Thanks so much for the reviews everybody! You all are super people, and inspire me to write a little more each time. I know it's slow paced and yada, yada. But the way I see it is, the slower it moves, the more chapters I have to write and the longer the story is! And as long as you guys keep on likin' I'll keep on writin'... oh that was corny, but it's all good. So, review if you have time, if not, that's cool too. I'm just happy that people are reading!
So without further adieu... Enjoy!
It was not long after Paige had stormed upstairs when Phoebe caught a glimpse of a cluster of familiar bright, white lights, indicating that her brother in-law had returned with the children. She sauntered over to greet the group and relieve Leo of her tiny, sleeping daughter, when Leo asked hesitantly, "Well, how did it go?"
While carefully laying Paisley on the couch, she took in a deep sigh and responded tiredly, "Just as well as could be expected, I suppose."
"You suppose?" Leo questioned after a moments pause, indicating her to continue.
"Yeah well, let's just see, shall we?" Phoebe responded as her voice became more passionate. "I spoke with my sisters for the first time in four years. They were not an easy four years either, I'll have you know, but rather, quite the opposite. It felt heartbreakingly long and it was so difficult without them. But apparently, while I was busy missing and protecting them, they were both busy hating me."
"Phoebe they don't hate you," Leo interrupted.
"Really? Then they certainly have a funny way of showing it!" Phoebe snapped, quieting only after noticing her tiny daughter flinch in her sleep. "You should have been here, Leo. Our whole conversation... was hardly what you could call civilized. Paige was calm and responded for a bit – even throughout the whole Cole ordeal. That was surprising. She's in her room now, after she freaked out for some reason or other. It's pretty doubtful that she'll ever talk to me again."
"And Piper?" Leo questioned hopefully.
"Oh, she's up there too," Phoebe answered. "Only she didn't take it as well as Paige did. I think that you should go and talk to her."
"I wouldn't know what to say," Leo started worriedly before quickly changing the subject. "Did you tell them everything?"
While fiddling nervously with her hands, Phoebe glanced up at Leo hesitantly, catching the anxious expression hidden within his eyes. Unable to look at him any longer, she turned her back to him and walked slowly back towards the couch. Collapsing beside her daughter, she gently caressed Paisley's warm cheek and quietly voiced, "I told them all that they can handle for now."
"Phoebe," Leo sighed as he seated himself on the chair opposite to her. "I thought we talked about this. It's better that you tell them now, rather than later."
"I know, I know," Phoebe responded miserably. "It's just that... I've hurt them so much already. I just can't bear to hurt them anymore. Speaking of which, you need to go upstairs and talk to Piper."
"Phoebe I can't," Leo complained.
"Well I sure as hell can't! I've done too much damage already," she joked, while continuing in a more serious tone. "She needs you right now. You're her husband, her best friend. Leo, you don't have to say anything o her, just let her talk. Hold her, comfort her. I know Piper, and you do too. She bottles up her emotions and pretends everything's ok, while secretly, it's killing her inside."
"You don't understand, Phoebe," Leo started. "Ever since you left - -"
"I know," Phoebe interrupted. "But this is your chance to make things better. Now go upstairs and help Piper. She needs you. I'll feed the boys, and then I'm going to take off. You can call me when they're ready to talk again."
"But - -" Leo started again.
"Just go," Phoebe said as she pushed him in the direction of the stairs.
Leo climbed the stairs hesitantly, trying to prolong the inevitable difficulty of the task set at hand. As he reached the second floor, he looked back down at Phoebe who was watching him with concern and said quietly, "I'm glad your back."
Phoebe smiled tenderly up at Leo while mouthing the words, "Thank you." She then turned her attention back to the couch where she reclaimed her seat. Placing a hand carefully on Paisley's resting body; she rubbed her back gently, in an attempt to wake the sleeping child.
"Mama?" the girl slurred tiredly as she wriggled underneath Phoebe's touch.
"Hey there, sleepyhead," Phoebe answered softly.
"I was not sweeping!" Paisley said irritably as she jolted upright and rubbed her tired eyes with tiny fists.
"That's right, sweetie. You were sleeping," Phoebe laughed.
"No I wasn't!" Paisley retorted as she crossed her arms angrily.
"Then what were you doing, baby girl?" Phoebe asked while stifling a laugh at her daughter's persistence, inherited inevitably from her own stubbornness.
"I was dweaming," Paisley corrected in a very serious tone.
"Oh, dreaming," Phoebe responded as Paisley nodded uncontrollably, her arms still crossed in mock anger. "Did you have a nice dream, baby?"
"Uh huh," Paisley nodded as she made her way into her mother's arms. "I was dweaming about you and me and daddy."
Phoebe's smile faded at Paisley's mention of the name "daddy." She had never told her daughter about her father, nor had Paisley ever asked about him in all of her three years of living. In fact, Phoebe didn't even keep a picture of him – out in the open at least. She still kept a small shoebox filled with memories of Cole that she just wasn't ready to part with yet. But this was beside the point. Paisley couldn't have dreamed about her father. It was impossible. She must have been mistaken.
"Daddy?" Phoebe repeated in a voice not quite above a whisper.
"Yes! I dweamed about him and you and me!" Paisley responded excitedly. "Don't worry Mommy. He woves us very much. I wish I could see him."
"Baby, what are - -" Phoebe started before she was interrupted by the sound of pounding little feet coming down the stairs.
"Aunt Phoebe, Aunt Phoebe!" Wyatt yelled as he raced down the stairs. "Are you making us dinner?"
"Mommy, you're making dinner?" Paisley gasped. "My mommy is not very good at cooking things. Sometimes they get bwack and burned. But she can make peanut butter and gwilled cheese."
"Yummy I love grilled cheese," Chris smiled.
"Let's go make some grilled cheese then, shall we?" Phoebe said enthusiastically as she lifted herself and Paisley off of the couch and followed the boys into the kitchen. "But I'm going to need everybody's help."
"Yay! I wove cooking!" Paisley squealed as she wrapped her arms around her mother's neck and placed a sweet kiss on her cheek.
In unison, the boys both shouted, "Me too!"