Status: Completed- 18/09/2016

Take Good Care of My Baby

Chapter 61- One Baby Step Forward and Three Backwards

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Pepe asked Cristiano as they walk towards the cars after training. "Nothing" Cristiano shrugged. "So you miss easy shots everyday then" Pepe said. "What are you talking about?" Cristiano asked.

"You missed two sitters today. You might as well have been at home then here, the use you were" Pepe said. "I'm not wanted at home either" Cristiano mumbled. "Ok start talking. We have a game in Paris in a couple of days and we need you concentrating on what's happening on the pitch not off it. You've been a pain in the ass all week" Pepe said.

"No I haven't" was the reply he got. "Well if you've been like this at home, I'm suprised Molly hasn't killed you yet" Pepe joked. "Will you stop talking about her. If it's not you, then it's Ramos" Cristiano snapped.

"At least Higuian hasn't utter a word about her since the other day. Now I take it Molly is the problem" Pepe said.
"Molly is always the problem" Cristiano muttered. "Cris" Pepe said. "I'm just tired mate. Ok. I'm fine. Molly is fine. Everyone is fine. Ok. I'll see you later" Cristiano said opening his car door.

Everyone was fine. Not that he really knew. Ever since Molly had stormed out of the office last week, things between Cristiano and Molly had been more than awkawrd. She had only just stopped walking out the room if he entered it. Had he really acted sleazy around her? They had stopped talking. And Dolores had even started to ask if there was something wrong. Now Pepe had noticed.

Jezz he needed to get a grip, Cristiano thought. "I'm a complication" she had said when he told them that they were friends. Did she really think that? She had been so angry and even disgusted at him.

He paused at the sight of her sitting on the stool in the kitchen. They lived in the same house. They could hardly keep ignoring each other. She spends more time with his son than anybody. This was ridiculous he thought as he walked further into the room.

"Hi" he muttered as he headed to the fridge. He didn't get a reply and he slammed the door shut. "Damn it Molly, can we please just be at least some what civil to each other. Everyone is starting to notice that there's a problem between us" he said turning to see her head bowed down.

"It won't kill you to say hi to me" he said and she didn't say anything. He was annoyed now and was about to yell at her when he notice something along her cheek. He looked closer and shook his head when he realized that she had earphones in. He walked closer to her and flicked one of the ear buds out.

Molly jumped in her seat and let out a scream. "Oh lord you scared the shit out of me" she said panting as she moved to pick the pencil that had fallen from her hand onto the floor.

"I was just saying hi. I...I thought you were ignoring me" he said. "Hi" she mumbled hopping back onto the stool. "What are you drawing?" he asked trying to peak before she covered the page with a newspaper.

"I'm just waiting for your mother. She wants to go for a walk. Have a feeling she wants to get me alone" Molly said. "She cornered me this morning" he said. "You'd think I'd be used to the are you alright Molly chats but instead they just- piss you off" he finished and she nodded. "Keep you ear buds in" he said. "Like she'll leave me get away with that" Molly said and he laughed.

"Look Junior. Papa is laughing with Molly. Have I walked into the past?" Dolores joked as she came into the room. "Funny Maé" Cristiano said taking his son. "There's nothing wrong Dolores" Molly said not wanting to discuss why she and Cristiano had been avoiding each other the past few days. "And you're fat" Dolores said. "I'm going to get my sneakers" Molly sighed hopping of the stool.

"Just leave it Maé" Cristiano said once she had gone. "You two have barely spoken to each other over the past few days" Dolores said. "What were we doing when you came in?" Cristiano asked. "Ronaldo" Dolores said. "Maé just leave her alone. I'll fix it ok" Cristiano said. "So there is something to fix?" Dolores asked. "Maé" he groaned. "It's not just Molly who has been miserable lately" Dolores said. "She's being miserable?" he asked. "Well more quiet. You've been miserable enough for the both of you" Dolores said. "I'm not miserable" he mumbled. "Fix whatever is the problem Ronaldo" Dolores said.

"You ready to go?" Molly asked Dolores when she came back into the room. "I think a short stroll is best" Dolores said. "Ok" Molly nodded. "Enjoy" Cristiano said to them as he fixed Junior in his arms as he started to cry. "I can settle him" Molly said. "Cristiano is well able to. You've been watching Junior all day. Let his papa do something. Let's go" Dolores said walking into the hall. "He's fine Mol..Molly" he said nearly calling her Mols before remembering she told him not to.

"I know he's fine with you. I just don't want to go on this walk" Molly sighed. "At least it's short" he said. "Molly" Dolores shouted. "On my way" she called out. "Molly" Cristiano said and she turned to face him. "The walk won't be so bad. Especially if someone has a bowl of ice cream waiting for you once you come back" he smiled. "Well isn't Junior such a good boy. Maybe he could have a selection of ice cream in the bowl" she said and he rolled his eyes as she left the room.

"Baby steps huh" he mumbled to his son. He looked over to where Molly had been sitting and moved to where she had sat and lifted the newspaper that covered the piece of paper she had be scribbling on when he had come in. A tiny picture of the Eiffel Tower was in the corner. He knew she hadn't been drawing. In fact it was suspected she hadn't even attempted to paint or draw since Junior arrived.

