Chapter 207

"She's with the other two." Theresa justified clearly looking at her son but he didn't say anything.

"She packed her clothes, they don't know where she is mom." He answered also uncertain as this is the only part of information that he knows and what they have told him. "She started isolating herself after you told us about the cancer."

"This is why I didn't want to tell you about it! It's my battle this has nothing to do with any of you – none of you should be worried about it!" Theresa exploded, making her reasons clear for keeping it a secret in the first place.

"You're our mother. We can't go through losing another parent."

She scoffed shaking her head as the car came to a halt in front of the morgue. "And you think a parent wants to be around to bury a child? That's not how it works. And you said it could be we have no guarantee that it is Nadia." Theresa decided as she looked at her son before they got out of the car and made the dreadful walk over to the building. At the entrance they had to present a proof ID and when the worker saw that Ryan was an FBI agent when he showed his badge and license they were allowed inside. Theresa felt uneasy as she looked around the cold and sterile room, Ryan sensing his mother's uneasiness he took her hand in his as the man walked over to the table and showed them the contents of the purse at first.

"Yes it's her purse. All her things are in there." Theresa said noticing the familiar contents of her daughter's purse.

"Nothing seems to be out of place, all the valuables are still here, no money was stolen. Even her cellphone is still here." He said looking at them and lifted the blanket the covered the body. Theresa felt her breath caught in her throat when the blanket was lifted but at the same time she let out the breath that she didn't know she was holding, when she saw that it was not her daughter. Gratefully she shook her head to tell the man that it was not her daughter, but on the other hand she felt bad for the person whose child this was. The guy asked the a few more security questions before they left and got back into the car.

"Where is she Ryan?" Theresa asked desperately looking to her son for answers.

"I wish I knew mom." He said, staring out in front of him before they drove off. "I'll go to work and find file a missing person's report to see if anyone knows something."

"No, I'll go. Alex just had a baby she needs you. You need to be there for her." His mother justified and once again he was torn in trying to be on two places at once. "You go to the hospital I'll take the car and go to the cops." Theresa said with finality in her voice making it known to him that there is no way he can argue about it now.

Luca was busy arranging furniture when the door opened. He couldn't hear exactly who it was but the muffled sounds of people talking made him walk out of the nursey to check. "Lukie!" Phoebe smiled and ran over to him but paused midway when she saw droplets of paint on her uncle.

"I'm trying to finish the nursey before Alex and Asher comes home tomorrow." He explained the questioning look on Sita and Joey's faces. "Since Asher wasn't supposed to be here for another two months."

"Baby come home? Gwama you want baby?" Phoebe asked after she made sense of what Luca just said.

"Uhhmmm, we'll talk about that later. Joey this is Luca, my other son." Sita said sincerely really wishing for an opportunity that the two of them can talk before they go back home. Joey shook hands with the young man. "Well is there anything you need help with?" Joey offered, and Luca nodded. "Please don't leave when you see what still has to be done." Sita left the two of them to work while she prepared something to eat with Phoebe providing entertainment and conversations every now and then.

"How old are you Phoebe?" Sita asked looking at her daughter expectedly.

"Twoooo." She proclaimed proudly.

"No." Sita laughed, "you're still one, you'll be two in a few months."

"No Gwama. Two." She demanded, and her grandmother decided that she'll leave it at that.

A loud bang in the room made Sita leave the food she was busy making and she walked over to see what the men were busy with. "Do you two know what you're doing?" She asked looking at the rocking chair that was assembled wrong because it collapsed as soon as Luca sat on it. "Luca just happens to be a bit on the heavy side." Joey explained to his wife as the muscular younger one sat on the floor looking at the pieces of wood around him. "Or maybe DIY wasn't meant for us." Joey decided as they laughed but were determined to finish before the expected duo gets home.

Alex was sleeping when Ryan walked into the room as a nurse was checking on something in the IV. "She said she had some pain, so we gave her something for it." She explained why his wife was sleeping. "Okay, thank you." He said and walked over to the bedside to see his son, surprised that his eyes were open as he looked around curiously. He looked over at Alex first but her deep and even breathing ensured that she was asleep because he didn't want to wake her. He picked Asher up and walked over to the lounger, making himself as comfortable as he could possible get with his sin in his arms.

"Hey buddy." Ryan smiled as Asher grabbed onto his finger, curling his whole hand around his father's index finger. "I'm so proud of you for fighting. You can come home soon – I love you so much, in case I haven't said it before." He looked into the matching blue eyes of his son. "Today's been rough, and it made me realize that I would do anything to protect you, and your mom and sister. Am I boring you?" Ryan chuckled when Asher yawned and he settled down, placing the baby on his chest closing his own eyes for a brief moment. Somehow this hospital room became his temporary escape from the outside world when it seemed like it became too much for him to handle.

Guuuyyyssss omw once again I should be studying and look where I am…. Keep me in your prayers and meditations that I will pass this exam and that the things I study will stuck. I am beyond nervous. Like have you ever been so stressed about something to a point where you are calm and you don't know if it is because you know enough or if you don't know anything? Anyway enjoy this one.

Lovies-S