Mummy, Daddy and Me

Dance lessons pt.2

Phoebe

We set off to a local restrauant and Ellie had calmed down as Alex was meeting us there. To be honest, Ellie was a lot happier now! It made me sad really as she instantly got her hopes back up for him when he's most likely just going to let her down again tomorrow or the day after and we'd have to deal with an upset Ellie all over again. But at the same time, they'd been together for two years now, they lived together, owned a house and cars together, they couldn't just split- it was way too complicated. But again, that made it sadder. 
Jess was talking gibberish about some drama that had happened back stage, Carter was driving, Ellie was trying to engage in conversation with Jess and I was just contemplating. Was it worth asking Ellie? Discussing it with Alex maybe? I'd love to have her as my little or just to have another little but its so hard when Jess is so tempremental with other people. We couldn't even get through babysitting for a day. But with Ellie, I knew she'd find it a whole lot easier as she knew Ellie inside out and Ellie knew Jess. They bounced so well of each other and to be honest, I'd never seen anyone get on better than Ellie and Jess. Even she and I didn't get along that well! 
I felt the car stop and Carter's hand caress my thigh. I turned to him and he smiled and his eyes asked if I was okay. 

"Food time!" Jess screeched before either of us could say anything. I giggled and looked back at her, she was wiggling in her seat beaming from ear to ear. 
"Let's get out, yeah?" I said to her. She nodded and clapped. I smiled more and got out of the car. I opened Ellie's door first as it was on child lock and Carter let Jess out. Jess ran round the back of the car and jumped at Ellie's side. 
"See him?" she asked. Ellie nodded before running to cross the road. However, I quickly grabbed her back. She whimpered and looked at me. 
"Look for cars, sweetheart," I mumbled, rubbing her back and then letting her go. She sighed, quickly looked and then ran across to Alex. She jumped into his arms and they held each other for a moment. Jess grunted and crossed her arms and I saw Carter giving side eyes too. 
"Oh come on," I said. I threw my arms up and crossed the road to get to them. they let go of each other and Alex greeted me. Just then, a stroppy Jess came over, Carter on her heel. 

"Alex!" She said, more in her big voice than any of us anticipated. I held my breath- unsure about what was coming. 
"Hi Jess," he said, aving at her. 
"Don't 'hi Jess' me, where were you two hours ago?"
"At work," he mumbled, quickly kicking himself. 
"Right. So you weren't on your way to see the show then?" 
"No. Look I'm sorry, I got caught up doing something," he said, holding up his arms. Ellie was looking at the floor and Jess's eyebrows were raised, arms were crossed and her hip was sticking out. 
"Such as?"
"Such as paper work. Just because you don't work doesn't mean others don't either," he grunted. My eyes flashed red and I went to step forwards but Carter gripped my wrist. He knew something. He walked round and stood next to Ellie just as Jess said the next thing. 
"So you've been working on your secetary?" Ellie's head shot up, my eyes widened and Carter stumbled over his words. 
"Exactly." Jess muttered, she turned to Ellie, grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the restrauant. Carter followed and I stood still, unsure on what to do. 

After a few minutes of very awkward silence. 
"Tell her I'm sorry will you?" He muttered. I looked him up and down, I suppose it was obvious now. "I didn't mean for her to find out this way. Not in front of everyone and certainly not from Jess."
"Were you planning on telling her at all?"
"I was yeah, I was just waiting for the right time." 
"And how long have you been waiting for the right time Alex?" I sighed, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. 
"About a year and a half," he mumbled. My jaw dropped. 
"I know. I know. It's awful. I just, I care so much about her, I never wanted to hurt her!" 
"You hurt her as soon as you even caught feelings for your secetary Alex. Don't you understand that?"
"I love her." He shot out. His hand rubbed his neck. "Just not the way she loves me." 
"I think you should leave Alex. I think you should leave and I'll arrange a time with you to collect Ellie's things, she can stay with me for a while until you get yourselves sorted." I nodded before leaving him stranded on the side walk like an abandoned puppy.

Ellie
Strangely enough, sitting in the booth next to Carter and Jess and Phoebe their too, surrounded by drinks nad food and coats and their voices and their laughter, I wasn't upset. I wasn't heartbroken. I was at home. These three people had non stop loved me for so so long now and the one time I need them more than ever, they know it better than me. don't get me wrong, I was beyond upset about what Alex had done. I know it will take me a while to get over it but having these guys here with me helped. It wasn't like I was falling as one would expect a breakup to be but like I was already being held before I even dropped. Jess sat back in the booth and rubbed ehr belly, giggling. I smiled widely and siezed a hug opportunity. I leaned back next to her and put her head on her shoulder, closing my eyes. I felt her hand wiggle into mine and she caressed the back of my hand with her thumb, making me smile. I loved this kid, now and for forever. 

"Dadddy," Jess whined after a while staying in that position. I opened my eyes and looked at Carter who had his head popped to the side with a smile on his face, an endearing smile I'd never seen on Alex's face, especially when I was little. 
"Ellie sleepover?" She giggled. I smiled a little. I sure flippin hope so.
"She is bubba, yeah," Phoebe interjected. I looked over at her and smiled, mouthing a thank you. She nodded back and smiled widely. 
"I'll go pay," Carter announced, slapping his knees and standing up. 
Why men slapped their knees, I'll never know.
"Why does daddy always do that mama?" Jess asked, shuffling over in the booth to Phoebe. 
"Do what princess?" Phoebe replied, pulling Jess into her arms. I wanted a mama like that. 
"Slap their knees," I answered for Jess, distracting myself from the thoughts of no longer having a caregiver. Jess giggled and nodded a lot. 
"Yeah!"
"Oh," Phoebe laughed, looking between us. "I don't know. Its a man thing," she laughed. She held out Jess' jacket and guided her arms in the sleeves and my heart sank a little more. I wanted a mama like that so bad. 

"Come on then my girls," Carter mumbled, coming back over to the table. He held out his hand for me and I looked at it before taking it. He squeezed it reassuringly and pulled me closer to his side as we left the restraunt, looking like a proper, little family. 

Merry Christmas you lovely lot <3