Meeting the Baby (Kai)

[Vanessa Rodriguez]

Date: April 24th, 2014

Vanessa had been cleaning the apartment all day in preparation for Kai coming over. It had taken hours of hard work, with a few breaks to deal with Christian's needs. She wiped the back of her hand across her forehead, letting out a deep sigh. It seemed that no matter how hard she mopped, or scrubbed, everything seemed... eh.

Was she ashamed of the place? Maybe a little.

It was the only place that her budget allowed for. The place was neat, compared to the state it had been in earlier in the morning. Christian's baby toys were tucked away in their respective spot, the laundry was done and a plate of chocolate chip oatmeal cookies sat on the kitchen counter. She wiped at the corner of the stove for the millionth time, eyeing every corner for the possibility of a speck left behind. Was it good enough? Would he laugh at her humble little place?

One thing was for sure, the apartment was neater than it ever had been before. Vanessa smiled, proud of her work for the day. Hopefully it'd be worth it. She ran off to her bedroom, quickly putting on a clean t-shirt and yoga pants, spritzing on a quick layer of perfume to hide her sweat. Unfortunately, Vanessa didn't have the time to get all dolled up; Kai would just have to see her in her natural habitat.

As if on cue, she heard a knocking at the door. Vanessa had let the front desk know that she was expecting a guest. She eyed Christian, who was sitting on the floor playing with a ball in the tiny living room. A smile appeared on her face, as she opened the door, nervously. "H... hey there." She greeted with a small wave.

[Malachai Roen]

Okay, okay... Kai would be okay. At least, that's what he kept telling himself as he headed over to Vanessa's apartment, trying to prep himself for meeting.... Him. The tiny little life he had helped create and hadn't even known about until recently. Of course, he was still dealing with the whole... Zach thing too. Not very well, either. He still found himself breaking down out of nowhere, when something hit him particularly hard, or he just got to thinking too much. He hated it... But he didn't know what to do.

Now, though, he needed to focus on the present. He could go back to... Feeling sorry for himself later. Right now, Kai needed to put on his good front and help Vanessa however he could.

He walked into the apartment building, and got directions on where he was to go. Kai took the walk slowly, giving himself some time to get calm and try not to freak out again seeing Christian in person. He finally reached the door and gave a firm knock, nervously rolling on the balls of his feet until the door opened.

"Hey," he repeated with an equally nervous smile. He, too, wasn't as well-groomed as possible - there was some effort there, but... Not as much as it had been a few weeks ago. "Thanks for having me over. How... Are you doing?" Ducking his head, and after asking for invitation, he stepped inside, peering around the quaint little place. It was definitely different than his own home, and the obvious spotlessness told him Vanessa had been cleaning for some time. However, his gaze immediately landed on the dark-haired baby on the floor, going about his business like he didn't know his daddy had just walked in.

Kai stared. Then took a deep breath and murmured,"So that's him, huh?" He tore his eyes away to look at Vanessa; he felt speechless. "He's... Wow..." The tall man stepped closer and knelt down next to the child, afraid to touch him, like he was a fragile thing Kai would break. "Hey buddy," he whispered.

[Vanessa Rodriguez]

Surprisingly, Kai wasn't as dressed up as he had been that fateful night in the bar. Vanessa let out a relieved sigh, not feeling as self conscious about her choice of apparel anymore. She absentmindedly smoothed out the front of her shirt, hoping to get rid of some of the wrinkles. "It's... it's my pleasure, thanks for coming." A few weeks had passed and this was the first night that both Kai and herself were free. "I'm... alright." She said, lying. Vanessa was rather nervous and scared to see how he was going to react to her.. their child. That was going to take some time getting use to. She stepped back from the door, allowing Kai to walk in. "Sorry the place is so.." She trailed off, unsure of what word fit best. "Tiny."

"How.. how about yourself? Things... better?" Vanessa asked, nervously fidgeting. She began taking the few necessary steps towards the living room. There wasn't much space in the apartment. Watching Kai's eyes, she noticed that his attention was drawn right away to look at Christian, clearly undisturbed by whatever was going on. He was preoccupied with the ball.

She chuckled at the sight, their son playing with the lit up sphere. "Kid is obsessed." Vanessa mumbled with a smile. She looked up at Kai's eyes at the same time, nodding twice. "Yeah... yeah. That's our son, Christian. He's... he's one. Recently celebrated his birthday." Vanessa had made him a cupcake that he had more fun destroying than snacking on.

