Love Drunk: Chapter Thirty

It's been tough for Lainie and Dexter lately, not knowing who Keira's real father was and the return of David. Dex was getting increasingly fed up with Lainie seeing other men before him that he took action by calling up the girl he met at the playground and going out with her! Dexter has finally moved on from Lainie! But has she moved on from him?

Dexter and Jenna had been dating for three months much to the envy of little Lainie. Things seemed to be going very well and Jenna was just as lovely as Lainie was in Dexter's eyes. But there was only one problem, Dexter would not sleep with her and it drove her crazy! They would go out for dinner, see a movie, go bowling, out to a club for a few drinks and then back to Dexter's for coffee. 

Jenna would initiate the kissing every time and Dex wouldn't exactly push her away, but every time they got heavy...

...he would pull away from her! "Dexter? Why do you keep doing this?" Jenna muttered in frustration.

"I'm sorry Jen..." Jenna stood up and stopped him in mid sentence.

"What is it? Huh? Are you not attracted to me? Is that it?"

"Jen please don't shout!" Dexter rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on, the first in over a year.

"Dexter don't avoid this! I know for a fact that you have had hefty carnal knowledge so why are you pulling away from me???"

"I am attracted to you, very much! I mean you're gorgeous!" Jenna let out an exasperated yelp.

"Then what is the problem??? Why won't you have your wicked way with me???"

"BECAUSE I'M SCARED!!!" Dexter shot up and yelled. "Okay? I'm scared that once we do...consummate our...relationship, then it'll all be over and I'll never see you again!" Jenna laughed softly and placed her hands on his face. They were cold and it felt good on his throbbing head.

"Oh Dex! Don't you get it by now?" She smiled lovingly at him, "I'm in love with you!"

Dexter kissed her with all the passion and feeling he could muster, headache be damned, and faced his fear!

With a spring in his step and whistling a tune, Dexter arrived to see Keira in a very good mood the next morning. Lainie laughed when he walked into the flat and hugged her tightly. She spotted something on his right hand that wasn't there before. "Hey Dexy! Is that a new tattoo?". 
"Mornin' freckles! Why yes it is, it means Kee Bee in Simlish!" He shouted rather too loudly.

"Dexy, not so loud eh?" Lainie was still laughing.

"Sorry baby I'm just...oh I'm feelin' pretty good today!" He grinned smugly.

"Why's that then pretty boy?" She looked at him and nudged his arm.

"Because last night I finally...with Jenna!"

"I don't get...I thought you two were all loved up and couldn't keep your hands off each other?"

"Not until last night we weren't, but I faced my fear and we...and it was...she told me she loved me!" He squeaked and screwed his eyes shut, still grinning.

Lainie felt numb, she wanted to scream right there on the spot. Not only was Jenna Riley pretty, clever and funny, she was also in love with him! Great! "Did you say it back?" Lainie asked casually as Dexter went pale.

"Er...no! That's bad right?"

"No, not necessarily. Do you? Love her?" Dexter thought for a moment then replied,

"I...I'm not sure! But what I am sure of is that I'm falling for her...I'm falling pretty hard!" He smiled as Lainie's urge to scream escalated.

"As long as you're happy Dexy, that's what's important!" She put on a brave face and smiled back.

I am!" He looked pleasantly surprised. "For the first time in a long time, I am freckles!"

Dex may have been happy with Jenna, but Lainie was not happy with David. They were drifting apart, and it was her jealousy over Jenna and her hold on Dex that was causing it! David didn't know what to do, he wasn't stupid, he was fully aware of Lainie's feelings for Dexter Maloney. But he clung onto the hope that she would eventually let him go!

David only came back for her. There were plenty of towns or cities he could have gone to, but he chose to return for Lainie! When he found out that she and Dexter were raising a child together he thought it was over then, they were only ever going to be friends. When he asked her to go out with him after finding out she and Dex were not together like that, he felt a new hope. Their previous time together had been enjoyable yet brief and he hoped to get to know her better, possibly even have their friendship blossom into something beautiful.

