A/N: SURPRISE, I'm baaaccck! So, I tallied ALL the votes & this one was the winner! Just remember that this will have bigger time jumps & while I have been thinking about this one for awhile I, as always, have no idea where it'll go. But hopefully, you guys will like/love it, especially because it's the winner of the week long poll.
I saw the comments about another story with a similar plot. Please do not compare; different author means a different story.
Oh & I'm so glad you guys loved the ending to The Life I Choose!
As always, all errors are mine & thank you for all your support!
Twitter: DrLaurenLewisZP
R/R & ENJOY!
Lauren's POV – Walmart – Afternoon
"Hey mom, I got everything on the grocery list. Are you sure you don't need anything else?" My mom chuckled through the phone as I very leisurely went down the cereal aisle with my shopping cart, slowly heading to the cashier with the shortest line.
"Yes dear, you worry too much. Just come home soon, we still got a lot of unpacking to do to actually make this new home; our home. Plus, I hardly get to spend time my little genius even though you graduated high school two years early and tried to go straight to college. Anyway, drive safe; you may be a genius. But, you still only just turned sixteenth less than two months ago with a fairly new license. Granted, you've had your Learner's permit since you were fourteen…But still, you're still new behind the wheel compared to the majority of people on the road."
I chuckled, "Mom, you know that I will live on campus majority of time when my first semester starts after I turn seventeen as we agreed and our former home wasn't that far away from where we are now. So, I'm not sure why you had us move into a new home yesterday. And I'm sorry I've been so busy with my free studies and other stuff. But, I'll be home in about twenty. Bye mom, love you."
"Yes, I know. But, I wanted to be closer to your future campus in case you need me or a private bedroom and or study area. And don't be sorry dear, I'm just teasing you and I love you too, see you in twenty."
I chuckled as I hung up my phone and put it my back pocket.
"Mommy, is she an angel?" I heard a little girl ask her mother from a distance behind me. I chuckled at the little girl's adorable question as I kept walking towards the cashier, thinking nothing of it.
Suddenly, I was stopped by someone lightly grabbing the back of my shirt. "Excuse me…" I turned around and looked down to the same voice I just heard moments ago.
The little girl was looking up at me wearing a black and white polka dot dress with an adorable smile, big brown eyes and long brunette hair. Her tiny hand released my shirt from her grasp once I turned to look at her. "Yes?" I asked the little girl as I saw her mother keeping an eye on her as she continued to pick out whatever items she needed while shaking her head and chuckling in amusement.
"Are you an Angel? I asked my mommy if you were one and she didn't know. But I think you are one."
I smiled at the adorable little girl as I couched to her level. "I don't think I am. I think you are though. What's your name, sweetheart?"
She giggled with blushing cheeks. "I'm Bo. What's your name?"
"I'm Lauren; it's nice to meet you Bo." Bo looked up at her mother as she just caught up with Bo after she got everything she needed. "Mommy, she's pretty like an Angel with a pretty name too. So, I'm pretty sure she's an Angel."
Bo made both her mother and I chuckle as I stood up to introduce myself to her gorgeous mother with a handshake. "Hello Ma'am, I'm Lauren Lewis, it's nice to meet you."
She smiled at me as she shook my hand. "Nice to meet you, Lauren. I'm Aife McCorrigan, Bo's mother. But, I'm sure you knew that already. I met your mother this morning and saw your picture in the living room after she invited me into your new home since I baked you two a "Welcome to the Neighborhood" apple pie and brought it over to your door. You two just moved in yesterday a couple houses down from ours."
"You were the one that moved in two houses away from ours!?" Bo was beaming with excitement as she excitedly grabbed and shook her mother's hand. "Mommy, can Lauren come over for dinner tonight!? She's a new neighbor and you always say we should always be nice to people, especially new neighbors."
Aife chuckled as she looked down at Bo. "Bo, honey, Lauren probably already has plan-"
"Do you already have dinner plans tonight? Please say no. Please say no. Please have dinner with us."
