Chapter 128

*I'm apologizing in advance for the long note that will follow at the bottom, fam!*

Later that night during bath time, Ryan stood in the doorway of the bathroom while Alex was sitting on her knees in front of the tub and Phoebe playing with hordes of water toys in the bath, splashing water all over. Smiling at the sight of his daughter's squeals of delight as Alex tries to tame her by not kicking her legs too viciously, which didn't help much at all.

"Dada!" Phoebe called out turning a rubber duck around in her hands.

"Dada's downstairs bub." Alex answered, seeing her daughter pointing to the figure in the doorway that eventually entered the bathroom. "Or he's here." Alex smiled at her daughter and he took a seat on the edge of the tub.

"So, I was thinking." He started looking at his wife who looked up at him questioningly.

"I'm listening." Alex answered shifting from her knees to sitting flat on the tiled floor with her legs crossed.

"Earlier today, you said you wanted to go to your mom for a while. I'm suspended for the rest of the week and you're home so why don't we go?" He asked.

A small smile appeared on Alex's face at the thought of it, maybe time away would do both of them good. "Yeah I guess it won't do any harm." She nodded shifting her attention back to Phoebe when she tried to stand up, almost losing her balance but was caught just in time by her mother. "Alright, that means play time is over, we need to wash you and then get out." Her mother instructed but the one year old shook her head, indicating that was clearly not the way she wanted to do things.

"Dada." Phoebe instructed pointing towards her father when Alex started washing her.

"Okay, I forgot you don't like me." Alex said standing up, as Ryan took her place kneeling in front of the bathtub. "Wash and get out, playtime is over." She left her last remarks before leaving the bathroom to set out Phoebe's pajamas. "I mean it, Ryan." She said over her shoulder knowing her husband would give in to his daughter's little cries when she's not ready to be taken out of the bath.

While waiting on the two of them to return she texted her mother getting comfortable on the bed, informing her that they'll be coming down to visit her, surprised by Sita's response. She was just about to call her when Ryan and Phoebe emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in her light pink towel as her father laid her down.

"My mom says Phoebe is welcome, we are not. And insist that the two of us go away on our own while Phoebe spends the rest of the week with her and Jo." Alex summarized the text messages that has been going around between her in her mother in the last fifteen minutes.

"Oh, wow okay. So where are we gonna go?" He asked looking at his wife who shrugged.

"I'll look for some places that's within budget since you're paying." Alex answered opening the web browser on her phone.

"Hey that's not fair we split it, 50 – 50."

"You're so cheap Ryan!" She laughed throwing a pillow at him that he caught and used it to play peek – boo with Phoebe before getting her dressed. They walked down to the nursery together, putting her to bed, each taking a turn to kiss her goodnight, as they lingered in the doorway until her eyelids fluttered closed.

The taking a seat in the lounge as Alex tuned in for her favorite medical show to start, Ryan sitting down next to her. "I don't want to leave her alone for too long." She started and her husband looked at her confused.

"What are you talking about?"

"Phoebe. Like if we go away it's like we dump her somewhere and go off on our own pretending not to have a child." She rambled.

"Why are you overthinking this? We don't even know where we're going yet, and you're already paranoid. And besides your mom offered to look after her, we didn't ask her them to do it." He rationalized hoping to get through to her.

"Yeah you're probably right." She shrugged, getting comfortable on the couch when the theme song started playing and Ryan getting ready to get up. "No, stay with me, I'll only watch one episode I promise." He knew she was lying because she was always binge watching, but he's more than willing to spend time with her. At least it is progression from where they were barely speaking two days ago.

The next morning Ryan woke up to Alex's talking. He assumed she was on the phone but turns out she was talking to herself. He laid there staring at her as her lips moved, counting things on her hands as she checks off an imaginary list in her head. ''Diapers, formula, and medicine in case she needs it…"

"What are you doing?" He mumbled still half asleep.

"Trying to remember everything that I need to pack for Phoebe. I can't miss anything, if she gets sick I can't expect.."

"Alex, we're not leaving the country, we'll be an hour away from her at least. She's going to be fine." He assured her and Alex looked at him taking a deep breath.

"She's my little baby Ryan."

"Not as little anymore, but stop being so concerned she's going to be okay. I'll go check on her just to make sure." He said and got out of bed, making his way downstairs to see what his daughter was up to. He entered the nursery and found her standing inside her crib, holding onto the railing while biting the edge of the white wood.

