Ava's Point Of View
I walked into the kitchen, I was now staying with Randy at his place. He'd talk me into it, but I made him agree to not throw a fit if I decided to stay at my place now and then, I happen to like my bed. He just told me those nights he'd be staying with me. I decided its best not to argue with him, it doesn't' do any good just end up with an argument.
I saw Randy was already up making breakfast. The last two weeks I'd been staying with him it was the same he was up bright and early making breakfast before he left for work. But today he wasn't dressed in his work clothes he was in a pair of basketball shorts.
"Going in late?" I raised a brow as I pulled up a seat to sit on the counter bar.
"I'm not going in today. It turns out my family is stopping in town today." Randy said turning around to me.
"Oh, wow." I bit my lip. "Do you want me to go out for a while why they are here?" I questioned.
"Now of course not." He shook his head. "I think you should meet them, I mean you are carrying their grandchild, you guys are going to be in each others lives for ever now. My parents are very involved in their grandchildrens lives. This will be their third, grandchild and first grandson." He stated.
"I see, so who's all coming into town? Just your parents?" I questioned.
"My mom, dad, two brothers and my sister with her husband and 2 sons." He stated. "It turns out my nephew has a band recital or something in town."
"I see, so when are they coming?" I questioned.
"In about 2 hours, I was going to tell you but I didn't want to wake you. So I thought I'd make you breakfast and then I'd start cleaning." He said handing me over my plate.
"I can help you when I'm finished, it shouldn't take long with both of us working on it." I offered.
"No, I can handle it. " Randy smiled. "You eat I can handle it. So what do you have planned for the day?"
"Well, nothing really I was going to go in to work and look over some papers, oh and Wade wanted me to have a late lunch with him today." I said, and saw him roll his eyes when I mentioned Wade.
"I see." He sighed. "Have you heard anything about the divorce? It's been 2 weeks since he signed the papers."
"Not yet, my lawyer will let me know when they are all final." I stated. "I'm only 26 weeks Randy, we have plenty of time before he's here don't worry."
"I just get nervous about this stuff, I know you believe him, you believe he's not trying to drag this out but I don't trust him still." Randy sighed.
I shook my head and put my fork down. "If we are going to fight about Wade I'm going to leave. I told you, you can't talk down on him. Just like I don't allow Wade to talk down on you."
"I'm sorry I'm not trying to argue." Randy sighed. "Don't leave, please just eat I'm going to get things picked up and get my parents guest room fixed up. You are okay with their room next to yours? It's either their room or my brothers... my sister and her family are staying at a hotel. My brothers are loud and annoying they'd probably keep you up." He laughed.
"That's fine, whatever you want it's your place." I smiled, I was down stairs in one of the guest rooms. There was another guest room next to mine and Randy's room and another 2 rooms were upstairs.
"Before I forget, I wanted to show you something when you are finished." Randy smiled I saw his eyes light up when he started talking about it.
I picked up my waffle and stood up. "Well show me then." I smiled. "I can eat on the go." I laughed.
Randy laughed and took my free hand leading me to the stairs. He placed a hand on my back leading me up the stairs. Once we made it up the steps he walked me to a room that was next to his. "Close your eyes." He smiled.
"Okay." I closed my eyes I could hear him opening the door. He had me take a few steps inside the room.
"Open them." He said.
I opened my eyes, I looked around it was a nursery, Ryders nursery. "Oh my goodness, it's so beautiful Randy. Ryder is going to love it in here." I smiled, he'd done it up real nice. It was done in Gold and Light Blue, the wallpaper was diagonal gold and light blue stripes. There was a white crib with light blue and gold bedding, on the wall above the crib was his Ryder(In Gold) Keith(In Light Blue) Orton(In Gold). There was a cute little bear mobile above it. When I looked in the crib I got a better look at his pillow and blanket. They had his name on it. "Did you have this custom made?" I questioned.
"Yes, of course only the best for my boy." He smiled proudly.
There was a white changing table, right next to a white dresser. I walked over to the dresser and saw there was a little picture frame with the words Such A Big Blessing In Such A Little Boy! And a picture of his ultrasound in it. "When he gets here I'll replace it with a picture of him." Randy said as he saw me pick the frame up. I then saw the picture frame that had a picture that he'd taken of us on his phone in it. "I want him to see a picture of his mom and dad when he can start to see, I want him to know he makes us happy, he's our blessing not a mistake." Randy smiled rubbing my stomach.
