Written in the Stars
Chapter 2: And She'd Only Just Met Him
The next morning, Aria awoke to Scarlett shaking her. She smiled a little and sat up, scooping Scarlett into her arms as she did so. She looked around and noticed that she wasn't back in her apartment in Nashville, but in Hanna's room in Rosewood. She grinned with the knowledge that she was home.
"What did you do with your Auntie Hanna?" Aria asked the head of unruly curls that was her daughter. Aria took a ponytail off of her wrist and gathered Scarlett's hair into a messy bun so that it would stay out of her face.
"She's making bweakfast, Mommy! She said to wake you up," Scarlett replied with a big smile as she jumped up and down in Aria's lap excitedly. Evidently, the little girl was as excited as Aria was to finally be home, even though Nashville had been the only home Scarlett had ever known.
Aria grinned at Scarlett and kissed her cheek. "Then, I guess we'd better get down there!" Aria exclaimed as she proceeded to stand up and balance Scarlett on her hip, and she began the walk out of Hanna's room to downstairs.
When she reached the kitchen, she set Scarlett down on the ground and smiled at a very confused looking Hanna, who was holding a box of pancake mix trying to understand the directions. Aria giggled and walked over to her. Hanna looked at her friend with a relieved expression when she saw she was awake.
"Thank God you're awake. Can you figure this out?" Hanna asked as she practically shoved the box of pancake mix at Aria. Aria looked at her skeptically after she read over the fairly simple directions.
"They're pancakes, Han, not chemical equations," Aria said as she began looking around for a mixing bowl and a skillet. Hanna shot her a dirty look and took a seat at the barstool, letting Aria take over the difficult task that was breakfast.
"Where are the girls?" Aria asked as she began to measure out pancake mix and water, dumping both into the mixing bowl in front of her. Hanna watched with an amazed expression as Aria whisked the ingredients together with no struggle. It was probably a mom thing, Hanna decided.
"Em had to be at work early, Ali had some kind of dentist appointment or something but she said she'd be back later, and Spence went out to get coffee for us and chocolate milk for Scarlett. Oh, and my mom went to work, but she is going to come home early to take us shopping for stuff for your's and Scarlett's rooms," Hanna replied. Aria nodded and continued to mix the ingredients together. A second later, she spooned some out onto the skillet, and Hanna watched in amazement as the batter turned into perfectly rounded pancakes.
"She seriously doesn't have to do all that for us," Aria said in an appreciative tone. Hanna took her attention away from the pancakes and smiled at Aria. She was so happy that Aria and little Scarlett were going to live with her.
"I know, but she wants to. She's so excited about spoiling her first grandbaby," Hanna said, mocking her mother at the end with a giggle. Aria let out a giggle too, happy that she and Scarlett made Ms. Marin so happy.
"And, what do you have planned for today?" Aria inquired as she remembered that Hanna no longer had a job.
"Hanging out with my long lost best friend and my perfect god-daughter, obviously! And, Caleb is coming over too, so you will finally be able to meet him. He should actually be here pretty soon," Hanna replied with a smile as she checked the time on her phone. 8:30.
"Well, I'm looking forward to meeting him. Does he know anything about me and Scarlett?" Aria asked curiously as she flipped a pancake on the skillet in front of her. She was genuinely looking forward to meeting Caleb, happy that Hanna had found someone to make her so happy.
"Yeah, he knows pretty much everything, and he's really understanding of your decisions and the situation you were put in with your parents. I told him that you were back when I talked to him on the phone a while ago, and he seems excited to meet you," Hanna replied with a smile. Aria nodded and turned her attention back to the pancakes.
"Hey, do you think you can watch Scarlett for me later?" Aria asked as she poured the remaining batter onto the skillet. Hanna's eyes brightened in excitement at Aria's question.
"I would be happy to! Where are you going?" Hanna replied, excited at the idea of spending quality time with her favorite god-daughter.
"I'm going to head out to this bookstore I saw while I was driving yesterday. They had a help wanted sign, and I was thinking that a job at a bookstore would be perfect for me. I'll also probably go ahead and tell my parents that I'm back. I might as well get that over with before they see me around town with Scarlett and think that it's okay to approach us," Aria replied as she finally finished with the pancakes. She passed the full plate over to Hanna, who took it over to the kitchen table and set it down in the middle. Aria proceeded to get out butter and syrup and peanut butter (Scarlett's favorite topping). She carried them over to the table.
"Scarlett, come eat!" Aria called out and smiled as she watched Scarlett toddle into the room, her messy bun bouncing as she hurried over to her mother. Hanna's mom had gotten Hanna's old high chair out of the attic before she left for work, knowing that Scarlett would need it. Rose was going to ship the rest of their stuff to her, and Scarlett's high chair was part of that stuff. Aria helped Scarlett into the seat as Hanna got plates and silverware for them to eat with.
"Auntie Spence is back and she brought coffee!" Aria heard Spencer call out a minute later, followed by the door closing and footsteps. Aria furrowed her eyebrows when she heard more than just Spencer's footsteps headed in their direction.
"Thanks for including me in that Auntie Spence," Aria heard an unfamiliar male voice saying in a sarcastic tone.
"Oh, Caleb's here too," Spencer replied in a bored tone as the two entered the kitchen. Hanna squealed and rushed over to Caleb, kissing him happily.