"Good morning little girl." He smiled as she raised her hands towards him.

"Dada!" The little girl beamed as her bed curls stood around her face, locating her pacifier in the crib and putting it into her mouth before she allowed her father to pick her up as they made their way back upstairs joining Alex in bed. Ryan put her down on the bed and she made her way over to her mother who took the pacifier out of her mouth so she can get a kiss. When Alex failed to put it back in she took matters into her own hands and pried it out of her mother's hand, returning it to her own mouth as she settled in between her parents.

"You want something to eat?" Ryan asked laying back down looking at his wife.

"French toast, or flapjacks, or pancakes, or ice cre…"

"Okay, French toast it is. There is only so much options downstairs you know." He answered getting up and walking over to the bathroom. "And coffee please." She added in case he forgot her daily caffeine fix.

"You want to come help me Pheebs?" He asked and picked her up, taking her downstairs with him, while Alex settled back into bed watching some cartoons. Smiling to herself at the thought of Phebe not being in bed with her but she's watching animated things and not bothering to change the channel either.

While Ryan was busy downstairs getting breakfast started, and some cereal for Phoebe, she started unpacking cupboards where they stacked the plastics. When half the things were on the floor she left it there and made her way to the drawers, opening it and unpacking napkins of the bottom drawer.

"Phoebe Grace, who must pack all these things away now?" he asked and she looked up at him at the mention of her name, smiling to him and his heart melted. She knew just how to play with his emotions. Trying to shift her attention, he handed her a baby teething biscuit so she'll stop unpacking, until he finished the breakfast. Carrying her up the stairs, watching as she made her way into the bedroom, he retreated back down to grab Alex's French toast and coffee, seeing the look his wife had on her face when she spotted their daughter eating biscuits before she had cereal.

"Phoebe, who gave you that?" Alex asked helping her onto the bed.

The one year old looked up at her mother, and then at her father who entered the room, "Dada" she answered proudly pointing to him, with the half eaten biscuit.

"This is why I don't trust the two of you alone. Ryan why would you do.."

"She wanted it. You should've seen the way she looked at me, and I couldn't break her heart by saying no." He explained as his wife shook her head, while he set the breakfast tray down on her bedside table handing Phoebe's cereal to Alex so she can feed her.

"Give that to me, you can have it afterwards. " Alex instructed but Phoebe held onto half of the biscuit for as long as she could as her mother opened her little fingers one by one removing the half eaten biscuit from her hand, which resulted in lots of waterworks. "No Phoebe your crying is unnecessary now." Alex reprimanded her daughter as she crawled over to her father for comfort.

Ryan positioned her facing Alex so she can be fed, but whenever the spoon came into sight, and she noticed it's not the biscuit she's looking for she either pushed it away with her little hands or refused to open her mouth. Taking a chance Alex showed the biscuit to her again and eagerly she opened her hand to receive it, crying again when it disappeared out of sight. "No, no, no little miss it doesn't work like that." Alex shook her head and gave up on trying to feed her. "Okay then I'll just wait until you're hungry then we can try all of this again." Her mother decided, seeing the disapproving look her husband gave her from his side of the bed, as Alex indulged in her breakfast. She got up and went to the bathroom for a few minutes to brush her teeth after she was done eating, and Ryan took this opportunity to hand Phoebe the half eaten biscuit her mother set down minutes earlier. Smiling gratefully the little girl indulge in it once again. Not knowing what lecture her mother would give her father when she sees what's going on.

Once Phoebe was bathed and dressed for the day Alex jumped into the shower while Ryan was busy cleaning up the breakfast dishes before her took the time to tend to himself. Phoebe was playing in the nursery while she was packing her clothes on the bed, for their few days away, when she heard something outside. At first she paid no mind to it because she thought she might've imagined it. But when the sound of crying and sniffing continued she stopped in her tracks, and walked around the house trying to locate the sound.

Walking outside she looked around and saw a boy and a younger girl sitting on the curb, both of them dressed in the school uniforms. His hand protectively over the young girl who had her face buried in her hands. Alex walked over to them, looking up and down the road. Noticing they're not from the neighborhood because they're not amongst the bunch who usually plays outside or rides their bikes around the block. She walked over to them and knelt in front of the two, the boy looking up at her.

