2 weeks later
Alison POV:
"Hey, babe?" Emily says, walking into the kitchen.
"Yeah?" I ask.
"There is a swim competition in Colorado next week that the school is sponsoring. And I'm so the swim coach, so obviously I have to go." She says quickly.
"Next week?!" I exclaim.
"...Yes?" She hesitates.
"And when did you find out about this?" I demand.
"Last night after you were asleep. Principal Hackett set it up." She tells me.
"I'll help you pack." I say.
"It sounds like you want to get rid of me. What are you hiding?" She asks suspiciously.
"It came out the wrong way. I mean...I don't know." I say, sighing.
"Hmmm...Okayyy? You aren't cheating on me, are you?"
"What?! Hell no!" I shriek.
"The way you're acting isn't making me fell any better." She frowns.
"I'm sorry." I tell her, and kiss her lips.
"I'm not cheating on you. And I never will. Who would cheat on you?!" I declare. "Only someone with a mental problem." I add.
[...]
The next week
"Bye, babe." I say to Emily, and kiss her. She gives everyone else a kiss on the head, and a hug, before boarding her plane.
-
"Who wants lunch?" I say excitedly, and all of the kids give me blank expressions.
Brighton attempts to climb on one of the adult chairs, but fails, and falls backward right on her ass.
She tries it again, and ends up with the same result. She looks at me with expecting eyes.
I sigh, and sit her down on the chair.
When I sit her down, she turns around, and stats chewing and sucking on the chair. She bites it, pulling back.
"What are you trying to do, child?! Pull your head off?!" I laugh.
She looks at me as I give everyone a plate of macaroni.
She grabs the cup of water, which has been sitting out all night and all afternoon.
When she takes a sip, she makes her sour face, and turns back around, spitting it all out onto the floor.
"Gwoss." She mumbles.
"Brighton Estelle!" I exclaim.
She looks at me giving me a glare, and throws the cup onto the floor.
"Yuck!" She exclaims.
"You are such a brat!" I groan.
"Bwat." She says, mocking me.
I put her plate of food in front of her, and she pushes it away.
"No." She says.
I sigh, and clean up the water on the floor.
As I'm cleaning, I see macaroni falling on the floor in front of me.
"Gwoss." Brighton says each time she throws macaroni on the floor.
"Brighton!" I whine.
"Mama!" She says in the same tone.
Luckily, Ellie comes over, cleaning up the mess. But, of course, when Brighton sees Ellie, she just stars hand feeding her from the table.
"Obviously you aren't hungry." I groan, taking Brighton from the table.
"Why do you only act like this when Emily isn't here?" I ask her, although she can't really understand me.
"Mum!" She says excitedly.
"Mum isn't here, baby."
"Muuuummmm..." She groans, throwing her head back.
"Brightoooooonnnnn!" I groan, using the same voice as the baby, and she hates when people do that.
She looks up at me, and puts her macaroni covered hand on my face.
"Brighton!" I shriek, jumping up. Which makes Brighton giggle.
I go into the kitchen with Brighton still in my arms, and I wash off my face.
"Hey, girly!" Hanna exclaims, coming into the kitchen.
"Can you, Caleb and Aria take the other kids out today please?" I beg her.
"I'm guessing Brighton is being Brighton?" She asks, as she laughs.
"She's being Brighton with a little extra since Emily isn't here." I tell her, annoyed.
"Ooh!" Hanna grumbles, laughing.
"At least you're cute, kid." She says, taking Brighton from my arms.
All of the kids finish eating, and Aria, Caleb, and Hanna leave with them.
"Mum!" Brighton yells, running into the kitchen.
"Ugh!" I groan, getting up from the couch.
"Mum isn't here!" I try telling her.
"Mum!" She says, crying.
I pick her up, and go back into the living room, sitting down with her.
"Let's FaceTime mum." I say, and pull out my phone.
When Emily answers, Brighton's face lights up, and it is so damn cute!
"Mum!" She exclaims, giggling.
"Baby Blue!" Emily says in the same tone.
If it were anyone else doing that, she would've freaked out on them.
"She misses you. A lot." I tell Emily, letting out a breath.
"I can tell." Emily laughs.
"Mum." Brighton whines, making a pouty face.
"Brighton." Emily says, quivering her bottom lip.
Brighton frowns, and lightly touches the screen, as if stroking Emily's face.
Brighton whimpers, and lays her head against my chest, as she cuddles into me.
I look down at her, and see she has tears in her eyes.
"This is the most emotional baby ever!" I say, as I'm also now pouting. "Hurry up and get your ass back to this house." I demand Emily as I whine.
"Mum..." Brighton mumbles against my chest.
"Shhh..." I try to soothe her.
"You know, this child is a total brat without you here." I tell Emily.
"Oh, yeah? How so?" She asks, popping an M&M into her mouth.
"She spit water out onto the floor, threw the cup of water on the floor, was chewing on the kitchen table chair, hit me in the face while her hand was covered in macaroni, was throwing macaroni on the floor while I was cleaning the water, and was hand feeding the dog." I tell her, and Emily laughs.
"She also glared at me. Like, the old Alison DiLaurentis glare. With the killer eyes, and pursing her lips." I add, making Emily laugh more.
"When was that?" She asks, popping another M&M into her mouth.
"After I got mad at her for throwing her cup." I tell her.
"Hmmm...So she doesn't like being told no." Emily states, and I chuckle.
"And she likes to mock me now." I say, sighing, and Brighton also sighs.
"See?!" I shriek, and Emily giggles.
Brighton looks up at me, and gives me that look.
"Also, she only wants to nurse now." I groan, and lift my shirt up to nurse Brighton.
"So, what did you do today?" I ask Emily as I get comfortable with Brighton.
"Shopping mostly." She responds, putting another M&M in her mouth.
"I want M&M's now thanks to you." I tell her.
"When is the actual swim meet?" I ask her.
"Tomorrow." She answers, taking a sip of Dr. Pepper.
"Okay. What the hell? Where are you?" I ask her.
"What do you mean?" She asks, and she takes a bite of pizza, and gives me a knowing smile.
"You're eating a bunch of junk! I want some!" I whine.
"Room Service. You've gotta love it." She smirks.
"I hate you." I grumble.
"No you don't." She says, and blows a kiss through the phone.
"You're right. I don't. I never could." I tell her, smiling sweetly.
As I'm talking to Emily, Brighton bites me while she's nursing.
"Ow! You little shit!" I screech, lightly popping her mouth. She looks at me with wide eyes.
"Ooh! I think I need to be home." Emily says, jokingly.
"Ha-Ha." I say sarcastically and roll my eyes.
Emily POV:
Alison didn't know this, but the meet was actually today, so I'm leaving early tomorrow morning and surprising her while she's at work.