"Ew!" Scarlett squealed in a high pitch voice, scrunching her nose as she watched her Auntie Hanna kiss some guy she had never met before. Aria and Spencer laughed at Scarlett's reaction, and Hanna and Caleb pulled apart with amused expressions on their faces at the little girl's reaction. Hanna took Caleb's hand and led him over to where Aria was standing.
"Caleb, I am so happy to finally introduce you to my other best friend, Aria Montgomery. Aria, this is Caleb," Hanna introduced the two with a big grin across her face. Caleb smiled reassuringly at Aria and shook her hand.
"It's very nice to meet you. I'm happy you decided to come home," Caleb said to the five-foot-two girl in front of him. Aria smiled and shook his hand back.
"It's very nice to meet you too. Hanna has told me a lot about you," Aria replied, releasing his hand. Caleb then turned his attention to the curious-eyed toddler sitting in the high chair in front of him who had been watching their introduction like a ping pong match. He put on a playful expression.
"And, who is this little princess?" he asked, making Scarlett giggle.
"I'm Scarlett Harper Montgomery. Who are you?" Scarlett asked, tilting her head to the side. Caleb smiled at how adorable the little girl was. Hanna hadn't been exaggerating when she told him about her on the phone earlier.
"It's nice to meet you, Scarlett. My name is Caleb," Caleb replied amusingly. Scarlett tilted her head to the side again, looking from Caleb to Hanna and then back to Caleb.
"Are you my uncle?" Scarlett asked, wanting to be sure she got everything right. Caleb looked over at Aria unsurely, and she nodded at him with a smile.
"If you want me to be, I am," Caleb replied to the little girl. Scarlett began grinning at him.
"Okay, Uncle Caleb," Scarlett replied, and that was the end of that. She turned her attention back to Aria then and asked, "We eat now?" Aria and the others laughed at how easy Scarlett made things.
"Sure, baby. Momma will fix you a plate," Aria replied with a laugh as she began to fix Scarlett's pancakes with peanut butter and syrup. Spencer passed out the coffee and handed Scarlett her bottle of chocolate milk last. When she did, Scarlett looked at her with wide eyes.
"How did you know this was my favorite?" Scarlett asked, amazement flooding her eyes. Spencer had to hold back a laugh at Scarlett's reaction. Instead, she winked at her.
"Auntie Spence just knows things like that," Spencer replied, chuckling at the amazement and wonder across Scarlett's face.
Two hours later, everyone had finished breakfast, and Spencer and Caleb helped Aria get her suitcases from the day before out of her car while Hanna watched Brave with Scarlett. After thanking them, Aria paused the movie and got herself and Scarlett dressed for the day. A few minutes later, Aria carried Scarlett back downstairs and set her down, watching as she made a bee-line back to her Auntie Hanna's lap to watch her movie.
Aria dressed Scarlett in black leggings and her favorite aqua blue t-shirt that said "Kiss the Girl" with a silhouette of Ariel and Eric from The Little Mermaid on it. Her hair was pulled back and secured with a big white bow to match the lettering on her t-shirt. Aria was wearing simple blue jean shorts with a flowy pink floral tank-top, which Rose had given to her last year for her birthday, and black sandals. Her hair was down in its natural waves, and she had on light make-up. She still sometimes dressed in the wild colors and patterns that old Aria used to dress in, but she'd learned to dress more comfy and casual after having Scarlett.
Aria followed Scarlett into the living room and smiled when she saw her already lounged across Hanna's lap, her eyes transfixed to the screen. Caleb was sitting next to them, and Spencer was back in her favorite comfy chair. Aria squatted down next to Scarlett and got her attention.
"Sweetie, Mommy's going to go out for a little while. I want you to be good for Auntie Hanna, Auntie Spence, and Uncle Caleb, okay?" Aria asked gently. Scarlett nodded and said "Okay, Mommy," in response. Aria smiled and kissed her forehead.
"I love you, sweet girl," Aria said, and Scarlett smiled back at her.
"I love you too, Momma," Scarlett replied, then turned her attention back to the movie. Aria stood up and looked at Hanna.
"I will have my phone if you need anything. If I'm not back by 1:00, that's when she usually eats lunch. She eats pretty much anything, but she is allergic to shellfish, so don't give her that. She takes her nap right after lunch. I should be home for anything beyond that," Aria let out in a rushed voice. It wasn't that she didn't trust her friends to take care of Scarlett; of course she did. She had just never left Scarlett with anyone besides Rose since she'd been born. Hanna put a hand on Aria's arm and smiled at her reassuringly.
"Aria, breathe. Everything is going to go fine. We all love Scarlett, and we are going to take good care of her," Hanna said in a calm voice, trying to make her friend relax. After a few seconds, Aria nodded and swung her purse onto her shoulder.
"Alright. I'll be back soon. Call me if you need anything," Aria said. After receiving another reassuring nod from Hanna and an identical one from Spencer, Aria turned and left. As she got into her car, she quickly decided that she would go see her parents first.
"Might as well get it over with," she muttered to herself as she started her car and backed out of the driveway. The whole way over to her parents' house, Aria's stomach clenched nervously. This would be the first time she would see or speak to her parents since her father threatened to make her have an abortion and her mother stood by and let it happen. Anger filled Aria as she thought back to how betrayed they'd made her feel. She knew that she would never make Scarlett feel that way.