David watched as Dexter was talking about Jenna with a goofy grin on his face and Lainie pretended to be happy. He could see her sadness from where he was standing, holding THEIR daughter. Every part of him was screaming "walk away she doesn't love you and she never will!" but he clung onto the hope that Dexter's relationship with Jenna might give Lainie the strength to stop loving him...in time maybe. But these kinds of feelings wouldn't just shut off overnight, it took time to get over someone like Dexter Maloney, David knew that!

Unfortunately there was one major issue here, Lainie didn't want to get over him! And that was going to be the obstacle in David's path! An obstacle that he wasn't sure he could get rid of!

Drew and Charlotte were even closer than before. Drew had been walking around with a permanent grin on his face since the night she invited him into her room. Charlotte was also quite pleased with herself and excited about becoming a mother now that Drew was no longer nervous about things. Drew still hoped that she would marry him before that happened but it wasn't really as important to him as it once was. Because deep inside he knew that she loved him and wanted to be with him, even become a parent with him! So marriage would be a nice added bonus...

...and he had the perfect ring for when she actually did say yes!

Today was the last day for the band for recording their demo, they'd been working on it since Keira was born but Dexter seemed more occupied with fatherhood which meant it took longer than expected. The record company surprisingly understood, the producer was a father himself and admired Dexter even more for putting his family first especially under the circumstances but he did tell him that he wouldn't be so lenient in future. Roxy had lost even more weight during this time, a combination of hard work and worry over the absence of a certain young man!

As she headed home tired and weary, the absent young man from 9b, Matthew, seemed to be fiddling with his mailbox. "Problem?" Roxy smirked at him. She was a little annoyed that he'd been AWOL for so long after trying so hard to get her attention.

"I can't get my key to work!" He grunted.

"Here, there's a knack to it!" She took the key from him gently and smiled.

As she opened the box with ease Matthew sighed with relief. "Thanks, I've been waiting for a letter from the board of directors since Monday!"

"Important then eh?" Roxy nodded.

"Yeah, I've been working my butt off for the CEO position and I'm just waiting to hear that I got the job. Then I can go back to Bridgeport to the headquarters and live the dream!"

"So that explains why you've not been in the diner lately, or taken me for coffee like you promised!" She gave him a cheeky wink as he blushed.

"I...I'm sorry I feel like a jerk now! It's been hard, I wanted to come down I..."

"Relax I was teasing!" She held up her hands and laughed softly.

"Oh, well now I feel ridiculed and mocked and you break my heart blondie!" He pretended to cry.

"Well, half kidding!" She put her head down, "I had no one to growl at! It's been...tough!" Matthew could hear her giggling at the ground.

"Thanks for helping me get my mail, now I really do owe you coffee. I'll be expecting you at 7pm tonight at my place. And if you don't turn up? You'll find me drowned in my own blood in the bath tub with a razor blade in my hand!" Roxy feigned shock and punched him lightly on the arm.

"Bye Roxy!" He grinned as he walked towards his flat, suddenly he turned around and called to her "By the way, you look amazing! but I preferred you with a bit more curves!" He winked and left her in the hall feeling a mixture of admiration and frustration. He annoyed her so much, but she loved it when he annoyed her! She hated to admit it but she'd missed him not coming in the diner these past few weeks. And...

...she really liked this guy!

Ash and Erin were now inseparable. She was so happy that she could be in his flat around the other guys and stay overnight without him looking over his shoulder. It was everything she had dreamed of and more!

Ash was equally as happy, he'd been so lonely and frightened before Erin came into his life. Now their relationship was out in the open, he couldn't imagine it being any other way! In fact he was so loathed to be apart from her that he was thinking about taking their relationship that one step further...

"Erin?" He mumbled as they watched the television together.

"Mmmm-hmm?" She replied sleepily.

"I was...um...wondering..." She groaned in frustration, she was watching a film and he was nattering over it.

"What is it Ashton?"

"How would you feel about moving in with me?" Erin screwed up her face, "Okay, I take it that's a no then?"

"Ash, it would be a yes if we were to say...oh I dunno...get our own place? But moving in with your brother and the baby, and Drew flitting in and out? Sometimes I need my own space, you know?" Ash was hurt, and she could see it in his face.

