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Chapter 4 Ned and Alexis got to the Gatehouse just before ten o'clock. Alexis was a little hesitant, and Ned was a little nervous himself. They unlocked to door and walked in to find Brooke Lynn watching cartoons on television. She looked up from the show to see what all the noise was. Her face lit up as soon as she saw who it was. "Daddy! Alexis!" She said running into Ned's arms. "Hi there princess. I told you Alexis would come and see you." Ned said smiling and putting Brooke Lynn down. "Hi Brooke. How have you been?" Alexis asked bending down to Brooke Lynn's level. "I'm good. I am so happy to see you." "Well I am happy to see you too." Alexis said smiling at the little girl who would soon be her stepdaughter if everything with Lois turned out all right. "Ned is that you?" Lois called running down the stairs. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Alexis. "Oh hi Alexis. I didn't expect to see you here. How are you?" Lois said looking past Alexis at Ned. Alexis could tell this, but decided to ignore it. "I have been fine, busy, but good." "Well that is really good to here. Have you started to plane for the wedding this summer?" Lois asked trying to be polite. "Uh, a little not much, but we are getting there." "Brooke why don't you go upstairs and finish watching your cartoon up in the bedroom." Ned said to his daughter to get her out of the room so the three adults could get some talking done. "I want to play with Alexis." Brooke Lynn whined. "You and Alexis can visit later, okay." Ned said. "Yeah Brooke. We will go out later and get ice cream or something. Just go on upstairs for know and I will come get you in a little while." "Okay." Brooke Lynn said cheering up. They all watched as Brooke Lynn ran upstairs and waited to hear the door to the bedroom shut before turning to face each other. "Lois how are you feeling today? Better?" Ned asked. "Yes. I am feeling a little better, but I still want to finish that talk we started last night before you left." Lois said trying seriously to Ned and not knowing that Alexis knew about that little talk. Alexis looked over at Ned and he took her hand and squeezed it. Lois saw this and decided to ignore it. "Lois I told Alexis everything about last night. Including the part where you said you wanted to get back together with me. You don't have to be sneaky about it, okay." Ned said. Lois was a little shocked that he had shared that with Alexis. "Oh I see. Well, Alexis I hope that you don't hate me, but I love Ned and I meant everything I said. I wasn't just really upset or drunk." Ned and Alexis shared looks back and forth. Ned moved closer to Alexis and moved his hand from her hand to her back. "Lois, I know you love me and I love you too." Ned said. Alexis gave him a shocked looked. "But..." Ned continued, "It isn't the same love we shared when we were together. It is the kind of love you share with a friend, you are the mother of my daughter and I will always love you. But it is not a romantic love. Okay. I love Alexis with all of my heart." He gave Alexis a quick kiss on the cheek before looking up at Lois to see her reaction. "Alexis I hope you don't mind, but I am a little embarrassed and if you wouldn't mind I would like to talk to Ned about this alone." Alexis looked over at Ned. "Sure I will go and get Brooke and take her to the park or something. I'll be right back." She went upstairs and got Brooke Lynn. When they came back down. "Bye daddy. Bye mommy." Brooke Lynn said as she headed out the door. "Bye." They said in unison. Alexis said good-bye too and as she walked out the door gave Ned a kiss good-bye. As the door shut Ned realized he was alone with Lois in the house they once shared as a married couple. |
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