Chapter 220

Alex sat on the lounger in their bedroom getting Asher to calm down before laying him down for a nap and resting her hands on the railings of the crib her back turned towards the door as she text Ryan to ask him to speak to Nadia and make sure she is okay. A soft knock on the door made her look and she turned around seeing Theresa stand there.

"I'm sorry." Alex said looking at the older woman but Theresa shook her head indicating that an apology from her side is not necessary.

"You don't have to apologize. I'm sorry for Nadia's behavior, she acts out of line in more ways than one at times." Theresa walked over to sit on the bed and pat the empty spot next to her so Alex can sit down. "Your mom told me about it, and I was shocked at first but, the way I see you have not changed Alex. I still love you and regardless of what your past is we need to let go of it and move forward, okay?"

Alex nodded and ran a hand through her hair. "I don't want to be the reason that there might come a wedge between your children Theresa." Alex admitted looking up at her mother in law.

"Ryan and Nadia will sort it out – they always do. You focus on yourself and your children leave the others." Theresa said as she hugs Alex sideways.

Ryan walked outside and found Nadia on the corer of their street booking an uber when he took her phone so they can talk instead of her running away. "What the hell was that back there?" He asked and right now he was a raging machine fueled by adrenaline and anger. "First of all I don't know why you're angry when this has nothing to do with you. All of us did things in the past that we're not proud of but you going to utmost extremes by trying to hurt and humiliate my wife! Nadia what the hell has gotten into you?" Ryan asked looking at her desperate for answers.

"It's you I'm trying to get at Ryan! I wanna hurt you." She yelled slamming a balled up fist into his chest as he took a step back at the unexpected hit. "You have created this perfect life for yourself when it seems like you've forgotten about the rest of us. Amorey's off to college soon, I can't do my damn job because I'm in witness protection and Simone is flying around the country as if she hasn't has a care in the world; when I'm the one mom calls when she needs help when actually I'm the one that's in need of help."

"What are you talking about?"

"The office company I'm working for – is for those Cubans, Reno Horne to be specific and his son pushed him over that balcony because he wanted to take over the business, when his father dies. I didn't know how deep I was in this mess until I started tracing my steps. And I couldn't tell you about it or anyone else for that matter. This is not the only company they have I found out about sex trading thing they do with girls by adopting them." Nadia breathed looking up and down the street.

"What?" Ryan asked not at the story his sister was telling but at the vaguely familiar thing that she said last, but he kept that conversation on hold until later when he goes back to work.

"I'm the daughter who has to work extra hard to be recognized when she achieved something and when I finally landed this job – look what happened to me." She sat down on the sidewalk with her elbows propped up on her knees and her head in her hands. "Ever since we were little I wanted to be like you. You'd attempt something once and you would succeed in it. When dad left you were the one who told me everything will be okay and now that I actually needed you to reassure me of that you've turned your back on me and you're batting for your wife instead." She confessed looking at him and Ryan sits down on next to her.

"Is this your cry for help?" He asked and she shrugged.

"Maybe."

"Well it's a damn pathetic one to say the least. Then you call or come to me and ask for help and I'll help you. Instead of coming around, slapping my wife and calling her a bitch. Instead of yelling or hitting you back she texted me to tell me I should come see if you're okay." Ryan said with a sigh neither of them looking at each other. "And last night when she told me that you heard what Luca said, she didn't want to be the reason that there would be a rift between us." Ryan handed Nadia her phone back so she can book the Uber and got up. "I don't condone what Alex did – but she's one hell of a person who puts the needs of others above her own. You owe my wife an apology." Ryan told his sister as he walked back towards the house.

He walked back into the house and no one was in the lounge but judging from the sound coming from his daughter's room he assumed Simone was with her and his mother probably checking up on Alex, as his suspicions were confirmed when he saw the two of them sitting on the bed, and when Theresa saw him approaching she got up and walked out of the room to give the two of them some privacy. "You okay?" He asked and Alex nodded.

"We might need to talk about what happened. I'm really really sorry about what she did." Ryan said but Alex left it and told him to let it go, while he walked downstairs to look for his mother and Simone to talk to them about what happened. But called work to tell them he will be late upon his return.

"Did you find your sister?" Theresa asked and Ryan nodded as Theresa sat down with him and Simone and Phoebe running over to her father so he can pick her up. " Nadia is crying out for help and it seemed like no one heard it. She feels left out because no one ever acknowledges her when she does something and she feels like she's being compared to Simone and I." He said hesitantly looking at his mother.

