by Tia Siren
“I know that,” I said, not sure where she was going with this.
“The reason I’m reminding you of this is so that you understand,” she said. “If you choose not to go to Cambridge, that baby will grow up with its parents living apart, which will make life for that child even harder.”
I stopped and thought about that, realizing there wasn’t really a choice to be made. When I had accepted that child into my life, I’d made the choice, and I hadn’t even realized I had. I smiled to myself and shook my head, thankful that I had my mother to talk to. I was not going to be without Ella or this baby.
“Mom, can you watch Avery tonight?”
“I sure can,” she said. “He’s already snuggled on the couch anyway.”
“Okay. Thank you. You really made me realize what was most important,” I said before hanging up.
I leaned back in my office chair and smiled, finally knowing there was no more reason to fight this. Ella and I were meant to be together, with Avery and the new baby in tow. There was no way I could keep myself away from Ella, no way I could keep Avery from Ella or his new brother or sister. There was no way I could start that child’s life off without being there from the beginning, going through all the milestones and bringing that child up in a family.
I called up my secretary and had her cancel all my meetings for Monday, unsure how long this would all take. I realized after a few minutes that Avery wasn’t even here. He was already at my mom’s. I was so discombobulated that I was running myself in circles. I took a deep breath and grabbed my cell phone, calling up the airport and chartering my private plane to Cambridge. I barely used the thing anymore since all business was done with the company plane, but I was really glad I had it today. They told me they could be ready in an hour, so I changed my clothes quickly and grabbed a cab to the airport.
The plane ride over to Cambridge was short and peaceful, and I went to work setting up some time with a real estate agent as soon as I got there. I told them everything I was looking for so they could have a route mapped out by the time I landed. Obviously, being who I was, they were more than happy to accommodate me on such short notice. When I landed, the realtor was there, waiting to pick me up. We went to about eight different houses in four hours, but I hadn’t yet fallen in love with anything.
“I have one house left to show you,” she said, “although it is considerably bigger than you originally described, in both size and price.”
“I’m not worried about price,” I said. “I just want the perfect house for me and my family.”
“All right,” she said, smiling. “I have a really good feeling about this one then.”
We drove through the downtown area of Cambridge and into the suburban neighborhoods. We passed several houses before turning down a long, gated driveway. The yard was immaculate, and when we circled around the large fountain in front, I knew I had found our home. It would absolutely blow Ella’s mind, and the amount of space indoors and outdoors would allow us to have ten more kids if we really wanted to. I could already imagine raising our children there, putting up decorations in the snow, and swimming in the pool out back.
It probably wasn’t the smartest business move ever, but since I was so short on time, wanting to give this gift to Ella this weekend so that no more time could pass, I agreed to pay the asking price, plus three percent for them to expedite everything. The real estate agent and the seller were more than happy to oblige, and we went straight back to their offices and started drawing up paperwork. I was impressed with how they handled everything, and by nightfall, I was signing on the dotted line and being handed the keys to my palace. I went back over there afterward and shook my head as I walked around the house, realizing I had just purchased part of my future.
I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I loved Ella more than anything in the world, besides Avery and the baby, of course. I wanted her to be happy, to feel comfortable, comforted, and secure, and I wanted her to be set up for success. It was going to be hard living this far from my mother, but she would understand, and I would make sure she could get here any time of the year. I left the house feeling good, ready to go back home. Unfortunately, the weather had gotten pretty bad and the pilot didn’t feel comfortable taking off in the snowfall. I got a hotel for the night and curled up on the couch in the suite’s living room.
I picked up my phone, missing Ella terribly, and dialed her number. It rang and rang, but she never picked up. I knew she was upset that my decision hadn’t been made instantly, and I could understand why it would upset her. Still, she hadn’t said anything about it, and I assumed she was either with her family or just wanting some time on her own to reflect right now. Either way, it was probably a good thing that she didn’t answer. I wasn’t sure if I could keep my recent purchase and my decision a secret from her, and I really wanted it to be a surprise.
The next morning, I woke up bright and early, ready to get back home and let Ella know I had a surprise for her. I hadn’t been this excited in a long time, and even the foot of fresh snow on the ground didn’t dampen my spirits, although the snow in my shoe did just a little bit. The whole way back home, I thought about what I was going to say to Ella when I took her back to show her our new home. Hopefully it wasn’t too late. Hopefully the time it had taken me to make this decision hadn’t forced Ella to push me away again. That would be devastating. Surely, once she knew what I was doing, she would fold, or at least I hoped so.
When I got back home, I picked up Avery and sat him down, explaining everything to him. I told him that Ella and I were a couple, that the baby growing in her belly was going to be his sibling, and then that I had bought a surprise fro Ella. We talked about the importance of a surprise and how this one would make Ella really, really happy.
“Like she makes us all the time,” he said.
“Exactly,” I replied, ruffling his hair. “So not a word, okay?”
