A/N: Sorry for not updating in a little while guys! As a little holiday treat though, I'm going to be finishing this story by tomorrow! There's about 2-3 chapters left and I will 100% be uploading one of them tonight and probably two tomorrow since I will be busy for Christmas in the next couple of days. They are quite length-y since I have a lot of loose ends to tie up but hopefully you all like that! Anyways, keep the reviews coming and be on the lookout for the next chapter tonight!
Andria followed Vince to an apartment building in Duluth. She watched as he got out of his car and went inside. She groaned, she couldn't believe this. He was seeing someone else but that wasn't so much what she cared about, it was more the fact that he lied to her about it that pissed her off.
She wasn't going to let him get away with it. She took a deep breath and turned off her car. She got out and walked into the apartment building, trying to figure out which one he could be in. She checked the mailboxes and raised an eyebrow when she saw his last name. She hadn't expected him to be living here.
She walked to his door and took a deep breath as she opened it. She looked around, it was small… much smaller than anything she was used to.
"Vince?" She called out but there was no answer. She heard noise coming from one of the bedrooms and frowned. She walked over and opened the door but gasped when she saw a hospital bed with an older woman in it and Vince by her side.
"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" She said and Vince stood up.
"What the hell are you doing here?" He asked, walking over to her.
"I-I was curious, okay? I thought you were with another girl!" She explained and he looked at her. "Your door was unlocked so I just came in; I had no idea Vince…"
Vince sighed and rubbed his temples. He looked at the woman in the bed and then back at Andria. "Just wait in the living room okay?" He said and she looked at him. "I'll explain everything."
She nodded and did as he told her, wondering what was going on.
"So, I have a surprise for you," Ethan said, walking into Nora's room. She raised an eyebrow and looked at him. "Just come downstairs, okay?"
She nodded and followed him down into the living room. She was surprised to see Jesse sitting on the couch. He stood up when she walked in and she looked at Ethan, demanding an explanation.
"I just thought you guys would like a night together," he said and Nora sighed. "Emma and I are going to my parents for the night so you have the place to yourselves," he said, picking up the toddler.
"Ethan, you shouldn't have done this," she shook her head.
"Come on, Nora," Jesse said and she looked at him. "We have a lot of stuff to talk about."
"I'll leave you to it," he nodded and Nora glared at him. She hated being surprised and put on the spot like this.
"Bye baby, you have fun at grandma and grandpa's, okay?" Nora whispered, kissing her daughter's forehead.
"Okay, bye mommy!" She replied and they walked out.
Nora turned to Jesse and crossed her arms over her chest. She walked back into the living room and they sat on the couch.
"So, how have you been?" He asked and she looked at him.
"Good," she nodded. "You?"
"Good," he nodded and then sighed. "Why is this awkward, Nor?"
"I don't know," she shook her head. "Why would you agree to do this?"
"Because I love you and I've missed you," he said and she sighed. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. "I miss you Nora."
"I miss you too Jesse," she nodded and he smiled. "But this night, whatever it's supposed to be, it doesn't change anything," she said and he looked up at her. "I'm still not ready."
"Jesus Nora," he sighed, pulling away.
"What does it matter anyway?" She asked. "I know you're a guy and all but if you really loved me like you say you do, you would understand why I can't!"
"Don't go questioning my love for you, Nora," he said and she looked at him. "I think I've proved just how much I love you by waiting all this time," he said and she sighed. "I just, I mean if we don't take this next step, if we don't move forward…"
"You'll break up with me?" She finished for him.
"No, that's not what I'm saying," he said, firmly. "But I love you and I want to be with you, don't you want the same thing?"
"Who's questioning who now?" She asked, defensively and he gave her a look. She sighed. "What does having sex have to do with me loving you?"
"Look Nora, I love you and I respect your decision, especially after everything you've been through but I just, I don't understand it," he explained and she looked at him. "When you love someone, you're supposed to want to make them happy."
"So, you're saying the only way you'll be happy is if I have sex with you?" She asked.
"No!" He said and then sighed. "God Nora, you just don't get it, do you? I love you and I want to be with you so we can move forward in this relationship," he said and she swallowed. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he exclaimed and she looked at him, a little surprised. "I have no ulterior motives here, Nora, I just I want us to be together."
