I know it's been a while since I updated this story but finally here is a new chapter, I hope you enjoy.
Recovery
Part XVI
Addie opened her eyes; it was dark in her room and took a moment for her eyes to adjust. She looked over to the door and saw Aubrey standing tentatively in the doorway. "Hey," she said as she sat up in her bed. She smiled at her niece, "You couldn't sleep?" Aubrey shook her head, Addie patted the side of the bed and Aubrey quickly climbed into bed next to her aunt. "So what's going on that you can't sleep?"
Aubrey bit her lower lip and thought about it for a moment. "I . . . yelled at Derek," she said meekly.
Addie tilted her head, looked sympathetically at her niece and wrapped her arm around her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Ah so that is why the two of you barely spoke during dinner." She gave her a half smile and continued, "You know what?" Aubrey shook her head, her wild red curls bouncing back and forth. "I yell at him all the time," she grinned.
Her eyes widened, "You aren't mad?"
"No," she smiled at her niece her eyes lighting up. "I'm not going to be mad at you for speaking your mind."
"Are you going to ask me what I yelled at him about?" she asked unsure of herself again.
"No," she shook her head. "That is between Derek and you. You don't have to tell me, if you don't want to."
She blew out a sigh of relief; she knew her aunt was trying to be on good terms with Derek because of the baby. Sure she wished like anything they stayed strictly friends, but that wasn't her call, no matter how she felt about Derek. She only hoped if they did get back together she was wrong about Derek. Her aunt was a smart lady, right? She would be able to figure out whether Derek was sincere or not right?
"So no more talking about Derek tonight?" Addie smirked at her niece.
Aubrey vigorously nodded her head. "No more Derek talk tonight," she agreed. "I'll tell you about my email from Ritchie instead," she snuggled up close to her aunt as she talked about the boy she liked and how he wanted to take her to a movie when she got back home.
"This is the boy you told me about before right?" Aubrey nodded into her shoulder, "well he does sound very nice and you like him, huh?"
"Yeah I like him and the best part," she grinned up at her aunt. "He doesn't have braces," she laughed.
"Hey!" she feigned being insulted and gave her a nudge.
"Hey if you didn't want me to tease you about Skippy and you getting your braces locked together you shouldn't have told me," she laughed again, this time Addie laughed along with her.
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During Aubrey's visit both Mark and Derek had been on their best behavior, but during the past month since she had gone back home the tension between the two men had escalated.
Miranda and Addison were walking down the hall; they could hear the arguing getting louder as they moved down the hall. They stopped in their tracks when they found the source of said shouting. Addie paled and Miranda stormed forward. When she reached the source of said noise she reached up and grabbed each man by the ear and dragged them into the attending locker room, they had been standing in front of the door to said locker room.
Miranda stared both men down, sure they both towered over her but she had a way of making herself seem larger then life. "Now both you Neanderthals need to stop, do you have any idea what kind of pressure you are putting on Addison?" Both men tried to protest, but she cut them both off at the knees with one look. "You both need to get over your egos right now because whether you like it or not you both are an important part of her life. She isn't going to cut either one of you out no matter how much either of complain about the other." She turned to Derek first. "You should consider yourself damn lucky she is even speaking to you after the way you treated her the last year. You should be ashamed of yourself." Mark smiled behind her back; you had to love Bailey and her smack downs. She always told it like it was. "And you!" she shouted as she turned to Mark. "Wipe that grin off your face. I might have a soft spot for you because you helped put Addie back together, but he's the father of her child and he isn't going anywhere." She glared at both men, "If I get one more report that her blood pressure is elevated by even one point," she narrowed her eyes, "You both better find a good hiding place because I will neuter you both." She put her fists on her hips and demanded, "Now make nice and shake hands." Both men shook hands she gave them a nod and marched out of the room. She winked at Addie who was leaning against a locker by the door as she exited. Addie shook her head and smiled at the retreating resident and followed her out of the locker room, she considered herself very lucky to have such a good friend.
Both men were on their best behavior since Miranda's smack down two months ago. Addie could have sworn they would cringe whenever they would see the diminutive resident. Addie had continued to go to Derek's trailer on Sunday's for dinner; they spent the time trying to figure out where they stood.
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It was a chilly October evening Addie and Derek had finished dinner and were snuggled up under a comforter. Derek had added a glider swing last summer; it was a nice way to spend the evening. They sat quietly she was snuggled up to his chest, he had one arm wrapped around her shoulder pulling her close and his other hand resting on her stomach. He smiled as he felt their child kicking and somersaulting. "The baby is really active tonight," he whispered in her ear.
"Mmm she usually is this time of night," she said quietly, she didn't realize what she had said.
"She?" he said with a grin.
Her eyes widened, she didn't mean to tell him but it's hard not to be gender specific when you know. "I'm sorry I didn't mean for you to find out. I know you wanted to wait, but do you have any idea how had it is to call her it?" she grinned at him. "I hope you aren't too upset about knowing."
"No, no it's ok, a girl?" his smiled grew. "I like that we are going to have a girl." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "We should get married again, fly down to Vegas next weekend and get married."
Addie stiffened, she wasn't expecting this, and yes they had been getting along wonderfully lately but get remarried? "I don't know Derek, I . . ."
He interrupted her, "Addie don't you think our daughter deserves to have both parents?"
"And she will," she interrupted.
"I mean both parents as a family," he pleaded.
She sat up and turned to him. "Derek," she tilted her head, closed her eyes for a beat and looked at him seriously. "I'm not going to say yes but I won't say no either. You need to give me time to think this over," she searched his face. "Please?"
"Okay you think about it, you can't let me know your answer next Sunday," he smiled thoughtfully at her.
