*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter they were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much.*
The days leading up to the social worker from CPS were getting closer while Dean and I spent a majority of our time at the office. Dean had a lot of work he needed to get done, he is in the process of buying out a company in California, making it his own to turn it out to make it more successful. He was launching new electronic products such as the long awaited A-Phone 7. It was one of his greatest creations yet as far as the cellphone world went. It had all the specs consumers could wish for a better camera, water proof since in this day and age cellphones travel everywhere have become the main source of communication. They will be protected from rain or any mishaps like falling into a swimming pool, hot tub, toilet whatever if it's water and the A-Phone 7 falls into it, it will be safe from any damage. The call features and video features are much better than the competitor but the main thing it contains more storage than any other phone at a reasonable price. I sit and watch Dean do his business man thing every day in the office. I love watching his powerful grace and stride when we are in a meeting. I'm jotting down notes, he is giving direction. He is a powerful man and he is amazing at his job no one will ever be able to top him but outside the office and inside our home he is different much different.
At home Dean is more laid back and more normal, he still clings to his controlling and powerful ways but he tones them down. The world would never be able to recognize him in the privacy of our home. He's caring and sweet. I have learned a little more about him over the last few days, things I never knew before. We have been working with Natalia on decorating Zoey's bedroom and while you may never think about it Dean is a really good decorator and he has helped set up the room. I think he is anxious about Zoey coming to live with us. He says he can't wait to add her to our home to see me happy but Zoey is a lot of work. She's nearly three years old and she's hyper. She's your typical toddler almost preschooler. Dean is really set in his ways. His home has always been like a museum. The floors are polished twice a month, the windows are cleaned twice a week. I have never seen a dust bunny on his floor. They're wooden and smooth there are no scratches on the floor. His kitchen is filled with an island and a small kitchen table, his dining room holds a grandfather clock and a cabinet of China he purchased on his own. The television in the living room is mounted on the wall hooked up to game systems and blu-ray players. There's a place for everything, nothing is ever out of place, his white carpet in his living room remains stainless and his furniture without a stain. It's perfect but I often wonder how he will react to a three year old's toys in the living room, baby strollers being pushed across the floor and spills on the carpet if it doesn't make him nervous it makes me nervous. He even assures me he is not worried about the potential damage Zoey could cause because they are only things he can have them replaced and have them cleaned.
"Journey," says Dean as I am sitting at the kitchen table finishing my lunch of a chicken Caesar salad that he made me for lunch while he and Natalia finished up Zoey's bedroom.
"Yes, Baby?" I ask before taking a sip of my water.
"The bedroom is finished," he announces with a proud smile. "Do you want to come see it?"
"Yeah," I say with a smile before I put another bite of my salad into my mouth and stand up excited to see the bedroom we worked on to create for Zoey. Dean takes my hand and we walk to the room she'll be sleeping in together.
"Close your eyes," he says as we reach the door that has Zoey's name printed on it in pink glitter letters and some of the letters made out of tutus. I'm not sure why he asks me to close my eyes. I have worked on the room just as much as he and Natalia have so I have a general idea of what the room looks like. He walks me into the room and says, "open them." I open my eyes and even with what I had seen from the last time I helped with the room is nothing that I could have imagined it looking like now. The walls are white with gold foil dots stuck to the wall giving it a lighter feel. Above her bed is her name in gold glitter letters and a cloud of tulle above it making it seem like a cloud. Her bed is decorated with pastel bedding in the colors of lavender and pink with a canopy of lavender and pink tulle surrounding it. The bed is decorated with a folded knitted blanket in the colors of mint green, lavender and pink. A small unicorn rests by her pillows and a doll that looks like her is resting on her bed. The rest of the room is just as beautifully decorated. The floor is wooden and polished but a small area rug made of the same pastel colors of the knitted blanket covers part of the floor, resting on top of the rug is a little white table with two chairs one holding a stuffed teddy bear and the other empty. A porcelain tea party set sits on the table giving decoration to the room. Zoey's mint green dresser is rested against the wall. A ballerina jewelry box in a light pink with pointe shoes on them sit on the dresser along with a larger unicorn, crystal fairies, ceramic elves and unicorns sit on top of the dresser as well. Off in one corner of the bedroom is a lavender bean bag chair surrounded by a white canopy with moons and stars. On the wall next to it are shelves of books to be read a few fairytales, classic story books and newer story books. In another corner of the room are tutus in different colors along with princess dresses in a bookcase without the shelves that has been painted pastel pink. My favorite are the shelves on the wall with fairies in a jar that glows and the shelf with the fairy house. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect room for my little girl. I know she's going to love it. "What do you think?" he asks.
"I love it, Dean, thank-you so much. Zoey is going to love it."
"And I bought her some toys. I know she's into dolls so I bought her a couple baby dolls and some more stuffed animals," he says with a smile. "There are little dresses hanging in the closet for her and she has pants and shirts in a drawer."
"Dean," I say wrapping my arms around him as he smiles and wraps his arms around me. I kiss his lips and say, "you have done so much for Zoey. You didn't have to do all this."
"But she deserves all this," he says with a smile. "I'm going to make her my little princess," he says melting my heart. "I love you," he says for the first time making my stomach flood with butterflies.
"I love you too," I say with a smile before I kiss his lips softly.
A couple days later it was the day of the CPS worker was coming to do a home visit. I guess it is procedure to have them investigate the home before they release the child to their parents' care. "You nervous?" asks Dean as I pace the foyer.
"Very," I answer. "What if she doesn't think this house is good enough for her? And what if she doesn't release her to me?"
"If she doesn't think this home is good enough then she has a serious problem. How could anyone not think this Penthouse wasn't good enough for Zoey? We have security, the windows are locked, we have door knob covers, toilet covers and all that safety stuff. The only thing missing are rubber walls and rubber floors. She has food and she will be well taken care of it's not like she's going to be neglected. I don't how anyone could say no about releasing her back to you."
