 |
Chap 13 A long tiring, sleepless week has past for the Ashton�s and Julia is still in town. Ned did not know when she first arrived that she was the person he would be meeting with on a major account. He wasn't at all happy at first, but as the days went on, he and Julia seemed to get along fine. He had forgotten how upset she had made Alexis which sent her into premature labor and her constant attempts to flirt with him. Julia had back off Ned, for now. Ned and Alexis lay in bed neither wanting to get up. Kristen had, had a bad night causing Brooke-Lynn to have a bad night in which she ended up in bed with Ned and Alexis, so none of them had gotten much sleep. Alexis rolled over and snuggled up closer to Ned laying her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her as they lay there peacefully sleeping. Brooke-Lynn was sprawled out sideways next to Alexis with her feet hanging off the bed. It was a good thing Ned and Alexis had a gotten a king size bed, cause they all would not have fit on the same bed with the way Brooke-Lynn sleeps. Ned and Alexis were laying on one side of the bed and Brooke-Lynn on the whole other side by herself. The alarm went off at 7:30. Ned reaches over and turns it off, his sudden movement woke Alexis her head falling onto the pillow. She jerked her head up and looked at Ned "Sorry sweetheart, just go back to sleep" Alexis laid her head back down and quickly fell back asleep. Ned got up a few minutes later and made his way down the stairs and got the morning paper. He opened the front page and there was a picture of him and Julia at some outside cafe. The caption under the picture read : �Former Quatermaine Playboy back to his old ways?� Ned slammed the paper down on the kitchen table and put his head in his hands. "Why me?" He mumbled as a million thoughts ran through his head. Ned was staring into his cup of coffee when Alexis came in the kitchen yawning and stretching, startling Ned. "Sweetheart, you had better get a move on it. You're going to be late" Alexis said kissing his cheek and walking over to the coffee maker. Ned snapped too and looked at Alexis "Huh....oh yea I know.. I am heading up there.� He turned back to the table and looked at the paper. Alexis was making her a cup of coffee "So.. anything interesting in the paper this morning? Any good gossip?" Ned quickly folded the paper up. "Nope nothing that interesting, nothing really worth reading (walking over to her and taking her cup of coffee) and you thought you could pull one over on me..huh? Just because we are having a major fight with insomnia, doesn't mean I can remember that you are not suppose to be drinking coffee and you know you're not suppose to be drinking coffee while nursing Kristen" Alexis glared at him "Here drink this" Ned handed her a glass of juice "Oohh..juice..so tasty" Alexis said sarcastically and she took the glass from him. She walked over to the cabinets looking for something to eat. "Can you get off work early today and meet me and the girls at the park today for a little picnic lunch. Brooke is wanting to eat out under the trees with the ants." Alexis said as she closed the cabinet and turned to Ned "Sure I would loved to eat under the tress with my favorite ladies" Ned said wrapping his arms around Alexis waist "What time should I be there?" Ned said as he buried his face in her neck. "Uumm..how about around oneish..I promised Lila I would bring the girls over this morning to visit with her. " Ned turned Alexis around "Oneish it is then" He said softly kissing her. Alexis smiled at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you, but you really need to get a move on it." Alexis said with her arms still around Ned's neck "well I could get a move on it if there wasn't this certain gorgeous women with her arms wrapped tightly around my neck" He kissed her and pulled out of her arms. Alexis was smiling at Ned as he walked out of the kitchen. She walked over to the cup of coffee on the counter Ned had taken away from her. She looked at it and rolled her eyes. She poured it out knowing Ned was right about drinking while nursing "Dang, why does he do this to me." She flung the refrigerator door open looking for something to make her and Brooke for breakfast Alexis and the girls drove up to the Q mansion. "Are we going to the park after we visit with grandma Lila?" Brooke asked from the back-seat. "Yes sweetheart we are, and yes daddy will be meeting us there for our little picnic lunch." Alexis told Brooke looking at her through the rearview mirror. Brooke smiled back at Alexis. They walked up to the door and was greeted by Reginald "Morning Mrs. Ashton (he smiled at Alexis) Morning Ms. Ashton (he said to Kristen who babbled at him) and good morning to you too Ms. Ashton. Don't you ladies look all nice and comfortable (Alexis was in khaki shorts overalls, Brooke in jeans overalls, Kristen barefooted and in a little cotton sun dress) Lazy day planned?" He asked smiling at Brooke. "Hey Reggie..we are here to see grandma and we are off to the park..so just point us in the right direction so we can be off to go have some fun" Brooke said starting to walk off "Brooke!" Alexis said slightly embarrassed "No problem Mrs. Ashton. I see the little one is quite excited about going to the park. (motioning for Alexis to walk with him outside) Mrs. Quartermine is out in her rose garden waiting on you" Reginald opened the door and led them down the path to were Lila was waiting. Turning to Reginald "Thanks Reggie" Alexis said like Brooke would have. He laughed and walked off leaving them in privacy. They continued a little ways down the rose path until they came upon Lila "Alexis my dear" Alexis smiled and walked over to the elderly woman and leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek she knelt down beside her. "Lila..you are looking very well. How are you feeling?" Alexis stood up and looked down at her. "A little tired, but I am making it. Brooke, come here and give me a hug" Brooke ran over to Lila and wrapped her arms around her neck. Lila pulled Brooke back and touched her face "So do you and Alexis have a big day planned?" "Uh huh (Alexis cleared her throat) ! I mean yes ma'am. Me, mommy and Kristen