"Knock knock." I look away from my computer screen as Caroline enters my office.

"Hey, what's up?"

She shakes her head saying nothing and sits down on the couch facing the window. One thing I learned is that Caroline never has nothing to talk about. I do appreciate her work ethic among other things, but she is the gossip queen on our floor. She knows more than she lets on. I go back to typing, leaving her be for once. I suppose she just wants to relax and nothing more. She sighs once and I ignore it. Her third or it could be the fourth one I knew she wanted to tell me something.

"What do you want to say? I know you have something that's eating at you. Just tell me already." I roll my chair slightly so I can see her. "Come on Caroline. Spill. The. Tea."

With that, she jumps up off the couch rushing to my desk. "I thought you would never say those three magical words. Get ready to be blown away. Darren went to the gym." She says taking a dramatic pause and I'm not at all sure why him going to the gym is such a huge thing. The look on my face must have said it all because she clears her throat, rolling her eyes. "Judy is a well-known personal trainer..."

"Okay, and what does that have to do with anything. A lot of people work out with personal trainers. Caroline just go back to work." I roll my chair back in front of my computer screen. Caroline has to be out of her fucking mind.

"I said the personal trainer's name is Judy. Like Juju from their college days. Does that name not ring a bell?" She moves my computer screen slightly.

"It doesn't. So how about you elaborate? I'm sure this person must be someone worth knowing if you came to spill this tea." I smile at her sarcastically. "So come on tell me."

"So Juju would have been Everett's wife because those two were joined at the hip throughout college and then—well something happened between her and Chase." Another pause for dramatic effect. "But nothing happened it was all some huge lie to get back at Everett. But something did happen with her and—"

"I don't want to hear it. So where is this gym?" I hear myself ask.

"That I don't know. It's like an exclusive gym. You wouldn't even know it's a gym I heard. The guys also don't talk about the location. I just know they go there often when they need to relieve stress." I know she is saying it this way to get me all worked up and guess what it's working. It's fucking working.

My phone rings ending this conversation.

"Good afternoon, Alise Alexander speaking."

"Chicaaaaaa!" I move the phone away from my ear.

"Cassie, why are you screaming?"

"Sorry, I've been day drinking."

"Day drinking? Why aren't you at work? Is everything okay?" Now I'm more than concerned. Cassie may be a free-spirited kind of lady, but day drinking during work hours. Something must be up. "Cassie?"

"Celebrating winning a case. I'm, not that far from your job. Care to join us? Wait... you cant. You're with child." She shouts once more.

"Yes, Yes I am. Well, do you need me to pick you up and take you home? I can call--"

"No worries. I will be fine. You know I can hold my liquor," her voice drops down to whisper. "I'm pretty much sober, you know me just putting on a show. I'm ready to get out of here, but these asses want to drink more. So I'll stick around for a few more rounds then I'm heading to the mall."

"Jeez, Cassie. You had me concerned. I thought you were drunk." I sigh.

"Sorry babe. Look I'll call you once I leave here. Another round of whatever the fuck this is...it's coming. Later babe."

The phone call ended before I could say bye.

"Sounds like Cassie is my kind of lady. We should all go out drinking when you're no longer with child." She adds with a smile. "Anyway back to what I was saying."

I listen to Caroline talk about this Judy character and slowly I was begin to get jealous. I know I have no reason to be. One I told Darren I didn't want to be with him and two he isn't my man--just my child's father. Yet, I can't help but feel some type of way. Maybe, I should just head over to his office. Maybe he didn't leave just yet.

"Sorry to cut this short, but I just remembered I need to take something to Darren." I grab some random folder off my desk, standing up.

"You would be disappointed because he isn't there. I can take it though." She sticks out her hand and I shake my head no.

"I got it," I say, but now I will look crazy just leaving some random file on his desk. I walk out of the office and bump right into Avery and Amara. I look around for either Mr. Tucker or Charlotte and neither one is in sight. "Girls."

