by Beth Rinyu
“Who would have thought?” My mother replied with a smile.
“Well, I can certainly say I’m glad that things turned out this way,” my dad said, taking a sip of his coffee.
“And, I can certainly say that I am the happiest girl alive right now. I got my cutie pie and another one on the way.” I gave myself a pat on the belly and rested my head on Cam’s shoulder.
“You’re getting old, Alec. Two grandkids within a year,” my mother teased.
I was smiling on the inside, seeing these two getting along so well. “Hey, you’re right there with me.” He joked back.
For the first time in a long time, I felt completely content. Sitting across the table staring at my mother and father together made me happy. Even though they were both re-married and were totally happy with their life now, there was just something about knowing that they would always be there for me, forming a united front if I needed them.
I had mostly all of my stuff moved out to Cam’s. My wedding plans were right on target and I was having my first sonogram just two days from now. There was nothing that could break my spirits today.
My father’s eyes shifted to the door and the smile that was just on his face disappeared. My mother looked over at him, seemingly seeing his look of displeasure and creased her eyebrows in confusion. He cleared his throat and adjusted his tie, never moving his eyes or changing the stern demeanor on his face.
“Dad is everything –” I turned around and wished I hadn’t when I saw Jasper and his daughter taking a seat two tables over. Turning back around, I widened my eyes at my father, hoping he’d get the message I was trying to convey which was: Please don’t say anything to Mom or Cam. I was over him. I said everything that needed to be said the day I ran into him at the restaurant, but I knew that just because I was over it, it didn’t mean my father was. What had I been thinking when I had suggested this place? I knew that Jasper frequented it quite often.
“Everything okay?” My mother asked, taking one last sip of her coffee.
My father looked at me and then nodded. The last thing I wanted was for my mother to make a scene by confronting Jasper. I just wanted to slip out of there unnoticed and hopefully never lay eyes on Jasper Campbell again. My stomach fluttered as we got up to leave, and suddenly, it was if all the stars were aligning properly when Cam’s phone rang with the call from his agent that he’d been waiting for and my mother decided to hit the ladies room. Cam walked out ahead of us to get better service on his phone, and my mother was planning on meeting us outside when she was done. Just enough time to make a clean getaway out of there.
I looked at my dad and let out a deep breath. “Come on,” he whispered, placing his hand on the small of my back and guiding me through the maze of tables. I stared straight ahead at the exit that was only a few feet away but seemed like miles instead.
“Alec?” Jasper summoned as we just made it past his table. He did a double take when he saw me on the other side of my Dad, and if I had to guess, I was thinking that he was regretting his decision to even acknowledge my father. My father reached down and grabbed my hand while I continued to stare down at the ground.
“You know, I can’t even believe you have the audacity to speak to me after what you did to my daughter.” I lifted my head just in time to see the stunned expression on Jasper’s face. “Yeah, she told me everything, and I will afford you the respect of not telling you what I really think about you in front of your daughter. It’s just a shame that you didn’t have the same respect for mine.” I let out a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling, trying to pull my father away.
Jasper nervously cleared his throat, and I was praying he wouldn’t respond. I was two feet from making a clean getaway without my mother or Cam knowing anything about this. My stomach began to churn as I eyed up the door to the ladies’ room, hoping that my mother wouldn’t be coming out anytime soon.
“I apologized to Gia for what happened.”
“Dad, really….it’s fine. Can we – can we just go?”
He completely ignored me. “Well, how very considerate of you. Does that allow you to sleep better at night? Because you apologized to her? Let me ask you something, how would you feel if someone did that to your daughter?” Jasper was silent, looking down at the table while I chewed on my bottom lip until it was almost numb and felt myself breaking out into a cold sweat. “Yeah, I thought as much,” my father replied for him. “She wasn’t one of your business deals gone bad. She’s a human being with feelings, so think about that the next time you put your own needs first. And just remember someday some jerk may do the same thing to your daughter….and maybe you’ll be fortunate enough to be able to pop the bastard in his face like I want to do so badly right now. But out of respect for my daughter and yours, I won’t.”
“Alec, what’s going on?” I lifted my head to find my mother only a few feet away. She looked at Jasper in confusion, then focused a sympathetic gaze upon me.
I pulled on my dad’s arm and was happy when I finally felt him budge as I fought with the tears that were burning my eyes. In that moment, I hated Jasper all over again, realizing that he had not only hurt me with his actions but my father as well. I breathed a sigh of relief when we stepped outside. The cold December air on my face felt warm and welcoming compared to the atmosphere inside just a few moments ago. I looked over at Cam who was still deep in conversation with his phone call and then turned my attention to my mom and dad.
“Was that who I thought it was?” my mother asked, pointing into the coffee shop.
