Alaska

Chapter Twenty-Three

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

The smile that plastered Lexi's face, was the greatest she had produced in over five months.  She felt a sudden lightness infiltrate her body and she relaxed and soaked in the news.  A baby girl.  She was having a daughter.  It was beyond amazing.  Angel engulfed her sister in a bear hug and a tear edged down Lexi's beaming face.

"Congratulations, Alexia," breathed Angel, in ecstasy.  "A little girl to play with Meagen!"

After a booking of another appointment, and another course of admiration towards the fact that Lexi was having a girl, the two of them set out of the clinic and back to the car, where the news spilled out of their mouths, happily.  Anthony clapped his hands in triumph and Ashton's face lit up as he pecked Lexi squarely on the lips.

"This calls for a good song," Anthony yelled, and he tuned the radio into a happy song that they sung down the road towards the highway...

-

Dreams of a smiling blue-eyed baby girl flooded Lexi's mind as she slept the whole six hour drive to Pennsylvania, her head resting on Ashton's shoulder.

A dim ray of sunlight was what awoke her.  Her eyes fluttered open and she found herself still travelling in the car, her hands entwined with Ashton's and her head on his chest.  Meagen sat in the seat beside her, licking at a cherry flavoured lollipop and Ashton was staring out the window, his head resting against the seat belt. 

Lexi recognized where they were, immediately.  Bright blue signs with bold white lettering that said; WELCOME TO RIVERBLOSSOM, PENNSYLVANIA lined the bridged walls and park entrances.  Despite the recent good news, her heart couldn't help but sink as Anthony pulled into the familiar gravelly drive-in at the Whitmore residence.

It hadn't changed, these past few months.  It had the same old vast mowed lawn and brilliant flashing windows and it towered over the many houses in the street.

Ashton pulled Lexi out of the car, his blue eyes rounded as he inspected the house, carefully, awe clearly replacing his expression.  Lexi gulped, her insides knotting up at the thought of what her parent's would say to Ashton.

Before she could think any further, though, the large oak front door burst open, and Maxwell, the family golden retriever bounded out, his booming barks echoing through the still neighbourly air.  Anthony bent low and patted his head, grinning and cooing.  He had a large liking for dogs.

Following Maxwell was Ann, the housekeeper dressed in her usual pale grey rags with her dark hair knotted into a tight ponytail.  She had a prim smile on her face and tried not to stare too much at Lexi's swelling belly.

"Welcome back!" She chirped, waving the wet cloth she used for dusting.

"How're you Ann?  How's it been?" Angel asked, fondly, gathering her suitcases out of the over-flowing trunk of the Lexus.

"All is well," Ann replied, placidly.  "Let me take those," she gestured to Lexi's white suitcases and rolled them up towards the stone steps of the house, eventually disappearing through the doorway.  Lexi turned to Ashton.  He was still eyeing the house, his face a tinge whiter than usual.

"You OK?" She asked, carefully and he nodded.

"Nice house," he murmured.  "You weren't kidding when you said your parent's were rich."

She rolled her eyes.  "Wait till you see how I wasn't kidding about their attitudes."

There was a sudden shrill squeal and Patricia Whitmore appeared at the top of the stone stairs, her hands clasped together as she wore her famous pearl necklace, her dirty blonde hair tied into a fashionable knot.  She skipped down the stairs, her Lacoste high heels clopping against the ground and outstretched her arms to her eldest daughter, Angel, a fond but fake smile on her face.