"Hi, Aunty Alsie," they say in unison.

"Aunty?" Caroline whispers behind her. "You're fitting right in with the Croakington gang."

I ignore Caroline's comment and focus on these two little beauties in front of me. "Where are your parents? Is your mom around?"

Avery and Amara walk around me and into my office like they own the place. Well, I guess technically you could say they did. One of the twins takes a seat on the couch while the other one went around my desk and took a seat. These two seven-year-olds are something else. I wish I could identify who is who, but I only spent a few hours with them weeks ago so I haven't established which one is which yet.

"Amara, you shouldn't be back there, touching things," Caroline says. I look over at her and she winks at me. "Amara is sassier than Avery. Amara also has more doe-like eyes while Avery has a very prominent almond shape." She tells me. It is like she knew what I was thinking. "You'll get used to it. Just wait until you meet their oldest son. He is only fourteen, but he is a no-nonsense boy. He is like a mini CEO for sure he will take over the company when he comes of age." she whispers.

"Aunty Alsie, do you have a problem with me sitting at your desk?"

I look back at her. "I don't have a problem, but you can't touch things on my desk. Actually, come sit on the couch next to your sister." I look at Caroline. "Can you go see where their parents are?"

"Aunty Caroline?" I look over at Amara confused. Why would she be calling her that?

"Aunty Caroline?" I repeat.

"Caroline likes our Uncle Miguel. I won't call her aunty until Uncle Miguel says so. But I don't think he will because he had another lady come out to our dinner one time. Caroline hasn't come to any." My head whips back to the door and I see a mini Mr. Tucker standing in my office doorframe. This must be the oldest son. "Avery and Amara let's go. Dad is fuming that you two are playing around the building again."

"Nice to see you too Casper," Caroline says through gritted teeth.

"The joke is getting old." He states. "One day I'll be running this business and you better hope you--matter of fact I think retirement is coming for you soon isn't it."

"You little sh--"

"Aunty Alsie, I do apologize for my sisters intruding into your space. I will be taking them now. Let's go you two." he smiles politely at her before giving his sisters a stern look.

What the hell is going on? I have stayed over at Charlotte's house and had dinner there once or twice, but never seen their son. Could he not be Charlotte's kid?

"Umm, it's okay. They weren't a problem." why am I nervous? He is a fucking kid. "Girls you can stop by anytime, just let your parents know beforehand," I tell him. Avery walks out first sticking her tongue out at Casper--is that even his name. While Amara punches him in the stomach and takes off running. I can hear her laughing fading off in the distance as her brother chases after them.

"I can't stand that little shithead." Caroline huffs. "If I could beat up a kid and get away with it I would."

"What the hell just happened?" I go back to my desk taking a seat.

"Henry can be a bit much. He has made me his sworn enemy because I turned him down when he asked to marry me when he was ten. I use to babysit that little snot-nose shithead. he was smitten by me when I told him one day I would marry his Uncle Miguel, and one day he would find someone his age when he grow up to marry. He didn't take it well and here we are."

"Ahhh you broke his little heart." I chuckle. I relax knowing it wasn't anything crazy. "So why do you call him Casper if his name is Henry."

"That boy is like a damn ghost just appearing out of nowhere. I use to call him that when I babysat him. So now and then I would call him that."

"This is my first time seeing him. Why is he never at home? Is that Charlotte's kid?" I just have so many questions.

"Yeah, that's her kid. He goes to a boarding school in California now. He is on a school break so you'll see him around more. He literally walks around this building as if he is the CEO. Just be careful what you do for the next two weeks because when I say he is like Casper--he is like Casper." she pauses. "I need to make a trip to Miguel's floor and see if what Henry said was true. See you later." she closes my office door.

I glance down at the folder on my desk, shaking my head. Maybe I shouldn't be jealous of what Darren is doing and who he is doing it with. We aren't together and I made it very clear I didn't want to be with him.