"I don't know," I say as I lean into his hug so he can comfort me.
"Everything is going to be all right I promise," he says before kissing the top of my head. "Everything is going to be fine."
"I hope so," I say taking in his scent as comfort. The buzzer buzzes and Dean lets me go to answer it.
"Yes," he says.
"Mr. Ambrose, there are two ladies down here from Child Protection Services that have requested to come up to your penthouse," informs the doorman.
"Send them up," Dean responds and we wait for the elevator to arrive.
I let out a deep breath as the ding alerting us that someone has arrived on the elevator sounds out. The doors open and the woman from the center appears and another woman with her. "Hello," I say.
"Hello, Journey," says Sarah. "I brought my supervisor Tanya with me today so she can investigate the house. What we're going to do is make sure that you're stable enough and that this is a stable environment for Zoey to live in."
"Okay," I say. "This is my boyfriend Dean," I say.
"Dean Ambrose," says Tanya nervously. "I never expected you to be with Dean Ambrose," she says.
"Nice to meet you," says Dean with a smile as he holds out his hand for Tanya to shake.
"Nice to meet you too," she says as if she's star struck.
"Can I offer you ladies a drink?" asks Dean.
"No thank-you," they say together.
"Then we should get started," suggests Dean. "As you should know Journey has a job and she's quite good at it. She works at my office and she's doing very well so unless something goes wrong she will continue to be employed," he explains.
"Is that how you two met?" asks Tanya.
"We met at the shelter," I say honestly as we invite them into the penthouse.
"First we're going to need to see the room she will be sleeping in," says Sarah with her check list in hand.
"All right," I say as we take her to Zoey's bedroom. I open the door and allow them to walk in before us. I turn the light on and everything looks perfect.
"Wow," they say together. They do an investigation to make sure that there are outlet covers on the outlets and that the door has a door knob cover.
"That is one beautiful room," says Sarah.
"Thank-you," I say with a smile as she checks it off the list. We continue to follow her checklist as they are given a tour of the house. They check to make sure there is enough food in the refrigerator, make sure that all of Dean's guns and alcohol are locked away in the cabinet and of course check to see that we have outlet covers in every outlet, gates at every staircase, door knob handles and locked windows.
"Well," says Sarah after we finish the tour. "I would say that this is a very stable environment for Zoey and that it is safe. You seem like you are a caring mother and you seem to have yourself together. Your daughter; Zoey, will be released back into your care at the end of the week," she says.
"So she can come here to live with us?" I ask with tears in my eyes.
"Yes," says Sarah with a smile, "she's coming to live with you, Journey."
"Thank-you," I say wanting to hug her but resist the urge to hug her.
"You're welcome," she says, "but for the first 30-90 days we have to remain involved to make sure everything remains stable and safe for Zoey then once the allotted days are over we will close the case and you won't hear from us again unless something happens that gets us involved."
"Thank-you," I say as I shake their hands. "I'm so excited to get my daughter back. Thank-you."
"You're welcome," smiles Sarah. We see them out and say our goodbyes. Once they are on the elevator and the doors close I let out a squeal of happiness.
"She's coming to live with us, Baby!" I say with excitement in my voice. "I'm getting my baby girl back!"
"I'm so happy," he says with a smile as he takes me in his arms and kisses my lips softly. "I can't wait until she's here."
"Me either," I say. "Do you want to go celebrate?" I ask. "You know, celebrate her coming to live with us and passing the inspection?"
"Of course," he says, "let me take you out to dinner."
"I do not object," I say with a smile. "Let me go get ready or are we dressed appropriately."
"Depends where you want to go, I know a nice little restaurant that doesn't matter or care what the guests wear well, my guests," he says.
"You own it don't you?" I ask with a smile.
"Yeah, I may own it," he says. "It's a nice quiet private place I always have a table. Let me get my…" he says before he is interrupted by his cellphone ringing. "What?" he barks into the phone. "Not now, I'm busy. I'm taking my girl…what? When? Is everything okay? Was anyone hurt?" he asks looking at me as I am curiously looking at him wondering what's going on. "All right, I'll be there in a few minutes," he says before he hangs up the phone. "I'm sorry, Journey but I have to go take care of something. I need to take a raincheck on this dinner maybe once I take care of everything we'll be able to go out to eat what do you say?"
"What happened?" I ask, "it sounds serious."
"I have to go take care of something," he says. "You're going to stay here with Frankie," he says talking about the bodyguard he has assigned to me which makes me even more suspicious. "Do not leave this house," he says. "I will be back soon. Frankie is on his way up," he says.
"Dean," I protest.
"No, Journey, stay here," he commands. "I'll be back," he says just as the elevator opens and Frankie steps off. "I love you. I promise I will make it up to you."
"Okay," I say as he gives me a quick kiss and just as quickly he's descending down the elevator leaving me alone with Frankie. "What happened?"
"I can't tell you," he answers.
'You're no help," I say. "I'm going to watch a movie," I say before I make my way to the living room and sulk as I turn on the TV to turn on my Netflix account to watch a movie while I wait for Dean to come back. I have an uneasy feeling about everything Dean doesn't usually give up his free time with me unless it is something serious something is not right.
*A/N: How do you think Zoey's room turned out? Do you think she's going to be a spoiled little girl when she finally goes to live with Dean and Journey? Do you think Journey is more anxious about her arrival than Dean? What did you think of the visit from CPS? Are you happy that Zoey is being released into their care? How do you think Dean is going to do with Zoey living in their home? What do you think took Dean away from Journey? Is something serious happening or is Journey just nervous? Please review and thank-you for reading.