"I'm not saying no, maybe you could give me my own drawer for now but..." Ash interrupted,

"It's fine!" He huffed, "I get it!"

"Ash!" Erin rolled her eyes.

"No no, I've had experience with rejection before, no biggie!" He stared intently at the TV screen with a stony expression...

...as all Erin could do was look at him with disbelief! He still didn't think she was serious about him! After all this time, all this waiting!!! "I'll stay four days a week, three days in my own flat okay?" Ash smiled cheekily.

"As you wish!" He replied quietly, but deep inside he was ecstatic!

Roxy knocked on Matthew's door at 6:57pm. No answer!

She tried knocking again and calling his name, but again there was no answer! She didn't know whether to be worried or annoyed that he had promised her a date and stood her up! "Matthew?" She called through the door, "It's Roxy! You there? We kinda had a date?"

The door opened slightly as she stood in confusion. A voice mumbled "Come in!"

When she got into the very blue flat, Matthew was sitting in his small living room with a sad expression. "We can do this another time if..." She began but he talked over her.

"I didn't get it!" He said quietly.

"Get what?"

"The position, I didn't get it!" Roxy had never seen him so upset.

"I'm sorry, maybe you could try again some other time or..." He talked over her again.

"You don't get it! I worked so bloody hard for this! I sacrificed so much! This was my last chance! It was between me and Graham Fisher! It's all Fisher this and Fisher that with my boss you know? But the wonderful Fisher made a mistake on one of the contracts, I helped him out, said I'd keep quiet and you know how he repays me? Sticks me in the crap!" Roxy was lost for words, she wanted to run to him and throw her arms around him, but she didn't know him well enough...how would he take it? Would he be comforted? Or would he be angry?

"Matty!" She mumbled.

"My mum calls me that!" He smiled sadly, "I...I can't face her! I can't go back home and tell her...she was so proud of me, her son the CEO!".

"Matty it doesn't matter..." Matthew shot her an angry glare.

"What are you talking about? Of course it matters!" He gave her a look of disgust. "What am I if I'm not that?" She could see tears forming in his eyes as she sat down beside him.

"It doesn't matter because the job doesn't define you! You are who you are, it's not the end of the world that some slimeball got the job you wanted! You're healthy, you're handsome, you're clever! What more do you need?" He looked at her with watery eyes...

"You really think I'm handsome?" He winked as she nudged him playfully.

"Yes, cheeky but handsome!" She giggled softly.

His expression turned serious as he stared her down, "Roxanne you're beautiful!" He leaned forward to kiss her as she leapt up in shock.

"Whoa there big boy, not so fast! I'm not taking advantage of you like that! What kind of girl do you think I am?"

"The kind I've been searching for all my life!" He replied as she waited for that cheeky wink and smile, but it didn't come. That serious expression remained.

"Let's just take it one step at a time huh?" She smiled sweetly.

"Well I can wait, no point in me going back to Bridgeport now! Looks like you're stuck with me blondie!"

"We all have crosses to bear!" She laughed, "Now where in among all this junk do you keep your kettle?" He gave her a fake look of disgust.

"Junk??? These are all rare and classic pieces of memorabilia! Vintage stuff, highly sought after!"

"Whatever!" She shook her head at him still laughing, "You owe me a coffee!"

The next day was a tough one for Lainie! She had decided it was time to go back to work while Dex and Jenna took Keira for the day. Jenna worked four days a week at the local hospital doing counselling while Dexter continued his paintings for the gallery. Lainie was hurting over how close the two of them were getting and how much Keira liked Jenna too! Not only was she losing Dexy to her but it seemed her daughter's affections were also divided! When closing time came by, Lainie was getting tired. She'd been away far too long! That wasn't all that was making her tired, several missed calls and weird texts kept showing up on her phone from a number she didn't recognise! It worried her, but it also made her angry that this person was being so...invisible!

Roxy had made some excuse about needing to deliver a coffee and piece of pie to someone at the Van Gould Merchant House, so Lainie was left alone to clear up when she was aware of a scratching noise outside.

She looked around the bins but saw no one...

...going back into the kitchen, it wasn't until she tried to open the door into the diner that she realised something was very wrong! The door was red hot, impossible to touch as she she saw flames licking around the windows of the doors!

