This Love…
S2E25: Coming Home
Two nights had passed since Hope had gotten home from the hospital. Ciara had a red eye flight to catch that night, but first, Hope had wanted to do one last thing together as a family. They had eventually all agreed upon bowling. However, she was miffed because Aiden and the kids had insisted that she bowl with a six-pound ball.
"I'm not a child, nor am I a weakling. I can handle more than a six-pound ball," Hope said, shooting her family a look.
Aiden gently rubbed her back. "Baby, I know. I'm not trying to treat you like a child. It's just I worry about what Kayla said. She told you not to do any heavy lifting. I'm still not sure you should even be bowling."
"I'm sure she meant heavier things like thirty pounds and above," Hope reasoned.
"Still, Mom. We don't want to risk it. I don't want to lose you, or my brother and sister," Ciara said to her.
Shawn nodded. "You always take care of us, now it's our turn to take care of you."
Hope sighed. "Fine. But I draw the line at the bowling ball ramp." She motioned to the ball ramp that they had brought over for her to use. "Those are for the handicapped and for children, neither of which I am."
"You're kind of handicapped in your current condition," Shawn quipped.
Hope shot him a look.
"I'll get this out of the way!" Shawn said, knowing not to test her when she had that look.
"Thank you!" Hope said.
Ciara set their names up on the board. "Shall we do teams? Girls against guys?" Ciara asked.
Hope nodded. "Sounds good to me!"
"Are you sure that's fair? Two girls against two guys?" Aiden asked.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Ciara asked.
Hope crossed her arms over her chest. "Yes." She raised an eyebrow. "I'd like to know."
"Men are generally stronger, and better at sports!" Aiden said simply.
"He has a point," Shawn agreed, coming over to him. "I mean, how many pro women bowlers do you know of?"
Aiden nodded. "Thank you!"
Ciara rolled her eyes. "Gosh, Mom, we really need to teach these guys a lesson!"
Hope nodded. "That we do! And for the record, can either of you name any male professional bowlers?" She raised an eyebrow again.
"Well, no. I don't know any professional bowlers per say, but it's just a fact that men are better at sports!" Aiden replied.
Shawn nodded. "They really are."
Ciara narrowed her eyes at them. "You're going down!"
"So down!" Hope agreed.
"Care to make a little wager on it?" Aiden asked.
"Winner buys dinner!" Hope said.
"Deal!" Shawn agreed.
Aiden nodded.
So, they began their game.
Hope was up first. She picked up her six-pound orange ball and rolled it down the lane. It only hit one pit on the right side before going into the gutter. "I'm a little rusty," Hope said. "Only because it's been a while since I last bowled! Not because women aren't as good as men at bowling." She waited for her ball to return, then rolled it again. It only knocked down two pins.
Frowning, she turned around to face Aiden and the kids. "It's the stupid ball! It has no weight to it to hit the pins!"
"Excuses, excuses!" Aiden teased. He went up to bowl using his sixteen-pound green ball. He got a strike. He turned to Hope and grinned. "That's how it's done!"
Shawn laughed, and high-fived him.
Hope raised an eyebrow. "You have the heaviest ball. It's really not fair."
"Don't worry, Mom. I'll get them!" Ciara said. She picked up her twelve-pound purple ball and rolled it down the lane. She hit eight pins.
"So much for that!" Shawn teased.
Ciara shot him a look. "I'll get them."
Her ball came back up and she rolled her ball again. She then let out a "yes" and jumped up and down as the ball hit both remaining pins at once. She turned around and stuck her tongue out at Shawn. "Take that!" She high-fived Hope.
"We'll just see what you get next frame. I say you choke!" Shawn said.
Ciara rolled her eyes. "Let's see you do better."
Shawn was up next. He picked up his fifteen-pound blue ball and rolled it down the lane. He got them all down but two.
"Haha, a split! You'll never get them both, which means I'm doing better than you so far," Ciara taunted her brother. She stuck her tongue out at him.
Shawn rolled his eyes. "What are you, ten? Besides, it's only the first frame. We'll see if you're still boasting come the end of the tenth frame." He rolled his ball, taking out the right pin, but of course leaving the left pin.
Hope grabbed her six-pound ball again. She rolled it down the lane, trying to give it more power this time. She hit four pins in the middle.
"That's good. Doing better!" Aiden encouraged, clapping his hands.
