Perfect Scandal

Chapter 9

Christmas morning came with a soft golden light spilling through the windows of Alistair’s apartment. The festive chaos of the night before had settled, leaving the room quieter but still warm with the faint hum of the season. Alistair stirred first, glancing over to see Riley still fast asleep on the couch. The baby, nestled in her makeshift crib, cooed softly, stretching her tiny arms as if welcoming the new day.

Alistair yawned and sat up, running a hand through his tousled hair. He wasn’t much for Christmas mornings, especially in recent years. Most of his holidays were spent on film sets, at parties, or traveling. The idea of waking up to something this simple—a couch, a baby, and an unexpectedly complex neighbor—felt oddly grounding.

Riley stirred not long after, her eyes blinking against the sunlight. She sat up slowly, glancing at the baby, who now seemed wide awake and ready for attention.

“Morning,” Alistair greeted her, his voice still groggy.

“Morning,” Riley replied, her tone subdued. She stretched her arms, then glanced toward the clock. “Guess it’s Christmas.”

“Guess so,” Alistair echoed, a small smirk playing on his lips. “No grand plans today?”

She shook her head. “Christmas isn’t really... a thing for me anymore.”

“Yeah, me neither,” Alistair admitted, though his gaze lingered on the baby. “But I guess things are a little different now, huh?”

Riley followed his gaze and felt a strange tug in her chest. She knew she shouldn’t feel attached. This wasn’t her life, and it certainly wasn’t her responsibility. But there was something about the baby’s soft coos and the way Alistair’s usually carefree demeanor softened in her presence that made Riley hesitate.

“I should probably head back to my apartment,” she said suddenly, standing and brushing her hands against her sweatshirt.

Alistair looked up, surprised. “You’re leaving? On Christmas?”

Riley nodded, avoiding his gaze. “I’ve got things to do.”

---

Alistair leaned back against the couch, watching as Riley gathered her things. He didn’t try to stop her, though he couldn’t help the pang of disappointment that settled in his chest.

“You sure?” he asked, his tone light despite the heaviness he felt.

“Yeah,” Riley said firmly. “It’s better this way. I’ve got... commitments.”

Alistair raised an eyebrow. “To what? Silence and solitude?”

Riley shot him a look, but there was no real bite in it. “I just need to go, okay? This isn’t my... scene.”

“Right,” Alistair said, standing and walking her to the door. “Well, Merry Christmas, Riley.”

She paused at the doorway, glancing back at the baby, who was now happily gurgling in her crib. “Merry Christmas, Alistair.”

And then she was gone.

---

Riley stepped into her own apartment, closing the door behind her with a soft click. The silence hit her immediately, a stark contrast to the warmth and noise of Alistair’s place. She dropped her keys on the counter and sank onto her couch, her eyes wandering around the room.

It felt colder, lonelier than she remembered.

She told herself this was what she wanted. This was the path she’d chosen—detachment, simplicity, and eventually, the peace of a life devoted to something greater than herself. But now, with the echoes of a tiny baby’s laughter still fresh in her mind, it all felt... hollow.

Riley tried to distract herself, picking up a book and flipping through the pages. She made a half-hearted attempt to recite the prayers she’d been memorizing, but the words felt distant and meaningless.

Her thoughts kept drifting back to the baby.

And to Alistair.

Alistair, meanwhile, was finding it hard to shake the absence Riley had left behind. He’d told himself he didn’t care, that her abrupt departure was just part of her enigmatic charm. But as the day wore on, he found himself glancing at the door, half-expecting her to come back.

He spent the morning playing with the baby, trying to keep her entertained with toys he’d hastily found online and had delivered earlier in the week. But even her giggles couldn’t fully lift the weight in his chest.

“Guess it’s just you and me, kid,” he said softly, cradling her in his arms.

The baby blinked up at him, her tiny fingers curling around his thumb.

---

Back in her apartment, Riley paced the room, trying to shake the feeling of unease that had settled over her. She glanced at the clock. It wasn’t even noon yet, but the day stretched out endlessly before her.

She opened her fridge, hoping to find something to occupy her hands, but it was practically empty. With a sigh, she closed it again and leaned against the counter, her thoughts drifting back to the night before.

She thought about the way Alistair had laughed as he wrapped a can of beans, the way the baby’s eyes lit up when she held the stuffed toy Riley had given her.

And she thought about how, for the first time in years, she hadn’t felt alone.

---

Riley stared out the window, watching as snow began to fall softly over the city. She knew she’d made the right decision in leaving. Attachment was dangerous. It complicated things.

But as the minutes ticked by, she couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe, just this once, it was okay to complicate things.

Before she could overthink it, Riley grabbed her coat and headed out the door.

---

When Riley knocked on Alistair’s door, she half-expected him to be annoyed—or worse, indifferent. But when he opened the door, his expression shifted from surprise to something softer.

“Riley,” he said, stepping aside to let her in.

“I, uh...” She hesitated, unsure how to explain herself. “I thought maybe the baby could use some company. And... I guess I could too.”

Alistair’s smile widened. “Well, come on in. We were just about to watch some terrible Christmas movies.”

As she stepped into the warmth of his apartment, Riley felt a strange sense of relief. Maybe she didn’t have to figure everything out right now. Maybe, for today, it was enough just to be here.

The morning passed in a blur of laughter, bad movies, and the kind of easy camaraderie Riley hadn’t realized she’d been missing. They shared stories, joked about the absurdity of their situation, and even managed to cook a passable Christmas dinner together.

By the time the sun set, Riley felt lighter than she had in years.

