"Why is Atty. Carasco representing you? For what? For shooting Lainey?" Her question was delivered one after the other. He nodded.

"We'll talk about that later. We have a little visitor in the midst of us... literally." He looked down at the tiny body in between them who's full concentration is on the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse show. Maine followed his line of sight and giggled.

"She's always like that. If she wakes up before I do, she'll crawl in and turn the tv." He smiled at the thought that she didn't even ask why he's in her bedroom, or change her last night and who's pajamas he's wearing.

"Maine..." He wasn't able to finish what he's going to say when another knock came on the door.

"Ate Maine?" They heard Molly's voice. "Somebody's in the living room for you. He said he's your dad." Maine's brow's furrowed. Why is he so early? I just called him yesterday.

"Thanks, Molz. Can you get this little bunny here and give her cereal." Molly entered. Gave them both a good morning smile. "What time is it?" She asked.

"Cereal?" Alden butted in. "It's already past lunchtime." He added on which answered Maine's question. She just smiled at him and there it is, he swallowed his tongue and couldn't argue anymore.

"Come on, Princess. Silly rabbit is waiting for you in the kitchen." Periwinkle got up so quick, didn't care about Alden and Maine anymore.

"Yey! Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids!" Molly laughed. "I made lunch. She jumped on Molly and Molly pretended to get scared. Periwinkle's contagious giggles resound on the four walls of Maine's bedroom. They both laughed at her. In just a few moments. "The table is set when you are ready." Molly announced before turning back to the door and was gone with Periwinkle.

"I'll go change." Alden said so fast and was about to leave to go to Periwinkle's room since that's where he left a few of his clothes. When Maine pulled him in a quick kiss. He was frozen on track. She walked away from him straight to the bathroom without glancing at him. He just shook his head and smiled. Nicomaine, you will be the death of me.

After he got all his systems under control, he left Maine's room. He was surprised to see Gerald in Periwinkle's room putting his stuff in his backpack. Gerald glanced at him and smiled.

"Don't worry, I'm going back to Lu's house. Big Mike brought Aleck back here after getting his clothes. He wants to spend the night where his family is." Alden just nodded. He picked up his bag and dug for a change of clothes.

"Gie!" He called him. Gerald halted by the open door and looked back. "Thank you." he said. Gerald just smiled and saluted him and went out the door without another word.

He knew that Big Mike spent the night at Luisa's, so as Gerald in one of the two spare rooms there. They came twice last night and once at dawn to check on her pulse and wound. He smiled to know that he's not the only one loving Maine but his love for her is immeasurable. He can't believe that after everything that had happened and after he admitted to himself that he's in love with her, his whole being aches only for her.

He came back from his reverie as he felt a warm arm wrapped around his waist. He looked at her, she smiled. There goes his heart, he needs to chase the idiot because it's on a stampede. He didn't feel her presence right away.

"Why are you going to change? Are you going somewhere?" Maine queried. He shook his head. He didn't know she followed him in Wink's room.

"Are we going out in the living room looking like this?" He looked at himself and to Maine, she giggled.

"Let's go brush our teeth. I have extra new ones in my bathroom." Maine grabbed his hand and dragged him back into her room, to her bathroom. She handed him a new toothbrush. Then all hell broke loose, he wasn't able to control himself. He pulled her towards him for a searing kiss. She didn't fight him at all, she just let herself feel his lips on hers.

"GOOD afternoon, Mommy." Molly said, coaching Periwinkle. Maine smiled at her.

"She ate lunch already?" Maine asked. Molly nodded.

"She already did and she's playing with your Dad in the living room." Maine took a glance at Alden and he just smiled. She gave Molly a nod and slightly rubbed her on the shoulder.

"Did Aleck eat? Where is he, by the way?" Alden asked.

"Yeas and he's with Gerald and Kuya Mike in Ate Luisa's house." Molly replied, smiling. He nodded. "Thanks." He said.

"What about you? Have you eaten yet?" Maine asked her. Molly just simply smiles again and nods back.

"I did, with Wink and Aleck." She replied. Maine just simply smiled.

We people are so weird. All we did was give each other a simple smile, a halfway nod, a slight touch... Hello!! Use them words, for crying out loud! Molly thought as she retreated herself back in the kitchen.

"Good afternoon, Nikki." Victor greeted her with a wide smile. Serina is sitting next to Victor smiling widely at Periwinkle who's being so cute and adorable in front of the visitors.

