Trouble
Chapter 5
Ally nervously paced the length of her room, running her fingers through her pin straight strands. Her fingers kept tugging at the short hemline of her dress as she thought of excuses to cancel the dinner plans. Trish leaned against the doorway, rolling her eyes at her friend's nervous habits.
" Ally, calm down. It isn't that big of a deal. You used to go to dinner over there all the time, what's so different this time?" Trish spoke, glancing at her freshly painted fingernails. Ally released a sigh, stopping mid step to meet her short friend's warm eyes.
" This is different because I'm keeping the biggest secret of his life. Trish, what if he notices something, like how similar they are? Do you know Devon's favorite food?" Trish shook her head, waiting for Ally to continue.
" Pancakes. He is obsessed with pancakes, he literally reminds me of Austin every morning," Ally shook her head, her frustration seeping out of her pores.
Trish shrugged away from the door frame, moving to stand directly in front of her best friend, placing her hands on the other woman's delicate shoulders.
" He won't, Ally. Calm down. This is going to be a pleasant dinner with the Moons. Ignore Austin, it doesn't matter. Devon is your son. You are the one who raised him. Don't worry so much," Trish chided, watching her friend nod her head, slightly weakly, but it was a start, and that was all that mattered to the petite Latina woman. She took a step back to appraise her work, nodding in satisfaction. She had dressed Ally in a short midnight blue dress that hugged her defined curves, the length ending a little lower than mid thigh. The straps were thin, delicately holding the dress on the young woman's form. Her hair had been straightened, ending just below her rear. A pair of strappy six inch heels decorated her feet, a thin silver anklet dangling on her delicate ankle. Her throat was adorned with a silver necklace, one Austin had gotten for her sixteenth birthday. The silver chain rested lightly on her collar bone, the pendant was a treble cleft that rested gently on her sternum.
" Ally, you look hot. I do believe I did great today," Trish commented, watching her best friend roll her eyes. Trish only grinned as she led the way out of Ally's bedroom. Devon sat on the couch, watching cartoons as he waited for his mother and Tia. Ally smiled brightly when she saw her son, appraising his appearance.
" Well, doesn't my Little Man look handsome tonight," Ally commented, watching her son turn to see her. A wide grin rested on his lips as he jumped from the couch, running over to wrap his arms around his mother's tiny waist.
" You look pwetty Mama," Devon complimented, knowing she would kiss the top of his head.
" Thanks, Baby. Come on, we shouldn't keep Mimi waiting. Are you ready Trish?" Ally called to her best friend who was quickly snapping a picture of the sweet moment with her phone.
" What? Oh yeah, let's go. I really missed Mimi's cooking," Trish commented, already moving towards the door. Ally wrapped her hand around Devon's, leading the way out of the apartment.
The drive to the Moon's residence was filled with silence, both women thinking over what could happen. Devon was eager to eat, happy he wouldn't have to wait much longer. She parked her car at the curb beside the drive way, sitting there as she cut the engine. Trish waited, watching as Ally inhaled a deep breath to ease her frantic nerves.
" Mama, can we go now? I'm hungry," Devon's voice piped up from the back seat, drawing Ally out of her thoughts. She nodded her head, pushing her door open as she slid the key out of the ignition. Trish followed Ally's example, easily pushing her own door open and slipping out of her seat. She fiddled with the lever before pushing her seat forward so Ally could reach her son.
Trish led the way up the drive way, glancing over her shoulder to check Ally as she carried Devon on her hip. The little boy looked like a perfect angel, his silver blonde hair tousled messily so strands fell into his cinnamon brown eyes. The midnight blue dress shirt he wore matched his mother's dress perfectly, and the black slacks fell over his red high tops. He certainly had his mother's taste for the angry color. She shook her head as she raised her fist to knock, taking a step back as the heavy oak door was pulled open.
" Trish, Ally, Devon, I'm so glad you could make it," Mimi smiled warmly at the three guests, stepping to the side so they could enter. Mimi slowly took in both women's appearance, noting Trish was wearing a simple black strapless dress with three inch wedges. Ally matched her son perfectly, as did Devon. She shook her head, smiling softly at the thought of just how in tune they still were.
" You both look lovely, and Devon, you look as handsome as my son," Mimi spoke, kissing the boy atop his head. He offered a shy smile, burying his face into the crook of his mother's neck.
" We're still waiting for Mike's clients, but every one else is in the den. Ally, would you mind helping me in the kitchen, I need to put the finishing touches on dinner," Mimi spoke, watching as Ally nodded in understanding, passing her son to Trish.