After a few more minutes, Aria finally arrived at her parents' house, the same house she grew up in and used to think of as safe. So many memories filled this place, and, although most of the memories were good ones, her one worst memory overshadowed those and made her want to drive far, far away.
Aria parked her car and took a deep breath. She slowly opened her car door and stepped out, slamming it shut behind her. As she made her way to the front door, she noticed that both of her parents had the same cars they'd had when she left, and that both of the cars were home.
Aria reached the front door and hurried to knock on it. Whereas she'd been hesitant before, she was now ready to get this over with and get back to her sweet little girl. She listened as footsteps approached, and finally the door swung open and her mother appeared. Aria noticed that the girls had been right; Ella looked like she'd aged more than two years, and she had bags under her eyes. Aria almost felt sorry for her until she remembered how she was just going to let her father kill her baby. Coldness settled in Aria's eyes.
"Aria! Oh my God! Honey!" Ella let out as tears filled her eyes and surprise etched itself into her features. She moved to wrap her arms around her daughter, but Aria stepped back before she could. Confusion filled Ella's expression.
"I'm not here to hug or play nice or anything like that. I'm only here because I have to be. Is Dad here? I need to talk to the two of you," Aria said in a cold voice, hating the way hurt filled her mother's eyes but knowing it was necessary. She simply couldn't have a relationship with the two people who were going to make her give up the best thing that had ever happened to her, and she certainly couldn't let Scarlett have a relationship with them either.
"H-He is. Why don't you come in, and I will go get him?" Ella replied unsurely as she stepped back to allow Aria to come inside. Aria nodded curtly and walked inside the place that used to feel like home to her. Now, it just made her feel dirty.
"Oh, Aria. I'm so glad you've come home. We've missed you so much," Ella said in an emotional voice. Aria sighed and looked at her mother.
"Can you just go get Dad, please?" she asked bluntly, not wanting to hear her mother go on and on about how much she'd missed her, when she'd been half of what pushed her away.
Ella looked hurt as she quietly said, "Of course," and headed off to find Byron. Aria let out a breath as she watched her mother walk away, and she slowly began to look around. Everything looked the same as it had almost three years ago, but it didn't feel the same. Aria slowly walked around the corner and into the living room. She remembered family game nights around the coffee table and she and Noel snuggling on the very couch that sat in front of her as he promised that he would love her forever. Aria scoffed. Forever was a lot shorter than she'd always anticipated.
Aria was interrupted from her reverie when she heard her father's voice choke out her name behind her. She quickly turned and looked at him. He hadn't aged well either, and Aria hoped he'd had many sleepless nights regretting how he'd treated her, his daughter who he was supposed to love and support unconditionally.
"Aria. My Aria, you've come home," Byron choked out, and, like Ella, he also tried to hug her. Aria stepped back again and put on a steel expression.
"Like I told Mom, I am not here to make nice. I am only here to talk to you, so please sit down so I can get this done quickly," Aria said in a hard voice as she moved to sit down on the couch behind her. She watched as her parents exchanged hurt glances and sat down on the couch across from her. Aria could see the yearning in their eyes to just hold her, but she couldn't help but think that they should have done that two years ago when she needed their love and support most.
"Aria, where have you been? Why did you leave?" Ella asked after a moment of silence passed by. Aria stared at her with a look of disbelief written clearly across her face.
"Are you kidding me? Why did I leave? I left because Dad was going to make me have an abortion, and you were just going to stand by and let him, which is just as bad. I left because I had to protect my baby," Aria replied in an angry voice, willing the tears that pricked at the backs of her eyes to go away. She didn't want them to see her cry.
"Aria…" Byron started, but Aria cut him off quickly. She was uninterested in whatever he had to say.
"I really don't want to hear it, Dad. I am only here today to let you know that my daughter and I have moved back to Rosewood. I expect you both to leave us alone," Aria said in a determined voice. She watched as shock and surprise filled both of her parents' expressions. She wanted to roll her eyes. Surely they weren't surprised she wasn't going to let them into Scarlett's life or her own.
"You kept the baby?" Byron asked at the same time Ella said, "You can't be serious, Aria." Aria did roll her eyes this time, at both her father's shock and her mother's stupidity.
"I am serious. And, of course I kept my baby. I am very proud to call myself her mother," Aria replied, softening just a little at the thought of her Scarlett. She would do anything in the world for that little girl.
"Are we going to be able to meet her?" Ella asked hesitantly, hope now filling her eyes. Aria frowned at her mother.
"No, you are not going to be able to meet her. I want both of you to stay far, far away from her," Aria replied in a serious voice. She hated the thought of her parents disappointing her precious Scarlett the same way they'd disappointed her.
"She's our grandchild, Aria. We have a right to meet her," Byron stated plainly, making Aria fume.
"Okay, first of all, she is not your grandchild. She is my daughter, but she will never be your grandchild. Second of all, are you kidding me? You have no rights! You lost all rights when you tried to make me kill her two years ago! Or, have you conveniently forgotten about that?" Aria yelled, standing up as she finished. She felt sick at the thought of what her parents were going to make her do if she'd stayed with them after she found out she was pregnant. She wanted to cry at the idea of never having Scarlett in her life.