A lot had changed since Junior arrived, Cristiano thought looking at his son. He hadn't stopped thinking about everything she had yelled at him. Well she had yelled at him quite a bit in the last few months. He hadn't been pulling his wait when it came to Junior but that had changed. He had made sure that Irina stopped treating Molly like her skivvy. Not that Irina and Molly had been around each other since the day of the pool incident.

But the way she had told him only her friends call her Mols. The way she spoke of herself being a complication. Things between them had been great since the pool incident or so he had thought. How could he have acted like such a sleaze towards her.

And then there was the conversation he had overheard with her friend.

"Urgh" he muttered and pulled his phone from his jeans. "Hey Jorge, I need you to do something for me" he said walking to the couch.

"I bet you don't miss the English weather" Dolores said to Molly as the walked slowly away from Cristiano's house. "When it's all you know it's not so bad" Molly replied. The walked in silence and Molly waited for Dolores to ask what was the problem between her and Cristiano. People would have to be stupid not to have noticed something was the problem.

Molly had been so angry and annoyed with him after she told him to stop with all his comments that she couldn't even stand to be in the same room as him days after. The silly thing for Molly was that she didn't mind been around Cristiano only for his comments and certain things he would do. A far cry from when she first met him.

"Molly" Dolores said and she looked at the older woman. "Ya" she said. "Your phone" Dolores said. "Oh ya" Molly said having not heard the phone ringing in her pocket. By the time she had it in her hand, the ringing had stopped and Molly frowned at the name on the screen. "Tom". "Anyone important?" Dolores asked. "Just someone I used to work with" Molly replied. A text came through on her phone. “Thought I saw you Dad in the bar last night. You said you wanted to know, T” it read. “Molly are you ok?” Dolores asked. “I don’t feel like going for a walk Dolores. Sorry. I’m going to go back to the house” Molly said. “Ok” Dolores said and watched as Molly walked back towards the house.

Molly walked slowly back to the house mentally kicking herself for thinking her Dad might have actually stopped drinking. She slammed the door shut and headed for the stairs. “That was a quick walk” Cristiano said looking up from where he sat on the floor with Junior. “I didn't feel like a walk anymore” Molly said as she headed to the stairs. “Molly stop” he called out. “I’m going to my room” she said.

“Did Maé say something?” he asked. “No” she said. “Molly” he said and she sighed and turned to face him. “She didn't Ronaldo. Which is odd actually” she said. “What’s bothering you then?” he asked. “Nothing” she said. “You’re biting the inside of your cheek. You know I know what that means” he smiled. “Ronaldo” she said. “If it’s me, I can leave. You can stay with Junior” he said.

“It’s not you” she said. “Then come play with us” he said. “What are you two doing?” she asked walking towards them on the floor. “Watching cartoons” Cristiano said. “So you’re watching cartoons whilst Junior sits in your lap complety unaware how childish his papa is being” she said. “Sounds about right” Cristiano grinned and she rolled her eyes at him.

“So” he said. “Urgh. I got a text from a guy- “What guy?” he asked interrupting her. “If you would let me finish. A guy I used to work with. He said he thought he saw my dad at the bar” she said. “Oh” Cristiano said. “I asked him to let me know if he saw either of my parents. I haven’t heard anything from them in a while” Molly said.

“You never said” he said and she shrugged. “I never asked either” he said. “Why would you?” she said resting her back against the couch. “Molly your friend said he thought he saw your Dad. That doesn't mean it was him. I would be surprised if it was him” Cristiano said. “Why?” Molly asked. “I'm sure your parents will be in touch soon” he said. “I just want to know that they are ok” she said. “I know” he said.

“So all you can think of is watching cartoons with him?” Molly asked. “He’s too small to do anything else. Oh I can’t wait for him to walk and talk” Cristiano groaned making Molly laugh. “Well considering he is only five months old, you’re going to be waiting a while longer for that” she said.

“Babies can be so boring” Cristiano said. “You sound like Rodrigo” Molly pointed out. “I just can’t do much with him” he said. “Just enjoy being with him” Molly said. “I do. I even like bath time” he said. “You are good at that” she said. “Did Molly just give me a complement Junior?” Cristiano smirked.

“You know you will spend his first year wishing for him to walk and talk and the rest of his life wishing for him to stop running around and talking” Molly said. “Ah but he will have you running around after him all day and be tired when I come home” he smiled and she her finger paused on Juniors hand.

She knew that wouldn't be the case.

“He’ll tire us all out if he takes after me in speed” he said. “As long as he doesn't get your brains” she said. “Well we better hope he doesn't get your mouth so” he said.

“You should put some music on. He likes that” Molly said standing. “Molly I didn’t mean- I’ll be upstairs” she said and he watched her leave.

“One baby step forward and three backwards” he mumbled. “I really do hope you don’t get my brains Junior” he said placing a kiss on his son’s head.
♠ ♠ ♠
Should she have kept ignoring him? Has he got the message to back off?

Thanks to ak9_sh,realmadrid0bsessed , and Lurossoni for their comments.