Following him into the living room space, Vanessa sat down on the ground next to Christian, who was now staring up at Kai with a curious expression. Their.. their similarities were almost painful to see. "Hey baby." She cooed, gently holding the boy's sides. "This is daddy. Your daddy." Vanessa explained to the child. Looking over at the awe stricken Kai, she gave him a reassuring smile. "You.. you're not going to hurt him." Vanessa lightly teased, as Christian began to squirm in her grasp. His little hands reached out to the asian man.

"See? He likes you." Vanessa added smugly.

[Malachai Roen]

Honestly, Kai still though Vanessa looked great. She was a natural beauty, which didn't surprise him, because those were often the types he went after... Again, until recently. He could hardly even bat an eye at the bombshells that passed him by in bars anymore. "Please, don't apologize," he replied with a small, breathless chuckle. "I like it." He couldn't see himself living in such a small place, but... Well, he'd been bred to have expensive taste.

"Mmm?" he asked, blinking as he absorbed the question. "Oh, uh, yeah. Better," he also lied. Zach immediately came to mind (not like he was ever far from Kai's mind anyway), but he managed a smile. "Just... Nervous," he admitted. Maybe saying it aloud would help relieve some of his anxiety.

He gave another small chuckle, watching the kid play. "He looks happy," he said quietly. Would Christian still be happy when he was older, and found out his parents hadn't planned him? That Kai wasn't going to be around as much as he should be, like a normal father? "One year old," he murmured. "I... Wish I could have been around to celebrate." Kai would just have to spoil him now. He'd already bought some toys and things, but thought maybe those would be best for the second meeting. No need to overwhelm either of the two.

As his son's dark eyes found Kai's own, an upwelling of emotion hit the tall man all of a sudden. Maybe it was his already fragile state, or maybe not, but he felt his eyes get damp as Vanessa interacted with Christian. "You're..." He swallowed hard. "You already seem like a great mother." He stared as the boy reached out towards him, glancing up at the woman before looking down again. "I like you too, Christan," he said softly. Carefully, and with hesitance, Kai held out his arms, blinking back his emotions with little success.

[Vanessa Rodriguez]

Vanessa relaxed a little more after hearing Kai's approval, letting out a heavy breath that she hadn't realized she'd been holding in. She smiled, pushing strands of hair off her face. Christian liked playing with it, so Vsnessa left it down on most occasions. His little fists couldn't cause much pain. She eyed the apartment, nodding. "It's... quaint." Vanessa added, with a small laugh.

"That's good." Vanessa said with a genuine smile. She was glad to hear that things were going better, even if they weren't. She was emotionally challenged, and couldn't detect the fact that Kai was lying. "Being nervous is... that's alright. I was too." Now? Being a mom seemed to natural, a role Vanessa thought she filled decently. Reaching across the small distance that seperated her and Kai, she lay a reassuring hand on top of his knee. "You'll do great, promise."

Christian continued to play, giggling when the small ball lit up every few seconds. Vanessa looked down at him. Funny how she was so attached to him. Every night she had to go off to work and leave him with a babysitter pained her. "He... laughs. A lot. It's honestly my favourite sound in the world." Vanessa pulled her hand back from Kai's knee after a long moment, using both hands to gently tickle Christian's sides. More childish giggles erupted from him, squirming in her grasp.

When Kai mentioned that he wish he could be there, Vanessa's smile wavered. "I.. I'm really sorry. I should have come sooner but.. I figured it would be best not to intrude in your life... and I was wrong." Boy, had she been wrong. What the hell was she thinking? "I... you've missed so many little moments and.. I took that from you." Vanessa felt her own tears pricking at the corner of her eyes, trying to cover it up with a snort. She looked up, her smile reappearing. "Re.. really? you think so? I... I always feel so guilty leaving for work. Leaving him with strangers." Vanessa watched the interaction between Kai and Christian, smiling as a couple tears slid down her cheek. She let go of their son, watching as he stumbled towards Kai.

The distance between son and father closed, and Christian plopped on the ground with a laugh, locking eyes with Kai.

[Malachai Roen]

Kai glanced around again, giving a nod and another small chuckle. "Yeah... But it feels like a home," he said softly. His own apartment felt incredibly empty ever since Zach moved back out. There were even some soda cans the writer had left out on the counter that Kai, even being the neat-freak he was, couldn't recycle yet. "You two can come over to my place sometime, if you would like," he offered. Maybe... That would help.

