Lean On
"You need to go to sleep." Jude nodded, standing in her sister's kitchen. Her sister who hadn't gone to sleep yet despite the sun rising into a new morning.
"How am I supposed to do that?" Thea asked, sitting at the table, resting her forehead on her hand, "I mean… what the hell is he doing?" She shook her head.
After a night of searching around town and constantly calling Dominic, they had come up at a dead end.
"You said he's been a little off lately." Jude said, "So maybe he's just… I don't know, maybe he's just had a little bit of a blip. We all do from time to time, right?" Jude nodded, trying to reassure her sister.
"A blip?" Thea looked at her, "He would never just take off." She sighed, "That's not Dominic."
"Well you said he's been really great these few months, keeping you sane, doing everything he can for Sofia… maybe everything has just hit him. That can happen. Some people can be a little delayed when it comes to… traumatic things happening in their lives. Sometimes it doesn't really sink in until months, even years later for some people." Jude nodded.
"So that makes it ok to just disappear? Leave the kids on their own? Leave me here worrying about him?" Thea shook her head.
"No, it doesn't but I'm just trying to think of the most logical reason for this." Jude nodded, suddenly hearing the front door open.
Thea's head shot up, the little energy she had left carrying her out of the chair, walking out of the kitchen where she saw Dominic closing the door behind him.
"Oh my God." Thea sighed with relief, rushing to him and wrapping her arms around him tightly, almost knocking him over as he hugged her back.
"I'm alright." He assured her.
"You." Thea said softly, stepping back, "You." She said angrily, her expression changing as she shoved him a little, "What the hell?" She spat.
"I know I'm sorry I just-"
"I was worried sick, Dominic. You just left the kids here on their own. You didn't respond to any of my calls. I… what the hell were you doing?" She shook her head whilst Jude came out from the kitchen.
"Hey, I'm gonna take off." She nodded awkwardly, realising she was no longer needed.
"Thank you for staying here." Thea said sincerely as Jude nodded, "It's great having you here again." She sighed with relief as Jude smiled, giving her a tight hug, kissing her cheek and whispering in her ear.
"Stay calm." Jude whispered before leaving the house, rubbing Dominic's shoulder sweetly as she passed.
"What the hell is going on, Dominic? You had me worried sick." She shook her head.
"I'm sorry." Dominic nodded.
"C'mon." She walked towards the kitchen, "Have you ate? Where did you even go?" She shook her head as he followed her to the kitchen.
"I was just… walking around." Dominic nodded as she turned and looked across at him.
"You're kinda scaring me right now. Talk to me." Thea said.
"I don't know… I just felt like…" He ran his hand through his hair, "I was just sitting there watching her, you know." He said, looking down.
"Sofia?" Thea clarified.
"Yeah." Dominic said, "I was sitting watching her and she was listening to her book on the audible thing." He said, "She was laying there and patting Chance." He smiled to himself, "I just… I started to feel like I couldn't breathe. She was talking to me… telling me about her school and I just…" He shook his head, "Her life is just so different now. It's changed completely. I've been so focused on making sure that she gets everything she needs. I've barely had a chance to really talk to her. You know… the way we used to talk." He nodded.
"Dominic." Thea sighed.
"I just… I feel this pain every time I see her. I don't want to. I don't want to pity her. I don't want anyone to pity her." He said fiercely, "But I just wish… I wish this hadn't happened to her." He nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat as Thea looked at him.
"I do too." Thea nodded, walking towards him, "I would trade places with her in an instant. I know you would too." She said as he nodded, "You're not any less of a father for wishing things were different for her. It's not pity. It's just… being upset that she's gone through this and… she has to go through it." She said.
"She's so brave." Dominic shook his head as Thea nodded, "She hasn't let anything knock her down."
"I know." Thea smiled, "I thought it was bullshit when my dad kept telling me that she can still have a normal life can anyone else. But I see it now. Since learning braille and getting Chance… her starting a new school." Thea said, "She's just… she's the same little girl, and I know she's gonna be ok." She nodded.
"I guess it just hit me all of a sudden." Dominic said as Thea nodded.
"You've been so busy worrying about everyone else. Worrying about me and how I'm doing and coping with everything… you've barely let yourself adjust to things." Thea said, "Cause we're all doing good, baby." She nodded, cupping his cheeks as he smiled, "You don't have to worry about any of us. James is doing great in school and with soccer. He's helping Sofia all the time. Sofia is doing amazing with everything. Sam is finally understanding what's going on. And I'm doing ok too." She said as he nodded, "You need to tell me if you're not ok." She whispered, pressing her head against his.
"I'm ok." Dominic nodded, placing his hands over hers which were still cupping his cheeks, "I promise, I'm ok. Just a wobble."
"So lean on me." Thea nodded, kissing him softly.
"Dominic is fine. He's home." AJ said, joining Punk in the kitchen who looked at her with relief, "She just text and said she'd fill us in when she sees us. But that everything is fine." She nodded, sighing a little.
