Agreements
Punk's charges were still looming of his head but there was nothing he could do about it at the moment. His lawyer assured him this wouldn't stick and he was taking his word for it. Tonight was going to be even worse than the pending charges, tonight was his mother's charity gala. He hated the event mostly because his mother was there but every year AJ attended with him and she would always wow him in something amazing and pretend to be a couple with him for the sake of his parents friends but tonight they didn't have to pretend.
He looked himself over in the mirror and adjusted his tie before stepping out of his bedroom and walking across the hall to AJ's. He knocked on her door and she revealed to be wearing a beautiful black gown. Her hair was down wavy and parted to one side, diamond studs on her ears that he gave her for her 18th birthday and a diamond bracelet that his father he had given her for Christmas years back. He presented her with a single white rose.
"You're right on time." she teased accepting the flower and putting her nose in it.
"Yea it would be hard to explain why I was late with being right across the hall and all." he teased and leaned in to kiss her. "Are we going to talk about that by the way? Living in separate rooms seems silly when we're sleeping in the same bed every night."
"Yea I suppose so." She said to him. "You want to move back in here?"
"I mean it would be nice." He laughed. "We are married."
"Ok." She said to him agreeing. "We can repaint it and I'll make room in the closet."
"We don't have to repaint but I'd like a new bed." he said to her.
"Um, ok." She said unsurely. "Why a new bed though?"
"I'm not sleeping in a bed that you've had another man in." he said casually.
"Alright." She said amused. "I think it's silly but sure."
"You think it's silly?" He asked her.
"You never seem bothered to be in the bed when I'm naked." She pointed out as she placed the rose into a vase with other flowers in her room. "It's only been one man."
"I don't care. When I'm laying in the bed at night and trying to sleep I think about Billy being in my spot." Punk told her honestly. "I don't like it."
"Alright we'll get a new bed." She said to him.
"Thank you." he said to her.
"Don't thank me, you're paying for it." She teased. "And I want a bigger bed."
"Bigger? Than you'll be far away." He frowned.
"Or we have more room to play." She teased pulling at his jacket then stopped short of kissing him and adjusted his tie properly.
"I just fixed it." He pouted.
"It was still crooked." She said to him. "There." she said dusting off his shoulders. "Perfect even though you'd still be perfect without the tie, or the shirt." She teased.
"You look beautiful." He said with a soft smile. "You're always the prettiest woman at these things."
"I wouldn't say that but I do like to upstage your mom. It's the only time I pay to get my hair and makeup done." AJ smirked.
"It's not difficult to upstage my mother." Punk teased.
"She's going to hound you about those chargers tonight." AJ warned him.
"And risk her friends overhearing? Nah." He said to her as AJ grabbed her jacket and he took it from her. "We don't have to stay long either."
"You know I love the main course." She reminded him.
"We'll skip out after." He said to her.
"I want to hang out with your sister and you should too." AJ said to him.
"We'll sneak her out with this." Punk said to her and AJ laughed.
Punk and AJ arrived at the over the top gala hand in hand. They managed to avoid his mother when they got there which was a win. Punk was flooded with condolences about his father and forced on a fake smile while he thanked everybody. Thankfully AJ was by his side and ended up doing most of the talking for him.
"This is torture." He said as he finally took his seat at the table with AJ.
"It's not that bad." She said eating an appetizer. "You should eat something."
"Hello." Catherine said with a bright smile. "You two arrive and don't greet the host?"
"I had a feeling you'd track us down." Punk smirked sarcastically. "Hello mother."
"Phillip." She smiled.
"My wife is here too." Punk pointed out.
"How could I miss her?" Catherine asked sarcastically. "The men are drooling all over her but you can't blame them Phillip look how she's dressed."
"I think she looks great." Punk said looking at AJ and shooting her a wink.
"I just wanted to remind you to not leave before pictures." His mother said to them. "Even you." She said glaring at AJ.
"I'm honored." AJ mocked.
"And don't think we won't be discussing these chargers." Catherine said to Punk.
"I have nothing to say." Punk said to her.
"This is a scandal clearly the woman wants money just give her what she wants." Catherine said to him.
"Phil didn't do anything to her therefor we aren't giving her a dime." AJ told Catherine.
The two began to bicker with fake smiles but Punk's attention went across the room when he spotted his sister laughing and having a good time. Living with his mother wasn't easy so he was glad to see her having a good time but when he looked to see who she was talking to his stomach twisted. The man with the camera was very familiar to him as he played with his little sisters hair.
"Are you even listening?" Catherine demanded of Punk who stood up and ignored his mother and marched over to Billy and his sister.
They didn't even notice Punk coming as his face turned red. He grabbed Billy by the warm and pushed him against the wall.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Punk demanded.
"Phil stop!" Izzy yelled.
"What are you doing with my sister?" Punk hissed.
"I'm the photographer for the party." Billy smiled. "I was taking pictures of your pretty sister."
"He's really nice." Izzy said to her brother. "He wants me to be his model."
