NYLON ~ CHAPTER FORTY-ONE ~ YOU HAVE TO BE STRONG

Hanna bounced JT in her arms while Ali and Ben played on the floor of the nursery. Hanna had offered to watch the kids while Emily took Kristen to a doctor's appointment and they were due back any second. Sure enough, the doorbell rang and Hanna put JT in his crib to answer the bell.

"Hey," she smiled inviting Emily in.

"How were they?" Emily asked coldly.

"Great," Hanna replied. "They're playing in the other room. Are you okay?"

In that moment Emily nearly collapsed as tears rolled down her face, Hanna put her arms around her and helped her into a chair.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Hanna asked her.

"It's ca…ca…cancer," Emily managed to choke out.

"Oh no," Hanna's eyes watered with sympathy. She sat down on the armrest and rubbed Emily's back. "Let me go get you some water."

She got up and stepped into the kitchen to grab a water bottle for Emily and peeked into the nursery to make sure the kids were still okay. When she returned, Emily was doubled over in her seat with tears rolling down her face.

"Honey," Hanna placed the water on the table and put her arms around Emily. "Everything is going to be fine. You just have to be strong."

"I know," Emily said in between sobs. "I just can't let her see me like this. I don't know how to tell the kids."

"Why don't you get cleaned up," Hanna told her, "and go home. The kids can stay here tonight while you and Kristen talk about it. I'll bring them home in the morning."

"You would do that?" Emily asked.

"Of course," Hanna assured her.

"Alright," Emily hugged her friend. "I'll see you in the morning."

Hanna walked her friend out and then returned to the room where the children were playing. She sat down on the floor and looked at the kids.

"Hey guys!" she smiled. They haphazardly looked up at her without putting down their toys. "Your mommies said you can stay here tonight. Do you want to do that?"

"A sleepover!" Ben squealed crashing his trucks together.

"Can we have pizza for dinner?" Ali asked. "I know how much you like pizza Aunt Hanna."

"You know me too well," Hanna laughed. "If you're good we can maybe have pizza."

The three of them cheered and JT kicked and cooed from his crib. Hanna laughed and picked him up, carrying him around as she finished cleaning up the house. When the kitchen was back to looking spotless, Hanna picked up the phone and ordered a pizza from the local delivery place. Then she fed JT and put him to bed.

"Hanna!" Ben tapped her leg once JT was asleep. "Can we watch a movie tonight?"

"Sure," she said. "What movie do you want to see?"

"I like princess movies!" Ali piped in.

"Okay," Hanna turned to Ben. "Is there a princess movie you both like?"

"I want to watch Mickey Mouse!" Ben said pouting.

"I have an idea," Hanna said digging through her entertainment cabinet. "Have you guys seen Tangled?"

"No," Ali shook her head. "What is it?"

"Well," Hanna grabbed the movie and led them into the guest room, "it was made long before you were born but it's about a beautiful princess who lives in a tower and a brave man who takes her on an adventure. How does that sound to you?"

"I wanna see it!" they both shrieked.

"Okay," Hanna said kneeling down to their level. "We can watch it, but first you have to get into your jammies. Okay?"

"Okay!" they said. Hanna opened their overnight bag and pulled out clothes for them to change into. Once they were dressed again, the doorbell rang. She smiled. "That's your pizza!"

Hanna went to answer the door and tipped the delivery man. Then she grabbed two plates and put a slice on each before placing them on the table. Ben and Ali, not dressed in their pajamas, came running in. The three of them sat around the table while the children scarfed down their pizza. When they were done, Hanna grabbed the baby monitor and took them in the guest room to watch a movie.

Hanna was seated in the middle of the bed, with a kid on either side. She turned on the film and watched as they got excited with each turn of the plot. Finally she heard JT crying on the baby monitor so she excused herself and went to check on him. When she'd put JT back down again she heard the elevator door open and walked into the foyer to see Caleb.

"Hey," he smiled when he saw her planting a kiss on her mouth.

"Hi," she wrapped her arms around his waist. "How was work?"

"It was okay," he replied leaving soft kisses across her jawline. "I'm just glad to be home with you."

"Caleb stop," she pushed away his advances. "Ali and Ben are here. I need to go check on them. Plus I can't have them walk in on us acting like teenagers."

"It's kind of late," Caleb said. "When is Emily coming?"

"They're staying over," Hanna explained. "I'll drop them off in the morning."

"When were you going to tell me?" he asked.

"It was a spur of the moment decision," Hanna replied calmly. "Emily's going through a tough time and needed the night alone. There's pizza in the fridge for dinner. I'm going to go check on them."

"Are you going to make all of the decisions for me?" he asked her.

"Caleb, calm down," she replied. "It's not a big deal."

"No," he spat back, "it is. I'm starting to feel like I don't have a say in anything. You chose the house we live in and when we get married and when we have sex. You even dictate when I get to see JT."

"He needs to be on a sleep schedule," Hanna retorted.

"You know what," he said picking up his briefcase. "Just forget it."

"Caleb," she called as he disappeared into his room. "Caleb. Come back. Let's talk about this."

But her pleas fell on deaf ears as Caleb didn't even turn around. Giving up, Hanna turned to the guest room and found Ali and Ben already asleep. She tucked them in under the covers and turned off the movie.

"Hanna," Ben groaned waking up.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Can you stay with us tonight?" he asked her.

"Um," she paused and then smiled pulling back the covers. "Okay."

"I love you," Ben said hugging her with his little arms.

"I love you, too," Hanna said as a tear slid down her cheek. "Good night."

"Good night," Ben replied.

Okay, just to remind you, Ali is Emily's 5 year old daughter and Ben is Kristen's 3 year old son and Kristen and Emily are together. I know it's weird because Kristen is an OC but I hope I've cleared up questions. Also, I got your reviews and I'm pleased to hear my story is still being read. I have big plans for this but I've been writing out of order to get some of the serious scenes out of the way. However, I plan to publish a new chapter every Sunday and make that a regular thing. We'll see how it goes, but I really want to have a routine for this story so I don't go on any crazy hiatuses anymore. How's that sound?