ETWentHome: It was a good idea. We'll soon see what happens, you'll probably find out the result in the next chapter :-)

Chapter Twenty Three

Lily and Ethan had quite a difficult couple of months. Although Cal had been staying away and only coming round so that Ava and Matilda could see each other and that Ethan could see his brother, Lily's pregnancy had been difficult and Ethan's symptoms had continued. She'd been constantly throwing up and spent most of her days lying in bed with a sick bowl next to her, Connie had booked her in for an appointment to see if she could get her a pill or something for the sickness. It wasn't just that though, Ava's behaviour had become severely bad at school and at home.

"Maybe it's the new baby," Alicia suggested, as she and Lily sat in the living room with a cup of tea and a cake that Lily had bought from the supermarket.

It was just the two of them. Ethan had gone round to Cal's place to watch a football game on TV and he'd taken Ava so that she could play with Matilda for a couple of hours.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked with a mouthful of cake.

"Well, you're...Five months now?" Alicia took a wild guess.

"Six," Lily corrected her.

"Six," Alicia repeated. "The point is you're showing, it's getting nearer the time so you and Ethan have probably started preparing so maybe she's feeling a little bit jealous and a little bit left out. It's what happens when a child's parents suddenly have a new baby."

"I was expecting that to happen eventually," Lily said. "But not until the baby actually came."

"What's she been doing anyway?" Alicia questioned.

"Well I've had to have constant chats with her teacher," Lily said. "She's been hurting other children, refusing to do work, throwing toys around and she's exactly the same at home as well. Ethan and I both had to deal with a massive screaming fit from her the other day, in public might I add."

"Have you had her results back yet?" Alicia asked. "About Huntingtons?"

"Not yet," Lily sighed and had a sip of her tea.

"Well, it's been quite a while," Alicia said. "Months. Shouldn't you be chasing it up?"

"I will do," Lily said. "I haven't had a chance to talk to Connie yet. You don't think that could be the reason, do you?"

"No," Alicia said. "I was just wondering. You hadn't said much about it."

"Can you keep a secret?" Lily whispered and Alicia nodded. "Ava might belong to Cal. Before I...I got pregnant and before Cal left, I was upset and Cal and I slept together accidentally. Ethan knows but we're putting it on hold for the moment because of Ava and the new baby and everything."

"Lily," Alicia gasped.

"Yeah," Lily sighed. "And Cal is certain that Ava is his daughter. The thing is, if...If Ava does have a chance of having Huntingtons then...Well, I'd hate it but at least she'll be Ethan's. If she doesn't, there's a bigger chance that she could be Cal's."

"And you haven't had a DNA test done or anything?" Alicia asked and Lily shook her head. "Of course she's Ethan's daughter," she said convincingly. "She's Ethan all over."

"Do you think so?" Lily asked and she nodded. "Thanks. Hmm, baby doesn't agree with tea." She grimaced and put her mug down on the table, whilst rubbing her stomach.

"You were fine earlier," Alicia giggled.

"Yeah," Lily groaned, shifting to a more comfortable position. "I can't keep anything down at the moment, everything just makes me want to vomit including bacon which is a real shame."

"That is a real shame," Alicia said. "I love a good bacon sandwich."

"Oh don't." Lily shook her head. "Even talking about it makes me feel ill."

"Bless ya," Alicia said and reached out to give her shoulder a rub.

"Just get up those stairs and go to your room!" They suddenly heard shouting and the front door slammed shut. "Now! I am not happy at all!"

"Ethan!" Lily called, sitting upright as Ethan came into the room. "What happened? Where's Ava?"

"I sent her to her room," he sighed and threw the keys down onto the coffee table. "I've had enough of her."

"Try not to lose your temper with her," Lily said. "What has she done?"

"She pushed Matilda over and pulled her hair," Ethan said. "And then she went and shouted at Cal before kicking him. He got her some ice-cream but apparently it wasn't the right kind."

Lily sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I...I'll go and talk to her."

"No," Ethan ordered and shook his head, before leaning down and kissing her temple. "I don't want you under any stress. I'll have a word with her later on, I promise."

"Why don't I go and talk to her?" Alicia asked. "Come on, she likes me and she might tell me stuff that she doesn't want to tell her mum and dad. May I?" Lily looked to Ethan who gave a small nod. "I won't be long," she said and placed her cup of tea down before heading upstairs.

Ava was sitting cross legged on her bed running a brush through the hair of one of her barbie dolls.

"Hey Ava, what are you doing?" Alicia asked, sitting on the end of the bed. Ava gave a small shrug. "Can I play too?" Alicia asked.

"You can have this dolly," Ava said, picking up another doll and handing it over to Alicia. "Is daddy cross with me?"

"A little bit," Alicia said. "Why did you push Matilda and shout at Uncle Cal?"

"I was angry," Ava whispered.

"Well you can't hurt people if you're angry," Alicia said and gave her a small smile. "It isn't nice. Can I ask you a little something?" Ava nodded. "Are you upset about this new baby? Because you don't need to be, you know? Mummy and daddy will still love you lots and lots."

"A little bit," Ava said and stopped brushing her doll's hair. "But there is other stuff."

"What other stuff?" Alicia asked.

"Um...I...I have a lot going on, don't I?" Ava asked with a really serious face.

Alicia nodded and laughed, "yes you do but you can tell me."

"I'm worried about mummy and daddy," Ava said quietly.

"Why?" Alicia asked. "Why are you worried about them?"

"Because daddy isn't well," Ava cried and held her hands to her face. "And mummy hasn't been spending a lot of time with me."

"Hey, come here you silly girl," Alicia said and pulled her into her lap. "Daddy will be absolutely fine, okay? And mummy has just been a little pre-occupied lately. She's also been worrying about your dad but she's also getting ready for the new baby."

"I don't want daddy to die," Ava sobbed. "My friend Harriet's daddy was very sick and he died last week and Harriet was very sad."

"Hey," Alicia said, feeling close to tears herself. "Your dad is going to be fine, okay? Listen, mummy and daddy don't like this bad behaviour and you have nothing to be worried about. If you're upset, talk to mummy. That's what mummies are for, they make everything better again."

Ava sniffed and leant against Alicia's chest with her thumb in her mouth.

"You're a special little girl, Ava," Alicia said and kissed her cheek. "Mummy and daddy love you very much and no matter what happens to daddy, I know that he will always love you and that you will make him proud. Okay?"

"Okay," Ava whispered and wiped at her watery eyes.

"Hey, I know what'll cheer you up," Alicia said. "How about you and I spend the day together this weekend? There's this Saturday stage school and I thought you might want to try it out."

"Really?" Ava asked. "To dance and sing?"

"If that's what you want to do," Alicia said. "Consider it a girly day with just the two of us. Would you like that?"

"Yes," Ava said. "Thank you Aunty Alicia."

"You're welcome, honey," Alicia said. "But no more of this bad behaviour, yeah? Is that a deal?" Ava nodded. "Good girl," Alicia praised and gave her another hug. "And you remember what I said, okay?"

"Yes," Ava said. "Make daddy proud."

I got a bit emotional writing this :-) let me know what you think x