“It’s our secret,” he said, shaking my hand seriously.
This was going to be either the best day of my life or the biggest catastrophe ever.
Chapter 38
Ella
I wasn’t sure what made me answer my phone at seven in the morning, but when I did, Will requested that I go next door with a small bag packed and warm clothes. He asked me not to ask any questions, but instead accept that he was surprising me and taking me to a special place. I was confused since the last we talked he didn’t even know if he wanted to be with me anymore and was unsure about joining me and the baby in Cambridge. I was trying to be understanding, knowing he had a life here in New York, but it was hard not to be hurt by the fact that he was struggling with this decision. I had hoped it would be a no-brainer for him.
When I got to his apartment, Will kissed me on the cheek, handed me a coffee mug, and got Avery dressed in warm clothes, including a hat, a scarf, and gloves. New York was cold, but it wasn’t even snowing out, so I wasn’t sure why he was dressing us like we were trekking to the Arctic. I shook my head and went along with everything, figuring there was no point in fighting it. I was already invested. We rode in the car to the private airport and pulled up next to a private jet.
“Where are we going?” I finally asked.
“Cambridge,” he said, smiling and ushering Avery and me onto the plane.
The place was definitely impressive, even more stylish than my apartment in Cambridge that my mother had had professionally decorated. My father was rich, but I had never been on a private jet before. I could now understand why rich people opted for this instead of flying first class on a commercial flight. It was like flying inside your house, and you could barely even feel the plane moving once it was in the air. There was a bar at the front of the cabin, televisions all throughout, seating for around eight people, and in the back was an entire bedroom with a queen-sized bed.
“I used to fly all over the world in this plane,” Will said when he noticed me looking at everything. “I wanted it to feel as much like home as possible
.”
“Oh,” I said, nodding my head. “So why are we going to Cambridge? Are you taking me back to Harvard already?”
He laughed, shaking his head, and then turned back to the window, watching the clouds fly past. The flight was short, and when we landed, there was a car waiting for us inside the hangar. I looked out at all the snow everywhere and smiled, feeling like I had finally gotten back home. As we drove, I looked out the window. We passed the dorms I’d lived in the year before and then went right past my rental apartment. Will wasn’t talking, but every once in a while, Avery would lean up and whisper something in his father’s ear. Great. I was now being duped by a kindergartner as well as his father. I let out a deep breath and just decided to relax, knowing they weren’t going to tell me anything.
We drove through the downtown area of Cambridge and off into the suburbs. We weaved through one of the richest neighborhoods in the city and finally slowed down and turned into a long driveway. I gawked out the window at the beautifully landscaped yard, the tall black iron fence that encircled the property, and the giant fountain that sat in front of the house. The place was gorgeous, and massive. Absolutely massive. If I ever lived in a place like that, I would definitely need a staff just to keep the place clean. Still, it was a dream house. Whoever lived there hadn’t put up any Christmas decorations, which was a bummer since this house was a perfect one to go nuts with. It was the kind of house I had always hoped I would own someday.
We pulled around the fountain and stopped in front of the large, cascading stairwell that came from the front door. I looked up at the massive wooden double doors painted blue with intricately designed cutouts. They were definitely custom made and possibly even hand carved. It was an absolutely gorgeous place.
“Do you know the people who live here?” I asked.
“You could say that.” He smirked, got out of the car, and came around to my side.
Avery reached out his hand and helped me out of the car before running off into the snow-covered yard. I stopped and looked up at the tall, cathedral pillars that jutted up from the porch. This place was so beautiful, and I could only imagine who I was going to meet when I got inside.
“Do you like this house?” Will asked.
“Of course,” I said. “It’s absolutely amazing.”
“Good,” Will said, pulling a set of keys from his pocket. “I bought it for us.”
“Surprise, Ella!” Avery yelled out, and he ran in circles around us, giggling loudly.
“Oh my Gosh,” I said, completely stunned. “Are you serious? I mean, what about your company?”
“I’ve done the research, and I can work remotely most of the time,” he said. “I’ll have to take the jet to New York every once in a while for certain clients and meetings, but like you saw, it’s a quick ride. I even plan on putting in a private runway at the back of the property so that I don’t have to go to the airport to fly out. For the most part, though, I can work from home.”
“Will, I don’t know what to say,” I said. I was in complete shock.
“Look, Ella, I want to be there for not just the baby, but for you, too,” he said, taking my hands. “I love you more than anything in this world, and I can’t imagine not being a family with you, Avery, and the baby. I can’t imagine living my life without all of you. Everything I’ve done in my life has led me to the point where I can make this decision. I’m lucky I have that ability. I have an extremely successful company, and now it is your turn to chase your dreams. I want you to be free to do whatever you want and still have me, Avery, and the baby waiting at home for you at the end of the day.”
“I can’t believe this,” I said, bursting into tears. “Thank you so much, Will. Thank you for the house, but especially for choosing us.”