As she watched Alistair rock the baby to sleep, his voice soft as he hummed a lullaby, she realized something she hadn’t let herself admit before.

For the first time in a long time, she felt like she belonged.

---

During the afternoon, Riley woke up to the sound of faint cooing. Her eyes fluttered open, and she was momentarily disoriented, unsure of where she was. The warm glow of sunlight streaming through the window brought her back to reality— she had a nap at Alistair’s apartment.

She sat up on the couch, stretching as the scent of coffee wafted through the air. Alistair was already up, holding the baby and pacing the room in a way that was almost soothing to watch.

“Good afternoon,” he greeted her with a grin, his voice soft so as not to startle the baby.

“Hi, Um.. I fell asleep ” Riley mumbled, running a hand through her hair. She still felt the warmth of the couch lingering in her chest, but now it was tinged with a bittersweet edge. This wasn’t her life, wasn’t her responsibility. And yet, it felt so natural.

Alistair walked over, placing the baby carefully in her crib before turning back to Riley. “I made coffee. Figured you might need it after today's Christmas extravaganza. Oh if you drink coffee in the afternoon.”

Riley smirked. “Extravaganza is a bit of a stretch, don’t you think?”

He shrugged. “Hey, for someone like me, that was pretty extravagant.”

---

As they sipped their coffee in silence, the weight of reality began to settle back in for Riley. She glanced at the baby, who was now happily kicking her legs in the crib.

“So,” she began, her tone hesitant. “What’s the plan now? With... her, I mean.”

Alistair leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. “I’ve been thinking about that. I mean, obviously, I’ll take care of her. But I still don’t know where she came from, or why someone left her with me.”

Riley nodded, chewing on her lip. “It’s not just about taking care of her, though. Babies need... everything. Stability, routine, love. Are you ready for that?”

“I don’t know,” Alistair admitted. “But I want to try. She didn’t ask for this, you know? She deserves better than being left on a stranger’s doorstep. But yeah, I have to keep her just until after the new year.”

His sincerity caught Riley off guard. For all his charm and humor, she hadn’t expected this level of earnestness from him.

“And what about you?” Alistair asked suddenly, his gaze piercing.

“What about me?”

“You’ve been here almost as much as I have since she showed up. Doesn’t that mean something?”

Riley looked away, her hands tightening around her coffee mug. “I was just helping. That’s all.”

“Is it?” Alistair pressed, leaning forward slightly. “Because I don’t think someone who’s just helping would stick around this much. And I definitely don’t think they’d spend Christmas with a guy they claim to hate.”

“I don’t hate you,” Riley muttered.

“What was that?” he teased, cupping a hand to his ear.

“I said I don’t hate you, okay? But this isn’t about me. It’s about her.” She gestured toward the baby, who was now sucking on her tiny fist.

Alistair studied her for a moment before nodding. “Fair enough.”

---

The rest of the day was a quiet dance of routine. Alistair changed the baby’s diaper with the kind of clumsy determination that made Riley bite back a smile. She found herself stepping in to help without thinking, guiding him through the process like she’d done it a hundred times before.

“You’re pretty good at this,” Alistair remarked as she expertly swaddled the baby.

“I’ve had some experience babysitting,” Riley admitted. “But it’s been a while.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” he said, grinning.

She rolled her eyes, but the compliment warmed her more than she wanted to admit.

---

They managed to scrape together a makeshift afternoon snack from Alistair’s sparse pantry—toast, scrambled eggs, and some leftover fruit from the Christmas dinner.

“So,” Riley said between bites, “what’s your next move?”

“You mean besides mastering the fine art of diaper changing?” Alistair quipped.

Riley gave him a pointed look.

“Alright, alright,” he said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “I’ve been thinking about contacting someone—maybe a social worker or an attorney. Someone who can help figure out where she came from.”

Riley nodded. “That’s a good idea. But what if they suggest taking her away?”

Alistair’s expression darkened slightly. “I’ve thought about that too. And I get it—if there’s family out there who can take care of her, she deserves to be with them. But... I don’t know. The idea of handing her over to strangers just doesn’t sit right with me.”

Riley was surprised by the protectiveness in his voice. “You’ve gotten attached.”

“Can you blame me?” he asked, gesturing toward the baby. “Look at her. How could anyone not get attached?”

Riley didn’t answer, but she understood exactly what he meant.

---

As the day wore on, Riley found herself lingering longer than she’d planned. She told herself she was just there to help, that she’d leave once things settled down. But the truth was, she wasn’t ready to go back to her empty apartment.

By the late afternoon, Alistair turned to her with a thoughtful expression. “You know, I could use some help with this whole... baby situation. At least until I figure out the next steps.”

Riley raised an eyebrow. “Are you asking me to be your babysitter?”

“I’m asking you to be my sanity,” he replied, grinning. “Come on, Riley. You’re good at this. And besides, you’re not doing anything else, right?”

She opened her mouth to argue but stopped herself. He wasn’t wrong.

“Fine,” she said finally. “But just until you figure things out. Don’t think this means I’m signing up to be a permanent nanny or anything.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Alistair said, his grin widening.

---

As the day turned to evening, Riley found herself reflecting on how much had changed in such a short time. She hadn’t expected to spend Christmas with anyone, let alone Alistair and a baby. But despite her initial reservations, she couldn’t deny that it had been... nice.

More than nice, even.

For the first time in years, she didn’t feel so alone.

As she rocked the baby to sleep that night, she felt a strange sense of peace settle over her. Maybe this wasn’t the life she’d planned for herself, but for now, it felt right.

And maybe, just maybe, that was enough.