Lizzie's POV
I woke up to my alarm and an empty bed the next morning. I quickly shut off my alarm before pulling myself out of bed. I headed to the closet to pick out some clothes for the day before jumping in the shower.
By the time I was out, dressed, and ready for the day, it was about seven-thirty meaning time to get Alexis up. As I exited my bedroom, hers was wide open and the bed was made. Her few bags are no longer stacked against the chair like last night. It looked as if she was never here. That almost sent me into a spiral until I heard some noises from the kitchen.
There's no way it was Boyd because he had a very early work meeting followed by a magazine shoot. Was Alexis cooking?
I hurried down the hall to see her daughter fully awake, bags by the door, and making breakfast. What the heck is going on?
"Good morning," I said announcing my presence.
"Hi," Alexis answered but didn't look up at me.
"How long have you been up?" I asked walking closer to her.
"I'm not sure," Alexis replied but it didn't sound convincing.
"Oh did you see the sunrise?" I questioned trying to gauge how long she actually slept.
"I'm not sure," Alexis replied in a weak tone.
"Oh okay. What are you making?" I asked taking a seat at the bar.
"Just some eggs," Alexis replied dishing up two plates, which I'm hoping one is for her. She desperately needs to eat something.
"Do you need any help?" I asked as I watched her masterfully season both plates.
"Nope," she grinned a little at her creation.
She slid a plate of food in front of me before sitting down at the bar with a seat in between us. I looked over and saw that her plate has considerably less amount of food. I was about to comment when she explained herself.
"I'm not that hungry so please don't push me," she said quickly before picking up her fork. Maybe we've been too hard on her this weekend? Maybe that is why she hasn't been eating?
"Thanks for breakfast," I smiled at her. I have never actually eaten her cooking so this was new for both of us. I was proud neverthelesss. She was eating and not completely breaking down. The lights were still dim and the blinds were still shut so there wasn't much light, so it was hard to truly read her expressions. I just hope she's feeling better about things after our talk last night.
Alexis ate quickly and got up to put her dishes away but beige she could wash them, I offered, "Hey I've got those you cooked, I'll wash."
"It's fine," she replied quickly before turning on the faucet.
"Alexis I've got it please let me do something," I tried again.
"No, I'm ready to go and you're not yet, I can do the dishes and you can get ready," she told me firmly. This was a complete change in demeanor and I was starting to get worried. Where did this come from?
"Thank you," I replied not wanting to start an argument this early.
Once I was finished, I still washed my own dishes despite her telling me, she's got it. I'm her mom, and she's still little, she can let me take care of her.
"Hey, can I have a hug?" I asked her after setting my dishes on the drying rack.
"I'm washing this pan," she informed me bluntly.
"I know," I told her like it was an obvious fact. I was just more curious to see where we were at. If she was in a good place with me, I knew she wouldn't resist. I wasn't gonna force her but I just wanted to know.
"I'm busy right now," she told me keeping her eyes on the task at hand.
"Ok I'll be back, we'll leave in about ten minutes," I said before scurrying out of the kitchen. I pulled my phone off the charger on my nightstand to see two missed calls from Boyd and a voicemail. His voicemail just said to call him back. Hopefully, he's not too busy right now.
I click on his contact and it started to ring. He picked up not too long after, "Good Morning, Lizzie," his cheery voice came through the phone.
"Hey, B what's up?" I answered in a cheery voice.
"Oh I wanted to ask you something about Alexis, I went to get a drink of water last night at like three in the morning and she was awake like sitting on the bed staring into the abyss. Then when I left this morning really early she was on the couch dressed and ready to go, I'm guessing to Scarlett's. Is that normal for her?" He explained. Wait how long has she been up? Did she have a nightmare and not want to wake me? Did last night not help her try to trust me at all?
"No, not really, she might have had a nightmare?" I reasoned.
"Maybe I heard some noises around the first time I woke up but didn't think anything of it because when I left our room she was silent," Boyd explained.