He looked down as Vanessa's hand rested on his knee, and Kai let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding in. "I hope you're right," he said quietly. Still, he smiled at her, showing he appreciated her show of support.

Seeing the baby... His son... So amused with such a simple object made Kai chuckle, though it was hoarse due to the lump that had formed in his throat. "Oh, God," he breathed, feeling one of the drops of moisture that had been filming over his eye trickle down his cheek at the sound of that innocent laughter. Kai didn't even bother to wipe it away. "He's so beautiful. So... Perfect." He found he wanted to protect Christian from all the evils of the world, from greed and violence and hate. He was so pure and innocent...

He shook his head at Vanessa's apology, feeling bad for making her want to apologize in the first place. "I'm just sorry I wasn't there for you through... Everything," he said quietly. The doctor's visits, the mood swings, the birth itself... Kai had always thought he'd be the most supportive father-to-be he could manage. So much for that. He looked up to see a few droplets on Vanessa's own cheeks, and reached out to brush them away with the pad of his thumb, nodding to her questions. "You have to make an income somehow," he assured her. "It's alright, I'm sure he's fine." Although even as he said that, Kai felt a nervous twist in his stomach.

Kai's attention was drawn back to Christian as the baby wobbled towards him, and he reached out supporting hands as he flopped down, catching his son carefully on either side. "Careful there, little guy," he chuckled. Kai's hands felt too large and clumsy to be touching something so small. "Now, you be good for your mommy, you hear?" he lectured the boy, shaking an accusing finger. "Or else you won't get your toys." Oops... So much for not mentioning what he'd gone out to buy.

[Vanessa Rodriguez]

Vanessa let out a small snort when Kai said this felt like a home. Coming back from Texas, where her family and distant relatives were all there and ready to lend a helping hand... it sure was a difference that she was still having trouble adjusting to a few weeks later. She decided against saying anything though, nodding. "I'll leave that up to. Kid is super messy and I wouldn't want to wreck anything..." Vanessa trailed off, a faint, barely there memory of Kai's place. All Vanessa remembered from her drunken stupor was that it was incredibly lavish.

Her smile widened at him, gently patting his knee twice before removing her hand. She didn't want to overwhelm him during the first meeting. They could discuss the details later, like how involved Kai wanted to be (hopefully a decent amount) and all that stuff. If there were certain days he wanted without Vanessa there. She certainly wouldn't mind a night off every now and again.

Vanessa's head snapped up at the sound of Kai's voice, sympathetically smiling over at him. She could remember the day she gave birth vividly, thinking the same thoughts that he was now. She had looked down at their little baby, as tears filled her eyes. No, Vanessa didn't ask for this, but it was also the best thing that happened to her. "I know." She whispered, more tears falling down her cheeks. Christian really was perfect. Already, the little boy had both parents wrapped around his finger.

"Honestly Kai, you have nothing to apologize for. I inflicted that on myself, I chose to keep it from you." She thought back to the hard nights, of dealing with nausea and trying to study for tests during her last semester of university. Of aches and pains and all the joys of pregnancy. She remembered the first ultrasound, and how hard she cried when seeing the life inside of her. Vanessa sniffled, letting Kai wipe away her tears. "And it was wrong of me to do. I.. I just hope we're okay." She mumbled, nodding in silent agreement as she looked down at Christian again.

Vanessa's hands hovered nearby, a natural instinct. She wasn't use to other people, besides family members and babysitters, holding the kid. Smiling, Vanessa pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her chin on top of her knees. "You're... you're doing great. He really likes you. Not surprised." She said with a chuckle, raising an eyebrow. Toys? She shifted, giving Kai a confused look. "Toys? You... you didn't have to do that." Her voice had gone soft. While she was glad Kai was enamoured with their son, the guilt was rising again.

[Malachai Roen]

Kai chuckled good-naturedly. "It's alright, I'm sure he'd be fine," he murmured, still watching the adorable little bundle. "I'll just make sure there's nothing out that he could hurt himself with." And make sure that any of his expensive, fragile decor was out of reach.

The fact that Vanessa was getting teary wasn't helping Kai's emotions at all; he eventually wiped at his eyes, and took a deep, shaky breath, trying to control himself. It was hard, though - he saw so much of himself in Christian, it was overwhelming. He hoped the little boy grew up a better person than him, though. Kai was sure Vanessa would be a good mother to him - and Kai would do the best he could to be a decent father. With all the wrong he seemed to be doing lately, though, he wasn't so sure.

