One Hundred And One Sleepless Nights

When you almost declare your love for a man that has just gotten engaged to Hitlers second cousins once removed parrot you tend to get a little delusional. Saying that I'm a little delusional most days. But I have come for therapy. There's only one person that will calm me down when I'm like this. The same person I told about my pregnancy first.
I pulled up outside Austin and Jemma's. I got out and walked up their pathway. Austin was already waiting for me and opened the door. He grinned at me and frowned when he saw my face he always can see through me the quickest.
"Is Alex okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, she's fine. She's with Mike and Vic and her before we leave for Christmas today." I explained.
"Her?" Austin asked, letting me inside.
"Yes." I huffed, following him to the sitting room. Austin sat on the couch and I sat next to him. "Vic's got engaged." I sighed tiredly.
"What?!" Austin exclaimed. "Who too?"
"Some German chick. Some bird. A stupid parrot whore." I rushed.
"Parrot?" he echoed.
"Her name is Polly." I explained.
"Oh, that makes more sense," he nodded. "But why has he got engaged? How?"
"When he was touring in Germany he met her. Apparently they're in love and she's moved back here."
"And he never met her before?" he asked and I shook my head. "Isn't that a little extreme?" Austin asked. The man who once ate Jemma's entire body weight in Hershey's chocolate because they had a fall out.
"I was going to tell him, Austin. Really I was. But then he has to come along and her stupid face has to fly in and take him away."
"She's not taking him away, Zee." he said gently.
"What do I even do?" I asked desperately. Austin opened his arms for me and hugged his middle.
"There's nothing you can. It's not like you can split them up." Now there's an idea. "Zee," he said. Before I even had chance to put together any plans he added, "No."
"Fine." I grumbled.
"All you can do is show him you. The amazing mother you are. If things are meant to be they're meant to be."
"If that was true Jemma would be with Oli now." I said, and I immediately regret it. The Oli fiasco is still a sore subject even five and a half years down the line.
"What do you want me to do?" Austin asked. I almost considered replying 'kidnap the parrot and take her back to Germany, but don't forget to tie her up she might be a homing bird'. Almost.
"There's nothing you can," I sighed. "I think I just needed to tell someone." I explained.
"You're not going?" he frowned.
"I have to pick Alex up. Then we have to drive all the way to moms."
"When did we both get so adult?" he groaned.
"We?" I echoed. "You didn't. I got adult. When you're not on tour you're like a moody teenager, and you dress just about as well as when Kate was going through her emo phase."
"Kate went through an emo phase?" Austin raised his eyebrows.
"Yeah, there was a lot of black eyeliner, frowning and My Chemical Romance." I shrugged.
"I'll remember to mention it next time I see her." he smiled. Oh no, she'll kill me.
I get up to leave and Austin follows me. When I reached the door Austin pulled me into a hug. I smiled and he squeezed me. "Drive safe." he told me.
"Will do." I said and reached to kiss his cheek.
I went to my car and started driving to Vic's apartment. Whenever I come here I get a strange sense of nostalgia. I find it hard to believe I used to be here too. I lived here for so long. Now there's some other whore face here. She's there eating his food and sleeping in his bed. If she's mothering his child I might have to shoot her, I'm just not sure I'll be able to wait until hunting season.
When I arrived I made my way inside. I still have a key and Vic hadn't changed the locks yet so he can't mind much. I went to his apartment and knocked. I'm half hoping Vic will answer and half hoping his new toy will answer. Do I sound like a bitch? Probably. Do I care? Not in the slightest.
"Hi Zee." Vic grinned when he opened the door.
"Hello." I smiled. He let me inside and I saw Alex sat at the table finishing off her lunch. I noticed she was mostly pushing it around her plate. I saw a jar of sweets on the counter and widened my eyes at Vic.
"A present for my mom. She has a sweet tooth." Vic hurried to explain.
