Aria's POV
As my hazel eyes flutter open, the details of what happened yesterday slowly come rushing back into my mind. I called Spencer. Spencer told me not to call her anymore. I cried. Ezra held me. It was an all around terrible day. I sigh, and silently pray that today will be better.
As I glance across the bedroom, I immediately know that today will be better. A smile forms on my face when I see Gregory and Ezra sitting on the floor, and playing with the little boy's collection of plastic cars. My son looks happy, but my husband looks even happier. I always knew Ezra would make a great father, and I'm so happy that Gregory has such an amazing man to look up to.
"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy! Look at how fast my green car can go!" Gregory exclaims as he moves the green car all around the plastic track.
"Your green car is not as fast as my blue car." Ezra says in a teasing voice.
"Yes it is Daddy!" Gregory argues.
"Okay, I guess I'll take your word for it." Ezra says before ruffling our son's curly hair.
I slowly make my way out of bed, and Gregory's eyes light up with excitement when he realizes that I'm awake. He's about to say something, but I quickly press my index finger over my lips. I don't want my husband to know I'm awake. Not before I can have some fun with him. Gregory seems to read my mind because he doesn't say anything about me being awake, although the bright smile still covers his face.
I tip-toe towards my husband, and he doesn't seem to notice that I'm standing right behind him. When he's least expecting it, I decide to make my move.
"Boo!" I shout as I wrap my arms around his shoulders.
Ezra screams. He screams like a little girl. Gregory and I both burst into laughter, and Ezra turns to face me. He looks startled, but he's laughing nevertheless.
"Jesus Aria! You scared me!" My husband exclaims.
"That was kind of the point." I mutter before giving him a soft kiss on the lips.
"Ewwwwww!" Gregory exclaims.
"Why is that gross? When you get big like Daddy you'll want to kiss girls too." I tease.
"No." Gregory says as he begins to shake his head vigorously.
"Yes." I say with a smirk.
"No." Gregory says with a little more passion this time.
"Okay. Well if you don't want to kiss girls, will you at least come over here and give your mommy a hug?" I ask my son hopefully.
Gregory nods before dropping his green car and running into my arms. The boy buries his face in my chest, and I rub his back gently. Even though my son is wise beyond his years, he's still my baby boy. He's always going to be my baby boy.
"Mommy, are you done being gone?" Gregory asks me softly.
My heart sinks when Gregory asks this. I hate how my problems are affecting him emotionally. He's always looking out for me, and sometimes I feel like I'm not strong enough to look out for him like a mother should.
"Honey, we've been over this before. I'm never gone. I'm just taking a really long nap." I tell my son seriously.
"But Momma..." Gregory starts to say.
"But nothing Gregory. I was taking a nap. That's it." I say with sternness in my voice.
"Are you done taking a nap?" Gregory asks as his voice softens.
"Yes sweetheart. I'm done taking a nap." I mutter before ruffling my son's curly hair.
At that moment, my new cell phone begins to ring. Who could that be? A smile forms on my face when I realize that the caller is Hanna.
"Ezra, I have to take this. Can you watch him for me?" I ask as I gesture towards Gregory.
"Of course honey." Ezra says with a nod.
I give my husband a grateful smile before scurrying into the hallway and answering the phone.
"Hey Hanna." I tell my perky blond friend.
"Aria! How are you?" Hanna asks me curiously.
Should I tell her about Spencer? No, she's been through enough.
"I'm great! How are you?" I ask my friend.
"I'm good! Do you still want me to bring Caleb and Aria over for dinner like we talked about the other day?" Hanna asks me.
I completely forgot about that! I've been so busy thinking about Spencer that I forgot about the plans I made with Hanna.
"Aria? Are you still there?" Hanna asks, snapping me out of my trance.
"I'm here. I was just um, thinking." I mutter.
"Aria, I know how busy you and Ezra must be. If tonight is not a good night we can reschedule. It's honestly no problem." Hanna tells me.
"No! I want you here Hanna. I've missed spending time with you and Caleb, and I'm anxious to meet my little god-daughter." I say with a chuckle.
"Good, because we can't wait to see you! What time should we come over?" Hanna asks me.
"How about three o'clock? That way Aria and Gregory can have some time to play before we start dinner." I suggest.
