Chapter 141
"I forgot about this." Ryan said softly when he saw the formal invitation on his phone.
"Forgot about what?" Alex asked walking over to sit next to him on the couch, folding her legs beneath her and leaning over him to get the TV remote.
"You also forgot since you're asking me about it." He smirked hoping to feel less bad about it, since they only have a few hours to get ready for the event tonight. Ryan showing her the email, Alex's hand flying to her mouth when she saw it. "Ryan, that's tonight, I don't have anything to wear. And Phoebe, Shelby and Caleb is also going to the banquet as well as Nimah and Natalie." Alex rambled, Ryan putting a finger over her mouth to physically stop her. Taking the phone from her hand "the little ones are welcome as well, as there will be babysitters who will tend to them." Ryan read seeing Alex's eyebrow raise.
"I don't trust anyone to look after Phoebe." Alex became skeptical, when she saw her daughter emerge from her bedroom with a doll under her arm. "We're gonna check them out before we leave her there." Ryan pleaded, putting a hand on her abdomen, kissing her stomach gently. "And we'll introduce you to everyone there, buddy." He talked to her tummy rubbing the palm of his hand in circles around it.
"I'm your father. And I'm really looking forward to seeing you in nine months time." He laid his head down on Alex's tummy stretching the rest of his body out on the couch while looking the venue of the banquet up on Google Maps.
"Pheebs, guess what!" Ryan said turning his head looking at his daughter who also made her way to her mother's lap, sitting on her father's lap restraining him from trying to get up. Looking down at where he laid with big sparkly eyes. "We're have another baby!" Ryan said excitedly looking for the same reaction from his baby. "You're going to be a big sister." Alex said brushing her dark curls out of her face, at the moment it didn't look like she understood what was going on although her parents hoped her excitement will show by the time the baby gets here.
The group chat on Alex's phone were blasting as all the girls were asking what everyone were going to wear and what time they'll be at the venue. Excited and nervous at the same time none of them really knew what to expect. "Phoebe come let's look for something you can wear. Do we need to match our outfits?" Alex asked halfway in her walk backtracking to where her husband was. "I don't know sweetheart, I'll just put on a black suit, or the navy blue one." He shrugged thinking about a shirt that still needs ironing. "You can wear that tight black dress, I'm sure there's a little bump one can see." Ryan commented rubbing her stomach once again.
"Ryan I am six weeks, there's barely a baby bump." Alex laughed making her way to Phoebe's bedroom, holding her daughter's hand while the two of them are looking for outfits. "You coming with me and Dada to a fancy dinner tonight. Are you excited?" Alex asked and Phoebe made her way onto the lounger, jumping up and down on it while holding onto the back of the lounger.
"Phoebe Grace you're going to fall down again." Alex reprimanded once again and her daughter looked up at her mother with a smiling face. "I'm not smiling." Alex tried hard to keep a straight face walking over to Phoebe and picked her up, setting her down on the floor next to her while the two of them were fitting on dresses. Deciding on a black, tutu like dress with sparkly sequence on the top part. "Look at you." Ryan beamed standing in the doorway looking at his daughter. "This was the only one that fit properly, the rest I must give away." Alex said looking at the heaps of clothing that she has to give to Good Will because her daughter outgrown it. "You cannot do navy blue anymore, you have to do the black suit thing now." Alex said and Ryan nodded walking to the bedroom to iron his shirt while Phoebe paraded around in her dress.
Alex was standing at the sink, pouring out milk from Phoebe's bottle when Ryan creeped up from behind her, his hands on her stomach once again. "Can I tell everyone about this tonight?" Ryan asked and Alex smiled leaning her head against his. "You probably will regardless of what I say." Alex said turning to kiss the side of his head. "Because I'm excited, I ate rabbit for almost two weeks praying for this day to come." He reminded her of their stressful diet, "so I think I'm allowed to boast about our new arrival."
Alex got out of the shower and stood in front of the full length mirror, attending to the group chats on her phone before dressing herself further, hearing her daughter come up the stairs in her noisy way. "Mama?"