Shit Addie thought to herself why did he have to do this, we were actually getting along. He honestly expects me to give him an answer in a week. She looked over at him and gave him a weak smile, "I think it's time I head home, it's getting late and I want to get home before I get tired."
"Why don't you stay the night?" he gazed into her eyes and she recognized that look and what he meant. He reached out and caught her chin in his hand then leaned forward and gently kissed her.
When they pulled apart she was at a loss for words for a moment. "Really Derek I can't stay, I need to go home," she started to feel panicked and just wanted to get home.
"Okay," he said with disappointment he lightly kissed her on the forehead stood up and helped her to her feet then wrapped his arm around her shoulder and walked her to her car.
He leaned her up against her car and kissed her gently again, "Think about it Addie. I promise I won't mention it again until next Sunday." He gave her a small smile, "Please think about it."
She nodded. "Okay Derek, I'll think about it," her thoughts were swimming she was so confused. She had no clue how she felt about getting married to Derek again. Yes a family would be nice, but their situation was not ideal. They have been talking to each other for almost four months now and she still had no clue how Derek felt about her. She only knew his feelings toward their daughter.
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"Hi mom," Addie tentatively said into the phone. "I know it's late but . . ."
Madeline knew that Addie had dinner with Derek this evening; she would bet money that this phone call was prompted by said dinner. "Hi sweetie of course it's late, but I'm always happy to hear from you," She smiled to herself, "And how's my future granddaughter treating you this evening."
Addie smiled. "I think she is going to be a soccer player or a place kicker," she said rubbing her side.
"So I know there's a reason for your call, other then wanting to say hi to me," she prompted.
"Yeah there is," she sighed heavily. "Derek wants to get married again," she closed her eyes and waited for the explosion.
Madeline bit her lower lip trying to hold in the angry retort she could feel on the tip of her tongue. She took a deep breath, counted to ten and slowly let it out. "And did you give him an answer yet?" there she managed to say that in a normal level, she smiled at herself. She was proud she could maintain her control.
"I. . .I didn't answer him yet," she sighed again. "He told me he wants an answer next Sunday and said he won't bring it up until I come to dinner."
"I see," well at least he didn't demand an answer immediately, but still a week to think about it?
"If I say yes he wants to fly down to Vegas and get married." Okay her mom was maintaining her cool pretty well so far, but Addie was pretty sure that this was going to make her snap. She started to grin she could tell her mother had hit the mute button; she could just imagine what her mother was doing right now. She was sure she was pacing the room and probably saying more then a few choice explanatives. Addie laid back on her bed she gently pat her tummy. "I think grandma is going to be awhile," she smiled.
Madeline definitely was pacing the room, Marshall looked up from his paper when he heard his wife using language she rarely did. He raised an eyebrow watching his wife, shook his head and gave her a little chuckle. He would place a rather large sum of money that she was talking to their daughter and it very likely involved their ex-son-in-law. Madeline stopped her pacing when she noticed her husband watching her and she exclaimed, "What the fuck does he think he doing?"
Marshall tried to look concerned and keep the smile off his face. He couldn't help it that he always thought she was cute when she was pissed off. "Okay dear what did the boy do now?" he asked with raised eyebrows.
"That god damn bastard asked her to marry him again," he could see the fumes rising from her head.
He narrowed his eyes, okay he really wasn't expecting that, "Did he now and did she give him an answer?"
"No," she shouted. "He gave her a week to answer and you didn't hear the best part."
"There is more?" now he was getting concerned.
"That god damn bastard wants them to go to Vegas to get married if she says yes," she let out a low scream in frustration. "Do you freaking believe that?"
He reached his hand out. "Give me the phone," he said sternly.
Madeline handed the phone to her husband then crossed her arms across her chest. Marshall hit the mute button on the phone. "Addison Forbes Montgomery there is no god damn way on this earth that you are going to get married to that man in Vegas!" he shouted into the phone.
Addie was stunned for a moment to hear her father on the line, though she really should have expected that. She should have realized her mother was in their bedroom with her father. After all it was close to their bedtime and he always read the paper in bed before turning in. "Hi daddy," she bit her lower lip took the phone away from her mouth and patted her tummy and whispered, "Yep grandpa is mad too." She took a deep breath and returned her attention to her father, "Don't worry daddy I refuse to get married in Vegas."
Marshall calmed down and said in a more relaxed tone, "Good girl." He looked over to his wife and smiled at her "You tell Derek that you have no intention of marrying before the baby is born. He can ask you again after the baby is born and give you a proper wedding if you agree to take him back." Madeline smiled at her husband; he was such a very sensible man.
"Okay daddy," she smiled into the phone. "I'll do just that and thanks for the very good advice."
"You're welcome sweetie I'll give you back to your mother now," he smiled again.
"I love you daddy," she grinned.
"I love you too pumpkin," he looked up and smiled at his wife then handed her the phone.
"Hi sweetie," Madeline said. "Just remember if things get too crazy there you can always come home and have the baby here. You know we would all love to have you here."
"I'll keep that in mind mom," she sighed and now had a relaxed smile on her face. "I love you mom."
"I love you too Addie," she sighed glad to know her daughter wasn't going to rush into any decision. She didn't think this was the time for her daughter to be making life altering decision. "Just keep in mind what I said okay?"
"Okay mom I will." Addie yawned and said, "I'll talk to you later mom, good night."
"Good night dear," Madeline hung up the phone and lay down in bed next to her husband.
Marshall pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. "She's a smart girl Maddie; we have to believe she will make the right choice, whatever that is for her."
"I know you are right dear she will make the right choice," she gave her husband a kiss then nestled her head on his shoulder.
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I hope you enjoyed this installment, please let me know what you think.