Hope knew he was just being nice, but she hated feeling like a child or an invalid. She rolled again with her orange ball, and hit just one more pin.
"Half the pins isn't bad, Mom!" Ciara said to her.
"That's it! I'm getting a fourteen-pound ball," Hope said. She picked up her orange ball to exchange it. "Fourteen pounds is not considered heavy lifting."
"Just try not to strain yourself, all right? I worry." Aiden took the ball from her. "I'll change it out for you."
"I love that you're looking out for me and the babies, but trust me. I wouldn't purposely do anything to put the babies at risk," Hope assured him.
"I know. I'm sorry." Aiden kissed her cheek.
"You're up next. I'll go exchange it myself. But I appreciate the offer." Hope kissed his cheek then went took her ball back from Aiden and went to exchange it.
"Come on, Aiden! You need this to count for your strike!" Shawn said, clapping his hands as Aiden went up to bowl.
"I'll get it!" Aiden said. He then rolled the ball, but he missed the last pin by a centimeter.
Ciara and Shawn both let out cries of sympathy.
"You'll get it next time," Shawn said. "That last pin is easy."
Aiden's ball returned and indeed, he as able to get the last pin down.
"Good job!" Shawn said, clapping.
"How'd you get so good at bowling?" Ciara asked him.
"I bowled a lot as a teen and well as well into my twenties," Aiden explained.
"When did you have the time?" Ciara asked. "I thought you'd be busy with law school."
Aiden smirked at her. "It wasn't all work and no play. I made sure to make time for fun as well."
Hope came back with a fourteen-pound yellow ball then, and set it in the ball rack.
"I see you got a spare!" Hope said.
Aiden nodded. "But I do better when my good luck charm is around." He kissed her cheek, then gently rubbed her shoulders. "I'll be right back. I need to take a bathroom break!"
"Well, at least now he seems to be treating you right," Ciara quipped once he was gone.
Hope nodded. "He has been ever since he came back."
"Apparently!" Shawn nodded toward her pregnant stomach. "Okay, I just grossed out myself."
Ciara made a face. "Gross, Shawn!"
Hope laughed. "How do you think you two got here?"
"Not by Aiden, thank God," Ciara quipped.
Hope shot her a look.
Ciara blushed. "Sorry. Like you said, old habits die hard." She then went up to bowl and got a gutter ball. "Ugh! On a spare!"
"Haha! And you thought you were so good!" Shawn said.
Ciara rolled her eyes. "You threw me off with putting nasty thoughts in my head."
"Whatever. You're just making excuses," Shawn teased.
Ciara made a face at him and picked up her ball again.
Aiden came back from the bathroom then.
Ciara hit all the pins. "Yes!" She pumped her fist in the air. She turned her back to Shawn with an eyebrow raised. "You were saying?"
Shawn shrugged. "You still screwed up your extra points from your first spare." He then went up to bowl.
Just as he was about to bowl, Ciara yelled out, "Imagine mom naked!"
Shawn stumbled, and his ball went straight into the gutter.
"Ciara Alice Brady, you stop that!" Hope said with a blush.
Shawn whipped around to shoot Ciara a look to kill. "You cheated!"
Ciara laughed and shrugged. "Hey, you grossed me out and caused my game to be thrown off. Consider it payback!"
"I wasn't purposely trying to throw you off," Shawn reminded her.
Ciara shrugged again. "Well, if you're that good, then you should be able to make it up next roll."
Shawn rolled his eyes at her before rolling his ball. He got them all down.
"See?" Ciara said, "You were bitching for nothing."
Shawn rolled his eyes at her again.
Aiden looked at Hope. "Is this what we have to look forward to with the twins when they get to be their age?"
Hope laughed. She then placed her hands over her stomach, and smiled at her womb. "If we're lucky!" She grinned at Aiden.
Aiden grinned back.
~*came back to me*~
"Aiden, no pressure, but you have to hit all the pins if you want us to still have a chance at winning," Shawn said.
"See? I did a lot better once I had the heavier ball. Now you guys might lose!" Hope said.
"Who says men are better than woman at sports?" Ciara asked.
"I got this!" Aiden said to Shawn. He paused a moment, then he rolled the ball. It hit all but two pins, leaving a split.
"Yes!" Ciara and Hope high-fived.
"We won!" Ciara said.
"No, he could still get a spare!" Shawn reminded her.
"He's not going to with a split!" Hope said with a smirk.
