Erica walkes in with Sapphire in her lap and Xavier's arm around her waist. Erica laughed as Xavier mimiced a lady who was scolding her husband.
"Don't ever become like her" He warned and she playfully nudged him.
"Mama..'' Sapphire closed her eyes pulling onto Erica's neck
"Yeah baby?" She asked as Xavier ruffled her hair .
''Sweeply.." she mumbled as she rubbed her eyes as she let out a sigh and soon her lips pouted.

"Saphy close your eyes and sleep" Xavier ruffled her hair as he pulled Erica closer.
"Xavier what are you doing?" She asked as a few people standing in front of them turned and giggled followed by awwws and ohhhs.

Erica blushed as she looked away but Xavier just smirked. Typical Xavier.

They walked outside the Airport where people was waiting for their relatives or clients with their name written on the play cards.

"There" Xavier pointed at the man who had Xavier Manhattan written on his play card.

Erica nodded as she carried Sapphire and Xavier carried the trolly. They could've hired people to do that but then it would not have been necessary.

"Mr. Manhattan?" The man asked with a half smile and skeptic look on his face.
"That would be me" Xavier's playfull tone was long gone now replaced with his business voice. Erica looked up at him and sighed, even after all these years she was not able to get used to his home and business mode. He was just a different person everywhere!

"I'm Josh McLeod" He now smiled fully as he moved ahead and took the trolly from his hand "Please follow me your car is wating" He told them and flashed a polite smile at Erica. She smiled back as continued walking. Suddenly Xavier's grip on her waist tightened. She looked up confused and then giggled when she saw his expression.

Overprotective much?

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"So me and Sapphire will go to Sophia's house while you and Conner will be there till night?"

"Yup. That's the plan" Xavier answered as he pulled Sapphire in his lap so Erica could sit comfortably.

"I still can't believe Sophia's stuck with Conner again. I mean how on earth did he bacome her boss out of no where! I feel so bad for her" She grumbles
''Well my brother isn't that bad. After what happened to him last year...."
"No Xavier. I know and I understand what happened to him was bad, really bad. But I can not ignore the fact that he ruined my sisters life 5 years ago"

"But he did apologize and he was sorry"

"Yeah I know Xavi.. it's just that I don't want him to be the cause of any problem between Richard and Sophia. Plus we can't risk letting Serenity know" She sighed.

"Yeah..I agree" Xavier finally let of of the conversation, not wanting to continue it any longer.

____________________________________________

"OH MY GOSH I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE HERE!" Sophia jogged towards Erica and hugged her. Xavier smiled as Sapphire giggled.

Erica hugged her back and laughed "Oh god you look so pretty! New hair colour?" She asked as she twirled a few strand of Sophia's hair around her finger.

Sohpia nodded "Yeah. You know how much I love trying new hair colours!" She nudged her playfully and Erica laughed out loud. They were secretly remembering the time when Sohpia coloured her hair green and yellow for Halloween, and then even went to school for a month with it. Being the popular kid she was, a few girl followed her too.

"Hey sister-in-law " Xavier gave her a side hug.
"Hey Xavier.. and oh my god whose this little princess here?" Sophia smiled as she pulled Sapphire's soft cheeks. Sapphire blushed and hid her face in the crook of her fathers neck.

"She so cute. I can't wait till I take pictures of her like I used to take of you" She walked over to Erica and pinched her cheeks. In their early childhood, Sophia loved taking pictures of Erica. She would click when she ate slept drank sang cried walked crawled everything. After a while it started getting creepy so her mother hid the camera. It was only taken out on certain occasions.

"Eww no!" Erica made a disgusted face and everyone laughed.

"I guess I'll be leaving in a few. I've got work to do" Xavier kept Sapphire on the ground who walked over to Erica slowly, keeping her hands half in the air to balance herself.

Erica bent down and held her tiny finger in her hand "Yeah but be back by 11. If you get late please inform me" Erica told him.