"I'm sure it was really hard for you," he said softly. "I can't even imagine..." Kai trailed off. College was hard enough already; trying to do well while dealing with a baby growing inside of her must have been nearly impossible. "I'm just glad you're telling me now. I want to help you out however I can." Kai felt guilty that she had had to drop out of school over that one night they'd had together. He still felt responsible, no matter what she said.

Well, that makes one guy who likes me, he thought silently as Vanessa spoke, but he kept his emotions about the other male that had recently pulled himself out of Kai's life hidden from Christian's mother. "Maybe he's trying to tell me I need to shave," he joked weakly, seeing how the baby was grabbing towards his face. He was getting more scruffy than he usually allowed himself, after all. Kai glanced up, giving Vanessa a smile. "I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to," he assured her. "I want to spoil him. Hopefully not rotten, but...." He chuckled. Christian would likely end up being one of the most spoiled kids in the area, if Kai had his way. He tickled the baby's sides a little, wanting to hear that adorable laughter again.

[Vanessa Rodriguez]

Vanessa snorted in response, shaking her head. Clearly, Kai underestimated the power of a messy one year old. Not that he had the experience. Soon though. "You don't know how many shirts of mine have been ruined by Hurricane Christian." She joked, eyeing their son with a genuine smile. No, she couldn't even begin to get mad at him. Reaching over, Vanessa gently tickled his neck with a feather light touch, pulling back. She didn't want to feel like she was intruding between Kai and Christian's moment.

"It's okay, it's okay." Vanessa said, with a hoarse voice. She didn't know if she was trying to reassure herself, or Kai, or maybe even both. Wiping her tears with the back of her hand, she looked between her baby and the baby's father, smiling. Even if life wasn't perfect, this moment here came relatively close. "We'll be alright." Knowing that Kai would be around already lifted an immense weight off of her shoulders.

It had been a challenge, but Vanessa had managed, with her grades only suffering a little in her weaker classes. "Yeah... I'm glad I finally told you too." She admitted. "Although, I didn't exactly tell you in the best way." She paused for a moment, thinking. "Honestly, the most important thing is... is just being there for Christian. Not for my benefit, but for his. I think it's important for a child's development... already I erased you from his life for a year. All those milestones." Vanessa was beginning to tear up again. She snorted to cover up a sob, using her hand to wipe at her eyes again. The night was more emotionally draining than the Hispanic girl thought initially.

Her arms wrapped around her knees, still smiling at the way Kai was interacting with Christian. She shook her head, chuckling. "You're fine." Vanessa hadn't noticed, but thought the scruff looked... good. No wonder she had hooked up with him. Kai was an extremely attractive individual. Blinking, Vanessa tore her eyes away, landing on Christian who stretched his arm outward as far as possible, trying to touch Kai's face. When he was tickled, the little boy collapsed into himself, letting out another chorus of happy giggles. Gibberish also came from his mouth.

Vanessa laughed, before meeting Kai's smiling face with a hesitant smile of her own. "It's... it's just all such a change, you know? I hope I'm not coming across a rude." Her smile faded into a frown. That was the last thing she wanted. "Not too too much stuff. Leaves a mess everywhere." She chuckled, thinking back to the state of the apartment before she had spent the majority of the afternoon cleaning it. Her arm extended, as Vanessa's hand brushed gently through Christian's black locks.

[Malachai Roen]

Kai wasn't typically an emotional person (or so he told himself, it might have been a lie), but he was definitely feeling that way tonight. And who wouldn't? Even if Vanessa hadn't been feeling the same, he probably would have been all choked up. "I'll be there for him, I promise," he told her firmly. Kai looked at Christian with intent, too, as though the baby could understand him. "He needs a dad. And I don't know how good I'll be, but I'll try my dam- hardest." He chuckled weakly. "And you need support too. I... I know we won't really be a normal family, but... I'll do what I can to make it as stable for him as possible." Vanessa deserved some love and attention too, and now that Zach... Well, Kai had more time and energy to give devotion to the mother now. Even if his chest still ached horribly thinking about it...

