Chapter 26

Aria's POV

My baby girl came into the world twenty minutes ago. She is perfect, she has gorgeous bright blue eyes, dark hair which is so soft, her fingers and toes are so tiny, she is so tiny. I have been staring down at her since she was born, I can't believe that she is here. The idea that I'm a mother now is crazy to me.

"Can I have a cuddle with my granddaughter?" Mom asks.

I grin. "How weird does that sound?" I say with a laugh.

"No weirder than saying you have a daughter" Mom says as I pass her over.

"I know right. Its mad how much I love someone that I've only just met, you know what I mean?".

Mom smiles at me. "I do. You going to tell the girls that she's here?".

I nod. "Yeah, in a little while, I want to let Ezra know too but I can't, I can't talk to him when he's im that place" I say a little sadly.

"I will let him know in a little while sweetie" Mom says.

"Thank you".

"Do you know what your going to call her?".

I nod. "Me and Ezra picked out a name before he went...away. We were thinking of Harpa Ella Fitzgerald".

I see Mom's eyes fill up with tears as she tries to blink them away. "Oh, Aria" she says gently. "That's a beautiful name, thank you".

I smile and we both laugh.

Harpa starts crying, its the first time I've heard her cry properly since she was born, when she was first born she cried for like a minute.

"I think she's hungry" Mom says and passes her back to me. "Have you decided whether she's going to be bottle or breast fed?".

"I was thinking I would try to breast feed, at least at first, but I do have bottles and milk in case I can't or she doesn't like it or something".

"Do you want some privacy?".

"Um, I don't mind" I say as a nurse comes in.

"You need to get her dressed Aria, so she doesn't get cold".

"Oh yeah, sure. Mom can you pass my bag please?".

Mom passes me a bag and I pull out a diaper and a pink sleepsuit that says 'I love mommy and daddy' on it.

I lay Harpa on the bed in between my legs and gently lift her legs off the bed, slide the diaper underneath her and then fasten it. I scrunch up the pink sleepsuit and pull it over her head slowly and then gently try to get her arms and legs in.

"Well that was a lot easier than I thought it would be".

"Just wait till she's a few weeks older and starts moving about, won't be that easy then" Mom says humorously.

"Are you ready to feed her?" the nurse asks who has been standing at the end of my bed watching me.

I nod and undo the front of my nightie and begin feeding her.

Ezra's POV

I am called to the warden's office over the tanoy. I get up and head over there, I wonder what this is about, I hope Aria is alright.

I knock on the warden's office door.

"Fitzgerald I presume?" the warden says.

"Yes".

That is something I can't get used to, we are all either called inmate or by our last names here.

"You have a phone call" he says and nods at the phone on the desk.

I pick it up. "Hello".

"Ezra, hi, its uh, Ella again. Aria wanted me to call you and tell you the baby was born today, about a hour ago".

I feel the tears run down my cheeks. "How are they both?".

"They are both fine, Harpa has just had her first feed and is dressed. Aria's taken some photo's to show you when she sees you next".

"Harpa? She went with the name we picked then" I ask.

I can't wait to meet her, I have a daughter. I have a month left in this place which may not seem like much time but Harpa, my little girl, will have changed so much by then. I won't get to see her as a newborn, I'm going to miss the first night she's at home, her first outing and all the stuff like that.

"Yes she did, you must know me and Byron aren't huge fans of your relationship with our daughter but she has chosen to be with you so we have to respect that but Ezra, if you hurt her I swear to god it will be the last thing you do".

I swallow. That was kind of scary. "I do love Aria, Ella. I don't want to hurt her and have no plans to, I want to look after Aria and our baby".

"Well good, keep thinking like that and there won't be a problem, at least not with me, Byron might be a different story".

"I understand. I have to go now but thank you for phoning Ella and please tell Aria and Harpa that I love them".

"I will. Bye Ezra".

"Bye Ella".

I put the phone down and take a deep breath. I have a daughter.

"Good news?" the warden asks.

"Yes sir, I have a daughter".

"Congratulations Fitzgerald. I have two daughters, 8 and 14. I'm not supposed to do this but if you need to make a phone call, to see how your new daughter is you are welcome to use this phone, just don't take advantage, okay Fitzgerald?".

"Yes thank you sir".

"You're welcome. Now go, I have things to do".

"Yes sir, goodbye, thank you".

I walk back to the rec room and find Wren.

"Hey Ezra, what was that about?".

"I had a phone call off Aria's mother".