"It was stupid of me to come here, but I didn't want you to see us around town and think that it was okay to come up to us. It's not okay, and, as far as I'm concerned, this is the last time I will be speaking to either of you. If you see us around town, I want you to pretend that you don't know us. I want you to walk the other way. You will not have a damn thing to do with my little girl, period. End of story," Aria said heatedly as she fixed her purse onto her shoulder. Byron and Ella stood then, tears blurring both visions.
"I know you don't care what I have to say, but I am truly sorry about what I did. I didn't mean to hurt you… I-I just wanted what was best for you," Byron said in a broken voice, stepping closer to Aria. Aria had to push back her tears and fight to keep a cold expression in her eyes.
"You're right, I don't care what you have to say," Aria replied, trying to keep her voice cold and emotionless. Ella stepped forward too, reaching her arm out to take Aria's, but then remembering Aria's request and dropping it.
"I love you, Aria. I always have, and I always will. Please, never forget that," Ella said, tears rolling down her cheeks. Aria closed her eyes and nodded her head. It was getting harder and harder for her to keep her tears away.
"I have to go now," Aria said in a quiet voice, and then she turned and headed back for the front door, ready to leave and never come back.
"Aria," her mother called out, and Aria stopped walking but didn't turn around. Ella took a deep breath and asked the one question she'd wanted answered after she'd learned that Aria kept her daughter.
"What is her name?" Ella asked hesitantly. Aria let out a breath and wiped away a few tears that had managed to escape.
"Scarlett. Scarlett Harper Montgomery," Aria answered, then hurried out the front door and to her car. Once she was in, she sped out of the driveway and down the street. After she was far enough away that her parents couldn't see her, she pulled over and let out the tears that had been building up inside of her ever since she'd first arrived.
She cried for herself and for the fact that her parents were no longer going to be part of her life, and she cried for Scarlett, who was so innocent but who was still going to be punished, even if she didn't know it. She even cried for her parents, who she knew wanted more than anything to be able to take back what they'd done. She couldn't let it go, though. It was too much to just let go.
After another few minutes passed, Aria managed to pull herself together and stop her tears. She pulled down her driver's side mirror and wiped her smeared make-up away with a Kleenex from the packet she always kept in her purse in case Scarlett needed it. After she wiped away the make-up, she took out her make-up bag and re-applied it.
Satisfied with her new appearance, Aria put her make-up bag back away, folded the mirror back up to where it was supposed to be, and started driving again. She was thankful Scarlett hadn't been there to witness her crying, and she was thankful that Scarlett didn't know enough pain to make her cry like Aria had been. She never wanted her baby girl to feel so broken.
Aria drove to the bookstore slowly. She rolled her windows down and took her time admiring the busy streets and homey atmosphere of Rosewood and inhaling the familiar scent of freshly baked bread and blooming flowers. Where she lived in Nashville had always been busy and loud, and she always felt cold there, not because of the temperature but because it simply wasn't her home. Aria had felt warm again ever since she passed the Welcome to Rosewood sign, and now, taking in the familiar sights and sounds, her heart knew it was home.
She arrived at an older-looking building with light blue trim around its edges just a few minutes later. The bookstore, called Books and Crannies, was smaller, but it had a wrap-around porch filled with comfortable looking porch swings and big chairs for people to sit in and read their new treasures. Aria couldn't help but smile as she got out of her car and headed inside. The inside smelled of a mix of vanilla and that scent only books hold. Aria knew that, even if she didn't land the job, she would become a frequent visitor. Scarlett would love it too.
Noticing that there were about six people ahead of her to buy books from what seemed like the only person working, Aria decided to walk around and wait for the older lady at the counter to finish. She meandered around, looking in the children's section first. Most of Scarlett's books were still in Nashville with Rose waiting to be shipped to them, so Aria decided that she might as well buy her a few to hold her over. She smiled when she came across an old copy of The Rainbow Fish. Although she had spent countless hours reading hundreds of different books to Scarlett, The Rainbow Fish was one that would be new to Scarlett. She held it in her arms and continued looking.
After picking out five more books she knew Scarlett had never read and would love, Aria left the children's section and walked over to the adult section. She found herself lost in a world of classics, many of which she had been meaning to read but never did and some of which she'd read so many times she could recite them word for word. She picked up Wuthering Heights and added it to the stack of books she was buying for Scarlett. Wuthering Heights was one she had bought and was going to read right before she left a little over three years ago. She could finally read it now.
Next, she picked up a copy of The Scarlet Letter. It had always been her favorite book. She admired Hester Prynne, and she hated how the townspeople had ostracized her. Being one who typically went against the societal norm, Aria knew what it was like to feel like she didn't belong, and she saw herself in Hester Prynne. She had named Scarlett after the book because she wanted her daughter to carry Hester's strength and dignity, even when she was completely unlike everyone else.
Balancing her stack of books in one arm, Aria began to flip through the copy of the book. She had many copies of the book back in Nashville with her other books and Scarlett's books, but she didn't have any that looked like this one. This one was covered in red fabric, and the title and author's name were stitched into the front in gold thread. She was admiring the beautiful qualities of this book when a voice beside her startled her.
"Have you read that one before?" the voice asked. Aria jumped a little at the sudden noise and looked up at the owner of the voice. She would be lying if she said he wasn't attractive. He wore a red t-shirt and faded blue jeans, and his hair looked soft and everywhere, almost like he hadn't tried very hard. He had a hint of a smile on his face, and Aria saw an endearing quality floating around in his ocean colored eyes. Aria felt as though she could trust him, and she didn't even know his name yet.