She sighed and cupped his face in her hands. "I want us to be together too, Jess," she said, pulling him closer. He smiled. "I just… can't right now."
He sighed and looked at her. "Then maybe we should take some time apart," he said. "Until you're ready."
"Are you giving me an ultimatum?" She asked. "Have sex with you or break up?"
He shook his head. "I'm just trying to figure out what you want, Nora," he said. "I'm here, with you and you push me away so maybe time apart is what we need."
She swallowed. "If that's what you want."
"I want to do whatever you want," he said. "I just don't want to lose you."
"You're not going to lose me," she whispered. "You're never going to lose me," she assured him. "But I think you're right," she said and he looked at her. "Maybe time apart is what we need."
He nodded and gently kissed her forehead. "I'll see you soon," he whispered and got up and left. Nora immediately began crying. She hugged a pillow and cried into it for the rest of the night.
Andria had been sitting nervously in Vince's living room for almost half an hour now and was starting to get worried. She had come up with a million different conclusions about what was going on but she couldn't be sure. She just wanted Vince to come out and tell her everything.
A few moments later, he finally did. Andria stood up as he gently closed the door.
"What is going on?" She asked and he looked at her. "Who is that woman?"
"She's my mother," he said and her eyes widened. "And she's really sick," he explained and they sat on the couch. "She's been sick for years but it's really getting to her now."
Andria swallowed. "Is she gonna…" she trailed and he nodded. "Oh Vince, I'm so sorry!"
"There's nothing I can do about it," he shook his head. "We can't afford to give her any better treatment."
"Is that why you live here?" She asked and he looked at her and nodded. "What about school?"
"We talked to them about our situation," he said. "They're going to let me graduate but even with that, we don't have enough."
Andria took his hand. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I didn't know things were this bad for you."
"You weren't supposed to know," he said, looking at her. "What are you even doing here?"
"I told you, I thought you were seeing someone else," she shrugged.
"And what were you going to do? Threaten her to stay away from your man?" He teased and she looked at him, seriously.
"How can you joke at a time like this?" She asked and he sighed.
"There's nothing else I can do," he shook his head. "My mom, she doesn't want me to feel bad about this, she just wants me to live my life."
Andria smiled and nodded. "What about your dad?"
"He hasn't been around since I was four," he shrugged. "He sends money every now and then but it's barely enough to pay rent."
She thought for a moment and then looked at him. "Vince, this is going to sound crazy but maybe I could…" she trailed and he looked up at her. "I mean, I couldn't think of a better reason to use the money in my trust fund."
He smiled. "That's sweet of you but even with all the money in the world," he stopped and she swallowed. He shook his head. "Besides, if you lose your trust fund, how will you like, survive?"
She laughed and playfully hit him. He smiled. "I'm happy you told me," she nodded.
"You didn't really give me much of a choice though," he said and she narrowed her eyes at him. He laughed. "I couldn't think of a better person to have told."
She smiled and pulled him close. "I'm here for you, okay?" She told him. "Even if you don't want me…"
He smiled. "That could never happen," he whispered and she rested her head on his shoulder.
Later that day, Sophia, Andy and Alex had finally arrived in Chicago and made it to the house that belonged to her birth parents.
"Are you excited?" Sophia asked, as the pulled into the driveway. Alex looked at her.
"Kind of nervous, actually," she confessed.
"Don't be," Andy said and she looked at him. "It'll be great."
She nodded and then took a deep breath. She turned to face them both. "I think I need to do this on my own," she said and they looked at her curiously. "The thought of meeting them was scary and since you're the closest people in my life, I just, I needed you there," she said and they both smiled. "But I really think this is something I need to do by myself."
"Are you sure?" Andy asked and Alex nodded. Sophia reached out and took her hand.
"We'll be right here when you get out," she nodded and Alex smiled. She got out of the car and walked over to the door. She knocked on in gently and waited.
The door finally opened and a man, in his late thirties she guessed, stood before her.
"Oh my God," he whispered, looking at her in awe.
