Chapter 136

Ryan woke up when the alarm went off, trying to get it silent as quickly as he possibly can, glancing over at his wife's sleeping form, pulling the sheets up to cover the exposed part of her naked body knowing he'll have to wake her soon or they'll be stuck in morning traffic. Stoking a finger along her jawline softly her face scrunched up and she opened her eyes, blinking at the morning light that entered the room.

"Morning beautiful." Ryan smiled running a hand through her hair.

"Morning." She said huskily her voice still full of sleep stretching herself out, before relaxing back under the covers.

"I need to go grocery shopping today, so if you're not up for going to the store with me after work we should go in separate cars then." Alex said and he remembered that their "how to conceive a boy diet" starts today, he was hoping she'd forget about it. "So we're really still doing this?" He asked looking at her and she nodded glancing up at him. "Okay." Ryan sighed getting out of bed and headed for the bathroom. Putting on a pair of leggings and Ryan's shirt from the night before she headed downstairs to get her daughter.

"Phoebe." She called walking up to the nursery, seeing her sit in the crib playing with some of the stuffed toys they kept in it. Getting up and extending her hands when she saw her mother, not bothering with a morning kiss as she forced her way out of her mother's arms and ran towards the lounge, making her way onto the couch, struggling but after a few attempts she was seated. Alex switched on the TV so she can watch some cartoons while she prepared breakfast and packed her daughter's bag.

Ryan came out of the shower and glanced at his phone to see the time, when the email icon caught his eye, opening it he saw an urgent marked email, sitting on the bed his lower body wrapped in a towel he read through it, twice just to make sure he understood it correctly, twirling the phone around in his hand when he closed it staring off into the distance.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Alex asked as she entered the bedroom seeing him sitting on the bed with a frown on his face. "It's nothing." He dismissed getting up walking to the closet to look for clothes, although Alex wasn't entirely convinced by what he said she let it slide.

They ended up driving to work in the same car, on the promise that she won't comment on anything when he adds unnecessary tools into the cart, because after all it is for her that he's willing to do this new food thing with her. Not that she would've given him much of a choice either way.

Alex was barely in the building when, Natalie, Shelby and Maranda walked towards the exit. "Follow us Parrish." Their superior said and Ryan waited on the other side of the door until they were through before he walked inside.

"Uhm where exactly are we going?" Alex asked when they got into the car and no one said anything yet. "Damage control." Maranda said getting behind the wheel as they drove out of the parking lot. "Care to elaborate?" Natalie ask as they pulled up to a red light.

"My son. He hasn't come home in two days and I have a feeling that he is hiding at some crack house. I found drugs in his back pack last week, and when I asked him about it, he lied to me." She responded leaning her head against the window, the rest of the women in the car not sure how to respond to this statement.

"He tried to shoot up a school, had a list with a bunch of names on it. And as a mother, I just need to know if he's okay." She admitted amongst the four of them being mother's themselves even though their kids aren't teenagers yet. They drove up to the house that was falling apart, Maranda walked up to the door as the rest of them followed in tow, knocking, but when there was no answer she turned the doorknob and let herself in.

The air was stale and smelled bad, since no windows had been opened recently, there were dust everywhere. An old ragged up couch, in the middle of the room. The floor creaking as they inspected the rooms. The older woman entered the first room, which consisted of a chair, and another couch where the stuffing were clearly visible, Charlie sitting on it staring off into the darkness. A recently put out cigarette still smoking in the ashtray on the floor.

"What?" He asked looking up at her from where she stood in the doorway, not bothering to get up from his position on the couch. "You haven't been home in two days." She said simply. "Why do you care anyway?" he requested standing up, leaning against the windowsill.

"Because I am your mother, and I'm worried about you."

"Right. Like you were when you sent me to juvenile. You are not my mother. You're dead to me."