"Are you fucking crazy?" Punk asked Billy. "My sister!"
"Stop!" Izzy cried as Punk shook Billy.
"Phil don't." AJ pleaded running over.
"She's just a kid don't fucking involve her in your sick game." Punk warned him.
"He's been nothing but nice to me!" Izzy argued.
"We have a date to go to the art museum tomorrow." Billy told Punk with a laugh.
"I will fucking kill you." Punk hissed.
"Let him go." AJ pleaded grabbing onto Punk's arm.
"Age isn't anything but a number, weren't you and April around the same ages when you two first hooked up?" Billy questioned.
"That is enough." Catherine hissed walking over. "Why must you cause a scene everywhere? We are in damage control."
"It's really going to hurt when I rip this guys fucking head off of his shoulders." Punk said then looked back at his mother. "Izzy can date older men now? You ok this after the hell AJ and I went through?"
"No of course not." Catherine said and looked towards Izzy.
"We're not dating." Izzy argued.
"You're damn right you're not dating." Punk said to her then looked at him. "You want to mess with me? Fucking fine but do not drag my sister into this or I swear I will kill you-"
"Phil!" Catherine hissed. "People are looking."
"I don't give a shit." Punk spat.
"Let's just go." AJ said to Punk noticing everyone's eyes on them.
"This isn't helping your case- literally." Billy chuckled and Punk let him go.
"You can't leave." Catherine said to Punk and AJ.
"Well we are." Punk said and grabbed Izzy's wrist. "Her too."
"What?" Catherine asked.
"She's staying at our place tonight or until I know you're done employing predators." Punk said to his mother.
"You were just as old as Billy was when you wooed 17 year old AJ." Catherine pointed out.
"Actually Billy is older." AJ added quietly.
"Get off of me I'm not a kid." Izzy said jerking away from Punk.
"Come on Izzy." AJ said walking her away.
"What is this behavior of yours?" Catherine asked him.
Punk was about to respond but saw everyone still watching it he just shook his head and followed his wife and sister out.
"She's sleeping." AJ said walking into Punk's bedroom and getting into the bed.
"Did you talk to her?" Punk asked.
"I was in there for an hour and we talked about Billy." AJ said to him. "She won't be returning his calls don't worry."
"I am worried." Punk said looking up at the ceiling. "What if we weren't there and Izzy left with him?"
"We were there and she didn't." AJ reminded him. "She's not a little kid all you had to do is explain to her."
"She is a little kid." Punk countered.
"I was a year older when I had PJ." AJ told him.
"You're different." he shrugged. "You were much more mature."
"So is Izzy." AJ said to him. "She was charmed by Billy so was I. We're actually very similar."
"Great." He mumbled.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked.
"Nothing." He said quickly.
"No really." she said to him. "What does it mean?"
"Nothing it's just I want better for her." Punk admitted. "Not that you're not great because you are but you missed out on so much because of me and PJ."
"I don't think I missed out on anything. I grew up faster than I thought I would and I missed out on school and stuff but I wouldn't trade my time with you and my short time with PJ for anything." She said to him. "It's better to have love and lost than to never have loved at all." she reminded him.
"His room is almost done." Punk noted. "Colt took the last few boxes and now we just have to paint it I guess. Any ideas on what you want to do with it?"
"No not yet." She said to him.
"I was thinking an office." he said to her.
"An office for what?" She asked.
"For you so you could study." He said to her. "We discussed you going back to school I thought it could be a peaceful place for you to study."
"That's sweet but I don't know what I'm doing yet." She said to him. "We have so much going on with this Maria thing-"
"Don't let me stuff get in the way of what you want." He said to her. "If you want to go back to school and work with animals then that's what you'll do."
"You're the best." She smiled and kissed his stubbly chin. "When do I start at the club?" she asked him. "It's been a week and I can't stand being in the house anymore."
"Tomorrow if you want." he offered. "I thought we'd get up early go pick out a bed, get lunch, go to our therapy session then head over to the club."
"Sounds good." She said to him.
After taking an hour to pick out a new bed they had lunch and headed to their therapy session. The first few sessions were rough but they felt they were making progress.
"So now that the nursery is down and you two are going to be sharing a room, what's next?" the therapist asked them.
"I'm thinking about going back to school." AJ told her. "I always wanted to be a vet."
"That's wonderful." The therapist smiled. "What about children?" she asked the two of them.
"What about them?" Punk asked her confused.
"Have you two considered more?" she questioned.
"No." AJ and Punk answered at the same time.
"When we spoke about your son earlier you two seemed to excited at the time even just remembering." The therapist noted.
"We were and it didn't work out." AJ said simply.
"Is that you don't want any more children or are you afraid of having another child?" The therapist asked them.
"What's the difference?" Punk asked with a shrug.
"Plenty of people want something but are afraid of doing it." The therapist told him.
"It's all the same." AJ said to her.
"So you two are perfectly content without children?" The therapist asked them.