I nodded and looked up at my father who still seemed a little rattled. My mother walked over to him and extended her hand. He looked down at her in confusion before finally cracking a smile and shaking it. “Apparently….it looks like I taught you well! I couldn’t have said it better myself to that asshole!”
My father placed his hand over his heart feigning shock. “Wow! Are you actually giving me a compliment?”
“Remember it buddy, because that is the first time and the last time.” She laughed.
“Well, I seem to remember a time when I used to get lots of compliments from you.”
“That was a lifetime ago, but since we have three common loves and soon to be four….” My mother wrapped her arm around me and pulled me close. “I think I can manage to be nice to you every now and then.” He shook his head and smiled, causing her to smile back.
I looked over at Cam who appeared to be wrapping up his phone call. “Please don’t tell Cam about what just happened in there…..he will go in there and flip out.”
They both nodded in agreement. “Sorry about that,” Cam said as he walked over toward us.
“No problem.” I forced a smile and tried my hardest to pull it together.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yup….I’m better than okay.” I looked up at my dad and smiled.
“Okay, well I have to get back home. Your grandmother is going crazy at the bridal shop by herself,” my mother said.
“Yeah, and I have to get to my meeting,” my father chimed in. He looked over at my mother and a smile stretched across his face. “My meeting is on 30th Street, think you’d catch cooties if you shared a cab with me?”
“Hmmm….I don’t know, it’s a possibility,” she grinned. “Guys, don’t forget…”
“We know….dinner tonight at your house.” I answered with a smirk.
She gave me and Cam a kiss on the cheek just before getting into the taxi that my father had just flagged down.
“I’ll see you guys soon.” My dad smiled.
Cam nodded and shook Dad’s hand while I felt my hormones kicking in and tears gushing from my eyes. Cam would always be my number one guy, but so would my dad. I threw my arms around him and squeezed him tightly as I continued to cry. “I love you, dad.”
“I love you too, honey, very much….just wait till this little one comes along and you’ll do the same,” he whispered in my ear. He kissed me on the forehead and go
t into the cab. I smiled as I watched him and my mother drive away and instinctively moved my hand down to my belly. Even though they had had their differences with each other, they always made sure they never let that affect their love for Carrie and me. I only hoped that I could be as good of a parent to my child as they had been and still continued to be to me.
“So where to now?” Cam asked as he took my hand.
I shrugged my shoulders and smiled. “How about if we just go for a walk so I can say goodbye to my most favorite place in the world.”
“Sounds good to me.” I looked up at the sky as the first wet snowflake hit my cheek. Cam looked down at me and smiled. “It’s snowing….want to make a wish?”
“I already did…..and it’s come true more than I could have ever imagined.” I rubbed my hand along the side of his and gently placed my lips on his. This was what life was all about. Falling in love with the boy who had always owned the biggest piece of my heart forever and always.
Epilogue
Gia
One year later….
My mother was waiting at the front door with outstretched arms as Cam and I made our way up the driveway. I was so happy to be spending Christmas in the cold weather, at home with my family. So much had happened in this past year, I had moved to LA, Cam and I were married and I had experienced the greatest love I had ever known on the day I gave birth to Camden Lynn Hamilton. She was the perfect mixture of me and Cam. She had my blue eyes and Cam’s adorable smile and dark hair. It was hard to believe that she was six months old already. How I had wished I could slow down time. I was in love with her and her daddy so much that I sometimes felt like it wasn’t real. It was hard to believe that this was my life now. I was never happier than when I was holding that sweet little baby in my arms. I had matured so much since I had her and finally understood what my mother had meant when she tried to explain the love that she had for me and my sister. My heart was happy whenever I would look at her, and I was always in awe over the fact that Cam and I had created this human being. Me and the boy I had known my entire life were responsible for this little person that took up the biggest piece of our hearts. I hoped she’d one day follow in my footsteps and have that same love of dance that I had, but even if she didn’t and decided that she liked baseball more, I would still be supportive. I thought about my baby that I had lost often, wondering if Camden would have had a big brother or sister, and when I would get caught up in those thoughts, I would always tear up. The little baby that never came to be taught me more during its few months, in utero, than I would have been able to teach myself in a lifetime. I learned to care about somebody other than myself. I learned the strong bond between a mother and her child, and most of all I learned the love, the heartache, and the pain that you are willing to endure for a little stranger that seeps into your heart and soul before they’re even born.
“Give me this sweet little girl, before her other grandmother gets here and tries to steal her away,” my mother teased as she took Camden from my arms.
“Well, hello to you too, mom!”
“Oh, sorry about that.” She turned around and gave Cam and I a kiss before heading into the living room.
