Chapter 7
“Brooklyn Valerie Bristow will you please come here” Sydney looked at her 4 year old daughter.
“mmmm NO” Brooke giggled and then ran away from her mother, her brown pigtails bouncing behind her.
“Brooke” Sydney groaned, “You need to come get dressed or else the Easter Bunny won’t come visit tonight”
“What!?” Brooke spun around as she stopped dead in her tracks, “NO MOMMY NO I’LL GET DRESSED!”
“Thank you” Sydney sighed, “Uncle Julian will be here any minute to take us to lunch”
“Yay!” Brooke grinned as she pulled the pink dress over her head, “Presents?”
“Brooke, if Uncle Julian chooses to bring you presents, he will bring them to you, if not you will be polite and nice to Uncle Julian” Sydney glared at her.
“Okay” Brooke nodded.
*~*
“You know” Julian looked at Sydney after she had tucked Brooke into bed, “There is no rule against loving her”
“Do you remember when she was born?” Sydney sighed, “And I told you that I needed time…I still do”
“Syd she needs a real mom” Julian rubbed her shoulders gently.
“Julian” Sydney turned and looked at him.
“What?” Julian grinned coyly.
“We said last time was the first and only time” Sydney told him knowingly.
“Come on Syd, we’re both adults” Julian brushed her cheek gently.
“I know we are I didn’t ask if we were…it just cant” Sydney whispered.
“That is not a reason Sydney” Julian pulled her closer to him slowly.
“Yes it is” Sydney whispered, swallowing the lump in her throat, “She’s just upstairs Julian”
“She’s asleep” Julian smiled and kissed her gently, waiting until she responded to let a smile purse against his lips.
“I missed you”
“I missed you too” Julian nodded as he reached gently for her hands.
“How long can you stay for?” Sydney asked as she closed her fingers over top of his.
“I have a week off” Julian smiled.
“Oh?”
*~*
“Lauren I’m sorry but I just can’t do this anymore” Michael looked at his wife, seeing the obvious pain in her eyes.
“E-excuse me?” Lauren looked at her husband with disbelief.
“I just…I can’t pretend that I want to be with you, it hurts too much” Michael told her.
“Is it someone else?” Lauren asked, sitting up straight.
“No…it’s…not anymore” Michael admitted, “My heart just isn’t here”
“I see” Lauren nodded her head slightly, “Who was it then?”
“Lauren” Michael sighed, “Don’t do this to yourself”
“Please just tell me who” Lauren pleaded with him.
“Sydney Bristow” Michael told her.
Lauren just turned her head towards the ground slightly and laughed, “Get out of my house”
“What do you find amusing about this?” Michael asked her with confusion.
“You don’t even know why she left” Lauren laughed once more.
“What?” Michael looked at her.
“Go”