"Um, yeah. It's actually my favorite book," Aria replied with a tentative smile as she glanced down at the book in her hands again. She looked back up and smiled at the impressed look on the man's face. He took a step closer to her, and Aria noticed that he smelled like spearmint.
"Really?" he asked, and Aria nodded back at him. He looked thoughtful for a moment. "What did you think about the author trying to evoke sympathy for Hester Prynne's character? I personally had a hard time feeling any sort of sympathy for her," he asked, and Aria raised an eyebrow at him. She had never heard that point of view before, mostly because none of her other friends had taken the time to read the book and form an opinion on it.
"I think that the author was right in evoking sympathy for her. He was trying to contrast her flaws with the rest of the town's seeming perfection, and, in doing so, he proved that nobody is perfect and that one's flaws make up the person," Aria replied, shifting so that she could see the man more fully and stand more comfortably. She was intrigued by him, and she wanted to know more.
"That's an interesting approach. I've just always had a hard time feeling sorry for her. I mean, she brought the scrutiny upon herself," he replied. Aria raised her eyebrows at him.
"She followed her passions, and while she may not have gone about it in the right way, her passion is admirable and courageous. And, frankly, what she did was none of the townspeople's business anyway. And, even when they were scrutinizing her, she held her head high and made a life for her and her daughter. She always put Pearl first, even when it was hard for her," Aria replied, and the man smiled as he watched her talk. Her eyes held so much passion, and her cheeks were flushed from the fact that she believed in everything she was saying so strongly. Aria felt desperate to defend Hester Prynne. After all, she and Hester were a lot alike.
"I suppose you're right in some respects. Maybe I will have to go back and read it with a fresh viewpoint," he replied. Aria smiled, happy to have made her point, and grabbed another copy of The Scarlet Letter off of the shelf in front of her. She handed it to him, gasping lightly when their fingers touched and she felt a spark of electricity shoot through her. Never had that happened before, not even with Noel.
"Buy a new copy. It will hold a different story than the copy you already have," Aria said to him with a smile. He smirked playfully and added the book to the small stack he was already carrying.
"This is a used bookstore, so I'm not sure how new this will be," he said, causing Aria to give him a look.
"It will be new to you," she replied pointedly, smiling again when he smiled at her. She couldn't help but feel comfortable with this man; she felt like she'd known him forever. She felt like she could tell him anything, and she'd only ever felt that way with her best friends, Scarlett, and Rose. Not even Noel had made her feel that way.
"What is your name, by the way?" Aria asked the man as she stared into his very blue eyes. His smile reached them and made them shine more brilliantly, Aria noticed. She felt like a whole world lived in his eyes, and she wanted to be a part of that world.
"Ezra Fitz. You?" he replied. Aria smiled.
"Aria Montgomery," she said.
"It's very nice to meet you, Aria," Ezra said with an honest grin. Aria felt a warmth settle over her hearing her name come out in his voice. It sounded safe trapped there. He held out his hand for her to shake, and she quickly shook it, feeling the surge of electricity once again. She wondered if he could feel it too.
Aria turned her head and saw that the check-out line was now free of people, and she motioned for Ezra to follow her up there. He fell into step beside her.
"Do you always stop women in old bookstores to ask their opinions on an author's intent, Mr. Fitz?" Aria asked with a playful tone as the two reached the counter. He stepped behind her so she could check-out first.
"Only the beautiful ones," Ezra replied just as the old woman walked behind the counter. Aria looked down to conceal her blush. She really, really liked this guy.
"Oh, my granddaughter just loves this book!" the old woman said with a sweet smile as she scanned the barcode on The Rainbow Fish. Aria smiled, remembering her mother reading the same book to her when she was around Scarlett's age. She frowned then, remembering that she would never have a close relationship with her mother again. She forced a smile again, though, so as not to alarm the woman.
"It was one that I loved as a little girl, and I just had to buy it to read to my daughter," Aria replied, her smile becoming more genuine as thoughts of Scarlett filled her mind.
"How sweet. How old is your daughter?" the old woman asked as she began placing Aria's books into a plastic bag.
"She's two. She is definitely a mess, though," Aria replied with a grin, handing over her debit card to pay for her purchases. She took the bag and hung it on her arm. After a few seconds, the woman handed the debit card back to Aria.
"Is there anything else I can help you with?" she asked with a smile. The crinkles around her eyes made Aria think of Rose.
"Actually, yes. I noticed that you have a Help Wanted sign hanging up in your window, and I am interested in the job," Aria replied with a hopeful smile. The older woman's eyes brightened at Aria's words.
"Oh, that's wonderful dear! We desperately need new bodies here. I just have an application I will need you to fill out, and I will give you a call within the next few days," the woman replied as she rustled around for the application in a drawer. A second later, she placed it in front of Aria with a pen. Aria took the paper and pen and moved further down the counter so she wouldn't be holding Ezra up.
She was done filling everything out before Ezra was done checking out, so she carefully slid the paper back to the old lady and went outside with her new books. She glanced around once she got outside and smiled blissfully at the end of July heat. In Rosewood, it was never too hot or too cold; it was always perfect. Aria took a seat on the swinging bench next to the door and slowly began swinging back and forth. She couldn't wait to bring Scarlett back with her one day. The two could buy some new books, go get ice cream, and come back to the swing for a while. Aria smiled at that thought; nothing sounded more perfect.