Bo's eager and adorable pleading with her pouty expression left me no choice but to happily give into her dinner request. "I have some stuff to do. But, if your mother doesn't mind then I'd love to come over for dinner."
Bo's eyes lit up with more excitement and joy. "Mommy doesn't mind, right mommy?" Aife chuckled, "Of course not. Do you like spaghetti and meatballs, Lauren? Your mother is welcome to come too if she would like to."
I nodded, "Yes Ma'am, I do. But unfortunately, my mother will not be able to join us for dinner. She has to work tonight."
"Yes! Lauren's coming over for dinner! Come on mommy, I need a dress for dinner with Lauren tonight." Bo told her mother before she looked back at me. "I'll see you tonight at 6, Angel!"
I chuckled and nodded, "Okay." Then Bo eagerly dragged her mother away to the girl's clothing section like a woman on a mission. Ms. McCorrigan was barely able to grab her shopping cart.
Bo is clearly very unique.
McCorrigan Residence – Evening
"Lauren! You're here!" Bo was the one that excitedly answered the door after I rang the doorbell. She was wearing a cute little red dress with black bows in her hair. The huge smile on her face with matching bright eyes made me light up with happiness too.
"MOMMY, I WAS RIGHT! LAUREN'S HERE!" She yelled to her mother so she could hear her from…wherever she is inside the house.
"Alright sweetie, bring her inside! I'm getting dinner on the table now!" Bo was already dragging me in the house by my free hand that wasn't carrying a plate of homemade apple turnovers before her mother even finished what she was saying.
From the outside of the house; it looked like a small home. But, the inside of the home is rather spacious. They have an open concept kitchen/living room. Everything is crisp, clean and just so…spacious, with a black and white theme, including black granite table and counter tops.
"You can sit right here, next to me." I smiled with a nod. "Okay, thank you." Bo flashed me another adorable smile as she took the plate of apple turnovers from me and put it on the kitchen counter behind me.
I took my designated seat at the table for four that had spaghetti and meatballs on three plates already, just waiting to be devoured. "Lauren, thank you for the apple turnovers…What would you like to drink?" I gave Ms. McCorrigan a polite smile when I turned my head to answer her.
"Anytime Ms. McCorrigan, thank you for having me over for dinner. I'll have water please, thank you." She nodded with a smile. "No problem."
After everyone sat down, Bo immediately took charge of the dinner. "Lauren, do you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend?" Her question almost made me choke on my first bite of homemade spaghetti.
Aife chuckled, "Bo, honey, why don't you start with some more basic questions?" Bo nodded to her mother. "Okay." Then she looked at me once more. "Lauren, how old are you?"
I smiled, "I turned sixteen on the 1st of October. How old are you, Bo?"
"Oh cool, your birthday was last month! I'm Six. But I'll be seven on the 19th, right before Thanksgiving. What school do you go to?"
"I just graduated from high school a few months ago." I saw Aife's smile widen from the corner of my eye. "That's very impressive, Lauren. Are you hitting college right away?"
I shook my head as I looked at her. "No Ma'am. My mother and I agreed that I wouldn't attend college until I turn seventeen."
"But you wanted to go right away, didn't you?" She asked with a knowing smile, making me chuckle. "Yes Ma'am but, I had to compromise with my mother. She just doesn't want me to grow up too fast which I understand and even appreciate."
"So, do you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend, Lauren?" Aife laughed, "I'm sorry Lauren, but my little Bo is very persistent and direct with her questions. She may be a reporter one day."
"It's okay." I assured her before I looked into Bo's curious eyes. "No Bo, I'm not with anyone at the moment. Why?"
"Then will you be my girlfriend?" Aife nearly choked on her water as I continued to smile at the very direct little girl next to me; kind of like me with my academics. "What makes you want me as your girlfriend, Bo?"
"Because you're an Angel; I asked my mommy, Grandpa Trick, Aunt Edna and Uncle Brain how they knew when they were in love and they all said they knew because when they fell in love with someone, that someone was an Angel and you're an angel."
