Expect the Unexpected (Zack Merrick/All Time Low)

Chapter Twenty Six

just when we thought Zack was going to play nice...hmm?

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January was long, somewhat lonely and cold.

Erika did her best to keep busy though. She had Alex's house and his two dogs all to herself. She also had Victoria, when she wasn't busy with school. Victoria had came back from visiting her family in time to spend New Year's with Jack before he headed out on tour, taking his friends and Codi with him. The last show of the tour was in Baltimore, which meant both girls would be going. About half way through the month, Victoria also went to Boston for the show there.

Her boss had been less than thrilled with the idea, firing her three days before she left. At the idea it was because of him wanting her at the show, Jack was devastated. Victoria informed him that it was fine; she didn't want to be an ice cream counter girl all her life anyway. Erika had been invited to go along, but she hadn't been feeling well with a head cold and there was no way she wanted to sit that long driving.

Tomorrow morning, early, Victoria was leaving for the show which left Erika alone for a few days. Currently the two girls had planned on having dinner together and then Victoria spending the night at Alex's house. Walking into the quiet house, she could hear voices and knew Erika was on the computer talking to somebody, otherwise Alex and Codi's voices wouldn't be filling the living room.

Tossing her scarf, mittens and coat on the arm of the sofa, Victoria took a seat next to Erika on the large sectional waving frantically to Alex and Codi who were on the somewhat grainy computer screen. A disadvantage of bus internet was that most of the time it didn't work properly, but enough for what one needed it to do. Cheering loudly as the redhead popped into the frame, Alex and Codi both turned looking around the bus for Jack who was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey everybody!" Victoria greeted the two in the laptop and the one on the couch with her. "What's going on?"

"Eri was just telling us about Mrs. Danvers." Alex replied with a laugh, causing Erika to roll her eyes. "She lives down the street from me. Once and a while she comes over and brings me food." He explained, bringing Victoria up to speed on who the woman was.

Looking at Erika, Victoria waited for her explanation. Shifting so that she was a bit more comfortable, Erika sighed and smiled.

"Mrs. Danvers was out walking the other morning when Sam and I had Baz and Pey out for a walk." She explained.

Since Alex felt it wasn't safe for Erika to walk the bigger dog, he had asked Zack's sister to help out when she could. It wasn't just walking the dog, it was anything Erika needed and couldn't do or Alex didn't want her doing. Victoria nodded, waiting for her to go on as Alex and Codi both began to snicker.

"She stopped us and said she hadn't seen Alex in a while and wanted me to tell him congratulations." Erika continued on with her story.

"Oh my god!" Victoria began laughing almost as hard as Codi and Alex.

"She said she didn't know he had been seeing anybody and was happy that he finally decided to settle down. I explained that Alex isn't the father, but she kept rambling on and I'm pretty sure everybody on the street now thinks Alex is going to be a dad." Erika chuckled.

"Just wait until they all show up on the step with presents." Alex butted in with a laugh as Codi disappeared.

Being one of the youngest people on his street had a perk, the older women all loved taking care of him, although he didn't need it and his own mother was maybe a fifteen minute drive away. Alex would never turn them away if they were bringing him food. Every holiday was the same, if Alex was home, the same group of motherly women would show up to bring him food or presents or whatever else they felt a young man needed.