Perfect Preparation

Chapter 93: Only A Rumor

Morning came by faster than anyone anticipated. As Lain predicted Kaila was waking up every other hour from a nightmare. Taking shifts Lain and Mallix spent their night taking turns to help calm Kaila down and get her back to sleep. After repeating their cycle of cradling, reassurance, and tucking in several times the sun was now up. No longer being able to stay in bed, they decided to get up and begin their day of research.

Mallix went straight to his office downstairs and called Alex. Meanwhile Lain was upstairs helping Kaila out of her crib for the last time of the day, she helped her little girl wash up and get dressed into a new pair of overalls she designed for her.

"Let's go grab some breakfast, would you like some toast and eggs?" Lain asked as Kaila happily nodded skipping besides the taller woman down the stairs.

"Morning darling," Nina opened her arms wide seeing Kaila looking full of energy for the day downstairs in the living room with James besides her. The small girl eagerly ran up to her climbing into her lap still being a little on edge when James ran his hand through his hair.

"What are you guys doing down here so early? I would've thought you were still asleep?"

"We just wanted to have a talk, that's all." James said looking at Lain with a smile, "and thanks for letting me spend the night. It feels like old times, hm, when you guys would come stay at our dads place."

"Yeah..." she muttered being in the middle of another terrible memory, "anyways I'm going to start on breakfast. Be good Kaila."

Almost as if she had ignored the taller woman, Kaila just leant into Nina's arms melting into the soft hold she had on her. Under his breathe the two women could hear James awe at the sight in front of him. At this point Kaila was becoming more accustomed to people cooing down at her, but Nina was taken back by the sound.

He cleared his throat seeing the surprised look on her face. "Can...can I hold her?" He asked suddenly catching Kaila's attention. She trusted Nina and her judgement, but she still felt scared to be left on such a vulnerable position with someone new.

Checking down to see Kaila's nervous expression Nina just shook her head no. "Until she's more used to you I think it's best I keep a hold of her."

James nodded in agreement. "What do you think? Is your Uncle James still scary?" Nina talked down to Kaila who was anxiously playing with her fingers.

"I think that says enough. Hopefully you warm up to me at some point." James poked Kaila's feet making her squirm in Nina's arms laughing slightly. She gave him a glare to which he devilishly threatened to poke her feet again. Not daring to give up her stare his hands came in contact with her feet again. Only this time, unlike a light poke, he was having a full tickle attack on her.

Kaila was cracking up in laughter wiggling and trying to escape Nina's hold, but the taller woman betrayed her. Only tightening her grip on her body with one arm, and using the other to help in the attack.

"Stop!" She tried yelling at them through her laughs, finally they declared their victory and ceased their fun.

Seeing the opportunity Kaila crawled out of Nina's arms running around the living room as she played with the new couple. Once breakfast was prepared and plated everyone except Mallix enjoyed the small meal.

Looking to see her husband was gone for more than three hours Lain grew wary. "Keep an eye on her please, I'm going to go check on Mallix." She asked of the couple who Kaila was sitting besides watching movies with.

Upstairs in his office Lain knocked on the door entering into his madness. He was face deep staring into his computer, holding his phone up to his ear with one hand and surfing the web with the other. "Babe?"

He didn't answer but waved her in. She sat him upright taking a seat on his leg rubbing his tense shoulders. She peaked over looking at his computer screen seeing the progress his research on the Fendly's and Michaels were getting. She could barely make out what Alex was saying over the phone but she could pick up pieces given Mallix's answers.

"What? No, that was Lain walking in...I don't care I'm more interested in how they do it?...I have to wait again?!...alright fine I'll hold." He annoyingly placed his phone down on the table for a brief second of soundless bliss.

"How's it going?"

"Slow, Alex was able to fill me in on a few details but it's been a long time since he's been in the game himself. And he says things are constantly changing to keep them hidden, so he's having to do some old contacting and digging to find things out."

"Did you find anything else out on Lauren's family?"

"Yeah, apparently back maybe a thirty or so years ago. Way before Kaila was born, the Michaels used to buy their pills off from the Fendly's, but then money got scarce and they grew a rather large debt. Once the Michaels found out about Lauren, and that she attended the same school as Kaila, they used her to help with some of that debt. Every time they paid her to be friends with Kaila, they also managed to manipulate her young mind to get her parents to lighten their debt. Now that those payments have stopped though there's word going around the Cave that something's brewing in the Fendly family to collect their money. That's what I'm waiting on Alex to ask around for."

"What's all this got to do with Kaila? It seems more like her parents fault."

He looked down nervous to tell his wife. Taking in a second of silence he spoke, "there's rumors of them going after Kaila to get back at them."

Lain stumbled off his leg nearly falling in sheer panic. "What! There going to use Kaila as bait! That's not fair this doesn't concern her, she didn't do anything!"

"I know, but it's just a rumor. Alex said he doubts this is what will happen but it was a precaution that we should keep an eye out for. By the way, how's she doing?"

"She's fine, she's just relaxing downstairs with Nina and James. I swear she seems to bring the good out of people, I never thought I'd see James around her like he is."

"I'm glad she's enjoying having company around, we could use all the help we could get if this is the mess we have on our hands."

After hearing a loud thud over the phone Mallix quickly put the phone to his ear. Lain watched unaware of what was being spoken. Mallix simply mumbled in agreement as he listened before he spoke, "alright thanks for everything Alex." Putting the phone back down onto the desk, Mallix stood up walking to his wife.

"He said nobody he talked to knew anything more to the story. We're just going to have to wait while he calls in some favors for us."

The couple stood in their conjoined office hoping that things will be alright in the end.
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Let me know what you think. Thanks Lexx signing off