Rosewood Community Hospital
She held tightly to her knees that were pressed against her chest as she held the oxygen mask to her face. This had happened to her before, but never in front of Ezra. She always had panic attacks whether it be caused by school, family distress. But up until now she tried to keep it a secret, a secret only Hanna and Spencer knew about, now this was mistake was threatening to expose a secret that threatened her friendships her marriage and her family. Aria looked towards the nurse with a hopeful look in her eyes, the nurse nodded smiling before leaving. She removed the mask from her face and slid down from the gurney walking quickly towards the doors.
"Aria!" Ezra called out following her throughout the streets of Rosewood
She ignored his calls and instead walked faster hoping to lose him. She turned her head only to see him reaching for her arm.
"Aria" he said again this time more firmly reminding her of a teacher "What the hell happened?"
She looked at him knowing that she needed to tell him her secret but worried he would leave "I had a panic attack" she whispered
He rubbed his hand along her shoulder "Why didn't you just tell me that?" he paused "Why?"
Aria tightened her fists as she heard the concern in his voice "A"
Fury fell over Ezra's face "What did A do to you"
Guilt filled her heart as she revealed the events that occurred in the past week "A had me help them get Ali. They threatened to spread a tape recorder with our conversation about Emma around town."
He never released her hand as she continued her story "I was there when Ali was beat up, I heard everything that A said and did. And I just stood there, I could've done something but I was so scared" she fought back tears "Ezra I was scared for us and for Emma and for our future"
"Listen you did what you had to do and I'm not mad and I'm not going to leave or tell your friends or guilt you into telling. If I was put into that situation and they threatened to hurt this family" he looked directly into her eyes "I would have done the same it's alright" He kissed her forehead "It's alright" he repeated hearing her cries grow louder
Montgomery House
She took a deep breath before knocking. Knocking on the door where she grew up, where she felt love, resentment, fear, joy, pain all for the first time. Where she spent so much of her time, reading, writing, watching old movies till the sun came up. She wasn't ready to be there again to relieve some of her greatest moments along with some of her worst. But she knew she knew she needed to tell her parents that she was okay, and that she was happy and safe and most of all engaged. She knocked softly waiting for the door to her past to swing open. There she stood in shock staring at her daughter who managed a smile before being pulled into a tight embrace.
"Aria sweetie" Ella said with tears in her eyes "I'm so glad to see you"
"You to mom" She replied as the air was squeezed out of her lungs "Can you let go! I can't breathe" she whispered taking a short breath
Ella laughed as she escorted her daughter inside watching as she took a seat on the couch. The couch she hadn't seen since the day she left, the day her parents found out about Emma and the day she ran to her love Ezra.
"How have you been?" Ella asked staring at Aria's small baby bump
"I'm fine. And so is Emma" She replied seeing her mother's eyes on her stomach
Ella's smile was brighter than ever as she heard the news "Emma, it's a girl"
Aria couldn't help but smile as her mother congratulated her placing her hand on Emma and feeling a slight kick.
"Emma Rose" she added
Ella smiled "Rose after me?"
"I always did love you maiden name" She held her mother's hand as they talked as if nothing had happened. As if she had never left as if this was just another normal day.
"Mom, can I show you something?" Aria asked pulling her ring form her pocket "Ezra asked me to marry him. I said yes is that okay?" she asked desperately seeking approval
"Honey of course it's okay if you love him and he loves you it's okay I just want you to be happy. Where is he anyway?"
Aria was glad her mother understood she was glad she wanted to see her be happy and she was glad she wanted to see Ezra. "Outside"
They walked together making their way to the car seeing Ezra singing along with the music that blared from the speakers.
"Sounding good Ezra" Ella laughed making him jump
"I see you share Aria's joy of scaring me" he joined her laughing as he got out of the car
"I just wanted to say congratulations and that I'm very proud of your maturity and delicate nature" She looked at the two of them seeing them for the first time in a new light. Seeing them not as something wrong, not as something she needed to prevent, but as something filled with love. Something you find only once in your life and something that you needed to hold onto tightly.
"I love you Mom"
