Ryan's POV
"How is she doing?" Stella asked me seriously as she sat with Lillia on her lap "And don't give me the fabricated version, I saw the disparate on her face when she made you turn around earlier"
"She's about as good as can be expected" I reply before taking a deep breath "She slipped out early this morning while we were sleeping"
Stella looked upset and disappointed "How close was she?"
"Dangerously close" I replied honestly "She didn't do it though"
"That's something I guess" Stella leant forwards and touched my arm gently "She's stronger than you think"
"I hope you're right" I look at Stella who is staring at Lillia.
"Mom" Abi's voice broke the silence "Can we" she sniffed "Can we talk please?"
"Yes of course sweetheart" Stella stood up and handed me Lillia, Jacob was on the couch asleep. I watched as Abi followed Stella out into the garden. Leroy sat beside me.
"Ever feel like you're out of your depth?" I asked Leroy openly and he chuckled.
"With Abi?" He grinned and I couldn't help grinning myself "Absolutely, but don't worry too much about her doing anything stupid. She has two extra reasons in there to keep her feet on the ground"
"Yeah I guess" What Leroy said was true, but the mention of the twins reminded me of what happened during our meeting with Dylan. Abi's fame was ridiculous and there was no way Leroy could manage security all by himself. Not Abi, me, Freya and the twins "Hey listen I have been thinking, what do you think we should do about earlier?"
"What you mean at Dylan's office?" Leroy guessed and I nodded "I hate to say it because I know how much she will be against it, but maybe more security would be a good idea"
"I was thinking the same" I admitted "I'm not saying I don't think you can handle it, man I think your amazing at what you do and if I'm honest I wouldn't trust my wife's life in anybody elses hands but yours"
"Thanks, it means alot. But don't worry I know what.you are saying" to my relief Leroy smiled, the last thing I wanted to do was offend him.
"Don't worry its fine I get what you mean" Leroy chuckled as he watch Jacob sleeping.
Suddenly we heard the front door slam shut "ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME, THIS IS MY MOM'S HOUSE. HAVE SOME RESPECT" Abi's voice echoed inside the house.
"The paps are outside" Stella rushed past the door, Leroy followed Stella and I took Lillia. Jacob was still asleep "Ryan do something" Stella cried as she watched Abi throw one of the photographers cameras.
"SCREW YOU, YOU SON OF A BITCH I OWE YOU NOTHING" I quickly handed Lillia to Stella and rushed down the steps, Leroy was keeping the photographers away from us, allowing me to sweep in and pick Abi up. I grabbed her from behind and picked her feet up off the ground so she couldn't break anything else.
"I'm gonna put you down okay?" once I felt her body relax a little I started to let her go.
"You've got 10 seconds to get away from this house or I will call the police" Tony's voice rang like church bell "Abi and her mother are dealing with a terrific loss and they would appreciate some privacy during such a devastating time"
To my surprise the paps backed away "Are you okay Princess?" He asked, I still had my armed looped around Abi's waist. She nodded and rested her hands on my arm, I pushed my forehead into the back of her hair "Stella?" I looked and saw Stella was still holding Lillia.
×-×-×
"So everything has already been arranged?" Abi seemed flawed by the fact her Dad had already planned and paid for his funeral.
"Your father wanted everything to be sorted so we didn't have any stress" Stella half smiled, she knew Abi was going to take this news badly.
"And not even being able to say goodbye to him at all isn't stressfull?" Abi sat back and watched her Mom "What he did was selfish...and now he's gone and I can't even tell him how much I love him, or that I'll miss him" Tears fell from Abi's eyes as she spoke, even I was finding it difficult to keep it together as I watched her fall apart.
"OH sweetheart he knows how much you love him" Stella quickly stood and hugged Abi "and He loved you just as much"
×-×-×
I had just put Jacob down for a nap when Zach and Eddie arrived at the house, they had come to work on a new song for the record. To be honest I wasn't happy about the timing but Abi insisted our lives needed to go on. It had been almost a week since she had seen her mom, but they spoke on the phone twice a day.
Lillia was sleeping I her swing chair as Abi read through the script she had been sent "Hello Abigail Jenson-Tedder" she said as she picked up her cellphone which had started to vibrate on the coffee table "Oh hi Sam, yeah Tony said you had a couple of requirements for this part that we needed to discuss?" I listened as Abi spoke to Sam "Shit that's alot, erm I'm gonna need to speak to Ryan first is that okay...?" I frowned as Abi hung up the phone.
"What's up?" I asked as she turned to face me, I was standing behind her by this point.
"If I take this role of Denise then I will need to drop to a size 2" I was horrified, that was nearly a size zero, Abi was a comfortable 6 or 8 at the moment. This would be a drastic weight loss.
"Shit that's ridiculous" I reply honestly and Abi nods "is it safe, won't it make you ill to drop weight like that?"
"No I've done it before" Abi replied and I remembered the movie she starred in a few years ago as a college professor who had anorexia.
"Well it's up to you" I watched as Abi stood up and walked over to Jacobs crib. She watched him for a few moments, I was just about to speak but Eddie dropped one of his drum cases in the lounge "Shit Eddie" I frowned thinking about Jacob waking up.
"Ryan come here" Abi's voice was full of concern so I rushed over "Look at this, Eddie do that again"
I looked into Jacobs crib and waited, as Eddie dropped the case again "Nothing happened" I replied unsure of what I was looking at.
"Exactly" Abi frowned "Drew just clap your hands above Lillia" Drew did his loudest clap just above Lillia's head. She jumped in her swing and her bottom lip trembled a little. Drew quickly settled her by rocking the swing "Now look" Abi clapped her hands above Jacob and nothing again.
"Maybe it wasn't loud enough" I reply and do the same again but this time twice as loud "He can't hear it?"
"No I don't think he can hear anything" Abi sniffed as she rested her head on my shoulder. We both just stood and watched him sleeping, trying to take in the fact that our beautiful little boy could be deaf.