"That's pretty typical for her. I don't know where she picked that up but she's really quiet about her nightmares it's honestly really concerning and she hates it when I force her to take naps so she runs on barely any sleep," I told him, hopefully seeing the bigger picture helps.
"Yeah, that's not good, I just cracked the door open because I wanted to know where the noises were coming from and she was wide awake. I didn't say anything but she did notice me," he informed me which might have added to her lack of ability to want to wake me.
"Yeah, that's typical for her. She doesn't usually sleep after and I'm assuming if you heard her it was a big one," I sighed. Why didn't I hear her? Or why didn't he wake me?
"Oh," Boyd answered.
"I'll see if Scarlett might be able to get her to nap, she seems to love hanging out with her, and maybe since Rose naps, she will also," I said formulating a plan of how to explain last night to Scarlett with Alexis in the room.
"That might work!" Boyd happily agreed, "alright I've gotta go but thanks for calling."
"Thanks for letting me know, have a fun day at work," I replied.
"You too! I love you," he said quickly.
"Love you too bye," I said before hanging up. Oh my goodness what am I gonna do about Alexis?
Alexis's POV
When Lizzie was finally ready we headed out to the car, Boyd had been picked up by his team so that Lizzie could use the car.
I threw my bags in the backseat before climbing in and buckling up. I didn't want to smush my bear into a bag so I was still carrying him. I was pretty excited to go to Scarlett's, well more accurately to be away from Lizzie. I need some time to think and I know Scarlett can help answer my questions. She always knows how to help.
"Are you excited to see Scarlett?" Lizzie asked as we pulled out of the parking garage. I nodded not wanting to talk to her much. The real reason I made breakfast this morning was so that we'd hopefully leave earlier and I'm happy to say it worked out. I'm actually a pretty decent cook. I was the main chef between Josh and I ever since he deemed me good enough to cook on my own. I don't know if Lizzie knew that but maybe that's why she doesn't let me cook? Or doesn't want me to have to do it? I'm not sure.
"I'll be back around six to pick you up okay?" Lizzie continued her one-sided conversation. I nodded along not really caring. I slept for probably three hours last night. It took about two to calm down after talking to Lizzie and only three more for me to wake up from another horrible nightmare.
I was worried Boyd had heard me and was coming to yell at me but when my door cracked open so slowly, I thought it was Lizzie at first. But when the figure left as quickly as they came, I knew it was Boyd. He must've been scared after what happened with Ashley, I mean it makes sense. You don't wanna get hurt trying to help someone. I didn't go back to sleep I spent the next four hours getting ready for the day and contemplating why Lizzie didn't come but also I didn't want Lizzie to come. I could've gone to get her but I'd didn't want to wake Boyd also. I was at a bit of an impasse. Like this morning when Lizzie asked for a hug, I did want a hug, especially from her but I was still kind of mad at her for everything last night. Everything is still a jumbled mess and I'm still so confused about who to trust and who is safe.
I didn't realize how quickly time had passed until we were pulling up in front of a nice townhouse. A big one in fact. Lizzie parked in the driveway and I gathered my things quickly before jumping out.
Lizzie knocked on the door since there was a baby sleeping sign on the door. We only waited for a few moments before Scarlett opened the door with a wide grin.
"Hey girls," she smiled at us both.
"Hi," I piped up first. Scarlett laughed a little at my eagerness but I didn't care, because being here meant getting rid of Lizzie for a while.
"Good morning, Scar," Lizzie said softly her eyes still on me but I didn't care I just wanted to talk to Scarlett alone.
"Come on in, Rose is sleeping in the living room so we've gotta stay quiet," she informed us. There was a pile of shoes by the door, so I slipped off my sneakers and dumped my bags by the door. I kept my bear though, no reason to leave him somewhere. He's one of the few things that stayed in my life, whether in a book or a story or the bear himself, so I wasn't about to leave him anywhere. I also really didn't want Rose to pick him up either. That baby slobbers on everything.