"Sounds like a plan! See you at three o'clock." Hanna says before hanging up the phone.
I walk back into the bedroom feeling giddy and excited. It's been so long since I've spent time with Hanna and Caleb, and I have a feeling that tonight is going to be perfect! The only person I'm worried about is Gregory. He's never met anyone his own age, and I have no idea how he's going to act around Hanna's daughter.
"Who were you talking to?" Ezra asks as I renter the bedroom.
"That was Hanna. I completely forgot that I invited her and Caleb over for dinner tonight. It's okay if they come over, right Ezra?" I ask with a hint of nervousness in my voice.
"Of course it's okay! Aria, this is your house too." Ezra reminds me.
"Right. I know it is." I say with a slight smile.
"Hanna is the girl with yellow hair, right?" Gregory asks as he picks up one of his yellow cars.
Ezra and I both laugh at Gregory's words. He says the cutest things sometimes.
"Honey, Hanna doesn't have yellow hair. We call the color of her hair blond." I say through my giggles.
"Blond?" Gregory asks as his eyes grow wide with shock.
"That's right." I say with a nod.
"I don't think Crayola makes blond crayons." Gregory says thoughtfully.
"No buddy, I don't think they do." Ezra says before tickling Gregory's belly.
Ezra's tickles cause Gregory to giggle softly, and I revel in the sound of his laughter. It's nice to know that despite everything he's been through, Gregory still has the capacity to laugh and enjoy life. I wish I had that capacity too.
"Who is Caleb?" Gregory asks me curiously.
"Caleb is Hanna's husband." I tell Gregory.
My son offers me a small nod, before throwing the yellow car to the ground and picking up his red one. Now is probably a good time to tell him about little Aria. I hope he reacts well to the news.
"Gregory." I say softly.
"Yes Mommy." Gregory asks as he raises his little head.
"Do you remember when I told you that Hanna has a daughter who's five just like you are?" I ask my son curiously.
"Uh-huh." Gregory says as he continues to play with his cars.
"Well, she's coming over for dinner. I was hoping you two could play for a while." I tell Gregory gently.
"Sure." Gregory says with a little nod.
Sure! That's it? I thought he'd be nervous about meeting another five year-old, but I guess I was wrong.
"You two are going to have so much fun buddy! Little Aria is a nice girl, and she'll love playing with you." Ezra tell our son with a smile.
Gregory doesn't say anything. Instead, he focuses on his toys and begins to make car noises.
"I think this will be good. For all of us." Ezra says as he looks up at me.
"Yeah, I think so too." I say, hoping we're both right.
Line Break
I stare at my reflection in the mirror and let out a heavy sigh. Hanna and Caleb are coming over in about an hour, and I literally have nothing to wear! I know I don't need to dress up for them, but I still want to look somewhat presentable. I want a new dress and my old figure. Unfortunately, I'm stuck with my old dresses and a new, more maternal figure.
All the sudden, the bathroom door bursts open. I remember that I'm completely naked, so I quickly cover up my breasts. As soon as Ezra catches sight of me, he lets out an audible gasp. What if he noticed the stretch marks on my stomach? What if he thinks I'm disgusting now?
"I'm so sorry honey. I can leave and give you some privacy. Or I could just..." Ezra starts to say.
"You can stay. It's not like you haven't seen me like this before." I mutter as I pick up a towel, and wrap it around my body.
Ezra chuckles before walking over to me, and planting a soft kiss on my forehead. I don't know if I feel comfortable having him so close to me when I don't have any clothes on. I know I shouldn't feel this way about Ezra. He's my husband, and I'm supposed to feel comfortable around him. I don't know what's wrong with me.
"Aria, are you okay? You seem a little tense." Ezra says as his voice softens.
That's all it takes for me to break down. I begin to sob, and Ezra immediately wraps his arms around me.
"Honey, what's wrong?" Ezra asks me gently.
"H-Hanna and Caleb are coming over and I have nothing to wear!" I blurt out.
For some reason, Ezra begins to laugh. Why is he laughing when I'm so upset? I don't find my dilemma amusing in the slightest.
"It's not funny Ezra." I growl angrily.
