Chapter 183

In an attempt to avoid his wife after what he's just seen Ryan got to his car and got his laptop, when he saw the guy Alex hugged walk away and he locked her car and saw him in the parking lot.

"Hey, I missed the appointment today but I managed to move it for tomorrow lunch time. Will you be there?" She asked as he scratched around in the trunk of the car for his laptop and some scattered papers.

"Yeah whatever." He mumbled and turned his back on her as he continued walking away.

"Ryan what is going on with you? We haven't had a decent conversation in almost a week and you're avoiding me. And I know you're upset with me and I have n idea why or what I did." Alex said exasperated as she just wants an end to all of this and want their lives to return back to normal.

"I told you I'm under a lot of pressure Alex. Now drop it!" e answered abruptly and left her standing there. She walked into the office about five minutes after h entered and hoped that he'd be in his office and she'll be able to avoid him as she can just collect the files she needed and her daughter so they can head home.

Ryan sent out email to the first few schools and asking them for a list of all heir senior students and was surprised by the feedback he got, and how long it will take him to trace every pupil named Luca on their list. He got halfway through it and presented his findings to the team and decided to call it a day, where he will get on with it in the morning.

Phoebe was paying on the floor in the middle of the living room floor with Lego blocks, stacking them on top of each other until they fell down and started all over again. Alex sat behind the kitchen counter with her laptop open and looking over possible rehab centres that was in close proximity to both work and home. Phoebe eventually got tired of stacking blocs and then decided to throw them around the house for her own entertainment and see where they could land up, when one landed on the counter were her mother was working.

"Phoebe, don't throw your toys around please bub." Alex asked and looked over towards her daughter to see if she was listening.

"No me mama." She answered and shook her head.

"Well I wonder who it is then?" Alex asked as the toddler pointed towards Barney who laid in the middle of the floor.

The key turning in the lock shifted her attention to who was about to enter the house, and when she notice her father she got up and ran towards him. "Daaaadaaa."

"Hey baby girl." He smiled as she ran into her father's arms and he picked her up. "Ho are you doing?"

"Gud" She replied simply causing both her parents to laugh at her response as they didn't expect an answer to that question.

Alex closed the laptop and wrote down a few numbers that she'll call later on to book a place for Luca. She needs to speak to her husband first but before she could her phone buzzed on the table, and when she saw the caller ID she walked further into the kitchen to take the phone call in private.

"Hey, is everything alright?" She asked concerned.

"Yes, uuhhmm I'm sorry to phone you but I need you to keep this between us. Like I don't want your husband to know about me, not yet." He pleaded from the other side and Alex nodded her head although he couldn't see it through the phone.

"You got it. We'll have to meet sometime tomorrow. Remember the deal e had was that you get sober." She reminded him.

"Yes. Thanks for your help." He said and ended the phone call.

She put her phone face down on the counter and saw her husband looking at her with a frown on his face. "I'm going to get take out. Is there anything in particular that you want?" He asked taking his keys.

"Anything's fine." She answered rubbing a hand over her swollen belly.

"You coming with Pheebs?" He asked and she didn't have to be told twice as she got off the couch and waked over her father raising her hands. "Icy cweam?" She asked looking at her father with big brown eyes. "No ice cream Phoebe, you've had enough sugar for the day." Her mother said and she looked back at her father.

"Your mother said no. But we can share, you can have some of mine." He decided, technically it won't be hers then. "Icy cweam!" She smiled as the two of them headed for the front door.

When they left Alex went into the baby's room that they'll son need to start working on to retrieve the box she hid in there when they got back from India. She opened it and saw that everything was still in there like it was. The Rolex watch and the suit and waistcoat she bought neatly folded. She got out an envelope and wrote a little something on the paper inside and placed it back into the box. She retrieved another one where she stacked all their pictures, ones that she didn't have time to place in an album just yet and looked through them, until she hear the car outside and put everything back together and back in its hiding place.

*The next morning*

Alex woke up to an empty space next to her, not sure if her husband left early and if he spent the night on the couch again. She walked downstairs ad saw the folded throw and pillows on the couch and her thoughts were confirmed. She texted Luca to ask if he has everything he needs and if not he should make a list of things that they'll pick up from the grocery store, on their way to the rehabilitation center in a few hours. Then she texted Ryan to remind him about their appointment at lunch time.

She got Phoebe ready and dropped her off at day care and then went to go get Luca. She knocked on the door few times and then heard his footsteps come closer. He opened the door dressed in sweats eyes red and droopy smelling like alcohol. He turned around and walked back into the house.

"Luca look at me." Alex said but he continued walking. "Luca Joseph Parrish!" She said sternly and he turned around slowly looking at her.

"You're high. And drunk. Dammit man I thought we had a deal."

"It was only a few glasses and one blunt Alex." The twenty year old defended his side of the story but judging by the look on Alex's face she wasn't impressed. "This is why I didn't want you help. I always let people down who tries to help me. I'm not going anymore."

"Get dressed and pack your bags. You're going – even if it means that I have to force you." She said and sat down on the couch making it clear that she is not leaving without him.

They went by the grocery store and she told to tae thing he'll need for at least four weeks. He was reluctant at first but he son came t realize that she's not playing and her sweet looking face can turn ugly real quickly. So he took what he thought he might need including some toiletries and they headed towards the rehab centre.