I followed Scarlett and Lizzie into the kitchen where they both took a seat at the table. "Do you want anything? Coffee, milk, juice?" Scarlett offered.
"No thanks," Lizzie replied.
"Alexis?" Scarlett asked directing her question to me.
"No I'm good," I replied setting my bear on the table and sitting opposite of Lizzie.
"That works for me," Scarlett smiled probably trying to lighten the tension in the room.
"Is Chris will here or did he head back to Boston already?" Lizzie asked making conversation.
"He's working today so I'm not entirely sure, but I think he'll be in town for a bit," Scarlett told us. They continued talking but I zoned out. I watched them both carefully, ignoring the concerned looks they keep sending me then each other.
--
"Okay, I've gotta run or I'll be late," Lizzie announced standing up from the table.
"You late? Never," Scarlett joked following her to the door. I followed in suit not sure what to do.
"Hey, my anxiety keeps me on a clock," Lizzie laughed.
"Well it's set an unreasonably amount Of time ahead," Scarlett laughed.
"It's not that unreasonable, fifteen minutes is not that crazy," Lizzie added on with a small chuckle, "thanks for watching Alexis."
"Of course, anytime," Scarlett smiled at me before leaving Lizzie and me alone in the entryway. I was about to follow her when Lizzie spoke up.
"I'm gonna be back before you know it, okay?" Lizzie assured me as she zipped up her boots. I wasn't that scared that she was leaving me with Scarlett but the way she was talking it was like she was expecting me to break down.
"Okay," I nodded quietly.
"Alright come here," she said, I stepped a little closer but didn't make much of an effort. She closed the gap between us before I could say anything. I melted into her embrace easily, despite my brain telling my body no, there wasn't a thing I could do about it. I wrapped my arms around her torso and snuggled into her embrace desperately needing this.
"I love you, I'll be back so soon," she whispered in my ear.
"Ok," I replied, a bit muffled by her shoulder.
"Call me if you need," Lizzie told me and I nodded in reply. "We'll probably go to Aunt Ashley's for dinner tonight after I pick you up," she added, which got me thinking only dinner? Like what happens after dinner? Are we going back to Brooklyn? I don't want to go back to Boyd's, it's a strange place. Am I getting sent away?
"Okay, I love you, I gotta go, have fun with Scarlett," Lizzie said giving me one last tight squeeze before letting go.
"Bye Mama," I whispered, before letting go of her. I didn't think I was gonna say Mama but it just slipped out. I don't know why exactly but I wasn't as excited for her to leave now that it was actually happening.
"I love you, Alexis," she said before kissing my cheek and walking out. I stood in the entryway and watched her drive away until she was out of sight. I didn't notice the tears falling until someone pulled me into a hug.
"She'll be back before you know it," Scarlett told me as she rubbed my back comfortingly.
"I know," I muttered.
"Come on, what do you wanna do today?" Scarlett said leading me back to the kitchen.
"I don't know," I told her not sure of what to do with myself. I've spent the last two days being dragged around for Lizzie's birthday festivities or in bed.
"We could bake? Your Aunts told me you are really good at that, or we can watch a movie or play a game, really whatever," Scarlett listed off for me.
"Can we bake?" I asked knowing that was what I'm most comfortable with.
"Of course, I know you're really good at making cupcakes but I was thinking we make some sugar cookies?" Scarlett suggested.
"Sure, but I've never made those so I don't know how," I told her, at Josh's you had to memorize the recipes cause they were usually destroyed shortly after the first attempt.
"Don't worry, I do," she smiled at me as she began to pull out some bowls and baking equipment.
Scarlett turned on the radio but quiet enough that it wouldn't wake Rose and we got to work. She had a written recipe for the cookies which was very nice, so much easier than trying to remember it. I've accidentally messed up measurements that way. One year Josh got so mad at me because I put way too much salt in his cupcakes. Salty cupcakes are definitely not the way to go. He left me in the basement for god knows how long, all I know is I had a lot of school work to make up.