"Of course he's the best thing that's ever happened to me." I smiled rubbing my stomach now.
"That goes for me, you and Ryder are the best things that have ever happened to me. Without you I wouldn't have him." He smiled.
"You did such an amazing job on this, you are going to be such an amazing dad. And I can't wait to see it." I smiled, leaning in and giving him a peck on the cheek. I walked over to the closet and opened it, he already had a closet full of clothing. "Looks like you got a jump on the clothes." I laughed.
"You haven't seen the drawer yet." He laughed.
I reached up grabbing a pair of little shoes from the hanging drawer with all the shoes. It was a little pair of black Jordan's. "100 dollars for a pair of baby shoes?" I looked at him shocked. "Are you nut Randy?"
"You spend a 100 dollars for shoes, so what's the difference with me spending a 100 on shoes for our son?" He raised a brow. "If you think that's bad done look at the white and gold ones." He laughed.
"I use them more than once, he's going to grow out of them before he wears them more than once." I shook my head and picked up the pair of white and gold shoes. "195 dollars for shoes? this is nuts."
"Let me spoil him, It's not like I'm breaking the bank Ava." He laughed.
"You are too much, dang I've got to pee again." I sighed, I have the bladder the size of a raisin I swear now.
"You can use mine, the one in the hall doesn't have toilet paper yet, I've got to grab it from downstairs closet." He said.
I nodded and walked out the hall then into his room to the rest room. After I finished I walked back out and saw Randy waiting by the stairs. "You ready to head downstairs?" He questioned.
"Yeah, I'm ready for some of that bacon downstairs." I smiled. "I forgot you had the jacuzzi tub upstairs, I think I might need to borrow your tub tonight."
"Anytime you need it's there. As long as you let me help you up and down the stairs." He smiled.
xXxXx
Randy's Point Of View
I finished cleaning up the house and making sure all the rooms and bathrooms were ready. I smiled as I saw Ava walking out of her room, she looked stunning in her burgundy tight, curve hugging dress, Ava was the most beautiful pregnant woman I've ever seen. She actually embraced her pregnant body although she's all belly, she did go up a few cup sizes even though she had an amazing set of breasts already they look even better now, and I haven't seen them out of a bra, she likes to wear a sports bra and shorts to bed so I see her walking into the kitchen at night sometimes or on the couch when she can't sleep because Ryder likes to be active at night and kick the hell out of her as she says.
"Does this look okay?" She questioned biting her lip. "I don't want to look like a mess when I meet your family."
"You look gorgeous." I smiled. "Breathtaking."
She blushed slightly. "Always so kind." She smiled
We both looked to the door when we heard a knock. "That must be them." I took a deep breath, taking Ava's hand she followed me tell I was a couple feet away from the door then she let go and I walked all the way to the door and opened it. "Hey. " I smile hugging my mother, then father, then everyone else.
Once everyone was inside and the door was shut I stood next to Ava. "Everyone, this is Ava Barrett." I smiled looking up at Ava. "Ava, this is My mother Elaine, My father Robert, you've met him once I think, My brothers Nathan and Robbie, sister Becky, her husband Brad and their sons Paxson and Bradly. "
"Who's in her belly?" Paxson raised a brow. "She's got a baby in her belly I'm just wondering who?" He added when his older Brother elbowed him causing everyone to laugh.
"She's got your cousin Ryder in her belly." I laughed.
"Sorry, this kid has no filter." Becky laughed.
"It's fine." Ava smiled.
"Let's all have a seat and get to know each other." My mother smiled. "We are basically family now so we should get to know each other don't you think?"
"Yeah, mom let's do that." I nodded looking to Ava who smiled and nodded everyone following us into the living room. Ava sitting on the couch patting a spot for me to sit next to her.
"So Ava, tell us a little about yourself?, is this your parents first grandchild? Or do your brothers and sisters have children?" My mother questioned.
"Well, Ryder will be their first. I'm an only child so..." She shrugged.
