AN: I apologize for the long wait that I have put you through, but I'll try to make it up to you when the start of July comes. I've been busy so I set the story aside but I'm back now with a sequel and I hope that I haven't lost too many followers/ favourites. This is the new one and if you read the last post of my previous story, this one's called "Not so Restart". I hope you like it and I appreciate reviews ;) Enjoy!
Paige's POV
1 year later...
I sighed as I drove past the sign I never thought I would see so soon again. "Welcome to Rosewood, folks," I muttered under my breath as I drove past the deep forests that was always a threat and a dangerous place when I was a teen. It's been a year since I saw Danielle at the beach and not so strangely, we got back together. To me, it was a heat in the moment kind of thing and I was sure Danielle felt this way as well- until the kids started calling me 'momma'. I told Danielle about my initial plans of driving around country just the day prior and she was apologetic that our fling turned into a parenthood for me. Of course, I shrugged it off because I knew I had to end it the moment I got the call from my parents asking me to get back to Rosewood. I rubbed my temples in frustration, I haven't ended it, not when the kids were already comfortable with me and Danielle already seemed to be getting over Sara. Seemed to be. She has been sending not so subtle hints about visiting her in jail when she heard that I was wanted back in Rosewood. I picked up my phone, ignoring the throbbing headache that shot through my head when all the thoughts flooded brain and dialled my mom, silently praying that the radiation wouldn't, or would, burst my brain. "Paige, honey. Hello," I could hear my mom smiling through the phone. "Hey mom. I just got into Rosewood and we're headed to town for a quick stop. Do you and dad need anything?" I remembered doing this frequently when I was younger, when my parents were always too busy to go to the grocery store. I got extra money from stopping by the grocery store and getting breakfast items, et cetera. "How thoughtful of you, Paige but it's fine. We got everything covered. Just make sure you're here for dinner- no wait, we do need some eggs. Your dad requested his favourite breakfast for tomorrow." I could hear the sound of my mom drop and I closed my eyes momentarily after making sure that it was a straight road with no cars around. "How is he?" I asked. When my mom called me yesterday, breaking the news that my father just got back from the hospital because of a close heart attack, I almost jumped out of bed and drove back. It was only my dad's voice that stopped me in the end. It was like, 2 am afterall. "He's doing better Paige. We'll both see you at dinner, which I have to prepare for. We'll catch up soon honey."
I pulled into the grocery store and the twins got out immediately, feeling restless after a long drive. "I was about to ask them to stay in the car, but fuck it," I chuckled and followed them out. "Why don't you kids move around with mommy to see what you would like picnic tomorrow?" The twins beamed and ran off, leaving Danielle to flip me off as she followed after them. I smiled at the two restless kids retreating form with Danielle. She gave birth to twins, a guy called Joseph and a girl called Josephine, which she said, and I quote,' the best thing that ever happened to her'. My smile faltered as I remembered a conversation that I had with Emily. Emily. I was snapped out of my daze by the front of a trolly hitting my back. "Fuck!" I hissed and tried to clutch at the painful area. Some stranger was deep in a conversation and didn't see me when they turned into the lane that I was blocking the view off. "Shit! Sorry," A flash of panic shot through me as I recognized that voice. Emily. Fuck. "Paige?" Emily froze in her tracks as she saw that I was the one that she hit and was currently clutching over. She held her hand up and cupped my face, her eyes beginning to water. "It's been a year-" Emily choked on a sob as the tears started running down her face. The pain was still there and I didn't know how to react but to stare at her. "Momma! Are you okay?" Josephine was crouched at my side and touching the small of my back where I was holding, her forehead with a little frown of worry. "I'm fine, princess. What's up? Aren't you a little young to be running the halls of the alcohol section?" I beared with the pain and stood up, holding Josephine in my arms as I did so. "Mommy asked me to get to you and a trolley because there were too many things that Joe wanted. We can't decide on a lot of things," a frown tugged on her forehead again and I couldn't help but smile. "Get as many as you want. I'm sure Grams and Pops wouldn't mind me helping them pamper you while you're in Rosewood." Josephine smiled brightly as I lowered her down. "Why don't you run back to your mommy and tell her that I'll come look for you later? Momma needs to catch up with some friends," Josephine nodded and shot back the way that she came from. I took a breath and turned around slowly, not ready at all for the sight that would be unfolded. Turns out, it wasn't Emily that has been pushing the trolley, but Spencer. It wasn't them two that was there. The whole group was. Hanna, Aria, Spencer had stone cold glares on her while Emily had a look of hurt etched on her face with fresh tears streaming down her face. "We were just shopping for a girls night," Aria broke the awkward silence. The tension in that space could be cut with a knife. "Now, we need more alcohol," Hanna was next, which earned a hiss from Spencer. 