's my prettiest niece in the whole wide world?" Simone asked walking up to the crib to pick her up. She was dressed in a pink dress and white leggings. A pink narrow hair band around her head with her light brown curls sticking out in all directions, her blue eyes shining bright. "You look so pretty. You do know she looks more like Alex every time I see you." Simone noticed when she walked out of the nursery with the baby in her arms. "She does not. She looks like her father." Ryan defended himself although he has to admit she did have a lot of features in common with her mother.

"And no Simone, we're not giving you coffee again. Shouldn't you be at a conference or something?" The older brother asked. "Yeah, but no one will notice of I'm late. Go to work Alex and I need to discuss your bad habits." She joked with him. When Phoebe heard her father's voice she started scanning the room until she laid eyes on him and tried to get out of Simone's hold so she can go over to him. "Be a good girl form Mommy today, Pheebs. I love you." He said kissing her repeatedly before kissing his wife and hand handing his daughter back to her aunt. "See you, baby bird." Ryan greeted Simone.

"Bye, weirdo." She replied smiling when he closed the door behind him.

"Since I'm having people over for lunch, should I cook something?" Alex asked Simone who shook her head vigorously. "Nope. You just act as if you didn't know they were coming over." She answered nonchalantly taking a seat on the couch. "Okay. I would've offered to make you coffee but you ranted me out so you'll have to do it yourself." Alex said smiling. "You are such a friendly person Alexandra Booth." Simone laughed getting up from the couch and making the few steps over to the open plan kitchen.

Simone stayed and didn't plan on going to the first session of her conference she was suppose to attend but said she'll make up for it in the second session and tell them a family emergency came up. Alex took this time to take a long bath while Phoebe and her Aunt were watching Barney. Alex heard Simone sing along to some of the songs and Phoebe attempting to mimic her aunt in a language only known to babies.

Phoebe took a nap after Simone left and Alex got a load of washing started and tidied up around the house before her guests arrived for lunch. You can hardly call them guests they're family. Once she was done she took to researching her idea about starting Phoebe on formula and having to call the pediatrician on the matter asking if three months was too early. From what she gathered there is no specific age on when to start it but a professionals opinion would put her at ease. A few knocks on the door cut her research short and she got up to get it.

"Hey, Theresa." Alex greeted her mother in law who tried not looking at the fading marks on her neck, but instead hugged her longer and tighter before letting go. "Hello Ma." Alex smiled hugging her own mother who mimicked Theresa's action and sniffed a little." Don't be naughty, no crying." Alex pointed a finger at her mother who smiled and shook her head.

"Are you okay? Why didn't you call when it happened?" Theresa asked taking a seat at the kitchen counter. "I didn't want to bother you guys. And I'm over the worst I'll be going back to work next week." Alex tried to put the two of her mother's at ease, not that it worked. "So if Simone didn't call we wouldn't have known about this?" Sita asked her daughter. "Probably not." Alex shook her head, knowing that wasn't the best answer she could've given but it was the truth. "I didn't want you guys to worry about me, I'm supposed to be all grown and have these things figured out." She admitted. "You are never too old for mother's care. And from today on I need you to promise us that whenever something happen to you Phoebe or Ryan, we want to know Lex." Theresa concluded making sure she understood. She nodded in agreement.

"Where my niece at?" Simone asked when she walked through the front door. "She's been AWOL at work the whole day." Alex laughed when her sister in law made her appearance again for the second time that day. "It's lunch time now, second half doesn't yet. I have an hour to kill." She answered the questioning looks on Theresa and Sita's faces. "She's taking a nap but she'll be up in about half an hour." Alex said when Simone returned to the lounge without Phoebe. Nadia showed up a little while later joining the four others.

They ordered pizza and sat down in the lounge, eating from the box, and feet on the couch laughing and talking away. Alex told the story about what happened once again hopefully for the last time. Sita told them about what a badass her daughter was in primary school and how she was called into the school frequently. "The first day of school when Alex came home, there was a note in her bag from the teacher saying she punched a guy for pulling her friends hair. And that was the beginning of all the trouble from that day forward." Sita reminisced about her daughter's behavior for three years in primary school until she calmed down. "If he didn't pull Sarah's hair we wouldn't have had trouble but he started it." Alex defended her actions, seeing how the rest laughed at how badly behaved she was at some stages in her life.