"Wow, so you must have been in heaven. No siblings to fight with for attention." My brother Nathan spoke up with a laugh.
"Not so much, you'd think it would be fun with no one to fight with but not so much. I always wanted siblings when I was growing up, it got kind of lonely around the house with no one to talk to except my parents." Ava admitted.
"So when you got older at least you had friends at school right?" My sister questioned.
She took a deep breath. "Not so much, I got to talk to them at school and only the girls my mother approved of, and no boys my mother forbid me having male friends. She said school was for studying and nothing else so there was no need to have male friends." Ava explained. "My mother is a bit on the controlling side, she had a plan for me since I was born, that's why she didn't have any other kids, she said she wanted to be able to devote her life to being a mother to one child, to make sure I realized my full potential. She didn't accept anything other than straight A's, perfect attendance. I went to school with a fever of 104.2 because my mother wasn't going to ruin my perfect attendance and it was Friday so she said I'd be okay to get through the day and then I'd rest the weekend. She actually let me skip my piano lessons, and violin lessons, but not my foreign language lessons. She had me learn a new language every other year, I could speak 4 languages fluently by the time I was 8." Ava explained.
"Damn you must be mega smart." My brother Robbie said.
"I guess, I got a 4.8 GPA all throughout school and I was valedictorian of my class. But my mom said I could have gotten 5.0 if I applied myself more." Ava said, I'd never really thought of how tough Ava's life must have been, and why she was such a perfectionist. Now I know her mother excepted nothing less that's why she gets so hard on herself. I'm actually learning a lot about Ava here.
"Wow, your father how was your relationship if you don't mind me asking?" My mother raised a brow. "You know what, I'm sorry I don't know why I'm asking so many personal questions."
"No, it's okay. Me and my father have a wonderful relationship. He's the one who kept me sane growing up." Ava laughed. "He would sneak me Ice Cream, candy and soda. He would also make sure every Friday my mom thought I had an extra session with my tutor so I could get out of the house, sometime he'd actually go with me and we'd have a late dinner or we'd catch a movie. He's an amazing man, he was always the peace keeper in the family." Ava smiled, I could see how much she loved her dad when she was talking about him her face lit up.
"Well that's great at least you had your father then." My mother smiled.
"So, enough about me for a while. Tell me how Randy was a kid." Ava smirked looking over at me.
Oh great here come the embarrassing stories. "Oh, Randall was the cutest little boy, but he was so hard to keep clothes on, I'd put his clothes on and two minutes later he was outside in the yard naked as the day he was born running around. He was probably 5 before I got him to keep his clothes on outside without having to scold him." My mother laughed.
"Oh how cute, Randy the exhibitionist." Ava laughed nudging me. "Let's hope Ryder doesn't have your aversion to clothes as you." She added causing everyone to laugh.
"He was also the sweetest little boy, he would always run up to me when I was sitting on the couch or doing the dishes really if I was doing anything. He'd run up to me and hug me and tell me he loves me, if I was on the couch he'd climb up in my lap and hug me and cuddle with me he'd say I love you mommy you're the best mommy in the whole wide world." My mom beamed when she was talking about that.
"Aww, that's so cute." Ava almost squealed. "You never told me you had a momma's boy side to you Randy." She nudged me.
"Mom." I growled. "Come on."
"It's true honey, you were the sweetest little boy. Always giving me little hugs and kisses, telling me you loved me to the moon and back again." She smiled.
"God, why." I shook my head burying my face in my hands, why was she doing this? This was so freaking embarcing.
"Oh, I think it's cute Randy. It's not embarrassing." Ava placed her hand on my back. "I hope Ryder is as loving and sweet as his daddy." Ava added with a smile.
"I'm sure he will be, if he's anything like his daddy you'll also have your work cut out for you. Because he's going to be a little daredevil. Jumping off furniture, climbing trees and jumping onto people." My mom laughed.
"Oh, well I hope he doesn't do that, I might have a heart attack." Ava laughed.
After few hours of talking and snacking and drinking we heard a knock on the door. "I wonder who that is." I shook my head standing up from the couch. "Just a second I'll see who it is." I walked over to the door opening the door, I sighed when I saw it was Wade. "What can I do for you?" I sighed.