Outside the room the three women didn't know how to respond or what they should say about it or when to intervene, so instead they kept their distance not wanting to cross the line here. "Next time it will not be juvie, it'll be prison and trust me I won't burn evidence to save you if you pull a stunt like that again." She walked over to him, looking him in the eye as she holds the front of his hoodie pinning him against the wall. "Be a man about it!"

"Let go of me!" Charlie yelled and the three of them locked eyes.

"The fact that I did that terrifies me, because I don't know if I did the right thing. And if you want to spend the rest of your life in this place doing shady things I won't be there to help you. I want to see you become the man I know you can be."

"I'm never gonna be the trophy son you want, Maranda. Thanks for stopping by." He said and walked out of the room, not bothering to greet the women who stood in front of him, walking towards the door and opening it so they can leave. Without a word the four of them left the house, and got back into the car as Maranda drove off.

Nimah was sitting behind the desk filing papers, answering emails and phone calls when Ryan came downstairs. "Nimah, did Alex come back yet?" He asked seeing her empty desk and Nimah shook her head. "No they're still out, should I give her a message?" Nimah asked looking up at him as he hits a white envelope against his hand repeatedly. "Please ask her to come see me when she gets back." He asked and NImah nodded as he walked towards the cafeteria putting the envelope on the inside pocket of his blazer.

Seeing Caleb sit at a table eating some chicken wrap and French fries, reading the paper Ryan sat down opposite him, pulling his friend's plate closer as he started eating the French fries. "Don't mind me, help yourself" Caleb said sarcastically. "Don't mind if I do." Ryan shrugged as he continued eating while Caleb looked at him.

"What's bothering you grandpa?" Caleb asked seeing the look Ryan gave him, handing him his plate back after he finished all the fries. "I got a job offer and Alex is starting us on some weird diet tonight, so I'm taking advantage of eating junk food while she's not around." He continued and got up patting the blonde on the back making his way back to his office. "You're welcome." Caleb mumbled finishing what was left of his food.

On the way back to the office nothing was said about where they'd been and they weren't sure f they can bring it up so they drove back in silence. "I'm sorry that you had to see that, and by witnessing that side of me you may never look at me the same again. I just don't know what to do with him anymore." Maranda confessed as the car came to a halt in the parking lot.

"Alex, Ryan wants to see you." Nimah said when they got back and she headed up the stairs. Knocking on his door before peeking her head around the corner. "You wanted to see me?" She closed the door behind her and walked inside further, he reached in his pocket and slid the white envelope with the military symbol on the front, across the table towards her.

"What is this?" She asked picking it up, and retrieving the letter that was inside, reading through it carefully. The military recruiting him for a 6 month tour in Afghanistan as a Lieutenant Colonel, amongst the troops he'll be assigned to lead. After she read through it she looked up at him where he leaned against the book case. "Have you decided?" She asked folding the letter putting it on the table.

"If I'd gotten this opportunity six years ago I wouldn't have thought about it twice before accepting it. I mean the salary they're offering is double our monthly income and it'll help us out so much. But I have responsibilities now, I can't just pack up and go." He reasoned not denying the offer he got but his mind isn't set on it either.

"When do you need to give them an answer?" Alex asked twisting her hands together.

"In two days. Those 6 months can be extended, and I don't want to miss seeing Phoebe grow up or spend time away from you. And if I do accept it it'll be selfish of me to expect you to give up your job and follow me. How do you feel about this?" He walked around the office, Alex turning around leaning on the desk facing him, this was the last thing she expected when Nimah told her he wanted to see her.

She shrugged closing her eyes before looking up at him. "I'll support you and whatever decision you make regarding this." She said softly, Ryan walked over to the desk pulling her into a tight hug, sighing loudly. Alex being the first to loosen her grip on his waist. "I need to get back to work." She whispered closing the door behind her.

Hey guys! Something different I got a PM about this diet thing they're about to go on and I'm really looking forward to writing a few chapters on that. Not sure if I'll be able to update every day from next week on as I have been this past few days since my classes are about to start again soon, but I'll try my best. Also not sure how things work in the military so that is not factual. Thank you for reading.

Lovies-S