People Should Be Slapped

When I woke up this morning and looked at the clock, I groaned and rolled out of bed. I was on my way to the shower, thinking about what we were doing today at work when I couldn't think of anything. It took me a few minutes to realize that I didn't have to go in because it was the weekend! I quickly turned around and ran back to my bed.

I was so ready to slap Penny yesterday before I left work, it's probably a good thing I didn't have to see her today. It seems that she is going to be a problem for me, or try to be a problem. I hate women like that, if you are unhappy with your life, don't try and ruin someone else's life.

We were getting the kids ready to go home, some parents were already there for their child. I was talking to the mother of one of Alexis' new friends. "Tami has been talking non stop about you and your little girl, I've never seen her so excited to come to day care before!"

I smiled as we watched Tami 'walk' with Alexis around one of the tables closest to us. "Tami has certainly seemed to take Alexis under her wing, they've been inseparable. I was hoping Alexis would make some friends while we were here."

We spoke for a few minutes more before she said they had to go. Once Tami was gone, Alexis crawled over to me and wanted to get up. "So how did the day go for you?" I asked her as I gave her a kiss. "Mommy loves you, do you know that?" She giggled.

"Hey Amber?" Nadine came over to me, looking a little confused. "Did any parents say that they were sending someone else to pick up their kid today?"

I shook my head, "No one told me if they couldn't make it."

"Oh," she glanced towards the door with a frown. "How many times have I told that girl not to let her 'men' come around here!" I didn't even have to look, I knew Nadine was talking about Penny. "I'll be right back, I'm going to have to tell him to leave until all the kids are gone. Although, I have to admit, this one is very handsome."

I couldn't resist taking a glance and I gasped, "That's my man!"

Nadine stopped in her tracks, "That's Reed?"

I nodded as I watched Penny giggle and stroke her fingers along his forearm. "I'm going to..." I didn't finish my sentence, I just left Nadine standing there as I made my way over to the door. I wanted to go over there and push Penny out of the way and ask Reed what the hell he was doing talking to that whore.

"Do you have a child here?" I heard Penny ask him as I walked up, I also saw the way she slide her fingers down his arm to his hand, clearly looking for a ring.

Reed chuckled nervously, "Well I-"

I shoved Alexis against his chest. "Dada!" She threw her arms around his neck as he wrapped his arm around her.

"Hey princess!" Reed seemed happy to see her, which was good, I didn't have to kick him for that. Without delay he also reached for my hand, encircling my fingers with his as he pulled me to him. "Hello my love," he smiled down at me.

"Amber who is this?" Penny asked from behind me, as if she didn't know who he was. "I thought you were seeing Devon?"

You bitch! I could feel Reed tense as Penny told that lie. I went to tell her exactly what I thought about her when Nadine appeared.

"Penny you know as well as I do that that's not true." She turned towards Reed with a smile on her face. "You must be Reed, Amber has been," she chuckled. "Well she honestly can't stop talking about you."

I blushed as I lower my head, I knew I spoke about Reed often but I never thought I couldn't stop talking about him. I can't stop thinking about him but that's another story!

Reed's body seemed to relax again, he chuckled softly. "Nadine is it?" She must have nodded because he continued to tell her that I told him about her. "It's a pleasure to meet you," he took his arm from around me so he could shake her hand, then it was back at my waist again.

Nadine ended up telling me that I could go home, "Penny and I will finish up here. You two have a great weekend."

Reed was pretty silent on the way down to the parking lot. I tried to ask him questions to get the conversation started but he only gave enough to answer the question. It wasn't until he had Alexis strapped into her seat that he really said anything to me. He closed the back door and leaned against the Jeep, his jaw was clenched as he looked me over.

"What are you thinking?" I asked him.

He shrugged, "Nothing."

I sighed, "Don't lie to me, I know you are thinking something."

"If you know so much, why don't you tell me what I'm thinking?"

I shook my head, "Why are you acting this way? You know damn well what Penny said was a lie!"

"Do I?"

Closing my eyes, I couldn't believe we were actually having this conversation. "Reed," I opened my eyes and looked up at him. "You know I love you and only you."

"I know," he sighed. "I know." He lifted his hands to me and I slipped mine in his. "I know you have no interest in Devon but I can't help but be jealous, you see him almost every day and you tend to talk about him a lot when we are at home together."

I nodded, "I tell you about his visits because I don't want you to think I'm hiding anything from you! Plus I still can't believe how different he is around the kids."

"Just don't fall for him Amber."

I laughed, "Like that would ever happen Reed! He's nothing compared to you and I happen to love everything about you!"

Reed chuckled, "Yeah I am pretty special."

"Yes you are," I agreed and moved in to give him a kiss.

Reed followed me home yesterday, he was going to spend some time with Alexis while I showered and got ready to go see his mother.

"I really wish I was going with you," he told me as we stood in the driveway together. Although his mother asked if Reed was going to come over too, I thought it would be best if he didn't, she had a way of making him feel guilty and I didn't want that to ruin our plans for next weekend.

"I won't be long," I told him. "And I'll keep my temper in check too," I promised.

The visit to Lucinda's went better than I hoped it would. She wasn't too happy that we wanted to throw our own party for his birthday. In fact at one point she told me I didn't understand, "He's my son Amber, I'm the one who went through the pain of childbirth, I should be the one to throw him a party for his birthday."

"I know he's your son Lucinda and I know all about the pain of childbirth but at one point you have to realize that he is a grown man who has a family of his own."

"I realize that!" She snapped at me, "How would you feel if Alexis...no, her boyfriend came to you and told you that you weren't needed anymore?"

"Lucinda!" I sighed, "I never said you weren't need! Reed loves you and appreciates everything you've done for him, without you he wouldn't be where he is today.."

"Then you see why I should be the one to plan his party, here at the house."

I shook my head, "You are welcomed to help us plan his party at our place."

"You don't even live there with him!" She screamed at me, "How dare you come in here and tell me that you are planning a party for him when you can't even make a commitment to spend your life with him!"

"Just because I don't live with him at the moment, doesn't mean that I haven't make a commitment to Reed. I love him Lucinda, more and more everyday. We have a beautiful little girl together and we are happy. Why can't you be happy for us?"

"I am happy for Reed and you but I'd be a lot happier if you two were married! I don't want another grandchild to be born without my son's name!"

It took all the control I possessed to stop myself from reminding her that wasn't her tune when she found out about Alexis. "Lucinda," I said more calmly than I really felt at that moment. "We just managed to find our way back into each other's lives. Neither Reed nor I want to rush this second chance, we want to be together for the rest of our lives. I wish you could understand how we feel." I happened to glance at the time, "I have to go, it's almost time to get Alexis ready for bed."

"Reed is capable of putting Alexis to bed Amber," Lucinda said as she followed me to the door.

"I know," I gave her a smile. "I just love watching him with her, I don't want to miss it."

I was almost in my car when Lucinda came after me. "I guess it wouldn't be so bad if Reed had his birthday party at his house."

I was so excited that she finally gave in that I didn't stop to think about what I was doing, I threw my arms around her neck and kissed her on the cheek. "Oh Lucinda you have no idea how much this means to us!"

When I got home, I tried to hide my excitement but Reed say right through me. He wouldn't believe that his mother agreed until I finally told him everything we said to each other. I never seen Reed so happy before, he was almost bouncing off the walls. "You are amazing," he told me as he pulled me into his arms. "After 26 years, I get to celebrate my own way!"