The diner was on fire!!!

Dexter and Jenna had enjoyed their day with Keira. Lying on Dexter's new bed together half asleep, they couldn't get her to settle in her cot but finally did manage to sing her to sleep in her daddy's arms. "That looks uncomfortable!" Jenna mumbled dreamily.
"Yeah it's not fun I admit! But I can't bring myself to move!" Dex grinned as he felt his daughter's little breaths against his chest.

The baby began to stir as Jenna and Dex talked in what they thought were hushed tones...

...placing her on the floor for a moment, Dex couldn't resist stealing a kiss from Jenna while Keira giggled and babbled at their feet, until...

...she got out!

Luckily though Jenna acted quickly and ended up chasing after the tot as she crawled up the boys' hallway and through a gap in the front door...

...catching her just before she tumbled down the stairs, Jenna could hear Dexter's panicked voice inside the flat as she scolded Keira playfully. "Where were you off to eh?" she rubbed her nose with Keira's and laughed softly.

"Oh god Kee Bee???"
"She's fine Dex, I got her! She's fast! I just caught her before she took a roly poly down the stairs!" Dexter sighed but then the panic overwhelmed him again,
"Let's not tell freckles okay?" Jenna laughed again and tickled the baby as she chuckled.

As Dex watched his girlfriend playing with his daughter, his thoughts were interrupted. "Jen? Can you smell smoke?"
"Huh? Yeah, now that you mention it..." For some reason Dexter felt the urge to run down the stairs and check on Lainie...

...but when he got there and nobody was home, he checked the diner as the smell of smoke got stronger. "JEN!" he yelled as he headed for the outside stairs, "CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT!"

The diner was ablaze as he tried to get in the door, the sirens could be heard in the distance, they came quickly he thought, but he suspected one of the neighbours possibly got in there first! Where was Lainie??? Dexter prayed she wasn't in there, he wanted to get in and see but the heat was too much and the smoke already clung to his lungs as it was!

When Ashton heard the call over the radio, Richmond Apartments, his heart sank...this was his home! Where was the fire? Was Dexter okay? Keira? Lainie and Roxy??? Char and Drew??? All of these thoughts were buzzing around his head as he stepped out of the truck and saw his brother running around outside the diner in a state...the fire inside was bad!

"Where's Lain?" Ash called to his brother.
"I dunno Ash! I dunno!" Dex cried and ran his hand through his hair.
"Don't worry kiddo..."

"Ash I think she's in there! Please, will you check???"
"Dexter..." Ash looked into his pleading eyes as the flames began to push against the windows. "...I'll go around back and see okay?" Dex seemed relieved by this and nodded.

After a few minutes, Ash reappeared and shook his head, "There's too much smoke I...we need to wait for my back-up!" Dexter felt a rage boil up inside him as Jenna appeared with Keira in her arms. He had to find her! His daughter needed her mother! HE needed Lainie!

As he raced towards the burning building Ash screamed after him, "DEXTER NO!" he ignored his brother's cries, feeling the fire threaten to melt his skin he tried to open the door but the handle burned his hand, it was boiling hot! Ash grabbed him from behind and dragged him away, "Don't be stupid!" he growled.
"FRECKLES???" Dexter cried, "LAINIE???"
"Dexter..."
"EVELYN!!!" suddenly the tears came, he had no control...

...Jenna saw how distraught he was, "He's not over her!" she mumbled as Keira nuzzled into her neck. Every rational fibre in her body told her that it was completely natural for Dex to be upset, this was the mother of his child! They were friends first and foremost and parents to a little girl! A little girl who was in Jenna's arms right now wondering why her daddy was crying and shouting, why her uncle was trying to calm him down!

Ash couldn't stand to see his brother like this, on the ground weeping like a little boy. "Please, Ashy do something!" he sobbed. He hadn't called him Ashy in years, it took him back to their childhood when he protected him on a daily basis. 

Suddenly he threw on his apparatus and ran at the door, breaking it down...

...as he disappeared into the flames!

Oh no! Who started the fire? Will Ash get Lainie out? Or will they both perish? You'll find out next chapter! ;)