Phoebe made it known after a while that she felt abandoned when she heard all the laugher come from the lounge and no one paid attention to her. "I'll get her." Nadia offered getting up and walking towards the nursery to get her niece. "Hello pretty girl." She cooed over the baby bringing her into the company of the other ladies of the family. Grandmothers making taking turns to hold her and talk to her while she enjoyed all the attention she got. After about an hour Simone excused herself to attend her second half of the conference and promised Alex she won't be on her doorstep in the morning to beg for some coffee. Half an hour later the rest left and it was just Phoebe and her mother home alone until the man of the house came back.

Alex contemplated nursing her but decided otherwise. She bought formula earlier the month when she went grocery shopping and decided to try it out now. Taking it from the back of the cupboard. She was still a bit skeptical on not having a professional's opinion on it but she was sure it wasn't such a big deal. Besides, if it wasn't suppose to be given to three month old babies why would there be an age on the tin that says she can give it from three months onwards. She made the formula according to instructions and when it was ready gave it to Phoebe. Not sure how it would go but to her surprise her daughter finished the bottle without any hassles. "Well that went better than I expected. So this is how we're gonna do things from now on?" Alex asked her smiley daughter. Laying her down so she could start dinner.

"Hey beautiful." Ryan greeted walking up behind his wife hugging her from behind where she stood in front of the stove. "You always make me wonder what you did when you greet me like that." Alex teased turning around to kiss him. "You always think the worst of me don't you?" He asked pretending to be hurt. "From time to time I do yes." She laughed. Phoebe whining when she heard her father's voice. "Phoebe Grace Booth no no no. You were fine this whole time when we were alone what's going on now?" Alex asked from the kitchen at her daughter's new behavior whenever her father entered the room. "Mommy's just jealous." Ryan laughed at how cute she was being, the moment he picked her up it was all over. "Stop being so cute girl!" Ryan kissed her taking a seat on the couch.

During dinner Alex told him about the visit she had earlier today and how nice it was seeing them again. He informed her on some of the interesting things that was happening at work and Caleb who started stressing about Shelby's pregnancy cravings not thinking it is normal for someone to eat the kind of foods his wife has been eating the past two weeks. After wards Ryan did the dishes and Alex went upstairs to give Phoebe a bath.

Ryan cleared the dining room table taking the dishes to the sink when the formula standing in the corner of the counter caught his eye. He didn't think much of it at first but when he reached over and opened it seeing the seal was broken he was hoping it wasn't what he thought it was. He remembered vaguely that Alex mentioned something like that but he wasn't really paying close attention to it, but now it seemed like she was serious about it. He finished cleaning up downstairs and contemplated how he would address the issue.

She came downstairs a while later retrieving a bottle for when she noticed the formula tin had shifted from the position where it stood but she didn't think much of it. "When did you start her on formula?" Ryan asked his wife. "I told you I'm considering it a few days ago." She answered opening the cupboard to get an Oreo from the box, not understanding why he is making such a big deal out of it. "Why? Did you talk to her pediatrician about it? Isn't that stuff unhealthy for a baby of her age?" He asked leaning against the counter. "Ryan why are you making such a big deal out of this?" Alex asked feeling frustrated.

"Why am I making such a big dea…Alex are you kidding me! Of course this is a big deal she's three months old. I'm pretty sure there's a reason you have breast milk naturally so you don't have to go out and buy formula, which I don't even think is healthy." He answered clearly just as frustrated as his wife is right now. The two of them seemingly looking at this from different viewpoints. "If it wasn't healthy I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have been on the shelves. And it's more convenient than having to pump for half the day." Alex told him not having the strength for arguing right now.

"I turned out perfectly fine from not nursing on my mom and I'm sure Phoebe will too." She tried to end the argument. "What if she gets sick and ends up in hospital again from it?" He questioned refusing to let it end there since he wants her to see reason in this. "Last time I checked I wasn't the one who took her to a pharmacist first before deciding to get her to a hospital, now was I?" That was a low blow she had to admit and it was petty to say that but she can't take it back. "Wow Alex, you really still blaming me for that?" Ryan asked taking a seat at the counter.

"For once just stop over thinking and assuming the worst will happen!" Alex said ready to put an end to this argument. "Excuse me for just wanting the best for my daughter, which seems like something that's not a priority for you right now." He answered looking up at her. Alex stood at the opposite side of the counter facing him. "Ryan, I'm done with this argument." Alex shook her head walking back up towards the bedroom, hoping she could momentarily escape the tension there was between her and her husband right now.

Hey guys! Someone suggested they have a little argument about baby stuff, here it is. I have to add my knowledge on baby formula and when babies start it is limited, I researched a few of it upon writing this chapter. Hope I did it justice and met your expectations. Thanks for reading. Lovies-S.