"Nikki, your daughter is so adorable." Serina said without looking at her. She froze on her track, good thing Alden is right behind her.

"T-thank you." She simply uttered, stammering. Maine wasn't sure if she's saying it to Serina or to Alden.

"You talked." Serina glanced at her with an amazed look in her eyes. This is new to Serina. Not only Maine said a word but words, let alone a thank you.

"No offence." She quickly added, afraid that Maine may take it back and retreat to her room. Then she just realized that there's this good looking young man that never left Maine's side.

"You didn't tell me you have a daughter." Victor uttered, sullenly. Her Dad caught her attention. "Well, there's a lot of things that you did not tell me." She noticed the hurt in his voice. Maine shut her eyes tight.

"Can you blame me, Dad? You got up, did not explain a thing then you left me and never came to visit, not even once. So, me not telling you anything shouldn't be a surprise to you. You did the same when you married her, no offense, Serina." She turned to her stepmother. "You didn't tell me anything either. So, what's the difference? Why are you fuzzing about mine? At least I have some manners to tell over the phone yesterday." Maine started to feel the anger rising up from the pit of her stomach.

Before she could say more words, she felt Alden's warm hand at her lower back pressing a bit. She took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry." Maine quickly apologizes to what she said. Serina stared at her shocked and amazed and it was written all over her face.

"Hon, somebody's here." Serina nudges Victor's knee to get his attention and hoping she did it discreetly so Maine won't see it.

"Who's he?" Victor asked, brows furrowed. But before she could reply, Periwinkle screamed.

"Daddy! Mommy!" Finally, Periwinkle realizes her "parents" are here, running toward them.

Maine knelt down to kiss her daughter and Alden picked Periwinkle up after and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He thene wrapped his other arm around Maine's shoulders.

"Well, I guess that answers my question." Victor somehow becomes serious. He was staring at Alden thoroughly. Alden didn't back down, he stared back but not in a mean way, serious but not mean.

"Good morning. I'm Alden Richards. I'm..." Maine cut him off. She knows she's going to be honest.

"He's my fiance. We're getting married." She then held her hand up to show her father the engagement ring.

She just doesn't want to give her father the option to decide on her life. She may have asked to forgive her by being such an ice queen towards him but she is not giving him a say in her life.

She's 25 now. She had lived her life for the past ten-eleven years by herself. Two-three years of it was in boarding school in London with a few escapes here and there on her last year to join the MXGP, three years in the United State, which she did the same thing she did in London while going for her nursing degree.

She did car racing and attended the fire academy in between classes then she decided to go back to the Philippines to finish her nursing course and be serious in life if she wants to survive. That's when she met Luisa.

Both sports she did are all a death wish act for her to get her parents attention but she failed, none of them gave a flying hoot. Every time she's on those tracks, she hopes to just die but she always gets out of it as a winner and worse, alive.

Maybe her professor in UCI was right, maybe there is something for her to live for.

"Hey, your Dad is talking to you." Alden nudged her. She went on a trance again.

"Did you say something?" She asked. Alden ushered her to sit and she obliged.

"Did you have anything to eat yet?" Alden asked Victor and Serina. They both shook their heads. Before Alden left to help Molly in the kitchen, he kissed Maine's forehead. "Just call if you need a backup or anything." He whispered. She just nods.

"You can't marry just like that." Victor said after Alden was out of sight and earshot. Maine stared at her father and chuckled.

"Why not? I'm of age and so is he. And if you haven't noticed, we already have a four and a half year old daughter." Maine tried to calm herself down. Doesn't mean she asks for an apology and starts talking to him, he can decide for her.

"Nikki, you dad was just worried about you." Serina butted in a forced sweetness. Maine can still see through her.

"See your way out of my life, Serina. You need to start taking care of your own daughter who tried to kill my daughter and me yesterday." She looked her straight in the eye. She did not flinch. Serina sat up straight at what she heard. "I called you yesterday to apologize and that's about it. I did not give you the permission to decide for me nor give your opinion on my relationship with my fiance. I lived my life all by myself, deciding for myself and fending for myself. If you came here to start doing such, I will not have a hard time living on my own again without you." Maine became cold again. She is expressionless and Victor is starting to feel it.

He had distanced himself before in fear of ruining her life since he got into drinking after the separation with Laida, till finally their divorce was granted. He was a mess then and having Maine by him will eventually ruin her, but he ruined her anyway in the process. He made her this way.