He wasn't the only one that looked good even when not at his best, though - Kai had no doubt about why he'd hooked up with Vanessa in the first place. It wasn't one of those she-looked-hotter-when-I-was-drunk deals - she was a beauty, even dressed as she was now, post-baby. If it wasn't for Zach, Kai just might... No, wait, there was no Zach anymore. Kai bit his tongue as he tried to pound that into his head, but it wasn't very effective. He turned his attention back to the baby, smiling and lowering his face down far enough that Christian could touch his scruffy chin. Kai kissed him on the top of his head. He's the only important man in your life now, he told himself. The laughter that came from his tickling managed to send warmth through the Asian man's chest again, and he managed to push Zach to the back of his head... For the moment.

"No, of course you're not," Kai told Vanessa, shaking his head. "Trust me.... I have the means to support a f... A family. Don't worry about anything." He shifted closer to the mother, studying her for a moment before reaching out to brush his hand across her cheek. "I just want you to know I'll... Never abandon you guys." Kai leaned down and gave her a kiss on the opposite cheek, lingering for several moments before pulling away. Forget about him, forget... There's no reason you can't just be with her instead. No reason.... "Maybe the two of us should just... Go out sometime," he suggested quietly. "To give you a break from working and being a mom and just... Relax for a while." He could treat her to a day at the spa or something. Whatever she wanted...

[Vanessa Rodriguez]

Vanessa too understood exactly how Kai felt. She wasn't one to wear her emotions on her sleeves, but tonight was an exception. Seemed that anything involving her son was one. There was no doubt in her mind that her former hook up wouldn't be around, for Christian's sake. The child had a certain endearing way about him that just made adults everywhere fall for him. Kai was no exception. Vanessa snorted a little bit through her silent tears, continuing to dab at her watery eyes. "Th.. thank you." She stammered out. "We... we don't even have to be normal. I... I don't expect you to just drop everything for us, you know? You have a life of your own, too." The Hispanic didn't want him to neglect his own life for them. "Just... somewhat consistent. See him when you can." She said with a shrug. It wasn't fair to demand so much in such little time.

"You'll be fine." Vanessa assured him, initiating eye contact with Kai. She stayed like this for a moment, analyzing his face before looking down at Christian, who was now fascinated with the scruff on his dad's face. He reached out a hand, touching his face with a curious expression. His other hand reached out, touching the fascinating surface with another giggle.

The Hispanic girl snorted when he said she shouldn't worry. "Hard not to." She watched as Kai shifted closer to her, touching her cheek with a feather light touch. Closing her eyes, Vanessa nodded as the tears threatened to fall again. She opened her eyes just as Kai's face was inches from hers, eyes widening a little as he kissed her cheek. It... was unexpected, but felt nice. Her hand went up to grasp Kai's hand, squeezing it before letting go a moment later. As he pulled away from her face, Vanessa's breath caught in her throat, eyes still locked on him. 

She tried to focus, nodding in response. A day off would be incredibly nice. "Yeah, that would be nice." Vanessa agreed with a small smile. Ever since becoming a mom, life was one big streak of stress, from work and caring for Christian. And she wouldn't object seeing Kai another time, outside of her usual element of being a mom or bartending. "I'd like to do that." She didn't know what she or the Asian man had in mind, but a break was... well deserved. "You and Christian should have a father-son day too. Give you some personal time with you... our son."

[Malachai Roen]

"Yeah... I think 'normal' would be pushing it," Kai replied softly. That wasn't possible, given the circumstances. But he's still try his best. "And... I mean, I'm graduating in a month or so, so I should be around more this summer, at least..." He would be attending grad school, of course, but he hoped he would still have a bit more free time than he did as an undergrad. It would work out. He would make it work.

Kai's attention was drawn back down to the baby. He chuckled. "Careful, buddy, you might give yourself a rash on my scruff," he joked as though Christian could understand him. It felt weird, those tiny hands against his face... Knowing the blood pumping through the little boy's veins was his own. They had created this life... Even being the science major he was, Kai was astounded at this entire occurrence.

He didn't quite know why he was doing what he was doing. Well, he sort of did - he needed to get over Zach, and Vanessa was a beautiful woman he already had relations with. It was normal to want to show her affection. Kai did pull back a bit, but lingered slightly, catching her gaze and unwilling to tear himself away. "Good," he murmured, blinking as he tried to focus back on the actual conversation. "There's a spa near the mall where I work. Maybe we can... Spend a day there, or something." They could both use some pampering, he thought. Kai smiled at the thought of spending the day with Christian. "I'd like that," he agreed. "I... I need to make sure I know how to take care of him first, though." Cleaning diapers, how to make him stop crying if he got fussy... Kai knew nothing.

