Chapter 22-The Visitor
"Momma! Momma!" came the sound through the baby moniter and resounding through the kitchen of the manor.
"I'm comin, sweetie." Parker said setting her pencil inside of her Algebra II notebook and heading up the stairs and into the nursery. She walked in to see her 11 month old daughter Phoenix standing up in her crib. "Well hello. Did you have a good nap?"
"No!" she announced giggling.
Parker smiled. That was her favorite word. She says it no matter what you ask her. Momma had been her first word at 10 months but no was definantly her favorite. "No? What happened?"
Phoenix just gave a dramatic sigh as if it was to hard to explain.
Parker laughed and picked her up out of the crib, resting her on her hip and carrying her downstairs and into the conservatory. She sat on the couch with her legs on it. One on each side of her daughter and relaxed back on the armrest to the sereneness of the quiet manor. Piper had gone to Paige's and Phoebe had asked to take Potter shopping with her, giving Parker the day at home with her daughter.
The twins were having their first birthday tomorrow and Phoebe had gone to buy presents and supplies. Piper and Paige were discussing decorations. 'I can't believe they'll be one tomorrow. All of it has gone by so fast.' Parker thought running her fingers through her daughter's long chocolate brown curls.
Suddenly there was a knock at the door and Phoenix goes "Da-Duh." One word she had never said before.
"What did you just say?" Parker asked standing up and placing her in her play-pen. Phoenix didn't reply. She just started hiding her face by pulling up her pink shirt and revealing her belly. Parker went to open the door. When she did she was shocked to see Dillon standing there wearing a black t-shirt with 'All American Rejects' written on it and a pair of baggy dark blue jeans, his hands were stuffed down in his pants pockets, his shaggy black hair was hiding his face as he looked at his shoes, and when he looked up at her, his blue eyes bright with uncertainty.
"Lookin' good." he commented with a small smile refering to her tight white tank top and her faded hip-hugger jeans.
She just rested up against the door and crossed her arms over her chest. "What do you want?"
"I just want to see them. Wish them an early happy birthday."
"Fine but Potter's not here."
"Where is he?" he asked stepping towards her.
"Aunt Phoebe took him birthday shopping." she said walking back into the conservatory leaving him standing with the open door, not sure what to do.
He walked in and shut the door and when he turned around he saw Phoenix standing in the doorway to the conservatory wearing a pink t-shirt that has 'Diva in a Diaper' written on it in white and a pair of dark jeans.
He bent down to her level and she just stood looking at him through curious green eyes. "Hi." he said not sure what to say.
"Da-duh." she announced giggling and smacking him gently on the shoulder with her tiny hand and letting it fall back down to her side. He smiled and lifted her up hugging her close.
"I missed you." he told her, kissing her on the cheek.
Phoenix just looked at him for a second before going "Bye-bye."
He looked at her kind of hurt before Parker goes, "Follow me." and walks into the kitchen. He just follows, carrying Phoenix into the kitchen. "She wasn't telling you to leave Dillon. She was telling you she wants bite-bites. It means she's hungry."
"Oh ok." He said putting Phoenix in her high-chair and making funny faces at her as she giggles. "She looks exactly like you."
Parker just raised her eyebrows at him while sitting a bag of animal crackers and a box of juice with a straw. She went over and sat down next to him. He turned to face her not sure what to say. He had missed so much and wasn't sure where to start. She gave him a small smile. She was still mad at him for walking out but if he was willing and was wanting to be their father, she had to give him a chance. "You know, if you want to be a part of our lives again, we need to talk." seeing as how all he did was focus on Phoenix she added, "Without any distractions."
"I want to. When do you want to talk?"
"How about now?"
"Umm, I think by distraction you meant her." He said indicating to Phoenix as she stuffed a cookie in her mouth.
Parker laughed and goes "I can take her to mom."
"OK." He said standing up and lifting Phoenix gently out of her high-chair and kissed her on the cheek. "Here you go." he said passing her to Parker.
She took Phoenix and before she orbed, she turned back to Dillon and goes, "Tell daddy bye."
Phoenix waved her tiny hand at Dillon and goes, "buh, Da-Duh."
He smiles at them and waved, "Bye sweetie."
Parker orbed out and a few seconds later orbed back in alone. "Surprisingly she didn't ask quesitons." Dillon laughed and she goes "So, where do you wanna talk?"
"Doesn't matter to me." Dillon retaliated looking into her eyes.
"How about the sunroom?" Parker suggested.
"OK. Works for me." Parker gave him a small smile and lead the way to the sunroom.
Once they were seated on the couch, Parker turned to face him but they sat in silence for a while. One wanting to talk about them and the other wanting to talk about their kids. Parker decided to break the ice. "We're having a birthday party for them tomorrow if you want to come."
"I'd love to. I mean if your mom wouldn't kill me or anything. I'd like to see them more often." Dillon replied looking from his hands up to her.
"I think I can keep my moms temper down." Parker said making him laugh. "And more often then never? That's not gonna be hard." She added making him chuckle and feel even worse at the same time. "We'll work out times and dates when we come to it. Ok?"
"Ok." he agreed. They returned to silence for a while before he couldn't take it anymore and he kissed her on the lips long and hard. When he pulled away, he quickly looked at her apologetically, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't ha..." he was cut off by her kissing him back but this time longer and more pationately.
They continued to kiss until they heard a tiny voice from the doorway go, "Momma."