are going to meet daddy at the park for a picnic." Brooke looked at Alexis smiling "Right mommy?" "That's right sweetheart" Alexis replied. Lila looked at Alexis with a worried look on her face. Alexis didn't notice. Lila thought to herself "She is so happy, she's has two beautiful daughters, she is in love with Ned. Life seems to be agreeing with her. She must not have seen the morning paper. Oh she'll be devastated. She loves Ned and trusts him. This news with totally crush her. I must not let her find out about this. Lila spoke aloud to Alexis "That can't be my little Kristen, oh my, she has gotten so big" Alexis walked over and sat Kristen in Lila's lap. "Yes it is..isn't she getting so big. I can't believe she is already three months old. Ned and I were talking about that the other day. How time just seems to fly by. It seems like yesterday that she was born. And she has become quite a little daddy's girl as of late." Lila smiled down at Kristen and then up at Alexis "So she has become quite the daddy's girl. Has Ned been home a lot lately? Spending lots of time with her?" Lila asked Alexis "Actually no not really, he has had a lot of meetings lately with that big business deal and coming home really late. Kristen is usually in bed when he gets home. He gets up with her at night, so maybe that's why she's become so attached. She must be having some separation anxiety. He seems to be the only one that can calm her down at night." Alexis said while playing with Kristen's chubby little fingers. "He has had a lot of meetings lately? Well I have to talk with him about that. He needs to be at home with his wife and children." Alexis took Kristen from Lila. " think we need to get going. Ned will probably beat us there if we don't leave now." Brooke started running up the path. "Do you need for me to wheel you back to the house?" Alexis asked. "No I think I want to sit out here a little while longer. It's such nice out today. You have fun with your family. And always remember Ned loves you" Alexis looked at Lila slightly confused not knowing were that came from and smiled and caught up with Brooke. Alexis sat under a tree on a blanket with Kristen playing with her as Kristen played with her feet and Brooke-Lynn swung in a nearby swing. Alexis looked at her watch Ned was thirty minutes late. She wondered what could be keeping him. He usually is never late, he�s always on time, especially when it comes to spending time with his family. Brooke runs over bringing Alexis out of her thoughts. "Is daddy here yet? I am hungry? Brooke whined "You know baby, it don't look like daddy is coming, so why don't we just go ahead and eat. Maybe he'll be here a little later" Brooke sat down and tickled Kristen's tummy and Kristen let out a loud giggle. Brooke and Alexis laughed as they ate and talked about her Barbie's, her baby dolls and about their upcoming trip to New York. Brooke couldn't wait, she was so excited to go see another Broadway musical and getting to dress up. Alexis was looking at the little girl smiling when she noticed two ladies walking by staring at her and talking to one another. They gave her a sympathetic look and kept walking. Alexis shook it off and turned her attention back to Brooke-Lynn. Alexis looked down at Kristen kicking her bare feet up in the air. She started to get fussy, it was nap time. "Brooke, baby you ready to go? I think Krissy is getting a little sleepy and needs a nap" Alexis said as she started gathering their stuff. "Daddy isn't here yet. I want to wait on daddy." she pouted. "Baby it doesn�t look like daddy will be coming. We will have to have lunch with him on another day okay?" Brooke nodded and help Alexis gather the stuff. They starting walking back to the car "Wait mommy, I got to tie my shoe" Brooke bent down. Alexis sat on the bench and waited on the little girl to tie her shoe. Brooke stood up "All finished?" Alexis asked. "Uh huh" Brooke said "Hey mommy, look is that a picture of daddy?" Brooke said pointing at the man beside Alexis' newspaper. "Where?" Alexis asked. She turned her head in the direction Brooke was pointing and her heart sank when she read the headline: Former Quatermaine- Playboy back to his old ways? And saw the picture of Ned and Julia smiling and laughing. Alexis eyes began to water. Then she got angry. "Come on Brooke, let's go." She slightly pulled on the girl�s arm as they walked to the car. They got to the car and Alexis pulled out her cell phone. Dialed the number Ned's voice filled the other end of the phone "Hello you have reach Ned Ashton, I am unable to answer my.. " Alexis cussed out loud and slammed her phone down in the seat next to her. "Mommy why are you mad? Is it because of that picture of daddy and that pretty lady in the paper?" Brooke asked Alexis as she put on her seat belt. "She is not pretty and yes I am mad at your daddy!" Alexis snapped.. Brooke began to cry. "Baby I am sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. It's just that I am mad at daddy." " Is it cause he didn't come and eat lunch with us at the park?" Brooke sniffled. "Yes baby that's why." Alexis said not wanting to upset Brooke or herself anymore. She couldn't get the picture of Ned and Julia out of her mind. She didn't want to jump to conclusions, but all the evidence was staring her in the face. Late meetings, forgetting to meet his family for lunch, Lila's words to her in the rose garden, the women in the park. She slightly prayed "Please let Ned have a good excuse for not showing up today" On their way home they drove past a small cafe and noticed a dark hair man and a blonde woman having lunch, smiling and laughing at each other. As they got to the light she noticed it was Ned. She couldn't believe her eyes. He stood her and the girls up for that tramp Julia Barrett. Alexis sat there staring at the two of them for a minute when Brooke said "Mommy, the light is green." Alexis thought she should go over there and say something, but she didn't want to make a scene. So she drove her and the girls home. She called Ned several more times on his cell phone, but got no answer. By this time she was furious and she was going to let Ned have it once he got home, whatever time that my be. |
|