"Baby, you never feel like you have anything to wear. You used to go shopping with Hanna almost every weekend, remember? I kept all your clothes, and you have an entire wardrobe filled with things that will look lovely on you." Ezra says as he brushes my long hair behind my ears.
"Things are different now Ezra! I can't go parading around the house in the same clothes that I used to wear." I mutter.
"Why?" Ezra asks with confusion in his voice.
Why? Did he really just ask me why? It's because I don't feel comfortable in my body, and the clothes I used to wear show too much skin for my liking. But if I tell Ezra the truth, he will give me a long lecture about how I'm supposedly perfect and beautiful. I'm sick of hearing his lectures, so I think of another answer to his question.
"I'm a mom now Ezra! I can't dress like I used too when I'm around Gregory." I tell my husband seriously.
"Why not?" Ezra asks with confusion in his voice.
"Because it's completely inappropriate! That's why not!" I hiss in annoyance.
"You make it sound like you used to wear crop tops and booty shorts. Gregory can see you in a dress Aria." Ezra tells me seriously.
What do I say to that? More tears begin to form in my eyes, and I stare down at the ground in shame.
"I have a feeling that this has more to do with you than it does Gregory." Ezra says with a heavy sigh.
Busted! I begin to cry even harder if that's humanly possible, and to my surprise, Ezra doesn't offer me a warm hug. Instead, he walks into the closet and pulls out one of my old dresses.
"Here. You're going to wear this." Ezra says as he hands me the dress.
I take a minute to stare at the dress. This used to be one of my favorites. It's purple and lose fitted, but it's pretty short on me. I don't want to wear it.
"Ezra no." I say as I hand him the dress.
"Why not? You love this dress!" Ezra exclaims.
"Not anymore." I say with sternness in my voice.
"This is ridiculous! You're going to wear this dress, and you're going to look beautiful in it. I'm afraid you don't have a say in the matter my darling." Ezra says with a smirk.
I gasp at my husband's words. He sounds exactly like Nick. All the sudden, I feel small, and helpless.
"J-just like Nick." I stutter.
"What did you just say?" Ezra asks as his eyes grow wide with shock.
But I don't have the will or strength to respond. I just stare at my husband with a terrified expression on my face.
"God dammit Aria! How the hell could you compare me to that monster? I've never done anything to hurt you! I'm just trying to help you feel good about yourself." Ezra screams before throwing the dress to the ground.
I don't see Ezra anymore. I see a furious looking Nick. He's going to hit me, and then he's going to rape me mercilessly.
"N-no. P-please don't." I say through my heavy sobs.
"Don't what?" Nick asks as he furrows his brow in confusion.
"Don't hurt me! Please." I say with a whimper.
Nick almost a looks concerned. He begins to approach me, and I panic. I don't want him anywhere near me.
"No!" I scream before slapping him across the face forcefully.
Nick lets out an audible moan, and that's when I remember that he's not really Nick. He's Ezra. I just slapped my husband, and to my surprise, he's crying.
"E-Ezra I'm so sorry! I don't know what came over me! Do you need some ice or something?" I ramble nervously.
Ezra shakes his head, but he continues to cry. I must have slapped him really hard.
"I didn't mean to..." I start to say.
"Aria, I'm not crying because I slapped you. I'm crying because I frightened you. You thought I was going to hurt you, and it's absolutely unacceptable for you to feel that way around me. I haven't done a good enough job of making you feel safe." Ezra says through his tears.
"Ezra that's not true! I just had a little moment, that's all. Besides, it's not your fault that I'm messed up." I say through my tears.
"For the millionth time, you're not messed up! Do you know how much it hurts me when you say that?" Ezra asks as his voice softens.
"Why does it hurt you?" I ask with confusion in my voice.
"Because you're my girl Aria. I want you to feel safe, and loved, and beautiful." Ezra says with a sniffle.
"I'm always going to be your girl Ezra." I say before wrapping my arms around him.
"You have no idea how much I love you." Ezra says as he stares into my hazel eyes.
"Yes I do Ezra." I argue.
"No you don't. I didn't even know until after Nick stole you from me." Ezra tells me softly.
I respond by resting my head on Ezra's strong chest, while he strokes my dark hair. I can't believe I mistook this man for Nick. Ezra is so loving and gentle, and I know he'd never do anything to hurt me.