Ryan looked at his phone as it beeped and opened the text message as he saw that a purchase was made on their savings account, since he and Alex had a joint savings account. He called the bank and asked that a statement be emailed to him. He then saw the text Alex sent him reminding him about the doctors appointment, but he decided that he wasn't going and turned off his phone putting it in the drawer of his desk.

Alex walked into the hospital and reported to the receptionist sowing her appointment card, while se continued to call her husband but his phone kept going to voicemail. "Ryan I'm at hospital, I really hope you can make it." She left her message after the tone and went into the doctor's room.

"Hi nice to see you again." Dr Roberts said and looked around the room as she is not used to seeing Alex alone.

"He's stuck at work and won't be able to make it. We can go ahead." She gave the doctor a tight lipped smile as she really really wanted her husband to be here.

"Okay, everything is going well, and a strong heartbeat." The doctor smiled. "Would you like to know what you're having?" She asked and Alex nodded.

"It's a boy." The doctor smiled and Alex looked at the screen with tears in her eyes, while the doctor printed her a picture of the sonogram and handed it to her. Alex cleaned her stomach off with the provided paper towel and sat up looking at the picture of her son, when she started sobbing. "Hey it's okay. I know it can be overwhelming." Dr Roberts said squeezing her shoulder.

"Yeah. I just wished Ryan was here. He had his heart set on a boy, and brought everything blue." She smiled looking at the picture. She thanked the doctor and walked out towards her car to get her daughter and drive home.

Alex went upstairs and got their washing that she wanted to do, placing Phoebe on the floor while she watched Barney. "Stay here bub. Call me when you want to come downstairs hey." Alex said and Phoebe nodded too occupied with the purple dinosaur to reply to her mother. Alex was busy sorting the laundry when the front door opened and her husband entered. It was 3PM and she was surprised to see him home so early.

"You're home early. Why weren't you at the hospital?" She asked and stood up from where he was sitting on the floor sorting laundry. But there was something about the way he looked at her that made her realize something is wrong. "Ryan?" She asked and walked towards the dining room area where he was standing.

"Why would I show up to a doctors appointment when I don't even know if you need me to. You've been so mysterious lately that I thought you didn't need me anymore." He started as he put his things down on the couch.

"What are you talking about?" She asked genuinely confused about all of this.

"You must think I'm a damn fool when you're going around seeing other guys and not even bothering to hide it. And don't deny it because I heard those hushed conversations on the phone, I saw the two of you in the parking lot, then you still have the nerve to ask me why I didn't show up, when there's a chance that this baby isn't even mine!" He raised his voice as he felt all his bottled up anger come to the surface.

"Ryan please. You don't understand just list.."

"I don't wanna hear it. Is Phoebe even my daughter? Is she Alex!?"

Alex looked at him not knowing what to say, when she saw her daughter at the top of the stairs crying.

"Daaa-daaa." She pointed down at him and as much as Alex wanted to walk over to her she couldn't bring herself to move. She stood there trying to blink her tears away. Ryan walked upstairs ad picked her up carrying her back to the bedroom. "Hey it's okay, I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you." He said softly running a hand up and down her back until she calmed down.

Meanwhile Alex was downstairs still stagnant in her position until she heard her daughter's cries subside. She walked into the nursery and got the two boxes out that she wanted to hand him as a gift and out it on the counter. She took her car keys from her coffee table leaving her cell phone, got into the car and drove to the place where he proposed. Sitting in the car looking at the setting sun in between cries as she tries to figure out how things turned around so quickly.

Phoebe was asleep and Ryan walked downstairs looking for his wife because this conversation was far from over. He saw the boxes on the counter and walked over towards it to look what was inside. Upon opening the first one he saw four tickets to a sporting game, a Rolex watch that he had no idea how she managed to afford it and a designer suit with a note on the inside of the lid of the box but he put it aside first and opend the second one. It was filed with random pictures of the two of them from their days at the academy. And some of the dates they've had over the years and some and prints and scribbled drawings Phoebe made at day care. The sonogram pictre that was on top got his attention when he looked at it and saw it was a little boy. He smiled as he looked at the picture that in four months time will be their little star.

He opened the envelope and read the letter:

Thank you. For being the greatest father and a amazing husband. I may not always say it but I am so blessed to have you in my life. This is not much but a small token of my appreciation. I am so in love with you and always will be.

A

He got his phone out and dialled her number butt her phone rang in the house. Deciding to call Shelby and the other two to find out if she was there but she wasn't. He walked upstairs to get the sleeping Phoebe and carried her down to his car. Not sure where to start looking for his wife he drove around looking for coffee shops where she usually hangs out until he gave up and parked the car at the grocery store parking lot. He decided to get back home because he didn't know where else to look and was happy to see her car in the driveway – a sign that she is home.

She was curled up on the couch, her face stained with make up a sign that she has been crying. He saw a note on the coffee table.

Please leave me alone. The bed is all yours.

Guys I'm sorry if this chapter seems like a lot of information is stuffed into it, I tried to get everything out before I lost my train of thought as this is where I want to be with all of this. So I hope you enjoy. Thank you for reading and for the new followers and the feedback, you guy are awesome.

Lovies-S