UNBREAKABLE

Thirty One.

           Jim couldn't stand Lucinda anymore. She never failed to remind him the reason he'd divorced her. Once upon a time she used to be a sweet woman who laughed freely and lived life with wild abandon. That's why he had fallen in love with her. But after she had a miscarriage, she had become sad, depressed and didn't want to live anymore. They'd suffered that loss together so much so that he thought they would get through it together. They almost did. Until JR. Lucinda hadn't wanted to get pregnant again so they had chosen to adopt. Lucky for them, they had been blessed to find a new born baby and at first everything was okay.

And then she started to see flaws in him. He cried too much or ate too much or he couldn't walk fast enough. As JR grew up, the faults multiplied until Jim couldn't take it anymore. He divorced her and told her she could see him whenever she wanted on the condition she was civil with him. They rarely saw her after that. Once in a while she would pop up, nag them then leave and disappear until next time. Right now was not a good time for her to do her appearing act. The second she stepped foot in his house, he wanted her to turn around and leave. Already she had driven JR away within ten minutes of being there. As if that wasn't enough, Now she was terrorizing his staff by ordering them around to do impossible things. Truth be told he wanted to pull her hair out just to make her shut up. But then again that would just start World War III.

So currently he was hiding out in the study in the hopes that his ex wife would forget his existence. A light knock made him whip his head towards the door. He stared at it as if he could see through it to the person on the other side. He went to turn and ignore whoever it was but the person knocked again. Grumbling he got up from behind the desk and went to open the door. If it was Lucinda he wouldn't hesitate to slam the door in her face. Better yet he was going to open just a crack to make sure it wasn't that infuriating woman. He blinked again confused as to why Zach was there. "Did I forget I had an appointment with the doctor or something?" Zach shook his head smiling then stepped aside to reveal Alexis who was hiding behind him.

"Surprise!" she yelled. Jim stood there dumbfounded for a minute before she pushed the door wider. He stepped aside still shocked to see her there. When he'd last seen Hayley, she had been so mad at him, and with good reason, but he'd thought she was never going to let him see her again. He felt awful about how she had found out his relationship to Jeffrey. And he regretted how he'd handled it and when she was in the hospital he had wanted so much to go and apologize but it wasn't the right time. It was never the right time. Seeing Alexis just proved to him that he wasn't wrong about her. Hayley was a good woman who deserved the world. If only she'd let JR give her that.

"Alexis?"

"Yeah. Mom said I could stay the weekend and that I don't need to eat any vegetables while I'm here." she said flopping down on the sofa in the corner. It was where she always sat whenever she came in.

Snapping out of his shock he thanked Zach then closed the door. He couldn't believe she was really there. Maybe he was dreaming. No. He had to touch her to make sure she was not an apparition. He sat beside her then pulled her onto his lap. "How come you're here? Did you come with your mother?"

"No. She called Zach who brought me here. Why are you acting so weird? Did you give someone else my room?"

Kids. They were in a mansion that was big enough to pass for a hotel and she was concerned about one room. "No my dear. I would never do that. In fact everything is as you left it" he said patting her head. "I missed you so much"

Alexis threw her arms around his neck hugging him. "I missed you too"

"Okay now tell me everything. How are you? Did you grow a few inches taller? I think you did. How is school?"