"So, you have a daughter?" Ezra's question brought Aria out of her blissful trance. The smile melted from her face and she took in Ezra's confused expression. She sighed a little bit and bit her lip. She should have told him about Scarlett while they were talking inside.
"Her name is Scarlett. She's two," Aria replied slowly. She watched as Ezra's expression turned from one of confusion to one of light shock. Aria sighed again and looked down at her shoes.
"It's okay, Ezra. I understand more than most people how much a child can change a person's life. If you don't want to be a part of that, you can go. I'm not blaming you," Aria said as she continued to look downward. She knew it wouldn't be fair to ask Ezra to be a part of her life if he wasn't ready for so much commitment yet. He had a choice, and it was completely up to him. She couldn't blame him for not wanting to grow up and accept so much responsibility so quickly; she hadn't wanted to grow up at first either. Scarlett had helped her with that.
Silence settled in the air between the two for a couple of minutes, and Aria was certain he was going to leave. It had happened before with other guys in Nashville; she was used to it. That is, until she felt the swing she was sitting on start to move. She looked up and saw Ezra sitting down next to her with a hesitant smile on his face. He looked like he was trying to figure out how to say what he wanted to say, so Aria stayed silent and waited.
"A child… is a lot of responsibility. But, I'm not going to lie to you, Aria. I've never had such an instant connection with someone like I do with you. I've only just met you, and I feel like I can tell you anything. That's new for me, and it feels good. I-I am willing to try this out if you are," Ezra said slowly, the smile on his face growing as he watched one begin to grow on Aria's face as well. She began to nod her head.
"That sounds perfect," Aria said in a soft voice.
The two spent the next couple of hours on the swing in front of the bookstore. Ezra told her about his interests and about his very dysfunctional family, and Aria told him all about Scarlett. They talked about books and writing and even a little bit of music. Aria learned that Ezra was an expert on most of the classics in literature, and Ezra learned that Aria kept a journal that she wrote in every single night. He hoped that he would be part of it tonight. He made her laugh, and she amazed him.
Aria was unaware of how late it was getting until her phone beeped with a text message. Aria pulled it out and gasped slightly when she saw that it was already 4:00. She had been talking with Ezra for almost four hours.
You don't have to rush or anything, but my mom will be home from work around 5 to take us shopping. Scarlett just woke up from her nap, and she's eating some grapes now.
The message was from Hanna. She was relieved that Hanna seemed to have everything under control.
"Is everything okay?" Ezra asked Aria hesitantly. Aria locked her phone and smiled at him. She didn't really want to leave, but she knew she had to get back home to Scarlett.
"Yeah, everything's great. I do need to get back home, though. Scarlett just woke up from her nap," Aria explained as she began to stand up and arrange her bags. Ezra stood up next to her and lightly put his hand on her arm.
"I had a really great time today. I'm glad I met you," he said, and Aria could see honesty in his eyes. She smiled happily at him.
"I'm really glad I met you too," she replied as she took a step closer to him. Before her mind could register what was happening, their lips were together, moving rhythmically and harmoniously with one another. Aria felt a million butterflies erupt in her stomach, each taking flight in a different direction. It was a feeling Aria was certain she wanted to feel again.
When they pulled apart, Aria smiled happily and began to walk backwards, watching Ezra until she made it to the edge of the porch, where she had to turn around so she wouldn't fall. No words needed to be said after that kiss; they both felt everything that could possibly be said. When she got into her car, she buckled up and then sat here for a few minutes with her finger lightly on her lips. Her day had gone from terrible to perfect in just a matter of hours, and she had Ezra to thank for that.
When Aria arrived back home about ten minutes later, she still had a blissful smile on her lips. She felt like she was on cloud nine, and she didn't think anything could bring her down. She couldn't wait to see Ezra again.
"I'm home!" Aria called out as she shut the door behind her and ventured further into the room. She smiled when she heard the soft pitter-patter of bare feet heading in her direction.
"Mommy!" Scarlett cried out excitedly as she ran to Aria. Aria grinned and swung Scarlett into her arms. She kissed her daughter happily on the nose.
"Hello, my sweet girl. Have you been good for Auntie Hanna, Auntie Spence, and Uncle Caleb?" Aria asked as she carried Scarlett into the living room. Scarlett nodded her head enthusiastically.
"Yes and Auntie Ali too!" Scarlett replied with excited eyes. Aria giggled at her little girl. She was so happy Scarlett was getting along well with her aunties. She was happy that they loved her so much.
"Is she here now too?" Aria asked playfully, tickling Scarlett's tummy as she did so. Scarlett giggled, inflating Aria's happiness just that much more. Scarlett wrapped her arms around Aria's neck then and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
"I missed you, Mommy," Scarlett said, making Aria's heart swell with love.
"I missed you too, sweetie," Aria said, and it was true. Even though she had been having a great time with Ezra all afternoon, she'd missed Scarlett the entire time. It had been that way since Scarlett was born, and Aria just figured it was a mom thing.
"Hey Scarlett, why don't you go get that picture you colored for Mommy and give it to her?" Hanna suggested from her place on the couch next to Caleb. Aria looked around the room, just now noticing her friends. Aria set Scarlett down so she could do as Hanna said. She watched as Scarlett hurried off, and then she took a seat next to Alison on the chaise lounge. She couldn't keep the smile off of her face, and all of her friends, even Caleb, were watching her with amused expressions.
