I Still Believe (Criss Angel Sequel from very 1st book *Believe*)

*6*

Three months went by, and Criss was spending more and more time at work than at home with his family, and I was beginning to get a little worried that maybe it was because something I did or didn't do. Abby gave me a hug and said that it was normal for young wive's like me to feel that way every now and then, but it was nothing because she knew Criss loved me very much without any doubts whatsoever. I wanted to believe her so much, but something was still bothering me in the back of my mind and it made me very insecure...and I thought after being married to him for seven years I wouldn't have to worry about him wanting to leave me for someone new. Especially when we had a daughter.

Klayton was out doing a little gardening he loved doing landscaping and moving our large scenic rocks into architectural masterpieces, and because he was so bored he said he had to stay busy, and he was restless because he and Abby have been looking for a place to move into in Vegas, but they hadn't found the right one yet and it was getting on his nerves, Klayton hated the hassle of moving from different locations, but he wanted to be closer to us so he kept looking. Angie was out helping him with smaller rocks with Spike and Blueboy following her every step of the way.

When Klayton got finished he had built a beautiful flowering rock wall with a little fountain in the center of it with beautiful trailing and weeping ferns all along the wall. He went over to the picnic table in the shade, and grabbed his bottle of water, and asked me what I thought of it, and if I thought Criss would approve of the change in his backyard. I gave him a kiss and told him I loved it, and I was almost positive Criss would love it too. Klayton noticed the insecurity in my voice when I said my hubby's name, and he held my hand and asked me what was wrong. I became a little emotional and asked him if he thought maybe my Criss was finally falling out of love with me because he was spending less and less time with me, and when he was home, he was ignoring me, but at least he was still spending quality time with Angie.

Klayton rolled the chair around to me and wrapped his arms around me and told me not to even think about it for one second...because he knew for a fact, his crazy ass brother loved me to no end...I looked up at him with a few tears falling down and asked him how he knew for sure. Klayton gave me a kiss on the cheek and said because for one he told him just a few days ago how much he loved me, then he was talking about it me with him last week while he went to hang with him at work, and Criss was telling him that he was thinking very seriously about asking me to have another baby with him. Klayton looked at me and said a guy that was wanting to leave me wouldn't want to have another child with me. Then Klayton stood up and stretched out a little and said I didn't hear that from him at all. Then he went over to where Angela was playing and scooped her up and asked her if his little landscaping partner would like to go out on the town with him and grab some ice cream then maybe head to the park for a little fun romp time. Angela wrapped her arms around him and said yay Ice cream!!

I smiled at both of them and told them to have fun, and that I was going to go in and spend some time with Abby for a while, and get dinner ready early, then maybe soak in some suds for a while then go to bed early because I was just not feeling well for some reason. When I went into the house all the dogs managed to find their way to my bedroom and they all were sleeping at the foot of our bed. I told them all to get down and hit the door...they all jumped off the bed and left it a total wreck, then raced downstairs and I waited until I heard the doggie door flap open and shut seven times. Then I pushed the automatic doggie door button to shut them out for a while, so I could get some rest, after I remade the bed, and took my bath.

I was soaking in the suds when Rachel called me and asked if I was game for an all-girl shopping day tomorrow, that JD and Costa were going to be taking care of the kids while being at the Luxor helping Criss out off and on, and she and Kim were going to the malls, and wanted to know if I wanted to come too. I told her that Abby and I would love to go shopping and hanging with the girls for a day, because I was really getting stir crazy staying at the house all the time, and Klayton was going to have Angela again, then I added that this Saturday was mine and my hubby's 8 year anniversary, and I needed to find him something special.

But what could a wife give him that he didn't already have? Then I laughed to myself and told her that Criss probably forgot all about our anniversary, again but it was fine he always knew how to make up for it with extreme gusto and irresistible charm. I was just hoping that this time my anniversary present wasn't a divorce paper and custody form. But I just tossed that notion out of my mind and dried off and curled up in the bed and wrapped my arms around Criss's pillow and went to sleep...forgetting all about me needing to get dinner started soon. But when I finally woke up it was around midnight, and Criss was down sleeping on the couch, so I guessed he made a sandwich for himself and crashed where he landed. So I just silently went back upstairs and went back to sleep hugging his pillow not wanting to know the reason why he didn't come up to join me.