Loving you for a lifetime // A Falice story

Chapter 15

When FP and Alice arrived at the Sisters Alice had to sign her name on a list and after she told the woman why FP was there he did too. They first went to see Claire who was at the floor where the babies were. "This place looks kinda nice."

"It does." Alice nodded her head as she and FP walked up the stairs. "But it's sad that kids end up here."

"Yeah." FP said thinking how lucky he must've been for having his parents with him, but it would've been better if Megan didn't lie to him. "What made you come here in the first place?"

"My dad was drunk one day and mom sent me here." Alice shrugged her shoulders. She told herself that she was past that and her father was gonna keep his promise of staying sober and going to the AA meetings.

"I'm sorry." FP didn't want to bring up how her father was, but he had no idea that was gonna be Alice's answer.

"I'm not." Alice turned around and stopped so she was facing FP. "I wouldn't be here if he didn't get drunk." It came out a little wrong because it wasn't like Alice wanted her father to be an alcoholic, but at least one good thing came out of it. "Mama bear, six o'clock." Alice said and FP frowned. She shook her head in amusement and turned FP around one hundred and eighty degree.

"Mama bear?" FP whispered to Alice and she let out a chuckle.

"My aunt." Alice told FP before Claire got closer to them. She hugged Alice tightly before she looked over at FP.

"You must be the mysterious boy." Claire stepped closer to FP and he took his hand out of his pocket to shook Claire's but she pulled him into a hug too while Alice stood behind her and watched the scene.

"Mysterious boy? I thought I was the special boy." FP said looking over Claire's shoulder at Alice who glared it him before she rolled her eyes.

"Special boy?" Claire asked pulling out of the hug and looking at FP before she looked at Alice. "Wha-"

"Nothing, FP here just wants this to be his shortest relationship." Alice said with a smile on her face and joking, FP raised his hands in defense.

"Finally together huh?" Claire asked even though she knew because Alice called her right before she went to FP's trailer to check on him.

"I think I'm going to show FP around." Alice said moving closer to him, but Claire who was already there placed her arm around FP's shoulders and leaned into him.

"I'll do that, you change the diapers." Claire pointed at the room to Alice's left where were three babies all in need of something.

"I would, but don't want to." Alice smiled at her aunt who raised one of her eyebrows while FP was trying his best not to laugh. "Besides I never did that before."

"What do you mean? I put you to it a thousand times." Claire said removing her hand from around FP and placing both on her hips. Alice cocked her head to the side making a face and Claire knew exactly what it meant. "I put you and you put Hermione."

"Not nice." FP said when he saw Alice nodding her head. She sticked her tongue out at him and Claire couldn't help, but laugh.

"Fine, you show him around I'll-"

"I can help with them." FP cut off Claire. She looked from Alice at him with a surprised look on her face. "I'm here to help Ms.-"

"Claire, just Claire." She interrupted FP looking at him a little suspiciously. "You sure you can handle them?" Claire pointed at the three crying babies.

"I am." FP nodded his head and Claire let him do what needed to be done.

"But she helps. Don't do all the work special boy." Claire said winking at Alice before she walked down the hall go check on the other babies there.

"I think she likes me." FP shrugged his shoulders and Alice mocked him as they got into the room. "Why'd you call her mama bear?" FP asked checking the babies to see who needed to be changed. "Does she have kids?" FP thought that Claire didn't look like she had kids, even though it was more of a feeling than the way she looked.

"No." Alice shook her head picking one of the babies up and cradling him. "She can't."

"Oh." FP said avoiding looking at Alice. It was kind of personal and maybe he shouldn't have asked that question.

"That's why she dedicated her life to this place." Alice said taking a bottle to feed the little human in her arms. "And to Joshua too."

"He talks a lot about her." FP told Alice as he changed the little baby girl. "Didn't know she was your aunt though."

"How are you there?" Alice turned as she still fed the baby boy in her arms and looked at FP who just threw the used diaper in the trash.

"Done." FP said and picked up the baby before putting her back on her crib. "You?"

"Done too." Alice smiled when the babies stopped crying. The one they didn't do anything to was asleep on his crib. He probably cried just because the others woke him up. "You're good at that." Alice chuckled. "Did you practice before coming here Forsythe?" Alice asked and FP genuinely smiled before it turned into a sad smile.

"I had a little sister." FP said leaning against the wall before letting himself fall down on the floor with a sigh. Alice put the boy on his crib before sitting down in front of FP.

"Had?" Alice asked placing one of her hands on FP's knee. She didn't hear a word about any brothers or sisters.

"Yeah." FP looked away. "She was born with a rare disease. The doctors discovered it when she was born and sent us home saying we should spend as much time with her as we could." He wiped away a tear that slipped his eye and lifted both his hands to cover his face, but Alice didn't let him.

"It's ok." She nodded her head and FP looked at her. He didn't have to hide from her. She trusted him and he could trust her.

"Four months later she died. I was seven." FP whispered and he knew it wasn't much until he'd start crying. He rarely talked about his sister to his parents because it hurt them just as much. Alice was the only person he told about her. "Her name was L-Loren."

"Come here." Alice pulled FP closer. She wrapped her arms around his neck and FP buried his head on Alice's chest sobbing as his arms were wrapped around her waist.

They stood like that for ten minutes until FP calmed down. Alice didn't move even a little not wanting to make FP feel like she was getting annoyed by him. Eventually he leaned back against the wall and wiped away his tears sniffling. "I-"

"Thank you for telling me." Alice cut off FP placing one of her hands on his cheek.

"I haven't told anyone." FP said quietly and Alice smiled a little at him.

"I'm happy you feel like you can trust me." Alice moved next to FP and let her head to rest on his shoulder. "I'm not gonna tell anyone."

"Thank you." FP pressed his lips against the top of Alice's head. He felt relieved telling Alice about Loren and was happy there was someone he could now go to when he needed to talk about her.