When LOVE is not Enough

Chapter 13 - Angel

The ride back home was a quiet one, we listened to the music that was on the radio. She avoided my eyes so I chose to let her be.

"Welcome to my home", I said as we walked into my apartment, she looked around and a smile appeared on her face with a dimple that reminded me of her Father.

"Does he know?", I asked her as she sat on the sofa. "No, it has never come up I guess", "Alice...", "I'm scared. Mum said that if I tell him... she'll make sure that she takes him to court and get full custody of me and I'll never see him again. I can't do anything until I'm eighteen. That's when I plan on moving in with Dad. I just have to hold on for a little while longer", she was sobbing at this point.

"Oh Alice", I said pulling her in a hug and letting her cry her pain away. I felt bad that Rachel did this, it was clear that she was troubled and wanted to be the perfect trophy wife but hurting her own child was just too low even for her.

"Look... why don't you go take a shower then I'll make popcorn and we'll watch the most boring movies to ever exist letting them bore us to sleep. How does that sound?", I said seeing her face light up with excitement.

"That's so lame but I'm so in". I led her to the guest room and let her settle in while I went to make us some popcorn and fresh juice. An hour later we were under cozy blankets enjoying popcorn and laughing our lungs out at something Kevin Hart did in the movie.

My phone rang and when I looked at the called ID, it was just Lily. She wanted to know where I disappeared to. I told her I was home with Alice enjoying a sleepover.

"You're so smitten... playing Mama already, I like it", I rolled my eyes as if she could see me. "Ha ha, whatever. Good night", I hung up and went back to the living room where I found Alice already asleep, I took the popcorn away and returned to join her on the sofa bed.

The next day we spend treating her cheek wound, then we baked cookies, and we went to the gym in the evening where Anthony told us she already had a swimming membership.

She was gone before he even finished, making us both laugh. I did my session and then went to the swimming area where I found her enjoying herself.

Other people kept complaining the laps were too many but Alice, was just busy going at it as if she was a fish.

I took a couple of pictures of her and sent them to her. When she was out we did more selfies for her Instagram and some other social media place that I could not even pronounce.

"Jamie is so hating in our WhatsApp group", she said with a huge smile. "So you and Jamie? Is there something there?", I asked watching her cheeks go red. I smiled knowing I hit a nerve. "No... w-w-why would you think that?", there's definitely something there.

"No reason, he just seems to care about you a whole lot that's all",  I said and watched her shy away from me, giving me all the answers I needed without even knowing it. "Well, I like him. I think he's cute", I said making her smile.

"I think so too", she replied walking to the locker rooms faster than necessary. We went to the cafe and ordered some burgers. "This is your spot, isn't it? I remember the logo from the video call", she said looking around as we waited for our food.

"Yes, it is, every day at nine-thirty sharp", I said making us laugh. We ate then went back to my apartment where I helped her pack. 

The following day was a school day and she had to return home. She had called Maxwell to come to pick her up so we had to get ready.

"Thank you for everything Angel", she said hugging me. "You're very welcome. Now that you know where I live, you can come by during the weekends if you want right Rachel?", I said glaring at her, before she could answer Max did volunteering to bring her every Friday evening.

"Well that's settled, your room will be waiting for you next week or whenever you want ok?", "Thank you", she said as I pulled her in another hug making sure to keep eye contact with my arch nemesis.

They left and I returned to my room to prepare a bubble bath. It was all rainbows and pony until my phone started ringing interrupting the music that I was playing. It was a video call from the one and only.

"Hi partner, thank you for going MIA on me", I said smiling at him but he was busy looking at my cleavage that was covered in bubbles. "Hey! eyes up here", I said playfully making him smile. "I wish I was there with you Angel, you look very sexy right now", he said biting his lower lip and making him look so hot.

"Oh really? why don't you come then?", "I'm leaving tomorrow afternoon, I will see you first thing my Angel", "I would like that", I said blowing him a kiss. He gave me his killer smile and then hung up.

I went back to enjoying my bath. I was so excited that he was finally coming back. I just wished that I had good news for him.

"So how was the weekend with your stepdaughter?", Iris asked clearly looking for gossip, making me laugh. "It was fine and we had a very good time. Honestly I'm just happy that she didn't pick after her Mother because that woman is such a handful and a lunatic", I said recalling the scene I walked into at Rachel's home.

"What do you mean?", "When we went to the birthday party she was acting like her majesty and then I hear her telling Axel some really hurtful things that I had to put her in her place.

She is just so toxic and she always makes him doubt himself. I just wish I could do something to make him realise that her opinion is just meaningless, Argh!", "Calm down Angel. Look, if you really want him to feel on top of the world then all you need to do is confess your love for him", "Anhaa", Lily said as we left the cafeteria.