We made the dough, cut out shapes and then put them in the over. The shaped cutting was fun, Scarlett had these cookie cutters as she called them. Some were little snowmen, others were animals, and some were just normal shapes. I liked the snowmen the best. I've always loved the snow but I never got to see any in LA. I know it snows in New York though, so maybe I'll get to see some here.
Rose woke up about halfway through the baking process so Scarlett put her in this baby bouncer as she called it. Rose just bounced and moved around. It almost made me a bit jealous to see how carefree she was but then again she's a baby. I doubt she had a lot of responsibilities or repressed trauma.
After we finished baking, Scarlett took Rose to get her diaper changed and dressed for the day. I stayed in the living room studying all the toys and baby stuff she had around the room. There was a lot, this kid has it made.
There were a few baskets of toys in the corner, baby blankets piled on a nearby table along with stacks of diapers and baby crap, and most of all there was a bunch of weird baby chairs. Well, I think they are baby chairs, one looks like a miniature crib, another was the bouncer from earlier, and there were a couple of others but I don't know what they did. I saw a lot of books piled up on the shelf and walked closer to see which ones she had. A lot of them were baby books but a few were longer like Alice and Wonderland and The BFG.
I pulled out a few other books to look at their titles before I heard Scarlett come back down the stairs. "Hey, find any good ones?" she asked balancing a babbling Rose on her hip.
"A few," I smiled showing her a few of the books I'd pulled out.
"Those are good ones," she smiled.
"Are you okay with me reading them?" I asked hesitantly, some people don't like it when I go through their things. I didn't ask and now I was starting to worry that she'd be mad.
"Of course! In fact, I was thinking of starting some lunch, do you think you could read to Rose?" Scarlett asked me. Whoa, wait watch the baby alone. I'm not qualified for that. She must have noticed my fear-stricken face because she continued to add, "I'll be in the kitchen, I'm just gonna put her on this blanket for some tummy time, all you have to do is let me know if she rolls off the blanket."
"She can roll?" I asked raising an eyebrow. I've never been around younger kids until Rose so I had no idea how babies work.
"Yes, she's a bit of a stinker," Scarlett laughed tickling her daughter a little, "but in all seriousness, she loves listening to stories, so she'd probably love to hear you read."
"Are you sure? I don't think I'm the right fit for this?" I added still unsure of the situation. Scarlett was still moving around the room spreading out a soft blanket before putting toys on it.
"I wouldn't ask if I didn't trust you," she told me seriously as she flipped Rose over to lay her on her stomach.
"Okay, I guess," I said plopping down next to Rose.
"If she gets fussy just stick this in her mouth, okay?" Scarlett said handing me what I'm assuming is her pacifier.
"Okay," I said still very nervous.
"I'm just gonna be in the kitchen, shout if you need me okay," Scarlett said crouching in front of me as she raise my head a little to meet her eyes.
"Okay," I nodded before flipping open the picture book I had found.
"Alright Rose, be good," she said with a small wink towards her daughter before walking out.
"Well I guess it's just me and you, Rose," I said quietly to the baby that laid beside me. I thought for a moment before flipping onto my stomach and laying next to her. I mean if we're reading together, she should get to see the pictures also right?
I position the book so she could see it before I started reading, Disney Classics. It was an entire storybook full of short stories like my Winnie the Pooh book. We started with the story of Bambi.
About halfway through the story, I looked down to see Rose greatly intrigued by the story, I was trying my best to keep her interested. I didn't want to see her roll away. I didn't want to get Scarlett mad or anything. She trusted me to watch her, so I was gonna do my best.
After the first two stories, I decided I liked reading to Rose. I liked it when she giggled when I said things in a funny voice and when she made silly noises to let me know she was listening. However, I didn't like it when she placed her slobbery hand on my arm. I kindly told her no but she didn't understand and I guess that's okay. She is a baby after all but I still wiped it off on the side of the blanket. Maybe Rose wasn't that bad?
A/n
Yay, some kind of happier moments! Also, baby Rose and Alexis getting along - so cute.