Chapter 36- Baby Time

                                    

                                          
It wasn't a long drive until the cab pulled up outside my house. I paid the driver and walked into my home. 
                          
I thanked Perrie and Zayn for watching Alexa for me and tried to pay them although the both refused. I would have to find another way to repay them. Although they both seemed confused as to why I was home so early and why I wasn't with Naya, no one said anything to me. I'm sure they could put two and two together to work it out. After a few hugs, they said goodbye leaving me alone with Alexa. 
                          
"Where's mama?" Was the first thing her small voice said to me. 
                          
"She's staying at a hotel tonight baba." I replied simply. Her blue eyes looked up at me and a confused frown fell on her face. 
                          
"But mama lives here, with us, not in a hotel." She said to me.
                          
"I know." I said breaking her eye contact. 
                          
I couldn't bare upsetting her. I took her hand and lead her upstairs to her bedroom. Perrie had already bathed but I still needed to put her pyjamas on her. 
                          
I got them out for her and gave her them to put on as normal while I left to my room to put an oversized tshirt and sweats on. When I returned she was still holding her pyjamas staring at me blankly. 
                          
"I know you can put your own pyjamas on Lexie. You do it every other night for me." I said softly trying to work out why she would dress herself like normal. She handed me her pyjamas and climbed onto my lap without saying a word. 
                          
I was stressed and wasn't in the mood for her tantrums tonight so I carefully undressed her and replaced her previous clothes with her pyjamas. The whole time she didn't say a word to me. It upset me a little as normally she would fill me in on everything she had done while I was away. 
                          
I pulled her off my lap and sat her in front of me on her bed as I began to brush her hair for her. She rubbed her eyes with her little fists and let out a yawn. 
                          
"I think it's bedtime baby." I said softly to her as I finished her hair.
                          
"No mommy. Cuddles?" She asked sleepily, turning round to hold on to me. I pulled my phone out and called Naya. No matter where we were in the world Alexa always needed to say goodnight to both of us. Naya's phone went straight to her voicemail. 
                          
"Baby leave mama a message saying nanite." I told her as I rung Naya again and put the voicemail on speaker. 
                          
"Nanite mama. Come home soon. I love you." Alexa kissed the phone and I hung up, setting my phone to do not disturb. 
                          
"You okay now baby?" I said cuddling her in my arms. 
                          
"Bottle mommy?" She asked. It was only rare occasions that she had bottles and Naya and I had bought her special 'big girl cups' that she had been using almost all the time. 
                          
I carried her downstairs and placed her on her feet while I made her bottle. I knew it shouldn't be giving her it this so easily without a fight but something was clearly wrong tonight and I needed her comfort just as much as she needed mine. 
                          
As I made it for her she followed me around the kitchen- one small hand holding on to my leg the other allowing her to suck her thumb. 
                          
"No Lexie. Take it out, you'll have your bottle in a minute." I said removing her thumb but two seconds later it returned. "Lexie no." I said a bit more sternly as I removed it again. This time her bottle was ready so I took her back upstairs to my bedroom.
                          
I held her close to me as I cradled her giving her a bottle. I had missed our time together a lot. Lexie stopped drinking and got herself into a comfier position. After a few minutes, her soft snores could be heard in time to my breathing. I tucked her in next to me and wrapped my arms around her, closing my eyes and falling into sleep. 
                          
Until I heard the scream that my heart explode.