Sohpia laughed out loud. "Look at my baby sister all big and dominating!"
"I'm not the dominating one he is!" Erica smacked her shoulder & Xavier laughed even harder along with Sophia. "I don't mean it that way you perverts!" She whined as they laughed their heads off.

"So let's get you guys inside. Xavier try to be back by dinner I'm making pizza" Sophia bend down and picked up Sapphire in her arms "If you love pizza that is"

"I love piwza" Sapphire raised her hand and Sophia looked at her with awe. She had green eyes just like Erica and they sparkled when every time she got excited.

"Yeah I'll try, bye guys" He turned towards Sapphire "Bye baby" He blew her a kiss and she giggled.

"Let go inside. It's getting dark" Sophia turned around as Jade, her new house keeper along with Ceil walked out of her house and towards the car to get their bags .

"You're house is so beautiful" Erica complimented.
"Thank you. I have a few swings too in the garden. We'll go there in the morning with Serenity and Sapphire"

"I love snins" Sapphire told Sophia as she played with her hair like her mommy did previously.

"Bub its not snins its swings. Swi-in-g" Erica corrected her as she pronounced every letter out.

"Swnin"
''No bub it's swings. Swi--ing"
"Swnin"
"Swing.. sw-"
"Oh shut up Erica. She'll learn it by herself. She's a good girl. Aren't you baby?"
Sapphire nodded and continued playing with her hair like they were the most interesting thing ever.

"There's nothing bad in trying.." Erica mumbled. "Where's Serenity by the way?"

Sophia held the door knob and twisted it, opening the door. "She's gone over to a friends house for his birthday. His mom will drop her off later"

Erica nodded as she entered the house. "Oh my god Soph! I love your house!" She twirled around and looked at the 3 story house. More of a mansion. "This is prettier than the photographs you sent!" She smiled .

Sophia shrugged as she put Sapphire down on the floor but held her hand. "I'm glad you like it. Want some coffee?"

"I want cofwe!" Sapphire told Sophia as she looked at her mother with hopeful eyes.

Sohpia raised an eyebrow at Erica "You give her coffee?" She asked.

"No I don't! I-I mean I do." She looked back at Sapphire and gave her a small smile. Erica didn't give her daughter coffee, not yet.

What happened was that Sapphire saw Xavier drinking coffee one night and was hell bent on drinking the same thing her father was. So what Erica did was she brought milk and mixed some bournvita with it, making it look like coffee. This was how Sapphire drank the so called 'coffee' .

Erica shook her head no and continued looking around the house. "Where's Richard?" She asked.

Sohpia froze, Erica didn't know about the fight and divorce which was going to be filed soon. She locked her lips together as she shrugged her shoulders "Work" She answered.

"Oh come on! Tell him to finish his work is soon! I'm dying to meet him after so many years. He didn't attend Elizabeth's marriage and never come home with you''

"Umm yeah. ." Sophia was really nervous now. How will she tell her sister that her husband cheated on her? That one thing in life that was all sorted out was now her biggest problem.

"What's wrong?" Erica asked. Sophia was her sister and she could tell by her body language something was wrong. It's some kind of a bond siblings share.

"Nothing's wrong idiot!" Sophia laughed as she turned to Sapphire "Lovely dress baby! Mommy gave it to you?"
"Yes" Sapphire nodded.

At the same time Ceil entered with Jade and their bags.

"Ciel! Good to see you in real life and not on face time!" Erica greeted the young man as he smiled back and showed her his perfect white teeth.

When ever they facetimed, Ciel was always somewhere nearby .

"How about you take Sapphire to the garden, your favourite swings are there! You wanna go, right bub?" Erica cooed and Sapphire jumped up and down with excitement. Her long hair were made into ponytails, which moved up and down with her as she jumped.

"Sure! Lets go" Ceil walked over to the kid and picked her up in his arms "Lets get you on the swings" He smiled and walked off with a happy sapphire jumping even in his arms and Jade quietly following behind.

"Okay now tell me what wrong" Erica walked over to the dining table and sat down with her arms crossed. She knew something was off, and she really needed to know what was disturbing her sister.