"So, where have you been all afternoon?" Ali asked with a glint in her eyes. Aria tried to contain her smile, but she just couldn't. It had a mind of its own.
"I went to my parents' house and then to the bookstore," Aria replied with what she hoped was a nonchalant shrug. Her friends weren't buying it, though.
"And, how did that go?" Spencer inquired with raised eyebrows. She could tell that Aria was hiding something, but she knew they'd get it out of her sooner or later. She wasn't as hard to break as she liked to think she was. Aria shrugged again.
"My visit with my parents went exactly like I expected it to go, and it was really hard. But, my visit to the bookstore was absolutely amazing," Aria replied, unable to keep the smile from taking over her face again. Her friends were looking at her amusedly again.
"Okay, does he have a name, or are we going to have to sit here and pretend like you're this excited over some old bookstore?" Hanna asked, unable to wait any longer. Aria smiled, noticing that Hanna still had the same subtlety, or lack thereof, she'd had before Aria left. Aria was saved from having to explain everything to her friends just yet, however, when Scarlett ran back into the room and straight to her. She was grasping a piece of paper in her tiny hands, and Aria helped her up onto her lap.
"What do you have there, baby?" Aria asked, lightly leaning her chin on Scarlett's shoulder. Scarlett held the picture so Aria could see.
"It's you and me and a rainbow!" Scarlett exclaimed excitedly. Aria gently took the picture from Scarlett. To the average person, it looked like a few effortless scribbles, but Aria could tell that Scarlett had worked hard on this. She could just make out a big blob with a smaller one next to it, which she assumed was her and Scarlett, and several big scribbles in different colors above them.
"It's beautiful!" Aria said as she gently sat the paper down beside her and hugged Scarlett close to her chest. A content smile settled on her face as she inhaled and smelled Scarlett's sweet scent of strawberries and cream. Scarlett smelled like home to her. Her friends watched the young mother and daughter with smiles on their faces. None could deny that Aria really was a wonderful mother.
"I got you some new books while I was out today," Aria said to Scarlett a minute later. Scarlett turned and looked at Aria with an excited expression.
"Really?" the little girl asked. Aria nodded and grabbed the bag from the floor beside her. She reached inside, pulled out Scarlett's six new books, and laid them on her very excited daughter's lap. Scarlett immediately began to flip through the new books, pointing out what excited her about each one. Aria just listened to Scarlett's sweet voice with a happy smile as she stroked her long hair.
"We read this now?" Scarlett asked excitedly as she held up The Rainbow Fish. Aria smiled, having known that Scarlett would choose to read that one first.
"Why don't you ask your Uncle Caleb to read it to you now, and then I'll read it to you before bed tonight. Is that okay?" Aria asked, knowing that Hanna was going to explode if she didn't get answers from Aria soon. Scarlett nodded and hopped off of Aria's lap and toddled over to Caleb. She took a seat on the empty space next to him and handed him the new book, to which he took gently and began reading the words to her. Aria watched for a minute, loving the amazed expression on Scarlett's face. She got the same look every time Aria read to her.
A minute later, Aria stood up and motioned for the girls to follow her into the kitchen. She took Scarlett's picture with her and laid it with her purse on the kitchen table.
"Is Emily going to come by today?" Aria asked as she took a seat at the barstool. Alison took the seat next to her, and Spencer and Hanna sat down across from them.
"She got off work at 4:00, so she probably went home to shower and change and then she'll come by," Alison responded, used to Emily's schedule. Aria nodded and looked down at her purple-painted fingernails. No matter how much she fought it, she couldn't keep the smile off her face or the memories from talking to and kissing Ezra at the bookstore out of her mind.
"Are you going to tell us what put that gigantic smile on your face, or are you going to make us guess?" Spencer asked after a minute of watching her friend. Aria looked at her brunette friend.
"You don't think we should wait for Em to get here?" Aria asked. Spencer considered Aria's question, but Hanna quickly shot it down.
"No. I have been waiting for the past like half-hour for you to spill. I don't think I can make it until Emily gets here!" Hanna said, crossing her arms as she did so. Her friends all looked at her amusedly. Alison's phone beeped then.
"That was Em. She said she'll be here in about five minutes. Can you wait that long, Hanna?" Alison asked with a grin as she put her phone down on the counter in front of her. Hanna sighed dramatically.
"If I must," she conceded rather unhappily. Aria smirked at her friend. She was always the dramatic one.
"So, was Scarlett good while I was gone?" Aria asked, trying to make the time go by more quickly for Hanna by making conversation. Hanna brightened considerably at the mention of her precious god-daughter.
"She's a doll, Aria," Spencer said with a smile.
"She's really smart, too. She sang her ABC's for us today," Alison remarked with a smile. She had gotten Scarlett's performance on video, and she made a mental reminder to send the video to Aria.
"Yeah, I've been working with her on that. It helps that she really likes to sing too," Aria replied with a satisfied smile on her face. She was always proud of Scarlett.
"You should have been here earlier when she was fixing Caleb's hair too. It was priceless!" Hanna said with a giggle as she remembered the two-year-old decorating her boyfriend's hair with hair bows in every color. The other giggled too.
"She didn't bother him too much, did she?" Aria asked, suddenly worrying about her decision to make him read to Scarlett. Hanna shook her head, though.