"I'm here to pick up Ava." Wade said.
"Oh, shoot we got so caught up talking we lost track of time." Ava said struggling to get off the couch, my father standing up and helping her off the couch. "Thank you very much." She smiled.
"Are you ready to go love?" Wade raised a brow.
"Yeah, I just need my purse. I'll be right back." Ava walked into her room.
"Family reunion?" Wade raised a brow.
"Sort of, my family is just meeting Ava, they want to get to know Ava before Ryder comes." I stated, wondering what was taking so long for Ava. I was about to check on her when she walked out.
"Sorry, I had to use the rest room again. I swear he's sitting on my bladder." Ava laughed. "It's good to meet you all, I will see you later tonight, we are doing dinner right?"
"Yep for sure." My mother smiled.
"Great, see you all then." Ava smiled. "I'll see you soon Randy." Ava gave me a small smile before she walked out the door walking along with Wade to his car, he opened the door for her and then they took off.
I shut the door I hated seeing her go off with him they were going out to lunch or dinner a couple times a week. I didn't like it one bit I just wanted her to be done with him but I know that's not going to happen she has too deep of feelings for him.
"So, that was?" My mother raised a brow.
"Wade Barrett." My father growled, knowing that was the man who had stolen his company out from under him.
"Oh, that's the bastard that stole the company from dad." My brother Robbie shook his head.
"Why would she go with him?" My sister shook her head, she didn't know the whole story.
"She's his wife, for the time being.' I sighed. "It's a long story but He took dad's company because I went after Ava, and I went after Ava because well you remember Alyson?" Everyone nodded. "Well, I found out Alyson was seeing Wade behind my back and she wanted to be with him but he wouldn't leave Ava. When she left me it messed me up so I decided to take his company, but once I found out that I'd had a one night stand with his wife, and I saw how jealous of a man he was and I knew if I took Ava from him It'd hurt him more than taking his company so I decided to go after her." I sighed.
"God, how could you?" My mother shook her head.
"It was wrong and I know that, but I ended up falling for her and I didn't care about hurting Wade all I cared about was Ava I wanted to be with her, I wanted her to leave Wade for me but she wouldn't, Ava and Wade had an open marriage of sorts it's complicated but she knew he had affairs just like he knew she had affairs, they just didn't do anything but one night stands with people they weren't connected to. Yeah I know what you are thinking it seems crazy to me also but that's what he wanted so she went along with it." I sighed. "She's been married to him since she was 18, he's all she's known. She went from being a kid, to a teenager, to a wife. And now she's jumping into being a mother so it's got to be scary for her. She's still trying to find out who Ava is, she's always been told how to feel, how to act, what to think. And I want her to know she has the right to be who she wants to be, to make her own decisions. So if she wants to have a friendship or relationship with Wade then I have to let her have that. She's already given up so much for me and Ryder I don't' want her to give up anything else. She's giving up her marriage, basically her job, her freedom because she can't even be alone at her home because of the risk to Ryder. "
"Wow, poor girl." My mother shook her head. "She forgave you for what you did?"
"He still took over dad's company how is she okay with that? Why would you let her be okay with that?" Nathan shook his head.
"Yeah, she's an amazing woman and she's given me another chance. And I don't' want to ruin that by trying to control her life. I don't have a right to tell her how to feel. She has had someone telling her what to do and think her entire life and I'm not going to do the same Nathan. I Don't have a right." I shook my head.
"But it has to drive you nuts that she's still so close to him." Becky stated.
"Yes, of course. But what can I do, she already told me she loves us both. Just she loves us differently. I'm not trying to push her into anything she needs space so I'm going to give it to her." I sighed, shaking my head.
xXxXx
After a while I saw the door open, we were all in the living room talking we looked to the door and saw Wade helping Ava in the door. She looked out of it, her eyes were red and puffy. "Ava?" I stood up from the couch. "What's wrong?"
She shook her head and walked out of his arms and past me. She walked through the living room and toward her room walking in and shutting the door. I turned to Wade I could feel my anger rising, if that son of a bitch did anything to hurt her, or upset her I swear I'll kill him.
"What the hell did you do to her?" I growled.
"I didn't do anything." He growled back. "We got some news, and she's not taking it well."