"Good, you know what happens when she eats that junk."
"I do, Zee. I haven't given her anything." Vic assured me.
"Alex go and get your bag, love. We need to go to Nana Kristen and Granddad David's before Cope opens all your presents." I urged her.
"I can't let her!" Alex declared and ran off into the room she has here, which actually used to be my room at one time.
I lean up against the counter casually, examining my nails. "So, where's the new girl?" I can't help but ask.
"Girl?" he asked. "She's older than me, Zee." Great, he's engaged to a pensioner.
"How much?" I enquired.
"Five years."
"Five!" I gasped. "She's forty!"
"What's wrong with that?" he asked defensively.
"Nothing, I just had you down as more of a cradle robber." I shrugged.
"I knew you weren't alright about this! God, Zee. You can't talk about this like an adult, you have to start all this."
"So, where is she?" I asked, completely ignoring him.
"She's buying some crackers."
"Sounds about right." I said under my breath and giggled.
Before Vic could say anything the door opened. We both looked over and I finally laid eyes on her. To say I'm shocked is an understatement. She is me. I don't mean literally, but she looks so similar to me. She's petite just like me and not too tall. Her hair is dark and bobbed just like mine was after I had Alex. But her eyes are a chill blue and I'd like to think she's fatter than me.
"Hello, I'm Polly." she introduced herself brightly. There goes the illusion, how can Vic stand that accent? She puts her hand out to me and I grudgingly shake it.
"I'm Zandra." I replied, not very warmly.
"Nice to meet you."
"Yeah." I said, not hiding my disinterest.
Now she's looking me up and down and evaluating me. I know this because I do it too. Not only does she look like me but she has my personality and traits too.
"Daddy!" Alex yelled, running in and breaking the tension.
"What's up, Princess?" Vic asked her, picking her up. He set her on his hip and she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek affectionately.
"Can I have a cat baby for Christmas?" she asked sweetly.
"You mean a kitten?" I asked and she nodded her little head eagerly.
"I can't. Polly is allergic to cats. I'm sorry, baby." Vic told her.
"Why?" Alex pouted.
"If we had a kitten I'd have to go home." Polly says and laughs. Now there's an idea. If I get a cat then she won't be able to come to my apartment.
"No kitten. That isn't fair." I said.
"Yeah!" Alex agreed.
Vic kissed her and tickled her as he hugged her. Then he set Alex down. She ran to my side and took my hand. "Ready?" I asked her. She nodded and grinned up at me.
"I'll get all her presents from Mike, my parents and us and put them in your car." Vic said. He disappeared and so did I before I was left alone with Polly the Parrot.
I took Alex outside and strapped her in her booster seat. Vic put all the presents in the trunk of my car and went to Alex. He kissed her cheek one more time before he turned to me.
"I'm taking her to Mom's when you get back." Vic explained.
"Okay, do tell Vivian I said hello." I mocked. Vic didn't say anything, he was used to my mocking where she was concerned.
Vivian and I have never seen eye to eye. Mainly because she takes Vic's side when he's wrong, blamed me for us breaking up and criticised my parenting skills because I disapproved over her letting Alex try Guinness on St Patricks Day.
"Safe trip, I'll call Christmas morning." Vic said.
"Thanks." I mumbled and got into the car.
Vic waved us off and I saw Polly looking down from Vic's apartment. Peeper. I waited until I had just reached the freeway and I saw Alex drifting off to sleep before I called Kate. I rang a few times before she picked up.
"Hey Zee!" Kate said brightly.
"You need to help me!" I said.
"Are you on your way?"
"Yeah, I'm coming now." I confirmed.
"So what do you need?" she asked.
"You have to get me a kitten!" I told her urgently.

Notes

Hey! What did you think? Do you like it so far? And do you hate Polly or like her? I planned out this entire story today, 37 glorious chapters! Warning, this story will be much more adult than the first, but that's because Zee's problems are much more adult. But don't worry, her way of dealing with them will forever be that of a thirteen year old girl. Any ideas? :)