"I love you." I blurt out suddenly.
"I know you do sweetheart. Don't worry, I know." Ezra says before planting a soft kiss on my forehead.
"Good. Now why don't you give me some privacy so I can change into the dress?" I suggest.
To my surprise, Ezra begins to shake his head vigorously. I thought he wanted me to wear the dress!
"You don't feel comfortable in it." Ezra says as he avoids looking into my hazel eyes.
"Ezra, I'm going to have to get past this eventually. Besides, I know you'll tell me if I look absolutely ridiculous in the dress." I say with a chuckle.
"You couldn't look ridiculous if you tried, but I promise to give you my honest opinion." Ezra says as he offers me one of his sweet boyish smiles.
"Good. Now beat it!" I say before shoving him out the master bedroom.
As soon as Ezra is gone, I take the towel of my body and slide the purple dress on. I stare at my reflection in the mirror, and gasp at the sigh in front of me. I look good. Do I dare say... beautiful? I stare at myself until I hear a persistent knocking on the door.
"Honey, are you almost done?" Ezra calls out to me.
I open the door, and Ezra stares at me with wide eyes. Do I not look good in this dress after all?
"E-Ezra?" I ask nervously.
My husband responds by picking me up, and swinging me around the room. I begin to giggle at his adorable gesture.
"Aria, you look fantastic. I'm convinced that you're the most beautiful woman on the planet!" Ezra exclaims.
"Are you sure it's not too much?" I ask him skeptically.
"I'm sure!" Ezra says before pulling me close to him.
At that moment, Gregory enters the master bedroom. He gasps at me, before running into my arms.
"Momma, you look like a beautiful princess!" Gregory exclaims.
"Thank you honey." I say with a blush.
"She is a beautiful princess buddy. Aren't we the luckiest men in the world?" Ezra asks as he stares at me lovingly.
"We are." Gregory says in agreement.
"Well, I'm easily the luckiest woman in the world." I tell my boys truthfully.
Line Break
I pace around the living room anxiously as I wait for Hanna and Caleb to arrive. After I finished getting ready for the evening, I came downstairs to finish tidying up the dining area. Meanwhile, Ezra is upstairs helping Gregory get ready for his play date with little Aria.
My heart skips a beat when the doorbell to the house begins to ring. I've been waiting for this moment all day, but for some reason I'm incredibly nervous. What if Hanna and Caleb see how messed up I am after they spend a few hours with me? What if they don't want to be friends anymore? Stop it Aria! Don't think like that.
I let out a heavy sigh before walking over to the front door, and opening it slowly. In the doorway stands Hanna, who is holding a beautiful little girl who looks nearly identical to her mother. Next to the two beauties stands Caleb, who fixes a tear-filled gaze upon me.
"C-Caleb... It's so good to see you." I say with a genuine smile.
The man responds by wrapping his arms around me, and pulling me in for a long hug. Even though we haven't always seen things eye to eyes, it's safe to say that Caleb is happy to see me.
"You're so strong Aria." He mutters.
Everyone always says that I'm strong, but I don't feel like I am. No. I feel like a weak little girl who needs her mother and husband to shield her from all of the horrors of the world. I don't know how the girl who I see everyday in the mirror survived those dreadful five years in captivity.
"I'm guessing she's your beautiful daughter?" I ask as I gesture towards the five year-old in Hanna's arms.
"Yes. Aria, this is your god-mother Aria. She's the woman you were named after." Hanna tells the girl.
Little Aria makes eye contact with me, before offering me a soft smile. Tears begin to form in my eyes as I take in the appearance of the girl. She's perfect, just like how Emily and Hanna described her.
"You're Aria number one?" The little girl asks with a mix of shock and excitement in her voice.
"Yes sweetheart. I'm Aria number one, and your god mother. I know you don't know me, but I want you to know that I already love you so much." I say as I try to keep the tears from falling.
"You know, Mommy and Daddy told me you were dead. They said that God took you to heaven early, and that you paint the sky at night with the angels." Little Aria says as she stares at me with a puzzled expression on my face.
Hanna and Caleb both gasp at their daughter's words. I don't think they wanted me to hear that. Although I'm taken aback my the girl's words, I'm not surprised in the slightest. I understand why Hanna and Caleb told her the things they did. Situations like these are too difficult to explain to innocent, and uncorrupted five year-old girls.