"What happened to you? You were such a bouncy happy kid just like your daughter. You are a ray of sunshine, a ball of fire and now, you are the opposite of who you were." Victor's eyes got misty and at the verge of crying, while Serina was crying already.

"Why are you here? Did you come here just to tell me not marry him? Why? And who made me this way?" She did not answer her father's question but she asked him instead.

Victor fell into a complete silence. He doesn't have an answer for it. He doesn't care that she is getting married but he can not let him marry the son of the man that took his ex-wife from him.

"Not him. He's Wilfred's son." He blurted out calmly.

"You're wrong. He's not his son but his step son. And I will still marry him whether you agree or not. You can tell your ex-wife that." She said sharply. Victor felt the sting. It's not the words she said but the way she delivered it, it cuts through.

"Where is Lainey?" Finally Serina found her tongue before Victor could say another word about Alden.

"In the hospital. Alden shot her in the leg so she could get off of me and my daughter." She is on a roll. Ice Queen is back. "She's fine now, I guess." She said coldly.

"Your fiance shot my daughter?! How could he?! How could you?!" Maine raised her brows.

"Why not?! Before asking me and Alden how could we? I think you should ask what happened first. And ask your daughter why she held my daughter at gun point." Maine took the bandage off and sat sideways. "Do you see this? She did that yesterday." She pointed at it. Serina winced. Victor clenched his fist.

"Alden?!" She called for him. Alden's head pops out of the kitchen.

"Yes, Hon?" He replied. Maine suppressed a smile. You will have a surprise from me later. Her mind expressed.

"Will you bring Periwinkle here, please." Victor looked up. He heard Maine's sweetest voice and she smiled, too. That's the Nicomaine he knew. This man brings the joy out of her. He inwardly said.

"Why?" He asked but he was carrying her anyway. Maine held her hand up to Periwinkle.

"Here, come to Mommy." The little girl obliged with a smile. She sat her on her lap while Alden sat on the armrest of the single-seater sofa.

She pulled Periwinkle's hair from the right side to the middle and she showed them the barrel's wilt on the little girl's temple. She heard Serina gasp, covered her mouth and cried more.

"You see, I did not recognize her the first time I saw her after many years of not seeing her. I did not know that she works for children services but I also did not know that she runs a horrible group home for children, where most of them are being abuse by the guard she hired, an assistant who is cruel to the children, and two incompetent elders who only see those children as a money making machines. The home is poorly managed, beyond substandard." Maine explains. Well, more like telling them the summary of the report.

"No. Lainey won't do that." Serina denied the fact... but of course, it was her words against Serina's "motherly thoughts" for a daughter.

"Okay. Suit yourself then." She finally said. "Dad, I told you yesterday that I am getting married but I was not asking for your permission nor your blessings. I was just plainly informing you. Serina, if you hurry now, you can still see her before the visiting hours are over. I will have Capt. Tuico meets you at the hospital and he'll show you the reports and evidence. Oh, and you need to find a good psychiatric facility for her, too." Maine's coldness and expressionless demeanor can be felt cutting through everyone's heart in the room, even Alden's.

Alden felt terrified of how glacial and unemotional Maine is towards her father and stepmother. She wasn't like this when they met them in the living room earlier. What happened? He had never seen her like that before, even when he was being an ass towards her.

Yes, he had seen how angry she was, but there's warmth, sympathetic, welcoming sense in her eyes, she doesn't have that right now. Her eyes tell him what her heart feels at the moment and it is scaring him, not for him but for her.

"Hon, Are you alright?" Alden discreetly whispered behind her head.

Maine turns around to face him. He was taken back the anger was gone but was replaced with pure, extreme and unadulterated sadness in her eyes. His heart constricts, he can't stand to see her that way.

"Molly, will you get Periwinkle from your Ate Maine. I think she needs her bath now." He looked at the wall clock above the window bay. It's past three in the afternoon. In a little while they will be getting ready to go down the post.

The door burst open and came in Aleck. Alden smiled.

"Aleck, will you show your Ate Maine's visitor to the door?" He left it like that.

"Yes, Kuya." Aleck replied and held the door open for the visitors, quietly.

Victor raised his head to meet Alden's eyes. Alden showed him who he is in Maine's life now. Victor smiled which took Alden by surprise but did not show it. He must stand his ground for his girl. Yup. she's my girl. Victor obliged and helped Serina up.