"Yes bub?" Alex turned around taking the chocolate bar from her little hand, biting a big piece of for herself before giving it back to Phoebe. "You and your father are giving me grey hairs." Alex told her daughter who was much more busy devouring the chocolate in her hand. "I'm not gonna ask who gave Phoebe that chocolate Ryan, because you'll probably end up telling me she wanted it. Funny how she never points to fruit whenever the two of you are alone." Alex said standing in front of the closet looking for the black dress she was supposed to put on. "It fell on the floor and she picked it up." Ryan shrugged getting back upstairs with his ironed shirt in hand.
"Phoebe, who gave you that chocolate?" Alex asked and the little girl with chocolate stained hands looked up at her parents, wiping her hands on the bed spread in her parent's room before pointing a finger in her father's direction. "Dada." She said simply and Alex looked at him with a victorious smile on her face.
"Pheebs I thought we talked about you ratting me out." He groaned walking towards the bathroom to get a wet wipe, trying to clean her hands and the smeared handprint on the bedspread only making the stain worse, up to a point where he had no choice but to remove it and throw it in the wash, with Alex's instructions to take Phoebe with home so she can finish getting dressed and doing make up in peace.
Dressed in an elegant long yet simple halter neck black dress, diamond stud earrings her hair in an elegant sleek middle path low ponytail, with dark red lips and a smoky eye Alex felt like she was ready for the night. Turning around in the mirror to watch herself from the side to see if there is a little baby bump and if Ryan is overthinking all of this.
"Alex are you ready to go?" Ryan yelled from downstairs as he finished packing Phoebe's bag, the part of trying to convince his wife to let her stay with the sitters at the venue will start once they get in the car. Certain that if she sees other familiar kids there she'll change her mind. "Yes Ryan I'm on my way." She mumbled to herself not loud enough for him to hear, as she made her way down the stairs.
"Mama!" Phoebe paused pointing a finger in the direction of her mother. "Wow, you look beautiful." Ryan said unable to tear his eyes way from his wife. "Thank you." Alex smiled shyly, gathering Phoebe's bags and a toy as they made their way out to the car. Phoebe's dark bouncy curls hanging loosely, a small silver headband around her head to keep it from hanging in her face.
During the car ride Phoebe was singing along to the radio in a language of her own, while Ryan stole glances at Alex who was looking out the window absentmindedly, until they turned into the venue where the banquet were held, sighing a sigh of relief when she saw familiar cars, now silently just hoping that if there was table arrangements that she doesn't end up with a bunch of weird people at her table, but that she and the usual bunch end up at a table together. Ryan got Phoebe out of the car seat since Alex didn't want to take that chance being a few weeks pregnant and carrying a toddler while walking with heels. All of those might not work out perfectly. They got to the door and their names were ticked off the list as they were directed inside, greeting people who were standing along the way, following the gestures of the waiters along the corridors directing them to the room with the nannies.
They entered and Phoebe froze for a moment looking over at some of the kids, who were playing on the floor. Seeing Shelby and Natalie, Alex breathed a sigh of relief knowing there were some familiar faces also. "You want to go play with them Pheebs?" Ryan asked and Phoebe looked at him, clutching onto him, taking little fistfuls of his jacket as an attempt to try and get him not to leave her here alone, laying her head on his shoulder.
Alex walks over to the other side of Ryan, where Phoebe was facing a wall, "hey bub, it's gonna be okay. Dada and I will be downstairs and I promise we'll come check up on you." Alex tried rubbing a hand up and down her daughter's little back, and she straightened up a bit looking at her mother. "And you're not alone little CJ's here, and Renata." Alex said pointing to the familiar faces, her face lighting up when she saw Renata's wide smile as she waves at the toddler friendly. That seemed to be enough motivation for Phoebe as she made her way down her father's arms and over to Renata. Alex walking behind her to give one of the nannies her bag, and explaining some of the things to her, while she ensures Alex not to worry about them but to enjoy their time downstairs.
