Love Will Tell✔

Part 17

Jace gave Aubrey to Mary and picked Riley up, putting her over his shoulder and walks up two frights of stairs to the third floor. He brings her to his room, since her room is still a giant mess. He puts her by the window, in a chair. Riley pulls her knees to her chest and buries her face against her knees. "I know I dont have kids of my own, but I know its going to be hard to get used to seeing her more and being in a new place but I am here to help you all the way." He moves Riley's hair from her face. "Ok? Now I'm going to go get Aubrey and feed her. I want you to stay here until they leave. Please."

Riley simply nods as her eyes start to water. Jace kisses the top of her head and leaves the room. He walks back down stairs and finds Mary craddling Aubrey in the dinning room. He goes to the kitchen and makes up a bottle for her. (Do 11 month olds even drink out of bottles???)

Riley calms down and looks around the room. "So many books.." She gets up and walks around. She spots a picture on his bureau. Its of two young boys standinf next to each other. She picks up the framed photo and sits back in the chair. His room is messy but in a clean way. His bed is made but there's a wrinkled spot where he had been sitting earlier. On his bed are files and papers, pens, stamps, and his laptop. Books are in neat piles around the room. His curtains are drawn but the windows are closed and locked.

After the kids leave with their grandparents, Jace goes upstairs and opens the door to his room. He smiles when he notices Riley asleep in the chair. He takes the photo and puts it back where it was. He lighy shakes her wake. Rubbing her eyes, Riley looks up at Jace. "Yeah?"

"Its 11. They just left. Thought you should ger her ready."

"Oh. Shit I forgot." Riley gets up and goes to her room, she grabs an outfit and baby whipes then heads downstairs.

Before leaving, Jace looks over at the photo of him and his brother. He leaves closing the door and heads downstairs. "Riley I gave her a bath last night while ypu were out. You dont need the wipes. And Jace put a newer diaper on her too. " Mary gets Riley to go at a slower pace.

Riley lays Aubrey on the couch and starts to undress her child. "I dont know why I bother. Im not a great mom. Not even a good mom." With tears threatening to fall she dressed Aubrey in a white floral dress, white sandals, and a headband on her small head. "There we go, baby. Daddy will love this." She says through the tears.

"You wont be a perfect mother right off the back Riley. It takes time. Time and patients. Lots of patients."  Mary smiles a little. "Ill be right back." She gets out of the chair she was in and slips into her husbands office.

"Yes dear?"

"Your daughter is out there crying because she thinks she's a horrible mother. Why are you on the phone? Your daughter needs you." He looks at his wife silently. "Get off the phone for thirty fucking minutes and spend time with your daughter and granddaughter. She's being picked up in an hour." Mary leaves the office and sits back in the chair.