He glanced at his watch and jerked a little, eyes widening at the time. "Ah, shi- I mean shoot," he mumbled. "I need to go to work soon, and I haven't even gotten ready..." Kai needed to shave and change and make himself look presentable. On a sudden whim, he leaned in and gave Vanessa a proper kiss, pulling back after a moment with an embarrassed blush. "... Sorry... I'll be going now." He looked back down at Christian. "You be good for mommy, alright?" he cooed, giving the baby a kiss on the top of the head before he went to stand.

[Vanessa Rodriguez]

"That's okay, whatever works best for you." Vanessa said with a nod. She had made her life fit around the hectic schedule of motherhood, and didn't expect Kai to drop his entire life just for Christian's sake. "We can figure out something another time." Baby steps. Meeting their son was the important thing. The two of them could write a schedule of sorts, if necessary.

Vanessa too refocused her attention on the baby, grinning as Christian ran his hand over the surface of Kai's face. He pulled back suddenly due to the prickliness, confused. One hand reached out to touch his face again, eyes wide. The sight made Vanessa chuckle. "Never seen it before, so clearly, the kid just has to touch it."

She continued to stare, until Kai broke the silent spell. Blinking, Vanessa nodded blankly, agreeing with... whatever he had just said. What had even just happened? She decided to ignore it for now, eyes darting away from his form to the ground, and then on Christian, who was now sitting on the ground between herself and his dad. "I've... never been to a spa." She admitted with a small laugh. That sounded like fun, though. Relaxing. She wouldn't object to it. Grinning, Vanessa reached out to give Kai a reassuring pat on his thigh. "It's okay, before I hand him over to you, I'll give you a crash course survival guide for babies. It's an art." She joked. Really, handling Christian was difficult at times, but after a year of mothering him, Vanessa found it rather... easy. "Remind me to show you the basics."

"It's okay." The Hispanic girl frowned a little, enjoying the time spent with Christian and Kai. How much time had passed anyway? It didn't seem like enough. Before Vanessa could reply, she felt his lips on hers, for a fleeting moment. She hadn't reacted by the time he pulled away. The Hispanic girl blinked, nodding again. "Yeah.. yeah, that's okay. Yeah." She watched as he said his goodbyes to their son, who beamed up at Kai in response to his coos. Suddenly, Vanessa reached out and grabbed Kai's hand, and before thinking, impulsively drew herself closer and returned the kiss on his lips. A few seconds passed before she pulled back, with a small smile. "See you soon, Kai." She let go of his hand, to Christian's arm, making him wave goodbye.

[Malachai Roen]

"You've never been to a spa?" Kai repeated, eyes wide. Ah, he remembered... He grew up a rather spoiled guy, so of course he would have experienced things that someone less well-off might not have. "You'll love it," he promised. He would make sure she got the full pampering package. "Alright, sounds like a plan," Kai agreed with a relieved smile. Of course Vanessa wouldn't send Christian off with his father without proper 'training' beforehand.

He didn't expect the kiss that Vanessa returned after he'd already pulled away, but Kai let himself enjoy the sweet moment, catching her cheek in his palm before he regretfully released her again. "Y... Yeah, see you soon," he breathed, blinking a few times until his mind unclouded and he smiled at the sight of the two of them 'waving' him off. Feeling both better and worse than he had in a while, Kai took his leave, wondering what the hell he was getting himself into and hoping he would be able to provide all that he promised he would.

[Vanessa Rodriguez]

Self consciously, Vanessa shook her head back and forth. She had seen them, but never even thought about stepping foot into one. It was too much money to spend on herself. Back in Texas, the Rodriguez family had more important things to worry about than relaxing in a spa. Didn't mean she wouldn't enjoy a day at one. "Alright... sure." Smiling, she chuckled at the thought of 'the plan,' trying to teach Kai the basic necessities of caring for a child. "You'll be fine." Vanessa insisted again.

She too hadn't expected to react in that way. As someone who craved physical contact and hadn't received any since the pregnancy... Vanessa figured it was something that could easily be dismissed. Her thoughts lingered to Kai and Zach briefly, feeling guilty as the Asian man got up to leave her tiny apartment. She released Christian's arm once he left, letting out a heavy sigh. That... wasn't too bad. Standing up, Vanessa took her son's hand and said "Come on, let's get you a cookie, leading the pair into the kitchen where she let the overwhelming thoughts consume her for the afternoon.