" Let's go Little Man, Mama needs to help Miss Mimi," Trish spoke, watching as Mimi led Ally to the kitchen. She entered the den to see Austin and Dez arguing over the flat screen while Mike read over a case file, shaking his head at the noise his son caused.
" Let's hope you never act like that. Your mother would have a fit," Trish whispered to the little boy who nodded his head in agreement. Austin looked up, smiling at the sight of his child hood friend.
" Hey Trish, where's Ally?' Austin spoke, noticing the tall brunette was missing. Trish cocked a perfect eyebrow, sharing a look with Devon before deciding to answer.
" She's helping your mom in the kitchen. Devon here was telling me how thirsty he was," Trish spoke, pinching Devon's side to prevent him from arguing. He yelped in surprised, rubbing his tender side as he glared at his Tia.
" Do you want water? Lemonade? Soda?" Austin questioned, focusing his attention on the little boy who shyly burrowed his face in the crook of his Tia's neck. He whispered his answer quietly, Trish nodding her head.
" Ally would literally slaughter you if you give him soda, he wants water," Trish informed Austin who nodded before making his way to the kitchen.
" Stay out of your mother's way. You know how she gets," mike called after his son shaking his head. Trish and Dez both laughed at Austin's reply before Trish sat on the couch, fitting Devon in between her and the lanky red head. Austin was quiet as he picked his way down the hall, dancing to a song he was recording with his label until he heard voices. He paused his step, recognizing his mother's voice, and the second could only belong to Ally.
" So tell me, what's Devon's favorite color?" Mimi asked as she turned her chicken over, glancing over her shoulder to watch as Ally cut a tomato. A small smile flitted on her lips as she shrugged her shoulders.
" At the moment his favorite color is red. But it changes every week. Trish commented on it once, pointed out that he acts like me. My favorite color changes every week depending on what mood I'm in on Sunday. Devon's taken notice in it," Ally answered, sliding the diced tomato into the salad bowel Mimi had set out.
" What about his favorite food?" she moved gracefully around the kitchen, the one place she spent most of her time as a mother.
" He is obsessed with pancakes. He asks for them every morning. The first time, I honestly cried. He looked so much like Austin I thought I was seeing him, only when he was younger," Ally spoke, chewing her bottom lip between her blunt teeth. Mimi furrowed her brows, patting Ally's shoulder gently before bustling around once more.
" Does he like music?' Mimi was hesitate to ask, watching Ally's facial features carefully. The brunette chuckled, a gentle smile playing on her lips as she ripped some lettuce up as well.
" Considering he is the son of Austin Moon and myself? He's a musical prodigy. He had me teach him how to play the guitar, and he can play both acoustic and electric. I taught him how to play the bass, drums, harp, and now he wants to learn how to play the piano," Ally spoke, moving onto the cucumber.
" And he isn't just good with instruments. He can piece together a song to, mostly nursery rhymes, but he thinks up the words him self," Mimi could hear the note of motherly pride in her voice forcing a smile to her lips.
" Ally, I hope you don't mind me asking, but are you planning on telling Austin that Devon is his?" Mimi questioned, turning to face the woman who had captured her son's heart at a young age.
Ally stopped cutting, holding the knife loosely between her fingers as she swallowed nervously.
" Yes. No. Hell, I have no idea. Sometimes I think not telling him wasn't the best choice I made. But at the same time I think it was the wisest decision I had ever made. I mean we were both young. I don't regret having Devon. I could never regret him. He's my sunshine, he chases all my storm clouds away. But I've deprived him of knowing his father, I've deprived Austin of knowing his son. Does that make me a horrible person? Did I make the wrong choice?" Ally turned, allowing the knife to drop as she wrapped her arms around Mimi who held the distraught woman. Mimi shushed her, running her hand over her hair.
" I think you did what you thought was right. I made that same choice years ago with Mike. We were both young and he was going away to college to get his law degree. We were eighteen, and I was pregnant with Austin. I kept him to myself for two years before Mike came to visit. He was on holiday and he saw Austin, knew right away that he was his," Mimi spoke, shocking both Ally and Austin.
" If he hadn't come back for that holiday, who knows if I would have told him. My son can be a little blind, he can be a little oblivious. But the choice is your's Ally, you need to decide whether or not you want Austin to know," Mimi soothed, holding the girl's shoulders as she pulled back. Ally was chewing her lips, mentally going over her options as she sighed.
