Party

"Hey, Bob. How you doing?" Punk asked as he walked into Bob's store.

"Fit as a fiddle." Bob nodded sarcastically as he got to his feet, "What about you?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm ok." Punk nodded, "Need some help, though."

"With what?" Bob asked.

"Reylissa's birthday is this weekend. Obviously we're gonna get her a present but… we don't really know what to get." Punk nodded, "Since you know more about her I was wondering if you had any ideas?" Punk asked him.

"Well I know she likes flowers." Bob nodded.

"I can't just get her flowers." Punk said.

"Well she's nineteen. It's not like I can suggest toys of any kind." Bob scoffed.

"I know that, I'm just… we're stuck for ideas." He said, "And her friend, Joanne, she's invited us to her party-"

"Yeah, I got the same invite. It's not like Rey to have a birthday party." Bob said, "She doesn't like being centre of attention. Sounds like Joanne's doing."

"Well you'll come along anyway, won't you?" Punk nodded.

"Yeah, of course." Bob said, "How have things been going with her? You been seeing her?"

"Yeah, a little. She was over at my place for dinner the other night and she met Amelia. It was nice." Punk nodded, "And not that it's your business but… me and April are… maybe starting something new." He nodded, knowing Bob would be pleased to hear.

"Well I knew that was destined to happen." Bob scoffed with a smile, "Didn't think it would take this long but nevertheless, here we are."

"Yeah, she's looking at a place to move into just five minutes away. We're gonna take it slow and see where it goes." Punk nodded, "I uh… I also need to talk to you about something."

"What?" Bob raised a brow, "You got money problems?"

"No, no nothing like that." Punk said, "I've not been very honest with you. The reason I never told you was because of how everything went and the way things have been." He said, "Chrissy had a baby just as we were divorcing. I have another daughter." He nodded as Bob folded his arms, "I just… I never told you because of how messy things were. I didn't want you to think of me in a certain way. You already knew I failed at being a father to my first kid and now my second is just pretty much the same."

"Phil." Bob tutted, "You should have told me. H-How old is she?"

"She's four this week." Punk nodded, "Her name is Lily. It's been real messy with Chrissy. She pretty much hasn't let me see her properly. I've been in and out of her life whenever Chrissy decided."

"She has no right." Bob spat angrily.

"I know but she started threatening me with court orders and restraining orders and that meant I'd never see her again, because I know I'd lose." Punk said, "So I just bit my tongue and I went along with it. Now I'm trying to get to know both of my daughters. Feels like a losing battle."

"You'll get there." Bob nodded, "But stop bottling things up. Talk to me. Talk to April." He encouraged, "Don't let it all burn your brain."

"I've been talking to April about it, she's been really good." Punk nodded, "Helping me with advice." He said as Bob nodded, "Hopefully things start going in the right direction."

"They will." Bob smiled, "I think it's better if you find something for Rey on your own. Then it becomes more personal. She's not spoiled so… she'll be grateful for anything." Bob said, "And she's not materialistic." He nodded.

"Yeah, me and April will think of something." Punk nodded to himself.

"I'm sure you will." Bob nodded, "I'm happy you two are… giving things another go." He said, "I knew it'd happen." He said cockily as Punk just scoffed.

"Yeah, ok. The prophet." Punk scoffed, "I gotta get back to work." He said as Bob just smiled.

"Go on then." Bob nodded.

The weekend eventually came around and AJ and Punk headed to Rey's birthday party. AJ had dropped Amelia off with Tom, as reluctant as she was to do so, she knew that Amelia still loved her father and she did trust him with her.

They arrived at the bar where the small party was, walking on in and finding their way through some people before finding Rey over by the bar.

"Hey." Rey noticed them, "You guys came." She smiled.

"Of course." AJ smiled, "Happy birthday." She nodded. It was surreal to spend a birthday with their daughter. For it to be her 20th birthday was even more surreal, but they were just glad they could be a part of it.

"Happy birthday." Punk nodded, extending her the gift bag and the flowers as Rey took them and smiled.

"Thank you." Rey nodded, "I love flowers." She smiled, "I'll uh… I'll open this later." She nodded to them, "Thank you both for coming, you didn't need to."

"We wanted to." Punk smiled, "You have a lot of friends." He nodded, looking around the section of the bar which was super busy.

"These are mostly Joanne's friends." Rey assured them, "Bob is sitting over there if you're looking for him." She pointed as Punk and AJ looked over and nodded.

"Yeah we'll go make sure he's not drinking too much." Punk nodded.

"Uh wait…" AJ said, digging into her purse, "Amelia made this in school. I told her it was your birthday so she made you a card." She nodded, extending over the glittery handmade card as Rey smiled to herself and opened it up, smiling to herself at all the drawings.

"I love this." Rey smiled, "I'll uh… I'll need to thank her in person." She nodded.

