Sleeping with a lie

(42)

Hey guys!! This chapter is not going to be a fill-in, but a fluffy chapter. Shailene, Theo and the kids go to Dallas Texas.

Enjoy!!

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Theo helped me stuff my suitcase with my clothes. Belle carried her bags to the front. Carson Rae kicked his feet up and down on the car seat.

"Mama," Belle called. "Mama!!"

"Yes dear,"

"Oliver hit me!" She complained.

I sighed. "Theo, handle the kids for me."

Theo set down his luggage rolling his eyes. I heard him telling Oliver about loving Belle. Then I tuned them out.
Dallas, Texas was going to be fun, a nice get away from all of the stress that's been pushed down on us lately.

Theo walks back in the room. His khaki shorts that I bought him fit him nicely.

"They are now best friends." Theo says rubbing the heels of his hands on his pants. "I might've put on way too much sunblock."

I giggle. "You think?" I wiggle the bottle in the air. Showing it was halfway GONE.

"Come here you!" He grabs me my hips, luring me into a bright kiss. We kissed longer than expected, bringing Belle to worry.

"Dada, are-" She covers her eyes with her hands. "Ew!"

I pull back from Theo's lips. Smiling at Belle, I lean my chin on his shoulder.

"One day, you'll meet a prince just like Dada."

Theo laughs. "HA. one day, right..."

Heading out of the house, Theo opens the door for his share of driving. This drive was going to be long. Very long in fact. But I was prepared for loads of car riding excitement.

________________
Destination: Hotel in Dallas, Texas

Belle flopped in the water. I rinse her dirty blonde hair. She blows air into her bangs.

"Is Dada okay?" She asks suddenly.

"What do you mean?" I rung out her towel.

"He is sad." She says quietly. "Dada can't be sad."

Wow. My daughter is two and she already knows what emotion her own father He feeling.

"Hmm. Come on, time for bed." I shake her sentence off. Drying her body from head to toe, I clothe on her in pink pajamas.

Right before placing Belle into the bed beside us, Oliver wakes up crying.

"Oliver..." I say quietly. "What's wrong huh?"

Bouncing him lightly on my shoulder, he falls back asleep in minutes. Must've been a bad dream.

Theo opens and enters the room just on time. I'm already in bed, so I stare him down.

"Are you okay?"

"Shailene. I just got off the phone with uh, I'm sorry." His eyes were puffy, and his face was beet red. He travels over to me.

"Babe," I say trying to give him comfort.

He climbs over the large pillows, and I position myself next to him.

"I haven't smoked in three weeks. And I'm trying Shai, I really am." He gulps.

I hold his face to mine. "That's good! Babe, I thought you were giving me bad news."

"I'm trying my best to do it for the kids. And its hard."

Withdrawl. His body needs more smoke, he's craving it.

"At least I don't have to taste smoke every time I kiss you." I teased. "Theo it is okay to feel this... pain."

"No Shai it's not. Do you know how hard it is to not have the urge to inhale the sweet taste of the smoke? It's enjoyable to me. God, it relaxes me. I need it."

I rubbed the stubble of his beard. "You have me to relax you. The kids."

"Right. Right." He nods.

"I hope I'm good enough for you." He sniffles.

"You really are Theo. You really are." I rest my eyes. "Belle must've heard you crying. She said 'Dada is sad'."

"Hmm. That's my girl." He kissed the top of my head. "You're my girl too of course. Well, woman."

Drifting off to sleep, Theo snaps off the lights.
__________
Ansel stood in front of me.

"Why are you here?" I ask.

"I'm never going to slip away from you, Shailene. Those fragile memories of yours will be broken by me. Only me. The thought of me will break you, heck, end you." He whispers.

I gasp awake. Theo opens his eyes to my reaction to a bad dream.

"You alright?" He say quietly.

I cover up more under the covers. "Bad dream."

Bad dreams came constantly after Ansel was invited to my wedding. By whom? I have no clue. Like he said, the thought of him will break me. And it is unfortunately.