" I don't know. What if he hates me? What if he hates Devon?" Ally was scared to death of what that would do to her son. Mimi shook her head, placing her fists on her hips.
" Ally, if I raised Austin right, he will appreciate that little boy," Mimi's voice drifted through Austin's ears as he pivoted on his heel, making his way down the hall, passing the den until he was standing in front of his old bedroom. He pushed the pristine white door open, moving until he was standing in the center, where it all happened.
He ran his fingers through his hair, tousling the perfect strands as he began to pace, his anger slowly building in his body. He couldn't believe it. Was he really that blind? He growled in frustration, slamming his fist against the wall beside his door. He should have seen the similarities, the similarities he was just now realizing. The blonde hair, the talent for instruments at a young age. He shook his head, knowing he needed to calm down before his father's clients arrived. He checked the watch that adorned his wrist, noting he had ten minutes, perfect. That was when he heard his mother's voice from down the hall, talking to Ally, Trish, and Dez. " Where's Austin?" Mimi questioned, listening as Trish answered. He could practically see his mother shaking her head.
" Ally, would you check to see if he's up in his old room?" he could hear his mother request, Ally quiet answer of 'yes' reaching his ears.
He inhaled a deep breath, his fists clenching at his sides. He needed to control his anger, he couldn't let Ally know, he couldn't take his anger out on her. Ally's quiet knock reached his ears as she stood in his door way. The breath was knocked out of his lungs as he took in her appearance. The dress she wore showed the curves she had defined, the heels on her feet caused her legs to look stunning, and she wore his necklace.
" Austin? Is everything alright?" her voice was low, watching him carefully. She released a surprised yelp as his large hand wrapped around her fragile wrist. He pulled her across the threshold, pushing the door shut with his free hand.
" When were you going to tell me?" the words were growled. He watched as Ally's eyes widened, from surprise or fear he couldn't tell. She glanced around the room, her nerves evident in the way she fidgeted.
" What…Um, what are you talking about Austin?" she avoided looking into his eyes, cursing herself for showing him this weakness, this weakness only he could evoke. He shook his head, releasing his grip on her tiny wrist as he moved his hands, resting them flatly against the surface of the door. He leaned closer, feeling the heat from her body as he lowered his head until they were eye level.
" Devon. When were you going to tell me he was mine?" he questioned, speaking slowly as he fought to reign in his temper. She glanced down at her pale yellow toes trying to think of an excuse, an excuse that was alluding her at the moment.
" Didn't you think I deserved to know? To make the decision for myself?" he never raised his voice, yet he watched as she flinched, worrying her bottom lip between her blunt teeth.
" I didn't want you to miss your chance Austin. I didn't want you to hate me because I caused you to miss your chance. I figured if you were truly meant to be mine, you would come back. After three years of waiting, I decided you wouldn't , so I moved on. No one else helped me raise Devon except for Trish and my father. I wouldn't give that honor to any one else. Do you know how much it destroyed me to watch you get on that train, knowing I might not ever see you again and leaving things the way they were between us? Hell, I told you I loved you, you ran away, you ran away. I took that as a sign you wanted nothing to do with me or our son," she finally spoke, her usually quiet voice rising slightly. She wasn't yelling, Ally Dawson didn't yell, but she might of well have been. Austin pushed away from the door, running his fingers through his hair as he began to pace once more.
Ally slumped against the door, shaking her head as she watched her habits, tears burning the corners of her eyes.
" Can I have a chance now? Can I get to know my son?" Austin requested quietly, turning his gaze to Ally. He watched as her normally warm cinnamon brown eyes hardened, a cold glint settling in them. This was a side he always hated seeing, always hated being on the receiving end of. She was distant, cold.
" Let's make one thing clear. Devon is my son. Mine. I raised him. If you want to get to know him, that is his choice. I won't deny you that right. However, you'll have to ask him," Ally spoke, straightening her posture as she shrugged away from the door. Austin watched as her hand reached for the door knob before his own shot out, firmly keeping the door shut. He waited for her to move her hand before he dropped his own, taking a step closer until only a few inches separated their bodies.
" Ally, I want to repair our relationship as well. Will you give me another chance?" he spoke softly, waiting for any indication.
Ally could only hang her head, allowing strands of her long hair to pool over her shoulders and create a curtain.
" No," she whispered, wrenching the door open and leaving Austin in his room. He released a breath, knowing he was going to have to work harder. He let her slip through his fingers once before, he wouldn't make the same mistake twice damn it.