"Come on Leah," Ali says reaching out for my hand. "Now we have to make this fast Leah, I just have to give Nana M some papers from school."

Grandma is the principle at Rosewood High, Aunt Ali is a teacher there.

"Can I at least say hi?" Leah asks.

"Oh course sweetheart." Ali says squeezing my hand.

"Can I hug her?" I ask, I haven't seen mommy or nana in a long time.

But I always hear Daddy and Auntie Ali talking about Mommy, Daddy says it's only been about a month. I always sneak awake at night when I see headlights shine through the living room windows. I always know they are daddies. Then it's always followed by the same thing a quiet door shutting upstairs. Baby squeaks from the stairs and a shadow. A light knock at the front door followed by the quiet opening and a prominent 'SHH!' from Aunt Ali. Then, I hear little whispers back and forth, which feel like they go on forever. I can never sleep, because I'm always wiggling with too much anticipation. Sometimes I can hear them, Auntie Ali always talks bad about mommy. I don't like that, I cry silently whenever I hear her say something mean. Before he leaves, daddy will come in and kiss me on the forehead, thinking I'm sleeping. He's growing out his beard, I can feel it on my face when he kisses me.

"Yes Leah, nothing has changed from before. Nana M is still your same nana." Auntie Ali tells me.

PLLPLLPLLPLLPLLPLL

"Aria?" Ali says as mommy opens the door.

"Mommy!" I yell and run to hug her, escaping Ali tight grasp on my hand.

"I just came to drop some papers off for your mom, she told me to come by at lunch." Ali says. Aria lightly places a hand on my back, I'm wrapped around her thigh, but, she doesn't say anything to me.

"Something came up, a fight or something I think with two of the juniors. She called and told me she wouldn't be home." Mommy says to Ali.

"Oh, she didn't say you were going to be here." Ali says.

"I'm not supposed to be, I have a doctor's appointment at 1:00." Mommy says.

"For what? Aria what's going on?" Ali asks.

Mommy leans in, "Alison, I am not going to argue with you in front of my daughter."

"Oh, is that what you're calling her these days?" Ali retorts.

"Alison." Mommy warns, pulling me into her leg.

"Aria, you're tearing apart your family, and you're acting like it's not even a big deal. You haven't seen Leah in over a month." Ali says aggressively

"Ali, not here. Not now." Mommy says with intensity.

"Well you don't need to worry Aria... I've been giving her all the mothering you don't have time for." Ali says as she reaches out for me.

I pull back, "No! I want to stay with mommy!" I scream.

"Leah, your mommy doesn't want you anymore, she's too worried about herself." Ali says reaching for me again.

"Alison!" Mommy yells. "She can stay with me, here. I'll call Jason and let him know what's going on."

"Leah-"

"Alison, she's staying here, she's my daughter and she's staying here." Mommy says one last time. "Goodbye Alison." Mommy says as she shuts the heavy wooden door.

PLLPLLPLLPLLPLLPLL

Aria's POV

I lean down to pick up Leah, "Hi, baby girl." I say to her, pressing my forehead to hers. Just then, she lunges at me, wrapping her tiny arms around my neck. All of the sudden I feel a slight dampness on my neck. "Leah? Why are you crying?" I ask.

"I'm sorry mommy. I just missed you so much. I thought you would be gone forever, you left me." She says quietly and squeaky.

"No, no baby girl. I didn't leave you. I just needed some time to think-"I stopped, what was the use? How do you explain this to a four year old? I walk into the living room, with Leah in my arms. I sit on the couch with Leah still on my lap.

"Mommy?" Leah asks.

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

"I love you. Please don't ever leave me again." She says.

My heart just about shatters into a million pieces, "Oh, baby I love you too." We sit there for a few minutes, I wipe away my tears. "Leah do you want to go to Bouncy World today?" I ask her.

"When?" She sits up to ask.

"Right now, how about we go eat some lunch and then we go to Bouncy World?" I say.

"Yes!" She screams. "But, I have to go potty first." She continues.

I laugh and jump up from the couch, "Well, let's go."

Leah runs to the hallway, I walk into the kitchen and grab my phone off of the counter.

"Hey, so scratch the doctor's appointment." I say.

"What's going on? Are you okay?" Ezra says.

"Yeah I'm fine. But Ali came over to drop off papers for my mom and she brought Leah." I continue.

"Oh alright, well come over later?" He asks.

"Maybe, I was going to call Jason and see if I could have Leah for the night." I say.

"You're going to call Jason?" Ezra asks.

"Yes, Ezra he is still Leah's father. We need to stay good parents for her." I say.

"Well, he's the father of Harper too." Ezra says, almost with rage.

"Ezra please I don't want to fight, and we are not naming her Harper." I say.

"You liked it last week!" He says.

"Well you caught me in a moment of weakness." I say with a chuckle as a grab a jug of apple juice out of the fridge.

"Alright well I love you, call me later okay?" Ezra says.

"I will, I love you too." I say pouring the juice into a Minnie Mouse sippy cup.

"Okay, and Aria?" He continues.

"Yeah?" I ask.

"Have fun today with Leah. Don't worry about Jason or the baby, or even me." He tells me.

"Ezra, I'm going to tell her." I say to him.

"You are? Do you think she's ready?"

"She's going to start to notice and I think she'll be happy. Also, based on Ali's reaction today I don't think Jason has told her, and I don't need rumors started." I say, just then I hear Leah yell from the living room. "I have to go thought, Leah is yelling for me." I continue.

"Alright, just call me later and tell me how it goes, and if you need me you'll know where I'll be." He says.

"Okay I love you." I say, before I hang up and jam my phone into my pocket.

I walk into the living, "Okay, are we ready to go?" I say to Leah grabbing my purse.

"Yes, Mama." Leah says grabbing my hand, and we walk out the door.

I'm back! Finally, I got my computer fixed and I'm back and better than ever! Please read and review! I'm hoping to continue with other stories as well, so review here what story you want to see more of! Hope you enjoy Chapter 9! xxPLLAftershocks!