"Not at all. He is completely wrapped around her little finger. I think he was thrilled when you got her to make him read to her," Hanna replied with a grin. Aria let out a relieved breath and smiled at the news. Even though she didn't know Caleb very well yet, she knew that he was very important to Hanna. She wanted to make sure that he liked her and Scarlett.
Silence settled around the girls for a few minutes, until the front door opened and Emily walked inside. She closed it gently behind her and smiled when she saw her friends waiting for her. Her smile grew wider when she saw Aria and remembered that she wasn't leaving them again anytime soon. She hurried over to them and gave Alison a sweet kiss before sitting down next to her.
"How was work, Em?" Aria asked her tan friend.
"It wasn't too bad, I guess. I had to break up a fight between two 6 year olds before they drowned each other, and another kid bit me because I wouldn't let her go in the deep end. You know, the usual," Emily replied, and Aria nodded, pretending to understand the chaos Emily worked with even though she really didn't. In that moment, she was thankful Scarlett was so well-behaved.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. It sucks to be Emily. Can you please tell us what happened now?" Hanna said impatiently from her place across from Aria. Aria gave her a look and tried to send an apologetic one to Emily, but Emily was looking at her curiously.
"What is she talking about?" Emily asked, confusion etched across her face.
"Aria met a boy," Spencer replied with a smirk. The smile made its way across Aria's face again at Spencer's words. Her friends all laughed at her.
"Look at her. She is totally blushing!" Alison said as she pointed at Aria. Aria's face heated up even more at Alison's words.
"Okay, spill!" Emily demanded as she situated herself more comfortably in her chair. Aria let out a breath.
"His name is Ezra, and I met him at the bookstore. He asked me about the author's intent in The Scarlet Letter, and I totally convinced him to buy a new copy and read it with a fresh viewpoint. Then, he called me beautiful. And then we sat outside on the swing in front of the bookstore and talked about everything until around 4:00, when I left to come back here. But, before I left, he kissed me," Aria said in one breath, everything about her glowing by the time she finished. She had the strong urge to touch her fingers to her lips again, but she contained herself.
"He kissed you?!" Emily asked with an excited grin. Aria nodded, and Hanna squealed. If there was anything she loved more than her own love life, it was her friends' love lives.
"Aww! He's a book nerd just like you too!" Hanna exclaimed, earning a dirty look from Aria.
"What's he like?" Spencer asked, shooting Hanna a look too. Hanna held her hands up defensively, but she knew that Spencer and Aria were just messing with her. Aria leaned forward with her elbows propped up on the table.
"He's perfect, Spence. He's so honest and genuine. He didn't know about Scarlett at first, but when he found out, he said that he was willing to try things with me if I was. He loves books and writing too. He's just… I don't know," Aria trailed off with a far-away look in her eyes. The girls all shot knowing looks at one another. They had seen Aria a milder version of this back when she was with Noel, but they had never seen her look so alive and so happy before. And she had only just met Ezra.
"I'm so happy for you, Aria!" Alison said with a grin, bringing Aria out of her trance. Aria looked at each of her friends and grinned. She'd missed girl talks like this while she was away.
"Thanks, guys. I missed this so much while I was away. I missed you. I'm so sorry I just left you," Aria said, trying to keep herself from getting too emotional. She'd done enough crying for the day after her visit with her parents. Spencer smiled sympathetically and put her hand on Aria's.
"It's okay now, Aria. You're home now, and you brought perfection in the form of a two-year-old with you. That's all that matters," Spencer said with a smile, and Aria smiled a tearful smile back at her friend. She looked around and saw Hanna, Emily, and Alison nodding their heads in agreement with Spencer.
"But if you ever leave again, I will personally find you and drag you back here by your ears," Hanna said, breaking the emotional moment. Aria laughed at Hanna.
"I promise, I'm not going anywhere," Aria said, and she knew she meant it. After seeing how happy being home with the girls made both her and Scarlett, she could never just take that away again. They were home, and they weren't leaving again.
By the time Aria went to bed that night, she was exhausted. Hanna was already asleep with Scarlett snuggled up next to her, and Aria climbed into bed on the other side of Scarlett. They'd gone shopping with Ashley for about five hours, coming home way past Scarlett's bed time. But, they'd also managed to buy everything they needed to fix up both Aria's and Scarlett's rooms. Aria planned to get to work on it the next day.
But, for now, Aria reached into her purse and pulled her journal and pen out. She carried it with her everywhere, in case she needed to write while she was out. She turned to a blank page and dated it. With a smile, she began her journal entry for the night…
Dear Diary,
I met someone today. His name is Ezra, and I feel so happy with him. I know I have only known him for one afternoon, but I feel like I have known him forever. He knows about Scarlett, and he still wants to try things with me. He would be my first relationship since Noel, but I know I'm ready. I know Scarlett will like him too. Something about him makes me feel like everything is going to be okay. I haven't forgotten the way his lips felt on mine, and I hope that I never will. I have never felt this way before, and while that is scary, it's also exciting. I can't wait to hear from him again.
Aria.
A/N: I am so overwhelmed by the response the first chapter of this story received! Thank-you all for your kind words and for following/favoriting/reviewing! If y'all have any suggestions of ideas, feel free to run them by me in a review. I am so excited to hear from y'all!
Jordan.