'Hanna' was what she hissed and Hanna just shrugged it off. "I waited a year for you, Paige. A whole fucking year. I gave you space for a whole year, I lived in our lonely house, slept in our bed alone for a whole fucking year. I know what I did hurt you, and I came to terms that you weren't going to forgive me but you fucking promised that you'd come back so I clung onto that hope. Today, you came back. You came back and my hopes shot up high, only to be brought down by a show you decided to show me. I wore the fucking wedding ring for a year, Paige. Your fucking wedding ring." Tears were flowing down her cheeks and the pain etched on her face as her frowned deepened. She pulled the ring out from her finger and threw it at me, reaching her hand into Spencer's bag and pulling out a set of keys. "I'll be waiting in the car. Grab more vodka, Han." Emily shot me one more look and turned on her heels. "Sara's the other mother of the children," I blurted out before I could think of anything. That made Emily stop in her heels and turn back to me. "The kids are eight years old now. Sara had them with my current fling, Danielle. She left suddenly to come to Rosewood," I confessed and looked down to my boots. "I got a call last night that my dad had a near heart attack," I paused as Emily nodded and stepped towards me. "I was planning to call you later about it." I nodded and gave her an appreciative smile, knowing now that she's been taking care of my parents these while. "I came back the first thing this morning and sped all the way. Danielle wants to see Sara as well and-" "Paige! We need a trolley. The kids are throwing things into my arms and they're getting heavy." I heard Danielle call out from the other end of the lane and sighed out. "In a second," I called back and turned around. This conversation was far from over. "Join us for dinner and my parent's place. My mom has to be making my favourite pasta from when I was little. I can get some pizza from downtown and we can have an Italian variety. Please? This conversation is far from over and we know that." My eyes flicked back and forth over them and they finally nodded, after much long of considering. "I'll meet you guys back there," I was about to make my way to the trolleys but stopped short. I turned around and pulled Emily into a searing kiss before bending down and picking up the ring to slip on her finger again.
My mind was still a whirlwind, even after the checkout counter and driving back to my parent's house after getting the pizza. I kissed Emily and slipped the ring back to her finger. Does this mean I forgive her? I had missed her and Danielle wasn't even close to Emily. I told Danielle about Emily the day I saw her again and I was sure that she knew the danger of coming back. We bumped into each other again for a few times in the grocery store, only to have the group backing out awkwardly. It definitely roused Danielle's suspicion, but I wasn't letting anything out there yet.I finally pulled up on my parent's driveway and have a slick looking Audi pull up behind not long after. Spencer came out from the driver's and Hanna rode shot gun while Aria and Emily came out from the back doors. I waited for them to arrive on the porch, Danielle now recognizing them from the store and the kids now getting impatient, before knocking on the door. "Paige, oh." My mom's face drained of colour when she saw the whole group standing at the back. "I bought pizza so we could have a spread during dinner tonight and I invited some of my friends," my mom smiled, hopeful at the reunion that might happen between me and Emily before stepping aside and letting us in. "Hey mom, hey dad." Emily greeted as she walked over to each one of them, giving them a kiss on the cheek. That was new. I frowned and gave Emily a questioning look as she smiled sheepishly at me. "Mom, meet Danielle my current ummm..." I trailed off when I didn't know what to label her. Not in front of my wife especially. "Meet Danielle," I said and forced a smile. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs McCullers," Danielle smiled politely and shook my mom's hand. "Please, call me Clare." I brought Danielle to my dad, who was now resting on the recliner he loved so much. "This is my dad. Dad, meet Danielle," I forced another smile as they shook hands. "Mr McCullers, it's a pleasure to meet you." My dad forced a smile at her and didn't bother to correct her and tell her to call him by name. Well, that's damn fucked.
Dinner wasn't smooth at all. It was like walking on a rocky mountain with no shoes on and having the rocks jab at you all the time. My dad has taken a dislike on Danielle, giving her attention solely to the girls and me. He hardly even knew the girls before and now it was like an old catch up session. "Excuse me," I excused myself from the living room where they were all watching some crappy TV show and went to the kitchen. I poked my head in the fridge and found myself a beer. My dad loved beer, but I was sure he was told to lay off after what just happened. We spent the last couple hours catching up and now it was only left with one conversation to have. I went back outside and plopped on the floor, sipping on the beer that I held myself to. "Mom, can I have a word?" I asked and walked out of the room. "What is it, dear?" "Why did you send me to the store to get eggs. I know that dad's favourite breakfast consists of a lot of eggs, but there were definitely enough for breakfast." I raised my eyebrows as my mom sighed. "Emily was here before you called. She left for the store when Spencer came over to pick her up," She looked up at me sheepishly and gave a timid smile. "You thought it was a good idea to send me straight for her?" My mother's smile only widened a bit as I caught on and her eyebrows raised slightly. "I can't believe you sometimes." I chuckled and wrapped my arm around her, walking back to the living room. "Thanks, mom. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have dared to talk to Emily."
AN: This is it folks! The first chapter of the sequel. You all probably hate me but I decided to save the long talk for the second chapter, which will be up hopefully soon. Hope you enjoyed!