Chapter 11: One Step at a Time

The wheels of the metal shopping cart squeal as I push it along the frozen foods aisle of Target, Brennen cooing happily in the seat of the cart. Wednesday afternoons aren't usually busy, but for some reason the store is bustling with people. I nearly lose my cool when someone accidently swipes my ankles with their cart for the third time. I pull the cart to the side of the aisle and let them pass. Ezra is taking me to go meet Wyatt tonight and I'm in a hurry to get my shopping done in time, not only for groceries but for a few things for Wyatt as well since we won't be able to get his things from his mom's for another week or so.

I consult my shopping list for a brief moment to see what is next on it to pick up.

French Fries

Tater Tots

Organic Pizza

Organic Frozen Veggies

These are just a few among several frozen food items listed. I reach into the freezers and begin putting things in the cart. As I'm staring into the cold, deciding over whether I should get cheese or pepperoni pizza, I hear a voice behind me.

"Definitely go with pepperoni." The male voice says. I spin around to see Holden Strauss standing beside my cart, his hands deep in his pockets.

"Holden!" I shout, tossing the box of pepperoni pizza in the cart and hugging him. He smells of sweat and old spice cologne; it's intoxicating.

"How have you been?" I ask happily when I pull back.

"Good. Going to school at Hollis, and still involved with martial arts. It looks like life is treating you kind. Who is this little munchkin?"

"This is Brennen, Ezra and I's youngest. And don't be fooled by my smile or thin figure for that matter. Life has been hell since he was born." I explain, tickling Brennen's feet.

"Uh oh." Holden frowns. I nod.

"Hey, I've got to get this shopping done but afterward I'm free. Do you want to go get some coffee at the Grille and catch up?" I ask.

"Yeah, sure, that would be great!"

"Alright. How does four sound?"

"That works for me."

"Alright. See you then." We hug again and then are off in separate directions, my mind running a thousand miles per minute. My subconscious sneers in my ear: You just asked Holden Strauss, you're old crush, out for coffee.

The inside of the Apple Bar and Grille is warm and cozy, making the perfect escape from this cold and rainy April day. I wheel Brennen's stroller up to an unoccupied table and sit down to wait for Holden. I don't have to wait long. A few minutes past four Holden swaggers in through the Grille door, wearing the same light grey cashmere sweater as he had on when he ran into me earlier at the store. I notice how tightly it hugs him, flaunting his impeccably sculptured muscles, as he makes his way toward me.

"Hey." He whispers when he reaches the table, sliding onto the chair opposite me. "Looks like you're shopping wore the little guy out." He smiles, peering down at Brennen asleep in the stroller.

"It always does." I smile, and I catch the uncertain way Holden is staring at me.

"What's with the broken smile?" He asks disquietly, his eyes casting a helpless look over me.

I shake my head before delving into the shattered past five months. Holden sits, gaping at me over his cup of coffee, when I've finished.

"Wow." He breathes, taking a sip of coffee; I do the same. "On top of everything you two have been going through he finds out he has a son with another woman?"

I nod my head, setting my cup back down on the wooden table with a clunk.

"And you're going to accept this child into your home? No questions asked?"

"Oh believe me, questions were asked."

"So it's really his kid?"

Painfully, I nod my head yes.

"Does your mom think it's a good idea to let this kid come live you guys?"

"She doesn't know yet." Holden's eyes widen.

"How do you think she will react?"

"Well the fact that she wouldn't talk to me because she thought the reason I was bed-ridden for two days was because I was pregnant, tells me her reaction won't be a good one." I explain, looking down at my cup.

Holden nods. "I can see how that would be concerning when you add a new baby, or another child for that matter, on top of the fact that you're already struggling emotionally and mentally right now."

I nod my head, slowly. "But it's the right thing to do isn't it?"

"For someone who is in a stable position of course it is, but in your condition Aria, I don't know if it's the right thing to do at the moment."

I gaze at Holden, staring into his chocolate brown eyes that mirror mine. What if he is right? What if this isn't the right thing to do after all?

Pushing away the thoughts that Holden conjured up in my head regarding my decision to let Wyatt come live with Ezra and I, I sit in the passenger side of the car in the hospital parking lot as the sun is beginning to set, Ezra by my side. We climb out of the car, and hand-in-hand, begin walking toward the hospital entrance. This will be the first time that Ezra has seen Wyatt awake, as he was sleeping the first night Ezra came to see him after the call from the hospital.