They turned to see a little boy with long blonde curls and bright green eyes standing in the doorway looking at them curiously. A woman with medium length brown curly hair and big brown eyes was standing behind him holding some shopping bags in one hand, had a diaper bag on one shoulder and was holding his hand. They both jumped up and Parker walked over to them and picked him up. "Hey baby. Did you have fun with Aunty Phoebe?"
Potter nodded his head, making his hair bounce all over his face, and orbed his pacifier to his mouth. Parker looked over at Phoebe and noticed her sending Dillon interesting looks. She couldn't decide if they were looks of confusion or anger. "Ummm, here sweetie, you go with daddy and Aunty Phoebe and me will go into the kitchen and put this stuff away."
Parker handed Potter to Dillon and headed into the kitchen with Phoebe. Phoebe stood by the counter, one hand on her hip and the other rested on the counter, and she gave Parker a suspicious look as she started putting the party supplies away as if nothing had happened. "Ok, explain to me what happened back there."
"He showed up asking if he could wish the kids a happy birthday and we talked and he wants to be a part of their lives. If I can try to give Leo another chance, I think I can try to give Dillon a second chance."
"So, that's why you were making out with him on the couch?"
"No, after we talked about the kids, he kissed me and it just... I don't know how to explain it, it just felt right I guess." Parker said placing the last bag under the counter and shutting the cabinet door.
"Oh and what does your mother say about this because I'm guessing Phoenix isn't just upstairs playing." Phoebe said blocking Parker's way as she tried to walk back out of the kitchen.
"Yeah, Phoenix is with mom but mom doesn't know anything about Dillon yet and you can't tell her either. I'll tell her later when she gets home from Aunt Paige's. OK?" Parker asked hopefully.
"OK but if you chicken out and if she hasn't been told by the time I call her later, I will have to tell her Parker because I'm guessing that he's coming to the party tomorrow?"
"Yeah, he is."
"Ok then. I'll call your mom at 8:30 and if she still doesn't know, I will tell her." Phoebe said before turning around and walking towards the front door. She gave Dillon a small wave and started putting her jacket back on. "So, he was a really good boy shopping today. I'll see you tomorrow at the party. Bye Park. Bye-Bye Potter." Phoebe said after hearing Potter's small voice tell her bye back she turned to leave returning to the condo that she and Jason owned in Chinatown.
Parker walked back into the sunroom to see what Dillon and Potter were up to. She walked in to see Potter standing with Dillon leaning down to his level and talking to him. She smiled and walked over to them and bent down behind Potter. "Hey, I'm gonna go get Phoenix. Do you mind watching him while I'm gone?"
"Not at all." Dillon replied giving her a smile. She smiled back and gave Potter a kiss on the head.
"Mommy'll be right back baby ok?" she said to her son.
"Yea!" he declared giggling as Dillon poked him lightly in the stomach.
Parker smiled and orbed to Paige's house to see Piper laying on the floor unconsious, Paige orbing fireballs into demons, and another demon standing over a crying Phoenix, who was safely inside her protective bubble. Parker quickly blew up the demon after Phoenix and walked over to Piper and healed her before running back and blowing the last demon standing after they quit firing fireballs at Paige. She then ran over to Phoenix, who put her sheild down, and picked her up holding her tightly, whispering soft reassurances in her ear. When the baby had calmed down, she turned toward Piper and asked "Are you ok mom?"
Piper smiled, sitting next to Paige on the couch, and replied "Yeah, I'm fine sweetie. Why don't you two go back to the manor and I'll catch up later?"
Parker nodded, walking over so her and Phoenix could give Piper a kiss on the cheek, and orbed away after waving at Paige.
When they rematerialized she was standing looking at the clock and she noticed it was getting late and her mom would be there soon and her Aunt Phoebe's call would be soon after. She had to hurry and get Dillon out of the house before Piper got home. Him being there would only make it worse. She walked into the sunroom and saw Potter sitting with some toys laying around him. Dillon sitting at his side. Dillon picked up a block that had pictures on it and pointed toward a airplane on it. Dillon identified the picture to Potter and Potter responded with a serious face and simply stated, "Mine." before orbing the block out of Dillon's hand and into his own tiny one.
"Yeah, he's kinda in a selfish stage right now." she stated. He looked up at her, just then noticing she was in the room and smiled. She sat Phoenix on the ground and the baby walked over to her brother and started playing with her father. Parker walked over to them and pulled Dillon up off the ground gently. Phoenix whimpered, not liking the fact that she was loosing her playmate. She smiled apologetically at her daughter before returning her focus back to Dillon. "Umm, Dillon I'm sorry but my mom will be home soon and if she sees you here she'll probably blow a fuse." at Dillon's frightened look she added, "Let me talk to her first, trust me, everything will be fine. As long as your willing to be their father, I'm willing to let you."
Dillon smiled at her before bending down to Phoenix and Potter and stating "Daddy's gotta go home right now but I'll be back tomorrow ok? I promise." and kissing them on the head.
Parker walked him to the door and once they reached it they stood akwardly before she goes "Well, uh, nice seeing you again. I guess we'll see you tomorrow."
He nodded and unexpectedly brought her into a hard, pastionate kiss and moving her to where her back was up against the wall. She kissed him back just as pationately until they were out of breath and pulled away. He layed his head up against hers and smiled and breathlessly goes "See you tomorrow." and walking out the door.