Forever and Always

Chapter 1

She woke to the sound of her three year old son calling for her. She smiled to herself as she threw the blankets off and went to his room.

"Hey, baby." He looked at her and smiled, reaching for her. She picked him up out of bed and walked out to the kitchen. "Are you hungry, Joey?"

"Yeah, mommy. Can you make pancakes?" He smiled his adorable smile that she couldn't resist.

"I'll make pancakes, but you need to go potty." He rolled his eyes but walked to the bathroom. Who knew potty training was so tiring? She set out about her task, pulling out everything she needed.

Joey came running out as he heard a knock on the door. "Mommy! Someone's here!" He always got excited when people came over.

"Ok, baby. Let's go see who it is." He rushed in front of her as they walked to the door. He looked back at her and she nodded. He giggled as he opened the door, one of his favorite things.

"Uncle Max!" Joey pushed the screen door open and flung himself at Max, laughing as Max threw him in the air.

"Hey, buddy!" Max walked into the house with Joey in his arms, smiling. "Ally, I can't believe how big he's gotten." She nodded her head and walked back to the kitchen.

"I know. I hate that he's growing so fast, but I love watching it at the same time." She smiled at him. "I'm making pancakes. Do you want any?"

Max smiled at her and enthusiastically nodded his head. She should have known, pancakes were his favorite. "So, guess who's playing a show right around the corner?"

"You guys?" She started mixing the batter together.

"No, Ronnie's new band. We were thinking of going to see if their good, you want to go?" She shook her head.

"Really, Max. I'm In the last person he would want to see. He would rather see all of you guys and Criag, before me, and he can't stand any of you. So, no, I don't want to go." She knew she was lying. She would give anything to see him again. To tell him about his son, how much Joey looks like him.

He had made it clear, when he found out she was talking to Max, that he didn't want anything to do with her any longer. He stopped talking to her after that. Refused her calls while he was in prison, removed her name from the visitors list. She was devasted. She never got the chance to tell him she was pregnant. She told his dad, her and Ronnie had been together for a few years before he went to prison, his dad almost like her own. He told Ronnie, but Ronnie wanted nothing to do with her still, even saying he wasn't sure it was his.

That's what hurt her the most. He knew the baby was his, he knew she never cheated on him, he was just finding anyway to hurt her, so she wouldn't contact him. He was successful, she stopped after that. She knew he would be locked up for a while and she needed to move on, grow up, and figure out how to take care of a baby on her own.

She moved from Las Vegas, out to Los Angeles to be close to her brother. He was amazing to her, just as he always was. Gave her a place to stay with her son. Helped her find a job at a little dance studio, teaching kids how to dance. She was so thankful for him, didn't know what she would have done without him. Ronnie's dad offered to let her stay with him, help her with the baby. She couldn't do it though, not wanting to jeopardize his relationship with Ronnie.

She set a plate of pancakes in front of Joey and Max and started cleaning up the mess. "Al. Do you ever realize how much Joey looks like Ronnie? It's uncanny, really. The eyes especially."

"Whose Ronnie?" Joey looked at her with syrup running down his chin. She couldn't help but laugh.

"Just an old friend, baby." She wiped his mouth off.

"Then how come I look like him?" She gave Max a nasty look and turned around.

"Sometimes people just look alike." She finished cleaning the dishes as Joey ran upstairs to get dressed. "Max, no talking about Ronnie in front of him, please. He hears everything. He's been asking questions already, questions I don't know how to answer."

Max held up his hands. "I'm sorry, Al. It won't happen again." She smiled and gave him a hug. Shortly after, Max left to go meet the guys while Ally got Joey ready for his sleep over with her brother, Matt.

"I can't wait to see Uncle Matt. He's so cool." Ally laughed as she got his stuff together, knowing Matt would be there soon. He wanted to take Joey camping for the weekend. He had asked her to go, but she decided not to. She thought it would be good bonding time for them.

The front door opened and Matt walked inside, Joey running over to him. Ally smiled, loving how close they were. If he couldn't have his father, at least he had someone he could look up to, someone who can teach him what a man is suppose to be like.

"Hey, sis." Matt walked over to her and kissed her forehead, ruffling her hair.

"Jeez, Matt. I'm not five anymore." He laughed and did it again. "I got all his stuff ready, everything you said you needed is in his bag." She hated to admit it, she was really going to miss her little boy. It's the first time she had been away from him for a whole weekend.

"He'll be fine." She smiled at Matt and nodded. "Max called, told me about the show. I think you should go, see if he's any good. Maybe then you could at least get child support from the fucker."

"Really, Matt. We've been over this. I don't want anything from him, especially his money. I'm doing fine on my own. The less involved he is, the better." Even though I knew it was a lie. I wanted Ronnie to want his son. No amount of money could replace a father.

"Yeah, I know. The least he could do is help once in a while. He hasn't even seen him, Ally. It's not right what he did to you. Max and them were your friends too, they were the only ones you had when he got locked away. What were you suppose to do? All the shit he's talked about you, saying Joey isn't his, that you cheated on him, it's all bullshit." She nodded.

"I know, Matt. There's nothing I can do. He believes what he wants, you know how he is. Once he's sure of something, there's rarely a way to change his mind. Look, I really don't want to talk about this anymore, ok. You've made your point, but I dont want to go down that road with him. Besides, Joey has you, he doesn't need Ronnie." She tried to smile, but failed. If Matt noticed, he didn't say a word.

"Alright. Kiss Joey bye, cause we got to go." She picked up her baby and kissed all over his face, him laughing hysterically, trying to get away.

"I love you baby." She kissed his cheek.

"Love you too, mommy." He wiggled to get down and ran to the door.

"Don't worry, I'll call if I need too." She nodded and watched as they walked out the door.