Thanks to my beta reader Scarlet Moon for living up the story.
"Simon! Simon!" A reporter yelled, running towards him with the mike held out in front of them.
Simon held his daughter close, covering her ears. "Get her out of here before she wakes my daughter." He growled to the body guard that stood alongside him.
The bodyguard tried his best to restrain the reporter, but she continually yelled. "How do you feel about the resent accusations made about your wife!?"
This caused Alexis to stir in her father's arms.
"I have no comments on the matter." Simon sighed, trying to keep his daughter from waking.
"Then how about your sister-in-law?! Do you have a comment on that?!" She rudely continued to ask.
Alexis' eyes started to flutter open.
"Damn it…" Simon hissed before turning to face the reporter. "You want me to say something?"
The reporter eagerly nodded her head.
"Just because I'm out with my brother, doesn't mean you can come and ask me about how I feel with the information that was released. It certainly doesn't give you the right to yell and wake my daughter." He growled as the car pulled up.
"If you want your daughter to stay asleep you should have left her at home with your wife." The reporter spat as Simon put Alexis in her car seat.
"Parenting works both ways Miss." He said getting in the car, closing the door. "Brad, where is my brother?"
"He should be opening the car door any moment now." Brad sighed right as Alvin opened the door.
"I saw the reporter." He said, getting into the car, taking off his hood and cap. "Did you say anything?"
Brad briefly interrupted. "Where to?"
"Home, Brad." Simon instructed, ignoring Alvin and instead choosing to watch Alexis sleep peacefully.
"Simon, did you-"
"Not until she woke my child up."
"Looks like she's not the only one who needs a nap." Alvin joked, actually getting Simon to laugh as he got a text message.
"Brad, how long 'til we get home?"
"Twenty minutes." He replied.
"What's the hurry?" Alvin asked as Simon replied to the text.
"Mom's in town."
-Twentyish Minutes Later-
"There they are." Vinny exclaimed as Alvin walked in.
Alvin laughed as he took her into his arms for a hug. "Hey Mom."
"Where is your brother?"
"He said he was going to Mexico. Something about you trying to take his daughter." He teased as Vinny rolled her eyes.
"Ha. Ha. Ha." Simon mocked as he set the car seat down. "The only reason I'd go to Mexico is to get away from you."
"The two of you haven't changed a bit." She said giving her oldest a hug. "Now where is she?"
"Alvin corrupted her enough to make her go to Mexico." Simon grinned as Brittany walked out of the kitchen with some drinks.
Vinny chuckled while she made her way to the car seat and pulled Alexis out. "She's precious. She looks just like her mother."
"Yes she does." He smiled as Brittany handed him a glass of water.
"If you go upstairs, hang a left, then a immediate right, there is a bedroom with a bed big enough to fit you both." Alvin commented.
"I should give you a medal for ruining nice moments." Brittany said.
"It's what I do best." Alvin grinned popping his collar.
"Speaking of nice moments, you're dressed up… Again. Who is she?" Brittany asked.
"Someone who will kill if I'm late." Alvin avoided the question. "I'll see you later Mom." He said gently placing a kiss on her check, then a gentle one on his niece's forehead.
"Did I offend him in asking that question?" Brittany asked as Alvin walked out the door.
"I'll leave you two to talk. Where is her room?" Vinny asked.
"Upstairs, make a left and it's the second door on the right." Simon said.
"Do I want to know?" Brittany asked as she watched Vinny and her daughter disappear upstairs.
"Alvin took your advice. He and Jeanette are working through this, just like you and I have been." Simon said. "You should talk to her."
"I've tried Simon, but she won't answer my calls. She doesn't want to hear what I have to say." She said running her hands through her hair. "How could I have been so stupid!?"
"This isn't your fault. Jeanette chose to take her clothes off. That was her decision, not yours."
"If I paid more attention to her…" She said as a tear fell down her face.
Simon pulled her to his chest. "Just give her time. She'll talk to you. She just needs a little time."
-Alvin & Jeanette-
"You need to talk to her." Alvin said breaking off the kiss.
"Alvin-"
"I can't dodge her questions forever Jean. She will find out."
"You're brother won't say anything, will he?" Jeanette asked.
"Ya, he will…that is iff he hasn't already." Alvin said standing from the couch.
"You shouldn't have told him."
"Jeanette-" Alvin clinched his fists while taking a deep breath. "Jean, I love my family, and I still want the relationship with them. I want to watch my niece grow up. I also want you. I want you by my side at a family barbeque, watching her run around with her siblings, cousins, and maybe even with our own kids."
"But?" Jeanette asked reconfiguring herself on the couch.
"But I don't want you and your sister to ignore each other. I don't want your relationship with her to be destroyed."
"All I did for her was lie about what she was doing!" Jeanette yelled. "She doesn't know anything about me or Eleanor! The relationship you're talking about doesn't exist Alvin."
"Then build one! I would like to avoid a conversation with my niece on why Mommy and Aunt Jean don't talk to each other, or why she doesn't see you!"
"You think Brittany will keep me from seeing her?"
"If you keep hiding from her she might."
"I'm not hiding!" Jeanette spat.
"Yes, Jean, you are. Hiding from your sister won't make her go away. She will find you and you will have no other choice but to talk to her." Alvin stressed. "You can't hide from what has happened Jeanette."
Jeanette stood from the couch. "Is that all?"
"Jeanette." Alvin ran his hand through his hair. "Please don't."
"You know where the door is." Jeanette said giving him his jacket.
"Jean, please. Talk to Brittany." Alvin pleaded.
"Goodbye, Alvin."