"What do you mean?" I raised a brow.
"Our divorce is final, she isn't taking it so well she went silent after the phone call. She just started crying and wouldn't speak to me." Wade explained. "She doesn't want to talk to me, maybe she'll talk to you but she needs to talk to someone it's not good for her."
"I'll take care of her." I said.
"Let her know I'll check on her later." Wade sighed shaking his head he turned around and walked off. I shut the door and turned around.
"That's good news right?" Robbie raised a brow.
"Yeah, but I don't want Ava so upset. I've got to check on her." I shook my head and made my way over to her door I tried it and it was locked. "Ava, it's me please open up." I sighed.
I didn't hear anything, she didn't answer. "If you don't open up the door or say something I'm going to come in." I said, still no word. I walked out to my kitchen grabbing a few things, I was pretty good a picking locks if I do say so myself so I made short work of her door. Once it opened I walked in and shut the door. She was against the wall on the other side of the door holding a photo album. Tears in her eyes.
"Ava, are you okay?" I knelt down to her, but she didn't say a word she just looked straight ahead. "Please talk to me." I ran my fingers through her soft hair.
Still, nothing, not a word I don't even think I saw her blink. It was like she was off in her own little world. She just stared straight ahead, not speaking, not moving not doing a single thing. Except scare the hell out of me, I've never seen her like this. If she's upset or angry she should cry or I'd even be okay with her yelling right now. She can't keep this bottled inside, it's not good for her, it's not good at all. "I'm going to pick you up okay?" I waited a few seconds, with no answer I stood up then leaned down I went to take the photo album from her but she had a death grip on it. I sighed and picked her up in my arms I placed her on her bed using the cover from the bottom of the bed to cover her body. She didn't' say a word or move she just closed her eyes.
I leaned down and gave her a kiss on the top of the head. "I'll be right out there if you need me. I'm going to give you a while but I'll be back to check on you. I need you to know I'm here for you Ava, you have to let yourself feel whatever you are feeling don't shut yourself down it's not good to do that." I sighed she still didn't do or say anything so I decided to give her a little while it was still fresh so she might need a bit to process everything.
I slowly backed out of the door and shut it turning around I saw my family with wondering looks on their face. "She's in her own world, she won't speak she won't do anything but look straight ahead, or now she's closed her eyes but she won't speak at all it's like I'm not even there she's not reacting to me at all, just when I tried to take the photo album she was holding onto when I tried to take it she got a death grip on it." I sighed. "I'm worried about her."
"She just found out her divorce is final. It's got to be a lot to take in, on top of all that she's pregnant so her emotions are magnified by 10. She needs some time to process it, just make sure she knows you are here and when she needs to talk you'll be here to listen, and to talk and not to judge, the last thing she needs is to feel judge for the way she is taking this, the way she is feeling you have to let her feel whatever she is feeling." My mother stated.
"I know mom, I'm not going to judge her. I just wish she'd talk to me, I am so worried about her right now, I don't' know what to do." I shook my head sitting down on the couch. I thought I'd be over joyed when she got the divorce but I had no idea it'd do this to her, I didn't think it'd cause her so much hurt I hate seeing her like this. I wish she'd let me in, I just want to be able to help her.
A Note From The Author: Here we go, the divorce is final. What are your thoughts on this chapter? (I will be getting more into Ava and Wade's feelings in the next chapter, you'll find out what's going on in their heads) Please leave a review I'd love to know what you all think of this chapter! Thanks to everyone who continue to read, review, follow, and favorite this story! You all rock!
Reviews= LOVE
RedRose85-Thanks for review :) Ava and Randy for sure need to take things slow and get to know each other. They are going to be parents they need to find themselves before they worry about that! :)
Kezzstar- Thank you so much, I'm glad you are enjoying! Randy does need to back off, he's just so focused on trying to be a family he doesn't realize they need time to find themselves before they rush into anything it could be bad if they don't take their time! :)
Skovko- For sure, he needs to remember she's been pushed into thing her entire life she needs someone to give her the space to be herself. Thanks for the review! :)
Levesque-Rollins823- Thanks for reading and reviewing, I'm happy you are so invested in the story! I can tell you are hardcore team Randy lol! :)