"Hi." She smiles warmly and the boy smiles back. "Is she your sister?" Alex asked and he nodded, the girl's face still in her hands, but she peeks up at Alex's voice a little, wiping her face on her sleeve. "Why are you crying, honey? Where are you parents?"

The boy looked up and down the road and then down at his feet before answering. "My mom is a domestic worker in one of the houses in this neighborhood, I'm not sure which none exactly. And my dad…he's in jail." The boy answered shyly looking up at her briefly.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Alex answered. "I'm Alex, can I get your names?" She asked looking up at the boy expectedly.

"I'm Jason. I'm ten and this is my sister Jessy, she's six."

"It's nice to meet you. Why are you crying Jessy?" Alex asked placing a hand on the girl's knee, Jessy shook her head and Alex took it as an indication that she doesn't want to talk and looked at her brother for an answer.

"It's embarrassing to say. We really don't want to bother anyone in the neighborhood ma'am we're just looking for the house our mom works at." Jason said but Alex shook her head not willing to accept that answer. "Jessy's crying because….cause she's hungry. Our mom usually leaves money for bread or something to eat, but this morning there was one apple that we had to share." He said softly and Alex's heart broke when she heard them say that.

"Well, come on inside then. I'll make you guys something to eat and we can look for your mom afterwards." She offered but Jason shook his head, Jessy stopped crying in the meantime.

"No Ma'am we can't do. We can't expect you to do that. I really don't want people to pity us. We'll leave." He said getting up, tugging on Jessy's arm to follow his lead.

"Jason, I do not pity you guys. I want to help. And I'm not taking no for an answer, come on." Alex said sternly making sure the two of them followed her inside the house as she opened the door leading them to the kitchen. They stood in the middle of the room, not moving or wanting to sit down anywhere, to afraid to touch anything. Phoebe making her appearance smiling at the two strangers and Jessy's face lit up as she waved to Phoebe slightly, as she walks over to her mother.

"Well sit down. I just need to gather my wits quickly." Alex thought out loud as she got eggs and some sausages out together with bacon putting it on the counter before handing Phoebe her bottle. Phoebe making her way to the couch knowing she's not allowed to walk around with a bottle, waiting on her mother to lay her down on the couch so she can drink it.

"Do you know the surname of the people your mom works at?" Alex asked as she cracks eggs into the hot pan.

"She works at the Langley's." Jason said and Alex nodded as the surname rang a bell.

"They live about two blocks away if I'm not mistaken. I'll ask my husband whenever he comes down just to make sure." She said trying to reassure them that they will find them.

"Won't your husband be mad when he sees us here ma'am?" Jason asks, rubbing the palms of his hands on his grey school pants .

"No, not at all. This is my good deed for the day." She smiled winking at Jessy who gave her a small smile back. She still hasn't said a word since they came inside.

"We really don't want to be trouble. I swear we're good kids, I just wanted to ask my mom for some money so Jessy can at least have something to take to school, even if it was just some dry bread. I really promise Ma'am I don't want to end up like my father did." Jason rambled. "It's embarrassing going to school and hearing everyone even teachers whisper about how you father is a jailbird, who broke out and assaulted a cop lady while you have to pretend you don't hear it."

At the end of that sentence Alex looked up at him and swallowed hard, trying to keep her breathing even. "Jason, I'm sorry to ask but what's your father's name?" She inquired flipping the eggs in the pan.

"Roy" he answered softly looking up at her. Not having any idea the amount of pain and hurt the mention of that name brought back.

Hey guys! I think I mentioned in the previous chapter that chapter 130 will have something big in store. The story's plot took a twist for the better since I ran out of ideas and what were about to happen in that chapter now shifted and will happen later on, don't worry it's something good I promise. In the meantime I've decided to run on this plotline, it just came to me like halfway while writing this and I think I'd like to see it through and see where these two new characters will take us and how Ryan will respond when he hears their story (as always your input is more than welcome.)

To all those of you who always leaves reviews and those who PM me thank you for your sweet and kind words it honestly means so much to me and I appreciate all the love and support from you guys. Together we make this story great because I want you guys to enjoy reading it as much as I love typing it. Hope you enjoy this one, I'll try my best to update again tomorrow (no promises because in all honesty I need to think about how this will play out. I didn't think that far ahead just yet – I'm sorry you're welcome to help.)

Thank you for being awesome, fam. (I know I've said it a bunch of times but I mean it every time.)

Lovies-S