Chapter Thirty-Three:
"Bye Jake!" she waved at the mischievous little rascal. Smiling at the wide grin he sent her way. "Thank you so much for watching him, Sheridan," Gwen said. Hugging her. "Since Ali wasn't at Pilar's today, I didn't want to bother her. Jake can be quite a handful. He drives Mother crazy," she said with a smile.
Sheridan shuddered at the sudden image of Rebecca Hotchkiss screeching her head off that popped into her head. Wonderful, she thought. I can't even remember my own husband, but that, that woman stuck in my memory. "Call me later," she called to Gwen as she got into the car with Hank and Jake. "I promise."
She closed the door behind her and let out the breath she'd been holding almost all day. "Mommy," Ali giggled. "You look like Nana does when Jake goes home." "Ali," she laughed. "What am I going to do with you?" she said scooping her up in her arms and kissing her silly. "What do you say about a nice, relaxing bubble bath, sweetie?"
"Oh Mommy!" she squealed. "I love bubble baths." Grinning at her adorably. Then hugging her neck. Extra tight. "A bubble bath it is," she said. Setting her down on her feet and taking her little hand in hers. And leading her down the hall to the bathroom.
She sighed in pleasure as she sank into the warm water. A smile threatening to take over her entire face as Ali mimicked her every action. Right down to the expression of complete contentment on her little face. "Come here, baby," she whispered. Pulling her tiny body closer and squeezing her tight.
"I love you, Mommy," Ali said sweetly. Cuddling up against her. "I love you, too," she answered. Wiping bubbles on her cute little nose and laughing when she did the same. Soon they were engaged in an all-out bubble war. They were having so much fun neither one noticed Luis standing in the doorway. Sporting an amused smile.
Until they heard his soft laughter. "Daddy!" Ali squealed in delight. "You're home." Holding her arms out for a hug. He looked at her, into her eyes as if asking if it were okay. "Hi Luis," she said. She felt her heart speed up as he closed the distance between the tub and the door. Kneeling on the floor and hugging Ali's soapy little body close. Her heart pounded as he kissed her cheek.
"Missed my girls today," he whispered. Dark eyes sparkling. She blushed under his intense gaze. Looked away unable to meet his brown eyes any longer. Ali happily sang to herself. Blissfully unaware. She sighed in relief when the phone rang. Grateful he went to answer it. She was afraid her heart was going to beat right out of her chest if he didn't leave soon.
She washed Ali's long blond hair and her own. Then got out of the tub. Wrapping Ali's little body in a towel and laughing at the picture she made. The towel practically swallowed her whole. She slipped on her robe before picking her back up into her arms and carrying her to her room. "I'm so tired, Mommy," Ali yawned. By the time she finished putting her pyjamas on her, Ali was out like a light.
Softly she padded into the living room. Expecting to see Luis. Waiting for her. Waiting to tell her about his day. Hear about hers. About how she survived a day with Ali--and Jake--all by herself. She found him on the sofa. Fast asleep. She smiled at him tenderly. Running her fingers through his hair--a feeling of familiarity coursing through her veins. Then she switched off the lamp. Curled up against him. And closed her eyes letting sleep overtake her.
"Bye Jake!" she waved at the mischievous little rascal. Smiling at the wide grin he sent her way. "Thank you so much for watching him, Sheridan," Gwen said. Hugging her. "Since Ali wasn't at Pilar's today, I didn't want to bother her. Jake can be quite a handful. He drives Mother crazy," she said with a smile.
Sheridan shuddered at the sudden image of Rebecca Hotchkiss screeching her head off that popped into her head. Wonderful, she thought. I can't even remember my own husband, but that, that woman stuck in my memory. "Call me later," she called to Gwen as she got into the car with Hank and Jake. "I promise."
She closed the door behind her and let out the breath she'd been holding almost all day. "Mommy," Ali giggled. "You look like Nana does when Jake goes home." "Ali," she laughed. "What am I going to do with you?" she said scooping her up in her arms and kissing her silly. "What do you say about a nice, relaxing bubble bath, sweetie?"
"Oh Mommy!" she squealed. "I love bubble baths." Grinning at her adorably. Then hugging her neck. Extra tight. "A bubble bath it is," she said. Setting her down on her feet and taking her little hand in hers. And leading her down the hall to the bathroom.
She sighed in pleasure as she sank into the warm water. A smile threatening to take over her entire face as Ali mimicked her every action. Right down to the expression of complete contentment on her little face. "Come here, baby," she whispered. Pulling her tiny body closer and squeezing her tight.
"I love you, Mommy," Ali said sweetly. Cuddling up against her. "I love you, too," she answered. Wiping bubbles on her cute little nose and laughing when she did the same. Soon they were engaged in an all-out bubble war. They were having so much fun neither one noticed Luis standing in the doorway. Sporting an amused smile.
Until they heard his soft laughter. "Daddy!" Ali squealed in delight. "You're home." Holding her arms out for a hug. He looked at her, into her eyes as if asking if it were okay. "Hi Luis," she said. She felt her heart speed up as he closed the distance between the tub and the door. Kneeling on the floor and hugging Ali's soapy little body close. Her heart pounded as he kissed her cheek.
"Missed my girls today," he whispered. Dark eyes sparkling. She blushed under his intense gaze. Looked away unable to meet his brown eyes any longer. Ali happily sang to herself. Blissfully unaware. She sighed in relief when the phone rang. Grateful he went to answer it. She was afraid her heart was going to beat right out of her chest if he didn't leave soon.
She washed Ali's long blond hair and her own. Then got out of the tub. Wrapping Ali's little body in a towel and laughing at the picture she made. The towel practically swallowed her whole. She slipped on her robe before picking her back up into her arms and carrying her to her room. "I'm so tired, Mommy," Ali yawned. By the time she finished putting her pyjamas on her, Ali was out like a light.
Softly she padded into the living room. Expecting to see Luis. Waiting for her. Waiting to tell her about his day. Hear about hers. About how she survived a day with Ali--and Jake--all by herself. She found him on the sofa. Fast asleep. She smiled at him tenderly. Running her fingers through his hair--a feeling of familiarity coursing through her veins. Then she switched off the lamp. Curled up against him. And closed her eyes letting sleep overtake her.