Our Perfect Imperfections - Jolex

Chapter 2

"Zola, no, we won't go and see mommy today. She's not here. Auntie Josephine and I are taking care of you until mommy is back." Alex tried to explain the situation to Zola when they were playing with her dollhouse in Alex's and Jo's living room.
"But when will mommy be back?" Zola tried to understand the situation.
"Probably Monday night. Maybe Tuesday." Alex told her.

"Alex, could you give me a hand over here?" Jo yelled out of the bedroom.
"Sure wait a minute. I'll be right back, Zola, or do you want to help Jo?" Alex kneed down on Zola's height.
"I'm not so much into changing diapers, uncle Alex." Zola said and stayed totally serious whereas Alex could hardly believe what she just said.
"You're a smart girl, little miss Zola!"

-------------------

"Don't climb so high on the monkey bars or you won't get down again!" Zola heard Jo yelling from the bench on the playground.

Jo turned over to Alex who was sitting on the bench right next to her with a sleeping Bailey in his arms.

"Have you ever thought about having kids?" she asked without hesitation.
"Jo...I...I don't know...isn't it a bit too early?"
"Alex, I didn't ask you to make a baby with me right here and right now, did I? I asked if you've ever thought about being a father?"
"I didn't actually." he said and turned his head away. Jo could tell that he wasn't feeling comfortable at all being confronted with that question. But when he suddenly looked at her again and asked "Have you?" she knew he wasn't planning on escaping the situation.
"I have. I have a lot actually. Every time I left another foster family I always told myself to never abandon my kids. This was one of those few things I've always been sure about in my life. I never thought I could feel ready to have kids. But then I realized that you can't feel ready for kids. There will always be reasons not to have a baby. Always. So there's no perfect time to have kids."
Alex was speechless for a moment. He wasn't shocked because he knew about Jo's past, but he didn't know what to say. He didn't know how to react on that. But he also didn't want to make Jo feel lonely in that moment. He tried to force himself to say something but he just couldn't.
"Alex, I can't get down!" Zola screamed.
"Saved by the child." He thought. He thought it was a good reason to leave the awkward silence between him and Jo.
"Zola I told you to be careful!"
"My foot's stuck between the ropes!!!" Alex could hear the panic in her voice.
Again, he didn't move, he didn't know how to react. Jo interfered the situation. "Alex do something!" He still didn't react. "Alex!" Jo stood up angrily, gave Bailey to Alex and started climbing up the ropes of the monkey bars.
"Zola I'm right here, everything's gonna be alright." Jo tried to calm her down.

Jo's POV

What's wrong with Alex? He's acting weird ever since I asked him about kids. And now I have to climb on the monkey bars to get Zola down because he's frozen or something.

"Zola I'm going to slowly slip your foot out of the ropes, stay calm and make sure your hands are holing the ropes..........on 3 okay? 1, 2, 3!" Zola's foot was no longer stuck in the ropes but because I seemed to have pulled her foot out really heavy, I slipped on one of the slippy ropes and fell down. I tried to reach the ropes with my hands but it all went so fast. I felt the hard ground and then everything went black.

Alex's POV

"JOOOOOOO!" I screamed when I saw her falling. I immediately ran towards her. Meanwhile Zola had climbed down as well. I gave her Bailey and kneed down next to her.
I made her climb up because I was a douche bag. It's all my fault.
"Ouuchh" Jo seemed to be awake. She touched her forehead to see if it was bleeding. It was. "I just fell down the monkey bars." She suddenly bursted out laughing about herself and I couldn't hold back a smile as well. I just didn't really feel like laughing out loud.
"Are you alright?" I asked her as she tried to sit up.
"I think I hurt my wrist." She looked down at her wrist which was horribly bruised and purple-green-ish and full of dirt.
"Let's get you checked." I said, helped her up and held Zola's hand after she laid Bailey back into my arms.

Please vote, comment and feel free to criticize :-)