“It wasn’t a choice,” he said, putting his arms around me and pulling me close. “I can’t be away from you, and I won’t be absent from our child’s life. I want both our children to grow up seeing what a beautiful and healthy relationship looks like. We have a lot of making up to do, but I wanted to make sure we were comfortable, safe, and settled. I wanted our baby to have a nursery and Avery to have the best room he could have. We’ve all been through so much and we all deserve to be happy. I think this is the first step in that process. Now, let’s go check out the house.”
I smiled and walked up to the doors before heading through the giant entryway and into a marbled entrance. In front of me was a huge staircase that started on the left and wound up and around to the right. The ceiling was as tall as the house, and I wondered how in the world we would keep it clean. As if he could read my mind, Will leaned in and whispered to me.
“Don’t worry. We’ll hire a cleaning company.”
I laughed and followed him around the house, watching with love as Avery went flying through the open spaces, excitement flowing through him. It warmed me so much to know that I would get to stay with Avery. I loved him very much. After seeing the expansive downstairs and all the wings, we headed upstairs to where the bedrooms were located. I walked toward the master bedroom, opened the doors, and stepped inside.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
I turned around quickly and smiled at seeing Will’s mom standing there. She put her arms out and smiled at me, pulling me into a big hug. It felt so good to see her, and I already felt at home in the new house.
“I’m so excited for you guys,” she said. “This house is absolutely gorgeous, and that baby is going to be so happy here with the three of you. Welcome to our little family, Ella.”
“Thank you,” I said happily, hugging her again. “This is just all so much to take in, but I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect surprise even if I’d tried. Thank you for helping Will when he needed guidance through all of this.”
“That’s what a mother does,” she said with a wink. “You’ll figure that out soon enough.”
“Grandma!”
Avery came tearing around the corner and jumped right into her arms, hugging her tightly. She closed her eyes and squeezed him, making me choke up a bit. Avery was so happy, and I was just beyond thrilled with everything.
“Do you like our new house?” Avery asked. “Daddy says we get to live here.”
“I do,” she said, smiling. “What do you think?”
“I think it’s so big, I’ll be exploring forever,” he replied. “And to make it so much better, we get to live here as a family. That means that Ella will be my mommy. Well, my other mommy since my first one is in heaven.”
“That’s right,” she said, looking up at me and winking. “And she loves you so much. Both of them do, actually.”
“Me too,” he said, smiling at me.
After we toured the entire house, we jumped in the car and went out to eat. I took the four of us to a little Italian restaurant I always loved to go to when I was there for school. We sat down at the table and ordered our food before launching into a full-blown conversation about what we wanted the nursery to look like.
“I think it should be trucks and dinosaurs,” Avery said.
“What if you have a little sister?” I asked. “She might not like trucks.”
“Ew,” he said, wrinkling his nose. “You didn’t tell me it could be a girl.”
We all laughed as Avery shook his head fervently. Will explained that a little sister would be just as amazing as a little brother. I didn’t think Avery bought it, but he shrugged his shoulders and went back to coloring on his kid’s menu.
“I don’t know about the nursery, but I would love to throw you a separate baby shower from the one your parents are going to throw,” Will’s mom said. “We have so many friends and family that will want to celebrate this, and we could hold it at our house in the country.”
“I would love that,” I said, smiling. “Thank you. I would still want you to come to the one my parents will throw, if for no other reason than to keep me sane.”
She laughed. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I can keep your
mom occupied. We come from the same background. You didn’t know I could be the rich old lady, too, did you?”
I gasped. “Not you,” I said with a laugh. “It’s all right. Will can be a rich old man when he wants to be.”
“Hey, hey, no old jokes, lady.”
I sat back, listening to everyone talk, laugh, and just be what I always wanted: a family. I was extraordinarily happy, something I didn’t think I had ever felt before. The root of all of it, though, was the love I had for Will, and there was nothing that could change that.
Chapter 39
Will
We ended up spending the night in Cambridge since the weather was icy, Avery was tired, and it was pretty late when we finished dinner. The surprise couldn’t have gone any better, and we spent the plane ride back holding hands, with Ella’s head resting on my shoulder. When we landed, Ella told me she had plans to spend the day with her parents, and by the time she got off the phone with them to let them know she was almost there, they had invited me to come along with them for the day.
The visit with her parents was much better than the last. Her father wasn’t the same man who constantly picked fights with Ella and drove her to the point where she was considering cutting him off completely. The heart attack had really affected him, and he spent his day playing with Avery, laughing with his daughters, and smiling the whole time. Not once did he bring up business, or law school for that matter. Later in the afternoon, Ella’s parents both approached me and handed me a wrapped box.
“We wanted to give you something special to welcome you to our family,” Ella’s mom said.
Ella sat to the side, smiling and watching as I unwrapped the gift. Inside was an old carved wooden box with a latch and key. I opened the box to find a carved ivory pipe inside. It was obvious this thing was really old.