“Hey, Gia and Cam,” Ben greeted us.
“Hey, Ben! I’m glad to see that someone is happy to see us.” I smiled and gave him a hug. We followed him into the living room and my heart swelled upon seeing Carrie, Jason and Emmy. We were all together in the same room, it didn’t happen often but when it did, I wanted to seep in every single moment. Emmy crawled off Jason’s lap and walked over to Cam and I.
“Look at you go, baby girl!” I lifted her up and hugged her tightly as she planted big open mouth kisses all over my cheek. “I just cannot believe how big she’s gotten already.” I looked her over, realizing just how much she resembled Carrie and me.
Carrie stood up and gave Cam and I a hug and kiss. “I’m so glad you guys came home for Christmas. I miss you so much!” she whispered in my ear.
“I miss you, too,” I whispered back.
Cam took Camden from my mother’s arms while she went to heat up a bottle. She was tired and just getting over an ear infection, and I knew the plane ride didn’t make matters any better as she began to fuss. She rested her head on Cam’s shoulder as he paced back and forth with her to try and settle her down.
“Gia, I have the appointment scheduled with the photographer on Saturday. I cannot wait to get the girls picture taken together!” Carrie said over Camden’s crying which was getting louder and louder.
“Me neither!” I raised my voice so she could hear me.
Cam was doing his best to quiet her down to no avail. Normally she would calm right down at the sight of him, but I knew that today she wasn’t feeling well. “When did you last give her Tylenol?” Cam asked.
“Just an hour ago,” I replied, taking her from his arms and gently bouncing her up and down as her crying began to subside.
“You little traitor,” Cam teased as he looked at her, now perfectly content in my arms.
“Aww….she wanted her mommy,” my mother said as she walked back into the room with the bottle. Relief swept over me when I stuck it in her mouth and she began to suck it down. Cam hung around for a few more minutes, but I knew he was dying to get down into Ben’s man cave in the basement to watch the football game.
“Go….watch your game!” I shooed him away.
“Thanks, babe,” he ran by and skimmed my cheek and the top of Camden’s head with his lips before heading downstairs. Within a matter of seconds, the familiar hooting and hollering began whenever he, Ben, and Jason would watch a game together.
I took a seat on the couch while Camden continued to suck down her bottle and her eyes began to slowly close. Emmy pulled herself up on the couch and took a seat next to us, staring down at her cousin. “Is that your baby, Emmy?” I asked.
She smiled and screeched with glee. “Give baby kisses,” Carrie said.
I couldn’t contain my smile when she leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Camden’s head. “They are going to be super close, just like us!” I said to Carrie who took a seat and placed Emmy on her lap.
My mom sat down between Carrie and I looking deep in thought. “All of my favorite girls on one couch.” She placed her arms around Carrie and I and pulled us closer. “I did it. I raised two beautiful strong women, who I am proud to call my daughters, and I know that you girls will do the same with these two beautiful babies.”
“We will, Mom. We had the best teacher,” Carrie said.
“Suck up!” I teased Carrie.
“Bitch!” she replied back.
“Bit –” Emmy, babbled.
Carrie covered her mouth and gasped while I shrieked with laughter.
“Wasn’t me! It was her mother!” I held up my hand in defense and continued to laugh when my mother’s jaw dropped.
“Well, clearly she takes after her aunt.” Carrie couldn’t contain her laughter anymore.
My mother shook her head. “Welcome to my crazy world!”
“Yeah, Mom but you wouldn’t have it any other way,” I chimed in.
“Nope, I wouldn’t trade in my two crazy girls for anything.”
“Three crazy girls, Mom!” Carrie corrected. “We’re three of a kind.”
“Nope, not anymore.” I shook my head. “We’re five of a kind.”
I rested my head on my mother’s shoulder and smiled. I was truly blessed with the most beautiful life. It didn’t matter where I was or who I was with. Each day would always be beautiful no matter what, and if I had lost everything I owned, it would still be beautiful as long as I had the people that mattered most in my life.
Funny how just a few years ago, I had thought that the outcome of my happiness hung in the balance of making it big with dancing. Little did I know that the key to my happiness had been right in front of me for my entire life. I learned to never say never. Gia Maynard would never settle down with one guy, never get married or never have a
baby. Yet, here I was with the most perfect husband and a beautiful little girl. It’s amazing how much your heart can grow and your whole outlook on life can change for the right guy. Yes, I was truly blessed with a beautiful life and the two women sitting next to me were definitely a reason to count my blessings twice.
Thank You
Thank you for joining Melanie, Carrie & Gia on their journey to finding love. I hope you fell in love with these characters as I much as I did. It would mean the world to me if you could take a few moments to leave a review and let me know your thoughts on each story.
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