"I told you nothings wrong" Sophia shrugged her shoulders. The dread she felt inside was consuming her every second of her life but for others she was a strong girl, always have been.

''Sophia.." Erica used her sister-tone knowing Sophia will give up because she always does. Sophia walked over to the fridge and took out capsicum and onions. She took out the chopping board and started dicing the vegetables. All this time she kept her mouth shut and all this time Eroca stared at her. Sophia ignored everything and continued chopping the vegetables. She knew where this was going, she knew she will break down soon, but she wanted to take it as far as she could. Maybe Erica will give up. "You know you have to tell me today or tomorrow why delay it?" Sophia closed her eyes and looked outside the window. She could hear Sapphire laughing. She sighed for now she knew she had to tell Erica everything.
"Ok fine Richard and I had an argument and he left for a meeting or what ever" She shrugged and went back to chopping more vegetables.
"A fight as in?" Erica enquired.
"You know the normal fight a husband and wife has"
"Oh it's okay. Fights happen, when he'll come home I'll talk to him"
"He won't be coming home anytime soon" Sophia went over to the fridge and took out the pizza spread.
"What do you mean?"
"He not coming back Erica okay?" She pushed the bowl of vegetables away from the counter "He'll never come back!" Her voice cracked.
Erica stood uo from the stool an walked over to her sister, now worried.
"Soph, tell me what happened?" She knew her sister was never the one to cry. She was a badass and the only time she cried was when there father died and too to she locked herself in the room and refused to come out for two days.

"He cheated on me Erica! That is what happened! He c-cheated on me and I. .I don't know what to do anymore'' Sophia said, her voice cracking every now and then but she blinked rapidly trying to wipe away the tears.

Erica stood there shocked. Richard was so perfect.. but well who would know better than her how fake a person's facade can be, in her case it was Alison.

"Soph I.-"

"Mommy bug!" Sapphire ran inside the house with a lady bird in her hand. Erica looked at her daughter and smiled weakly while Sophia went to the nearby washroom to wash her face.

"Ciel, the bug doesn't bite right?" Erica asked trying to sound as normal as she could. Ceil shook his head and went back to his work.

After a few minutes Sophia returned with a bright smile on her face. "Well! Lets get the pizza started, Sapphire would help aunty won't she?" She picked Sapphire up in her arms and she blushed and nodded.
Erica watched how her sister bottled up all her emotions and put on her strong exterior. But what scared was, for how long?

________________________________________________

Erica pulled up her hair in a pony as she walked over to the stool in the kitchen and sat down. "Sophia chill, she'll be here. His mother is going to drop her right?"

Sophia looked back at her and gave her a small smile. It was still 5 p.m and Serenity hasn't returned home yet. She contemplated on calling the child's mother but she would look like a over posessive mother. She wanted serenity have fun, keeping in mind that she had to be the perfect mother.

"Yeah, I'll wait a bit more." She smiled weekly at Erica.
"You want to tell me more anout it?" Erica asked, knowing her sister would never open up willingly. Sophia knew Erica would not let this thing and if she can't tell her, she'll just postpone it. "Not yet. Maybe some other time"
Erica nodded, atleast that's not a no right?

Another hour passed and then another.

Erica looked at the watch, with every passing minute she grew anxious. Sophia sat there beside her, her whole body tensed by now.

"That's it I'm calling her" Sophia picked up her cell phone from the table and dialed the child's mother's number with whom Serenity was supposed to be.

After a few seconds the person on the other side picked up.

"Hey Chloe....how are you?......I'm good I was just wondering when you be dropping Serenity or should I come and pick her up?.......Yeah why?........" But after Chloe said something, Sophia's face went pale. Her mouth hung open, she was not anle to form a sentence in her mind let alone speak it.

She slowly brought up the hand with the phone from her ear to to her side.
Erica at once was by her side, ready to ask what happened before Sophia spoke.

"Richard picked her up an hour ago.."

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