"Come over any time. I've actually got a new house. I'll need to show you it." AJ nodded.

"Oh, yeah. Of course." Rey smiled, "I'd love to see it." She nodded.

"We'll arrange something." AJ nodded.

"Yeah, I'd like that." Rey smiled as AJ nodded, "I better go say hi to more people. I'll come see you guys soon." She said as they nodded, watching as she walked off to go find Joanne whilst they headed over to where Bob was sitting.

"She looks so pretty." AJ smiled as Punk nodded, watching as Rey stood at the bar with her friend. She was wearing a black jumpsuit with heels, and had her long dark hair all straightened and sat beautifully, as well as some make-up, not that she needed it.

"It's crazy that she's twenty." Punk shook his head, sitting down beside Bob.

Meanwhile Rey stood at the bar with Joanne getting another drink, "I can't believe they came." Rey admitted.

"Why wouldn't they have?" Joanne shook her head.

"I don't know, maybe it was too soon… they even got me a present." Rey smiled.

"Well you're their daughter." Joanne shrugged.

"I've only just met them." Rey said, "I mean… I'm not complaining." She admitted, looking over to her parents as they sat talking to Bob, "I'm glad they're here." She nodded.

She'd spent a lot of birthday's being very alone. She always prided herself on making her own family and friends, but it felt so wonderful to be getting to know her parents and for them to be here celebrating a birthday with her.

"I need to go introduce myself properly." Joanne smirked, "Do you think your dad will dance with me?" She smiled.

"Leave my dad alone." Rey scoffed as she suddenly felt a cold tap on her shoulder, turning around as she saw her uncle standing, having tapped her on the back with a bottle of wine, holding a card too as she smiled.

"I'm not good with presents." Dean admitted, "So… I figured this might do the trick." He nodded, handing her the bottle of wine and birthday card as Rey smiled.

"Thank you." Rey smiled to him, taking the wine and card, "You didn't have to get me anything."

"Yeah, I did. You're my niece." Dean smiled, "And the first woman to ever drink me under the table. Congratulations." He nodded.

"Well thank you. I don't know how to take that." Rey laughed as Joanne smiled.

"Where is my bottle of wine?" Joanne arched a brow as Dean looked at her.

"Dean this is my best friend, Joanne. Joanne, this is my… uncle Dean." Rey introduced them as Dean shook her hand.

"I don't have a bottle for you but I'll buy you a glass." Dean nodded as he walked over to the bar.

"Your dad and uncle are so hot, this isn't fair." Joanne whispered to Rey as Rey punched her in the gut as she chuckled.

"I'm gonna go outside for some fresh air." She told Joanne who nodded.

She disappeared out of the bar and outside with her purse, digging inside for a cigarette and lighting up, blaming her uncle for encouraging her which had now become a habit.

She was extremely grateful for how her life had gone in the past few weeks. She'd let go of things that weren't healthy for her and she was gaining a family and new opportunities. She was letting go of that bitter angry little girl inside of her and appreciating her life in the moment.

She stood outside, watching the busy night life pass her by, standing into the side as she enjoyed her cigarette, suddenly watching as a woman began to approach her from the corner of her eye. She immediately assumed she was probably looking for a lighter.

"Must be the birthday girl." Chrissy smirked as Rey turned to her with confusion.

"Excuse me?" Rey looked at her, wondering how on earth this stranger knew her name.

"Reylissa, right?" She asked.

"How do you know me?" Rey asked.

"You can call me step mom if you like." Chrissy smiled as Rey looked across at her.

"You're… my dad's ex?" Rey asked as Chrissy nodded.

"Bingo." Chrissy nodded, "I just hope he treats you better than he treats our own daughter." She shrugged.

"What?" Rey shook her head.

"Oh, he didn't tell you?" Chrissy asked, "Of course he didn't." She said, "We have a daughter. She just turned four." She smiled, "Phil hasn't exactly been… present in her life." She said, "I'm sure that's no shocker to you, I mean… he abandoned you at birth." She nodded to herself, "I don't know why I was surprised-"

"Why are you here?" Rey spat, shaking her head.

"To warn you." Chrissy nodded, "His goal isn't you, it isn't Lily. It's getting your mother back. That's all he's really interested in." She said, "In a few year's time you're gonna realise you were probably better off without them." She said, "He's not a good person." She shook her head.

"Sounds like someone is mad that they got divorce papers sent through to them." Rey smiled, "Get away from my party. Your negative energy is really ruining my mood." Rey nodded as Chrissy just smiled a little.

"I'm just saying be careful." Chrissy nodded as Rey backed up, walking back into the bar after putting her cigarette out, running her hand through her hair as she paused and looked over to her mother and father, staring at them as they seemed to be enjoying themselves with Bob, reminding herself that she really didn't know these people as well as she thought she did so far.