She smiled politely. "Hi, um, I'm Alex Burke," she said, extending her hand towards him. "Your daughter,"
"I know who you are," he said as he continued to stare at her. "How could I not know who you are with those eyes?" He asked, rhetorically. She smiled. "I'm Mike," he said, shaking her hand. "Mike Danvers."
"It's nice to meet you," she nodded.
"I'm sorry, please come in," he said and she did. He continued to stare at her and she looked around. "God, I can't believe how much you look like her."
"My mother?" She asked and he looked at her. "Is she around? I'd really love to do this with the both of you."
"They didn't tell you?" He asked and she looked at him curiously. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I can't believe they didn't tell you!" He said and her eyebrows rose.
"Tell me what?" She asked, worriedly.
"I'm sorry, Alex," he shook his head. "Your mother, her name was Tess, she… she passed away about eight years ago."
Alex's jaw dropped and she felt a lump in her throat. She couldn't believe this. She had been waiting to meet her mother for almost five years and now it would never even be possible. She would never know her mother. She felt like she couldn't breathe.
"Why didn't they tell you?" He said, almost enraged. "I'm so sorry, I'm sure this wasn't what you came here for."
She looked at him and swallowed. "No, it wasn't," she shook her head and he sighed. "But you're still my father," she said and he looked at her. "And I still want to know you."
He smiled. "I've been trying to find you for forever," he shook his head. "Actually, it was Tess' idea but we never got around to it because of the accident…"
She lowered her eyes. "Car accident?" She asked and he nodded. "So, you two were still together, even after you gave me up?"
He nodded. "It was the hardest thing we ever had to do," he said and she looked up. "We loved you so much but we were just so young and we couldn't take care of ourselves, let alone a beautiful baby girl," he said and she smiled, a tear rolling down her cheek. "After we got married, we opened this little bistro in the city and it took us a while but it was a real success," he said and she nodded. "I had to close it down after she died though, it was just too much…"
She nodded and then looked at him. "Tell me more about her."
He smiled. "She was beautiful," he said. "It's unbelievable how much you look like her," he said and she smiled. "The long brown hair and those eyes… those blue eyes were what made me fall in love with her," he said and she laughed. "Well they weren't the only reason but she just had this look that she gave me that made me feel like I was good enough to be with someone like her," he shook his head.
"That's beautiful," Alex smiled. "I can't believe I'm never going to get to know her!"
"Oh but you do," he said and she looked at him. "You're every bit of her," he explained. "I mean, I'm sure you've got some of my character in you but just in the few moments we've spent together, I see so much of her in you."
She smiled. "Well, tell me more!" She said. "I want to know everything, how you met, how you fell in love, the wedding…"
He laughed and they walked into the kitchen. "I'm going to need a drink for that, do you want some?" He asked and stopped himself. "Sorry, you're only eighteen," he shook his head. "Born on March twenty-first, the first day of spring," he said and she looked at him. "It's going to sound a little crazy but… we celebrated your birthday every year."
Alex swallowed. "You did?" He nodded and she smiled. "It's going to sound crazy but… can I hug you?"
He laughed and nodded. "I think that's allowed," he nodded and she walked over to him, hugging him tightly.
"This feels just right," he whispered and she nodded.
"Thank-you," she mouthed, looking up and hugging him again.
A day later, Alex had decided to spend a few extra days in Chicago with her birth father. She wanted to get to know him as much as possible in the time they had together and had told Andy and Sophia to go home. Things were okay between them, it wasn't awkward and it almost seemed like old times between them.
Sophia finally returned home that night and checked her cell phone, seeing that she had a missed call from Ryan. She swallowed and when she decided to call him back, he didn't pick up. She knew he would only call if it were important so she decided to go to the Conways.
She knocked on the door and waited. Nora answered it and looked a little surprised.
"Sophia, what are you doing here?" She asked and Sophia looked at her.
"I, um, I need to speak to Ryan," she said. "It's really important."
"I thought he called you?" She said and Sophia raised an eyebrow. "He went back to Notre Dame yesterday…"
Sophia's eyes widened and her jaw dropped a little. She composed herself and nodded, then headed back to her car. The fact that Ryan had left when things were so unsettled between them not only hurt her but it really pissed her off.