"Aria..." Hanna starts to say.
I respond by pressing my index finger to my lip. I don't want them to apologize for this. I would have done the same thing if I were in their situation.
"Well sweetheart, I never actually went up to heaven. I went away for a while, and people were confused about where I was. But I never died." I tell little Aria.
"Where did you go?" Aria asks me curiously.
How to I explain this to her? I don't want to ruin her innocence with my tragic sob story.
"I um, went away on a business trip. I took my son Gregory with me, and I forgot to tell everyone where I was going." I say as I force a smile.
"You shouldn't have done that you know. Uncle Ezzy was sad that you left, and he told me that he missed you everyday." Little Aria says as she crosses her arms over her chest.
"Uncle Ezzy?" I ask as I glare at Hanna.
"Yeah. Little Aria and Ezra have always been extremely close. She was the only person who could make him smile when you were away, and he always buys her birthday and Christmas presents." Hanna says with a chuckle.
I didn't think it was possible, but I'm falling even deeper in love with Ezra. Despite everything he went through, he still managed to be a wonderful god father to this precious baby girl. I'm so proud to call him my husband, and the love of my life.
"I'm so happy to hear that! And don't worry Aria. I talked to Uncle Ezzy, and he understands why I left." I tell the girl softly.
"Good. He told me stories about you." Aria tells me softly.
"Really? What kinds of stories?" I ask with a slight smile.
"He told me about the time he took you hiking in The Grand Canyon, and he told me about your wedding. Uncle Ezzy says that you're clumsy, and that you can't walk in heels like my mommy can." Little Aria says with a sweet smile.
If I didn't love him so much, I swear to God I'd kill Ezra Fitz! Why does he think that it's okay to tell my son, and my god daughter about the most embarrassing moment of my life?
"Of course he did." I mutter in annoyance.
At that moment, little Aria's eyes light up with excitement. I turn around, and smile when I see Ezra and Gregory walking downstairs. Hanna's daughter doesn't hesitate to jump out of her mother's arms, and into my husband's.
"Uncle Ezzy! I haven't seen you in a gazillion years!" The little girl exclaims.
"I know honey. I've just been so busy lately! So tell me, how is my best girl?" Ezra asks as he tickles little Aria playfully.
"I'm great! I found out that my god mommy isn't dead after all! She says that you forgive her for going away." Little Aria says as she gestures towards me.
Ezra and I make eye contact, and he offers me a sympathetic smile.
"She didn't do anything wrong Aria. I'm just sorry that your god mother had to go away for so long." Ezra says before kissing the girl's forehead.
"You were so sad Uncle Ezzy." Little Aria says with a frown.
"I was sweet girl, but I'm not sad anymore. I have my beautiful wife back now." Ezra tells her softly.
The girl responds by wrapping her arms around Ezra, and burying her face in his chest. She seems so comfortable around him, and I had no idea that the two of them were so close!
"Aria, there is someone who I want you to meet. He's very important to me, and I'm hoping that the two of you can become good friends like we are." Ezra tells the girl seriously.
"Who is it?" She asks him curiously.
"Honey, this is my son. His name is Gregory Ezra Fitz." My husband says as he gestures towards the little boy.
An: I'm so sorry for the late update! Earlier this year I committed to college for soccer, and the coach wants me to raise my SAT score 100 points. I get a lot of help with admissions because I'm an athlete, but it's a tough school to get into so I still need to meet their standards. Unfortunately, I've been at SAT class everyday this week, aside from Christmas. It's even worse than school, because it lasts from eight o'clock in the morning, until five o'clock at night! As odd as this might sound, I'll probably have more time to update once school starts!
Okay, onto the important part. What did you think of this chapter? What caused Aria's little break down in the bathroom? What did you think of Little Aria and Ezra? You'll learn more about their relationship in the next chapter, and you'll see how Gregory and Little Aria's relationship will pan out. Any predictions as to how Gregory will act around her! Thank you so much for reading, and please review.
PS: Is anyone else's docs acting weird on this side? I can't find the spell check, and my cursor keeps jumping from place to place! Is tho a personal problem, or is the site acting weird? It's been this way for days! Let me know :)