"That is not true. I am proud of all four of you." Theresa said incredulous now knowing how to react to this. "And if that's her cry for help it is really not necessary to go to that extent. Did she say where she was going?" Theresa asked and Ryan shrugged.

"Mom right now might not be the best time to talk to her, let her calm down first. She's still quite upset." Ryan warned his mother but she took her keys and left out the door regardless, leaving him and Simone looking at each other.

"I am so jealous of Amorey right now. Sitting in a dorm room unaware of family feuds." Simone said and Ryan chuckled lightly kissing Phoebe's cheeks.

"I want a pawty dada!" Phoebe announced out of no where.

"Okay Pheebs, you might have to talk to your mother about this. But we can make it happen." Ryan said walking over to the couch with his daughter to sit with his sister.

"Is Alex okay? I wana go upstairs but I don't know what to say to her." Simone said and looked up when she saw her sister in law on the stairs. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Please stop asking that question, I'm okay." She smiled stiffly. "Guys I really feel like you should talk to Nadia. I do not want to be the reason that you don't talk to each other." Alex said putting on the kettle for some coffee. "Where's Theresa?"

Simone got up and walked over to Alex, "are you being serious right now? Yes she's my sister but after what she'd just done you are still worried about her."

"Family first. I will be fine and if Nadia wants to talk to me we can do that. But I think I need to give her time to calm down first." Alex said and she offered coffee for everyone else.

"Mama I want pawty." Phoebe said again to her mother in case her father forgot to give the message. "Bah-ney pawty. Ashie not come." She added shaking her head vigorously.

"Why can't Asher be at the party?" Simone asked and Phoebe looked at her as if that was the most bizzare question that she ever asked. "He baby. Not eat cake." She answered simply.

"Well can I come to your party?" Simone asked and Phoebe shook her head.

"You big! Only small fwiends. And Nana and Gwamma and Papa Jo and Gigi." Phoebe laid out her guest list causing the grown ups in the room ta laugh.

"Well they're much bigger that I am." Simone laughed at how her niece laid it out and how quickly she grew up, when she actually still wanted her to be a baby.

"I need to get back to work. I'll see you guys later." Ryan said when he noticed the time and figured he's been home for long enough and had to get a haste on to get back to the office so he can get back to cracking this case.

Back in the office it didn't look like they made any progress, because everyone sat around counting twiddling thumbs. "Do you know what would make this office lit?" Natalie asked no one in particular around the boardroom table as Ryan stood in the doorway. "When we can choose our own pay day. I'm broke!"

"Or, when you could trade places with your boss at least three times a month. I mean I'd be locked up in an office and not do shit while giving everyone on the floor work – oh and I'd fire Caleb." Nimah added throwing a crumpled piece of paper his way.

"Or being allowed to start your workday at any time you want and leave whenever you want but still getting paid your full salary." Ryan said as he walked into the room. "Judging by the way you guys are sitting I assume that none of you have made progress in tracking the mastermind behind this so called adoption agency." He said as he placed his briefcase on the floor and some documents on the table.

"I beg to differ Special Agent Booth." Shelby said as she switched on the projector and showed the progress they have made. "We have a founder and CEO someone called Reno Horne, but based on the search results he is in some hospital on ventilators. The end." She said unenthusiastically a total contrast as to how she started out in this conversation. "We tracked down his son but he didn't feel like talking and I don't think we can issue a warrant of forcing someone to talk?" Shelby asked more than making a statement.

"I think I might have someone who will be able to help us, but that doesn't mean that you should stop your research." Ryan said before dismissing the meeting. He waked up to his office and contemplated calling his sister and asking her for all the documents she might have on these people but he figured she still needed time to calm down and he'll call her once she apologized to Alex he decided finally.

Simone took the agency of planning Phoebe's party despite her sister in law telling her it was no big deal to have a full blow out for a 2nd birthday, but Simone being an aunt and allowing everything to happen when her niece or nephew asked her she got behind Alex's laptop and started searching the internet for Barney themed parties.

"And cuppy – cakes!" Phoebe said as a baking ad came onto the TV.

"Cup cakes." Alex corrected looking at her daughter and Phoebe looks back at her mother.

"I saided cuppy cakes mama!" She said looking at her mother with her hand on her hip. "Aunty mama is bowr-ing. I go home wif you?" She asked once again as she always wanted to go home with anyone who came to their house but never wanting to stay with her boring parents.

Thank you for reading.

Lovies-S