I was about to say something when Aife beat me to it. "Bo, how about we let Lauren eat before everything gets cold? Okay?"
Bo nodded as she looked at her mother. "Okay." Then she looked at me with that lovable smile again. "You still owe me an answer after we eat."
1 Hour Later
After dinner, Bo insisted that I had to watch cartoons with her as we ate our apple turnovers with ice cream. So, we watched all of Bo's favorites on Netflix before Aife told Bo it was time for bed.
"Okay mommy but, can Lauren put me to bed, please." Aife chuckled, "That's up to Lauren, sweetheart."
"Sure, I'd be happy too." I quickly answered before Bo could look at me with her pouty face which has quickly become my Kryptonite. She lit up with happiness as she practically dragged me upstairs to her bedroom.
Bo quickly got into her bed so I could tuck before I took a seat in the chair next to her bed. "You still owe me an answer, you know." I chuckled; this adorable little girl really is relentless.
"Don't you think I'm a little old for you?" She shook her head as I took a seat in the chair. "No, my aunt and uncle are exactly twenty years apart while we're only 9 years, 1 month and 18 days apart. I'm really good at math when it comes to age differences, especially when it's to help me prove my point."
I chuckled, "Well I think as you get older, you'll like someone better than me." Bo shook her head again as she yawned. "Nope, we're going to get married one day, you'll see. Like I said, you're an Angel; my angel."
Bo quickly fell asleep after she made her declaration of our future with absolute, adorably, slightly mumbled conviction. So, I quietly got up to leave her room. But, just as I was about to turn towards her door, I was stopped in mid-motion.
"Wait." I turned back to look at a half-asleep Bo. "What's wrong, Bo?"
"…I always get a goodnight kiss." I smiled at her softly as I leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Goodnight, Bo."
"…Goodnight…Angel." She was fast asleep again in an instant. So, I left her room with her door cracked open just a tad in case she was afraid of the dark like most kids are.
Aife was watching me with a smile just a few feet away from Bo's room. "She really likes you which is amazing because Bo doesn't like many peopl-" Aife was interrupted by a text from her phone.
She quickly gave me a look of apology before she looked at her phone to read the text. After she read the text, she sighed heavily and her expression went from relaxed to one of frustration. "Is everything okay?" I asked out of concern.
She gave me a tight smile. "Yes, I just need to find someone else to watch Bo at least five days a week. Her sitter just texted me to tell me that she just got offered a better paying job so she won't be in tomorrow or ever again."
"I can do it…I- I- mean, if you would like. I want to get a job since I'm not in school at the moment; preferably one that's walking distance from my house since my mother and I share her car. I can work whatever hours you need because all I really do these days is run errands for my mother and stay sharp for school…But, I understand if you want to get someone more qualified with references and everything."
Aife lit up with a smile just like Bo does. I guess that's where Bo gets it from, which isn't surprising at all since Aife is Bo's mother. "Bo is right, you really are an Angel. And yes, normally I would want to thoroughly vet whoever cares for Bo whenever I'm absent…But, like I said, I've never seen Bo take a shine to anyone like she has with you…So, I'll see you tomorrow at 7am and we'll discuss everything before I leave for work, okay?"
I nodded, "Yes Ma'am, I should get going now though." She nodded as we hit the stairs together. "Okay Lauren and I'm sorry for how…direct Bo is."
I chuckled as we got closer to the door. "No need to apologize. Kids are as honest as can be and that's one of the things I love about them the most…Anyway, goodnight Mrs. McCorrigan and thank you again for dinner, it was perfect."
She smiled as I opened the door to leave her lovely home. "No Lauren, thank you for everything. Bo is going to be so surprised and thrilled when she sees you tomorrow morning. She never really liked Tamsin anyway; her former Nanny."
"Well, I'm glad she likes me." Aife nodded in agreement with another warm smile. "Me too, Lauren...Goodnight, see you in the morning."
I smiled back at her with a warm smile of my own. "Goodnight, Ms. McCorrigan, see you in the morning."