"Oh?" he says with raised eyebrows.

"I have a daughter" I say with a smile.

"Congratulations dude, that's great".

"Thanks".

"I'm getting out next month, I was thinking of going back to Rosewood and speak to Spencer, I need to explain" Wren says.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? You put Spencer and the other girls through a lot, I don't think they are going to be quick to forgive you. Maybe you should just get a fresh start" I say.

"Maybe, but I have to try, I need to at least apologise to all of them".

I take a deep breath. "I kind of understand that but all of them have been through a lot and are still going through a lot, I really think it'd be better for you to let things lay, at least for a little bit, maybe write a letter apologising instead of accentually going to see them".

Wren raises his eyebrows. "Maybe, you're probably right, I don't know".

A silence surrounds us as there is nothing more for us to say, I want to warn him off, I don't want him going to see Aria and upsetting her but I know if I say that it will cause bad feeling between us and probably cause an argument which isn't something I want, seeing as we have to share a cell for the next month.

I can't believe I have a daughter, I can't wait to meet her, I can't stop wondering what she looks like, whether she has my eyes and Aria's nose, or Aria's ears and my hair.

Hanna's POV

I got a text off Aria saying that she had had the baby and that we should all come up to the hospital to meet her so I'm on my way there now, I text Spencer and Emily and I'm going to meet them there. Its crazy that two of my friends have babies, I couldn't imagine being a Mom, I wouldn't be able to do anything and would have to look after a screaming, eating poop machine all day. I can't wait to meet Aria's baby though, I just hope that she doesn't think I'm going to be a free babysitter.

I arrive at the hospital and head up to the maternity ward. Aria and Ezra's baby will be perfect, a combination of the two of them, that kid will break hearts when she's older, I don't want to think what she'll be like when she's older but then she's going to have her Mommy and 3 aunties, her uncle Mike and uncle Wes and her Daddy to look after her.

"Hi, I'm looking for Aria Montgomery" I tell the nurse at the front desk of the maternity ward.

"She's just in there" the nurse says pointing to a room just down the hall.

"Thank you" I say and walk to the room.

I give a tap on the door and Ella answers.

"Hello Hanna".

"Hi Mrs Montgomery".

"Come on in".

"Hanna" Aria exclaims. "Hey".

"Hey, how are you feeling?".

"Tired, sore, happy" Aria says.

She looks so tiny laying in a hospital bed. I spot a plastic crib on wheels next to her.

"Is that her?" I ask.

Aria nods.

"Hanna, meet Harpa Ella Fitzgerald" Aria says and picks her up.

Oh. My. God. She's so tiny.

"Aaaawww" I say and we all laugh.

"Do you want to hold her?" Aria asks.

"I think I'd hurt her, she's so tiny. She is beautiful Aria".

Aria beams and then looks at Harpa and kisses her tiny head.

"You won't hurt her, sit on the chair and put your arms like mine" Aria says.

I do what I'm told and Aria places Harpa in my arms. I'm fascinated by the tiny, beautiful baby in my arms. Harpa looks up at me and I see her dark brown eyes, they look like tiny minstrels. She has Aria's nose and mouth and Ezra's chin.

Its amazing how you literally see that some babies are made up of parts of their parents.

"Wow" I whisper.

"I know" Aria whispers back.

I can feel Harpa's rhythmic breathing against my arm that's supporting her.

We hear the door open and Emily and Spencer come in.

"Hey Em, Spence" Aria says sleepily.

"Aria" Emily says and smiles warmly. "How are you feeling?".

Aria gives Emily the same answer she gave me. Emily and Spencer stand near me and stare at Harpa.

"Oh my gosh, she is so tiny" Spencer says.

Emily leans down and brushes Harpa's hair with her finger.

"She is adorable Aria, well done".

We all stay and chat for a while and we all take it in turns to hold Harpa.

"Does Ezra know?" Spencer asks.

Aria nods. "Mom phoned him just after she was born".

"Is she healthy Aria?" Emily asks.

"Yes, she's perfect, she's a healthy weight and all the tests they gave her when she was just born were fine" Aria tells us. "Its been really great seeing you guys and thanks for coming but I am exhausted, I need to sleep".

"Can we come back tomorrow?" Emily asks.

Aria smiles slightly and nods. "Of course, me and Harpa are going to be here for a few days so you can come see us whenever you want".

We all say our goodbyes and leave. I look back as I go through the door and Aria is already asleep.

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