Both Alex and Ryan kissing her goodbye, but she soon seems to forget about them, making her way over to a box in the corner with some building blocks, her parents watching from the door until they seemed satisfied that she'll be okay as they made their way downstairs. Ryan lacing his fingers with Alex's as they walked back slowly. "I want to kiss you so badly right now." He said softly feeling like someone on a first date not sure when the right moment would be to kiss his date. "Well what's stopping you?" Alex asked stopping in a dark little corner, as Ryan leans in to capture her lips, smiling slightly as they pull away. Alex wiping a light red stain off his lips with her thumb as they made their way back to the party.
Hugging and greeting everyone downstairs, as they check out the table setting, grateful to see the usual bunch are sitting together. A meet and greet soon followed as Ryan introduced Alex to people she's never met before, but seemed to know her husband. Hoping the first couple she met would be the last but it went on for a few more minutes, until Ryan told her they'd slowly leave this side of the hotel so they won't have to do this again until at least the end of the night. Meeting up with the squad again, while the men made their way to the open bar, a waiter came past serving champagne. Without thinking twice Alex grabbed a glass as the rest of the girls did, but as soon as she had it in her hand she put it back down, and opted for the juice that came around by another waiter.
"Is there something we should know?" Nimah asked swallowing the first glass in one gulp, trading her empty glass for a filled one. "Don't judge me. I cannot do these things sober, it goes on forever. You were saying, Alex?" Nimah continued and the attention of the other two shifted to Alex again who stood there, knocking the back of her wedding bands against the clear crystal of the glass. "I'm six weeks pregnant." She said softly as a small smile appeared on her face while she tried to hide her blushing face.
"Yes! Finally!" Natalie laughed hugging her. "I need to go congratulate the Special Agent on a job well done!" Nimah said when it was her turn to hug Alex, Shelby waiting her turn to repeat the action. "Guys please, I don't want the whole world knowing about this yet." Alex said shyly when the guys returned from the bar, and they made their way over to their table.
Soon after they were summoned to the table, a three course meal were served with a selection of wine, hot beverages, juice or water while different artists were entertaining them during the course of dinner. The food was good, looking like it did on TV or in really expensive restaurants but it was worth it. Right before dessert there were speeches amongst others from Liam and Maranda and some other people who were holding down top positions in the Bureau who Alex has never heard their names, until tonight. Shortly after that the women disappeared together making their way to the bathroom, which was always mind blowing to the guys because they had no idea why women had to leave for the bathroom in groups. If they were to do the same it sure would cause people to talk and ask questions, so instead of going to the bathroom in a group they made another trip to the open bar.
Before going to the bathroom, they peeked into the room where the kids were, smiling from outside the door as Alex opened it, looking round the room until she laid eyes on her bundle of energy. Phoebe was busy throwing a ball around between four newly made friends who must've joined in the time they left because she didn't know the girls who her daughter were playing with. The sitters, walking amongst them, while another group were keeping on track with the feeding schedule of the little ones who needed their bottles. When Alex and Shelby were satisfied they made their way to the bathroom and then back to the grown ups.
After dessert was served the singers disappeared and the orchestra started playing some nice music, as the couples got up one by one making their way over to the dancefloor, dancing on the music. "We can go home now if you want." Ryan whispered in Alex's ear. "Why are you so eager to leave?" She asked looking up at him smirking as they swayed on the music. "I'm imaging how good you'll look without this dress on." He said fidgeting with the zipper of her dress deliberately. "Need I remind you Agent Booth, that you've succeed in getting me knocked up, so your purpose was served." She smirked seeing the look on Ryan's face. "It's gonna be a long nine months." She laughed kissing his mouth quickly as the song ended.
Hey guys. I got a request for a banquet a few days ago from Erin, now sure if I did this justice because I wrote this totally based on research. Not sure when the next update will be because my classes are starting again tomorrow and I have an article to read for tomorrow that I didn't even get to yet. Don't worry I'll get up at 5AM and read it then, it still means I'm prepared right? I'm just hoping it'll be a smooth Monday without glitches. OMW I want to write so much more in these authors notes but I don't want to get too personal (sorry if I do at times, I just feel comfortable with my FanficFam). Anyway, thanks for all the love guys hope you enjoy.
Lovies-S