Ezra and I make our way up to the third floor where Wyatt's room is, and after stopping by the nurses' station to let them know we are visiting, we follow a winding corridor until we reach room number 321.

"Are you ready?" Ezra asks quietly as we're standing just outside Wyatt's door.

"As ready as I can be for this."

Ezra leans down and kisses me gently on the forehead. Then he turns the doorknob and pushes the door open.

White-washed walls and florescent lights greet Ezra and I as we step into the room. A curly-headed boy, wearing a hospital gown and sitting up in a bed placed in the middle of the room casts his eyes upon us. Ice-blue eyes that are identical to Ezra's. I gasp, reaching for Ezra's arm. Damn, this is going to be harder than I thought. The T.V is playing just loud enough to hear, in the upper corner of the room next to the window. I don't look at the screen because my eyes are fixed on Wyatt, but it sounds like the movie Transformers is playing.

"Who are you?" The boy finally speaks.

"Wyatt, my name is Ezra Fitz, and this is Aria Fitz, my wife. I'm your father."

"They told me I had a dad, but they didn't say anything about a step-mom." Wyatt says, looking from Ezra to I.

I try to smile, to let Wyatt know it is okay. "You also have two brothers and a sister." I say.

"I don't want a new mom." Wyatt says and I can tell he is about to cry. "I don't want any brothers and sisters. I just want my mom back!" He shouts, flipping over and burying his face in his pillow as he begins to sob.

All the color drains from my face as I look at Ezra, panic stricken. He squeezes my hand, looking back at me with reassurance, before letting go and walking over to Wyatt's bedside.

"Wyatt, I know you're very upset right now. But I promise you Aria is not here to replace your mom in any way. I know it's hard to understand all of this right now but we would love for you to come and live with us and a part of our family. I've missed out on the last nine years of your life and I don't want to miss out on any more."

The room is quiet for several seconds, except for the sound of Wyatt crying. Finally, slowly, Wyatt lifts his head and peeks up at Ezra.

"I really have brothers?" Wyatt sniffs.

Ezra nods, "Yes, and a sister. We haven't told them about you yet, but we will if you decide to come home with us."

"I want to go home with my mom."

Ezra looks at me and mouths: Try, please? I shake my head. Just then a nurse comes in through the door. She smiles at Ezra and I as she walks over to Wyatt's bed.

"How are you feeling Wyatt?" The nurse asks in a sweet voice.

Wyatt answers by sniffling. The nurse crouches down beside the bed so that she is level with Wyatt.

"Wyatt, I know that you're sad and scared right now but Mr. and Mrs. Fitz are here to help you, if you allow them too. They need time to adjust to this as much as you do." The nurse rubs Wyatt's back, quickly checks his vitals and then motions for Ezra and I to follow her out into the hallway.

"Wyatt is going to need to see a therapist regularly in order to help with grieving the loss of his mother as well as the changes that will be coming. This would all be something that would be done whether he was living with you or in an orphanage. However, given the fact that he has a father, you Mr. Fitz, I don't advise letting him have a choice on whether he wants to go with you or not. He is too young to make that decision, and we both know sending him to an orphanage isn't the right one."

Ezra nods before speaking. "We have a family therapist who would love to take Wyatt on as a client. As for his choice, Aria and I agree fully, and we have already agreed to open our home to him."

The nurse smiles, updates us on Wyatt's condition and then, saying bye, turns on her heel and walks down the hall.

"Why don't we go say bye to Wyatt? We've got a busy day tomorrow and you need your rest." Ezra asks. I nod my head weakly in response, already feeling drained about the process we will endure with Wyatt to get him back to his normal self. The same process, I remind myself, that I'm still enduring.

What did y'all think about that Holden/Aria moment! I just had to bring Holden into this story, and he will end up playing a significant part throughout the rest as well, but I can't say his role in it. ;) I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to review, review and review! I still have over one hundred readers per chapter, but less than ten reviews!

The next few chapters may be updated a little less often as I am finally (though unfortunately) getting some writers block with this story! Grr! I haven't had any up until chapter 12 (the next chapter, which took me over a week, compared to a day, to finish writing.) Hopefully mean old writers block will go away soon! Can't wait for y'all to read what happens next! Enjoy and review!

Amanda