The Good Life

*Jack*

Months later

Izzy and I were going to the over to Fuentes’ today for a play date. I know that Vic and Mike are a little older than her, but she’s extra hyper today and I thought they could help tire her out. Alex was working today so it was just Izzy and I going. Vic and Mike had school today but they get out earlier than Alex’s school. Vic just started Pre-K and Mike was in first grade.

I carried Izzy across the street and let her ring the doorbell. It only took a few seconds for Vicki to come let us in.

“Hey!” She exclaimed as she opened the door.

“Hi” Izzy said shyly. She was picking up so many new words quickly every day.

“Aw you’re so cute!” Vicki said.

“Yeah cute and bad” I joked.

“Both of you come in, the boys are in the living room playing.” She said and guided us to the living room.

“Jack!” Vic and Mike came running at me and hugged me at the same time. I told Vicki they could call Alex and me by our names instead of saying ‘Mister’.

“Hey guys! I brought Izzy over to play with you.” I said and put Izzy down on her feet in front of them.

“Hi Izzy.” Mike said and Vic waved. Izzy didn’t say anything instead she grabbed onto my hand and pulled it in front of her face.

“Say hi, Izzy.” I told her.

“…Hi” She mumbled, still hiding her face.

“Don’t be afraid honey, they won’t hurt you” I told her. She still wouldn’t move from behind me. A few minutes ago she was running around the house screaming at the top of her lungs and now she’s so quiet.

“We’re about to have snack time and watch SpongeBob like we do every day around this time.” Vicki told me, sounding bored.

“That sounds fun.” I laughed.

The kids sat down and watched TV and ate we’ll Vicki and I sat back and talked. She was venting to me about a problem she and Emilio were having.

“He seems so unhappy and every time I try to talk to him about whatever’s bothering him, he blows me off and goes to his ‘Man cave’ to drink. I think the boys can tell he’s upset too and that’s what bothers me the most.” She told me.

“Have you guys had a big argument lately?” I asked.

“No. I can’t think of any reason he would be mad at me.” She said.

“Maybe work has him stressed. Sometimes Alex comes home upset and all moody, but I just let him sit alone until he’s ready to talk to me.” I told her.

“Hopefully it’s work.” She sighed and I nodded.

I looked over and saw Vic and Mike playing with their toy cars on the floor. Izzy was just sitting there watching them, she was trying to figure out how to play with them. A few seconds later she reached over and grabbed one of Vic’s toy cars on the ground.

“Hey that’s mine!” Vic whined and took the toy away from Izzy. She stared at him, but she didn’t cry or protest, I don’t think she cared enough.

“Victor, share!!” Vicki scolded at him. Vic looked down at the toy and handed it back to Izzy.

“…Mine.” Izzy said, imitating Vic, as she grabbed the toy from his hand. Oh god I hope this doesn’t start the mine phase for her.

“Izzy be nice.” I sighed. She completely ignored me and played around with Vic.

“I think she likes him!” Vicki said. She always has this idea in her mind that Izzy and Vic are going to fall madly in love with each other.

“He’s three years older than her.” I laughed.

“When he turns twenty-one she’ll be eighteen.” She said.

“That sounds weird. I don’t want to talk about Izzy growing up. She’s going to be a baby forever.” I whined.

“I thought that too, but look at my little men all grown up.”

Izzy and I stayed over there until it was time for Alex to come home, which was just an hour. Of course Izzy didn’t want to leave because she was having too much fun. I promised her we would come back over again soon, but she didn’t understand.

“Say bye-bye, Izzy.” I told her and she started crying. “Aww honey, don’t cry we’ll come over again.”

“Bye Izzy!” Mike said.

“Bye” She whimpered. I picked her up and tried to wipe the tears from her eyes.

“Wait!” Vic said before we could start to leave. “Here this for her.” He handed me his car that Izzy was playing with earlier. I smiled and handed her the toy.

“Say thanks.” I told Izzy slowly so she could annunciate the word.

“Tanks” She tried to say and smiled at Vic.

I told Vicki bye and we walked across the street back to our house. Alex was sitting on the couch watching the news when we walked in the door.

“Dada!!” She screamed as I sat her down. She ran over to Alex, climbed in his lap (with his help), and gave him a big hug.

“Hi baby! How was your day?” He asked her.

She showed him the toy car Vic gave her, and when Alex reached for it to get a better look at it she moved her hand back and yelled “Mine!”

“Excuse me?” Alex said taken back from her attitude.

“She heard Vic say it today.” I sighed.

“I thought this phase didn’t start til two?” he asked.

“She’s not that far from two now” I told him.

“Great well hopefully this blows over quickly.” He complained. “What do you want for dinner?” he asked.

“Don’t worry about dinner, I’ll take care of that. You just go take a shower and get comfortable.” I told him. Alex nodded and sat down Izzy so he could go take a shower, but she started whining and following him to our bedroom.

“I’ll be right back, momma.” He told her, but she continued to follow him on the verge of tears.

“Up, up!!” She whined and put her arms up for Alex to pick her up.

“No Izzy” He said and she really started to cry. I walked over to pick her up so Alex could go in and close the door.

“You can help me cook!” I said, but she continued to wail. I swear she didn’t cry this much when she was a baby. I sat her down at the dinner table and went to start dinner.

Twenty minutes later, Alex stepped into the kitchen with his pajamas on and Izzy ran straight to him, sniffling. Sometimes I feel jealous because I feel like she likes him better than me, but it’s probably because she spends more time with me so she’s much happier to see Alex when he gets off work.

“I told you I’d be right back.” He picked her up. “What’s for dinner?”

“Meatloaf, mash potatoes, and peas. I made it so Izzy could eat the mash potatoes and peas.” I told him.

“Oh I’ll eat anything, I’m starving.” He said.

“You are always starving!” I chuckled.

“I know.” He sat down at the table and sat Izzy down in her booster seat so she could reach the table.

Thirty minutes later dinner was ready and we eating. I was eating and feeding Izzy at the same time. She couldn’t get the hang of a fork/spoon yet.

“Did she get along with Mike and Vic?” Alex asked with a mouth full of food.

“Yeah, she cried cause she didn’t want to leave them. I think they’ll all be good friends, but Vicki thinks her and Vic will be more than friends.” I laughed at the idea.

“She’s not allowed to date til she’s forty.” Alex said.

“Stop it. She can date whenever she feels comfortable doing so.” I said and Alex rolled his eyes at me.

“Thirty and that’s finally.”

“Whatever you say, Alex.” I laughed. “Tay texted me a few days ago. She wants Izzy and Kellin to have a playdate soon.”

“Why does she have so many guy friends?” Alex asked.

“I don’t know. I don’t know anyone with who has a little girl she can play with.” I told him.

“We should take her to the park this weekend and try to find some.” He said.

“Okay!” I agreed.

I looked at Izzy because she was being quiet for way too long. She had reached over and grabbed Alex’s phone, on the table, while we were talking. “Babe, you might want to get your phone before she drops it.” I warned Alex. He looked over at her and took his phone for her hands.

“Mine!!!” Izzy yelled.

“No this is mine!” Alex argued back.

“Mine!!!” Izzy yelled again.

“No, mine!” Alex said, sounding like a toddler too.

“Mine!!!”

Notes

Sorry it's another filler chapter, I wanted to give Izzy more character thought. I'm also going to try to skipping around in time cause I know that can be a little confusing. And I think Izzy and Vic would make a cute couple, Vic just might have to watch out for Kellin.