"We'll be back." Victor said before making a step.

"Don't." Alden quickly answered. Maine is still emotionless. "Don't come back anymore. She was fine before you showed up." Alden did not say another word after that. He just ushered Maine to the kitchen.

MAINE sat down on her bed after the quiet breakfast they had. They only heard the funny and cute banter between Periwinkle, Molly and Aleck. She's happy but at the same time hurt. How could her father show up and act like a father to her? Serina didn't help either.

She needs to shake his father out of her head today. She'll think of him again someday, any day, just not today. She was about to get up when she heard a faint knock on the door.

"It's unlocked." She said. The door opened and brought out a very handsome man she had seen in all her life, whom once she wanted to choke the daylight out of, but now it seems that something has changed between them.

"You're not ready yet?" He asked with furrowed brows. He looked at his wrist watch. He's already wearing his fire uniform.

"Can I just stay home?" She asked sweetly. Alden's heart dropped. He came closer to here.

"You can't stay here and sulk. You need to get out and be busy." He lovingly said, kissing her on the side of her head. She smiled.

"Fine. I'll go get ready." She went to the bathroom without telling Alden to leave.

As soon as she got in her bathroom, she stripped all her clothes off and stepped in the shower.

After a few moments, she's done. Maine always takes fast showers. She pats dry herself and puts on lotions, blows dry her hair and brushes her teeth.

When she's finally done, she went out of her bathroom wrapped in a towel and was greeted by an empty bedroom. Alden wasn't there anymore. She smiled. Gentleman. Her mind cheered and quickly dressed.

"I'm ready." She happily announced standing at the top flight of the stairs. Alden smiled. Damn! My girl is hot wearing her fire uniform! His mind is going wild, so is his heart. He was about to say something when both their phones beeped.

"Fire!" She said. Alden got on the phone. They are not going to have time to meet everyone at the post.

"Leon, can you bring my suit and Maine's? We'll meet you there." He said and turned off the phone.

"Let's take my ride." She announced. She went to the kitchen to kiss Periwinkle on the forehead. Alden followed her.

"Bye, Baby. Love you." She said to Periwinkle.

"Bye, love. See you tonight." Alden kissed Periwinkle. "Aleck, call Sonia to come here. You behave, okay." Aleck just nodded and got on his phone.

Maine took her helmet and key from the hook and went out the door. Alden was going to protest but did not. No time for it.

He followed her to the fire exit as Maine took two steps at a time down the stairs. Alden slid down the banisters to get to her.

They got to the lobby. Maine punched a few numbers on the keypad and was able to unlock the restricted door. Alden was taken back by surprise to see Maine's motorcycles.

Maine took one the extra helmets on the wall and threw it at him. He puts it on without a word. He will talk to her later about her bikes but for now he will let her do whatever it is she needs to do.

Maine mounted the bike and waited for him. He stood there for a few seconds.

"Mount up!" Maine yelled. "We have no time!" He gave her a sly smile and mount on himself.

"Kuya! Gate!" Maine yelled at the guard but was surprised to see the gate is open already. The guard saluted at her as they passed him by.

Maine felt a tight but gentle hug from Alden, she smiled. She likes the feeling of his body close to her.

She pushed a button from her helmet and reached over to Alden's helmet and pushed a button, too. In a few seconds they heard three beeps.

"Hold on tight, you might fall." Maine said, cautioning him.

"I already am." Ay poocha, my heart. Her mind went haywire after realizing what he said. She almost lost control of the bike.

"Shit!" She cussed inder her breath but Alden heard it. 

"Concentrate, Mendoza." Alden teased her and he chuckled.

"Shut up, Richards!" Maine said and did her maneuver. Alden held on, not around her waist but on her thighs, tighter and she smiled.

The flirtations continued till they reached their destination in way less than half the regular travel time. They got there as the Big Red rolling in. Ambie was behind it.

"Mendoza! Richards!" Leon called out opening the back of the ambulance. They suited up and were ready to fight fire. But the fire that rose between them is consuming them from within. What are they going to do?

__________
End of TPA 29: Fire Alert

Thank you for reading the chapter. Please leave your thoughts, comments or just say Hi. Don't forget to tap the 🌟 to vote, and let's share the story to your friends for some good vibes. CTTO Media used.

💖 ~ Ms J ~ 💖
05.17.20

The Periwinkle Affair
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August 26, 2019