"Well at least he's home." Punk nodded, "I guess he's just a guy that… well he's always on the same wave length every time you see him." He said, "Something like this happens to Sofia, obviously it's gonna knock him down."
"Well I'm just glad he's back home, and Thea can talk to him." AJ nodded, "I think I slept for an hour last night thinking about him."
"Yeah, me too." Punk nodded, "Have you heard from the little one?" He asked.
"Not since yesterday morning." AJ shook her head, "You know Cass, she checks in every now and then with as little detail as possible."
"I know but they're gone for the month so maybe we could set up one of those face things. On the phone." Punk nodded, "Facetime? I miss my little buddy." He nodded.
"I'll ask Cassie for some pictures." AJ smiled, "What's the final verdict on the wallpaper?" She asked, pouring herself some coffee.
"The final verdict is no wallpaper. We can't pull it off." Punk said.
"Phil." AJ whined.
"What?" He laughed, "We can't. And it really takes up too much time."
"Time that you have. You are a retired man." AJ said, "I don't care if you have to get Dean to help you. There will be wallpaper in that living room." She made clear as Punk rolled his eyes.
"Me and Dean can never complete things together." Punk shook his head.
"Think of it as a project. Like the yard outside. Or your bird feeders." She nodded, "You enjoyed all of that. Our yard is like a little magical garden." She smiled, "Magic up the living room."
"How much am I getting paid for this?" Punk shook his head. He knew he wasn't winning this fight. He never would.
"I'll pay you in kisses." AJ smiled, leaning over and pecking his lips.
"I'm gonna need more than that, I think." He said.
"A kiss for every successful strip you put up." She smiled as he pulled her onto his lap, causing her to chuckle.
"Smile for mama. Come on." Cassie said in a funny voice, "Can you smile for me?" She asked, holding her phone out, trying to snap a picture of Lena who Theo was holding. She was in her swimming costume with a sun hat on, paying too much attention to Theo's hands, trying to pry his fingers off one by one.
"What if she doesn't want to smile?" Chase rolled his eyes, sitting on the sun lounger with an ice pop, getting tired of hearing Cassie asking Lena to smile.
"Of course she wants to smile. She's just not looking." Cassie said, "Theo get her to look at me." She nodded.
"Hey, sweet pea. Look at mama." He pointed to Cassie as Lena looked over.
"Smile for me, please." Cassie begged, "What if I make funny faces, huh?" She said, crossing her eyes and sticking her tongue out as Theo chuckled.
"You're being weird." Chase observed as Cassie turned to him.
"Then you smile for me." Cassie said, pointing her phone at him as he turned his head.
"No, no more pictures!" Chase shouted, having already dealt with his mother's camera on him for the entire morning he spent in the pool.
"Maybe try them later." Theo suggested as Cassie nodded, putting her phone away and sitting down on the sun lounger beside Chase.
"Good ice pop?" She asked the six year old who nodded, "You want your hair tied back?" She asked him.
"Yeah." Chase nodded, handing her the band around his wrist. He had long hair almost to his shoulders which meant Cassie enjoyed tying it back in what she called, a little man bun.
"You know we don't have to go to Don's tonight." Theo told her, bouncing Lena on his knee gently.
"No, I want to." Cassie nodded, tying Chase's hair back whilst he enjoyed his ice pop, "Sounds like it's a lot of fun. And your friends are expecting you."
"They're not really my friends, though. Are they?" Theo scoffed, "I haven't seen them in years. And even when I did see them before, it was once every few months."
"Well they looked really happy to see you, Theo. It was nice." Cassie said, "You obviously meant a lot to them."
"Can I go back in the pool?" Chase asked Cassie, handing her the empty packaging from his ice pop.
"Sure." Cassie nodded, watching him run off, "No running by the pool!" Cassie called nervously as Theo chuckled, "Kid is gonna give me a heart attack." She shook her head, laying back on the sun lounger.
"You really wanna go?" Theo asked.
"I do." Cassie turned to him, "But if you really don't then… I won't force you."
"I do, I just… I know there will be people there who know my dad and… I don't really know what he says about me and Matthew to the locals here. He's a proud guy. I doubt he tells people that we aren't on good terms. So what do I say to these people? Clearly Julien and Manny think I'm in contact with him." Theo said.
"Babe, you don't need to say anything. You don't owe anyone an explanation. If they push you on it, tell them to mind their business." She shrugged, "Tell them you came here for a vacation with your family. And then show me off to everyone." She smirked.
"Like a prize?" He scoffed.
"Not a prize." She pointed her finger at him seriously, "Not a prize to be won-"
"Yeah yeah." Theo nodded along, "I know the script."
"I could just eat her." Cassie sighed, looking at Lena sitting happily on Theo's lap, banging her hands against his.
"Yeah, she is very edible looking." Theo nodded as Cassie chuckled, watching as Lena smiled.
"Oh, quick!" Cassie exclaimed, causing Theo to jump with a fright, "My phone. My camera." She scrambled up from her sun lounger, in desperate attempt to get her phone to snap a picture of Lena. By the time she got the phone out, Lena's smile had disappeared.