"Yes." AJ answered. "We loved our son but we were both much younger and clearly unprepared."
"Yes I agree but you both are now much older and whether you acknowledge it or not you both have been married in love for five years. I see hope whenever your son is mentioned." The therapist noted.
"We have no desire to replace him." Punk told her.
"You can never replace a child." The therapist said with a sad smile. "Have you two taken any physical measures?"
"I'm on birth control." AJ told her.
"Do you use a condom?" She asked Punk who seemed uncomfortable.
"Uh no." Punk admitted shyly. "Just with AJ though she's my wife."
"In your past physical relationships you used a condom?" she asked and he nodded. "Is that because you know deep down it would be ok to have a child with your wife?"
"No it's because I know AJ takes birth control." Punk corrected. "I trust her completely, I know she's clean and to be honest like I said she's my wife I don't like barriers."
"Or do you hope that she'll get pregnant?" She asked. "Both of you for that matter."
"No." AJ laughed.
"So why haven't you taken any permanent action? You could tie your tubs or you could get a vasectomy." She pointed out.
"Oh no." Punk laughed. "I'm not doing that."
"He's very proud of himself." AJ teased.
"What about you?" the therapist asked her.
"Oh I'm proud of him too." She grinned and Punk laughed.
"I meant your measures." The therapist smiled.
"I never thought about it." AJ shrugged. "I don't want to have surgery either. It has nothing to do with wanting another child though."
"I see." She nodded.
"I don't think you believe me." AJ laughed annoyed. "If I wanted another child I could have had one I just don't want one."
"It's fine. Plenty of people don't want children I just hope your reasons are for the right reasons." The therapist said to her. "I'm not judging you."
"I feel like you are." AJ snapped.
"AJ." Punk whispered.
"We agreed to no more children years ago." AJ reminded her.
"Yes and that agreement was with a long list of other things while you two weren't together." The therapist noted. "You both are married and finally in a healthy place in both your lives and relationship and sometimes perspectives change."
"Not on that." Punk answered for both him and AJ.
Once they arrived at the club AJ used his office to change into her new uniform. Punk eyed her as she adjusted the little black shorts and tight black top with the club name sewed over the right top corner breast.
"This is very uncomfortable." She said pulling at the back of the shorts. "My ass is too big for these."
"You can wear pants." He offered.
"No I want to be treated like any other employee you have." AJ said to him. "I do find it sexist that all your waitresses have to wear little to nothing while your waiters are fully clothed."
"That's all the manager I just sit up here and sign shit." he shrugged and watched as she turned around. "Your ass is out." he groaned.
"These are the biggest shorts he had." AJ frowned. "Don't worry I'll still go home with you." She teased.
"It would help if you had a ring on." He noted under his breath.
"You haven't put yours back on either." She pointed out. "I also gave you my ring when I took it off so I'm waiting on you unless you don't have them anymore which I would totally understand-"
"I have them." Punk said to her. "They're in the safe at home."
"Trust me you have nothing to worry about besides I'm only training tonight." She reminded him.
"Just don't do the stuff you used to date at the arcade." He requested.
"Which was what?" She asked amused placing her hands on her hips.
"Just don't mouth off to people." He suggested lightly.
"I only mouth off to people who mouth off to me." AJ reminded him.
"This is a club not a video arcade." He reminded her. "People get drunk and loud here."
"Not with me." she said proudly and he had to laugh.
"So the stuff the therapist was talking about today..." he trailed off.
"The children thing?" she asked. "What about it? Have you changed your mind?"
"No." he said to her. "I was wondering if you had."
"I can't go through all of that again." AJ told him shaking her head. "I don't think I'd ever have a nights sleep with another child I'd constantly be watching it making sure it was breathing- I wouldn't even enjoy it."
"Yea I get that." Punk agreed. "But the thing she said about fear and want make sense."
"You want another child." She said slowly.
"I didn't say that." Punk disagreed. "I was just saying she made sense."
"I can't and won't go through that pain again." She told Punk. "I love you and I want you to be happy but if you want children that's something I just can't give you." she told him sternly and he just eyed her. "I want you to be happy and if you need that and want to leave-"
"Relax." he laughed grabbing her arms. "I was just asking."
"You want children." she noted. "I don't blame you I want them too I just can't do it."
"It's fine." he assured her and pulled her into a hug.
"I'm sorry." She sniffled against his chest.
"Don't be." he said to her pulling away. "We discussed this and we agreed no more children."
"Yea." she said nodding. "No more. I really should get downstairs and to work."
"Don't forget to fill out your paperwork first." He reminded her.
"Ok." AJ said giving him a kiss.
"And an apron." he reminded her as he watched her walk to the door. "You should wear two one on the front and back."
"Right." She smirked and walked out of the office.
An hour later Punk was getting antsy and decided to go downstairs and check in on AJ and see how she was doing. As he walked to the door it opened itself and Maria walked in.
"Hi." Maria greeted and Punk wasn't sure how to respond or react. "I think we should talk."