Aiden looked at her. "You underestimate me, my Love." His ball came back up, and he took a deep breath and slowly let it out. He could do this. He used to do it all the time when he was younger. He had perfected it. He just hoped he didn't choke.
He rolled the ball. It seemed to take forever to get down the lane. Hope, Ciara, and Shawn were all quiet as they watched.
The ball hit the right pin at an angle causing the pin to fly over and hit the left pin.
"Yes!" Aiden said, pumping a fist in the air and jumping.
Shawn ran over to him and hugged him. "That was so cool! Way to go! You're going to have to teach me how to do that one day soon."
Aiden grinned at him. "Any time!"
Hope smiled; pleased to see her son finally warming to Aiden. Aiden and Shawn being on the same bowling team turned out to be a good thing, she realized.
"Yeah, yeah, you didn't win yet!" Ciara said.
She rolled her ball and hit nine pins. She lost her spare. "Crap! I thought I had it!"
"It's okay, Baby! They still need to hit a strike to win," Hope said.
"It's done!" Shawn said. He went up to roll his ball. He didn't even hesitate. He rolled it, and hit a strike just like that.
"Oh come on! How did you get so good?" Ciara whined.
Shawn grinned at her and shrugged. "Men are good at sports! What can I say?" He rolled the ball again and got nine pins down for his bonus roll.
"You guys may have won, but it's not because you're guys and we're women. We don't have time tonight, but next time, we're having a rematch!" Hope said.
"Bring it on!" Shawn and Aiden both said in unison. They laughed.
"Jinx!" Shawn said.
"So, I believe you two owe us some dinner!" Aiden said to Hope and Ciara. "But honestly though, it's on me. I'm just happy we won."
"No, no. You won fair and square. It's on us," Hope said.
Ciara nodded. "How about we all share a pizza?"
"Extra pepperoni please!" Shawn said.
"And pineapple!" Hope chimed in, her hands over her stomach.
"And breadsticks!" Ciara piped in.
"I want chicken wings." Aiden said.
"I can go get it," Shawn offered to the girls. "It's the least we can do since you're paying. Drink orders please! Pepsi for me."
Hope wanted a caffeine free Pepsi with lemon, and Ciara wanted a Mountain Dew.
Shawn looked at Aiden. "You like Dr. Pepper, right?"
Aiden nodded. "Yes! You remembered."
Shawn grinned. "I'm a cop. It's my job to remember details." He then headed off to order the food and drinks.
Aiden sat down next to Ciara.
She looked at him. "Thank you."
"For what?" he asked her in surprise.
"For accepting me as I am, and for accepting Skylar as my girlfriend even when my Mom didn't. It meant a lot to me. I meant to thank you earlier, but it's hard for me to admit that you did something right." She blushed. "No offense."
Aiden smiled at her. "None taken. Skylar seems like a very nice girl, and I'm looking forward to getting to know her better. Maybe you and I could even get to know each other again. It seems we've both changed since last time I was here."
Ciara smiled at him. "I'd like that," she said sincerely. She then felt awkward. "I guess I better go help Shawn. The moron can't carry all that food on his own." She then got up to help him.
Aiden looked at Hope. "I didn't want to ruin the moment by informing her that someone comes out and delivers the food for us."
Hope grinned, and moved so that she was now sitting next to him. She gently rubbed his back. "You have no idea how happy it makes me to see both my kids finally warming up to you!"
Aiden smiled weakly. "I just hope it stays that way."
Hope kissed his cheek. "It will. I promise." She then rested her head on his shoulder and smiled; more content than she had been in a very long time.
~*came back to me*~
It was the Fourth of July, and Hope and Aiden held hands as they entered the Town Square's annual Fourth of July bash. Most of Salem was there. There were hot dogs and burgers on a grill, carnival games, fair food, and raffles. There were even a handful of rides set up in the park. There was a makeshift dancefloor, and a live band as well.
"I wish Ciara could have made it. She used to love these things," Hope said as she and Aiden waited in line for food.
"I know, but next year she'll be here. She's meeting Skylar's parents for the first time. That's a big deal!" Aiden then flushed. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to rub their relationship in your face."
Hope squeezed his hand and smiled at him. "It's fine. I promised Ciara I would accept their relationship, and I will. A BBQ at Skylar's parent's place in Florida sounds like fun! Though, I must say I don't envy her being in that heat. Florida gets so hot this time of year!"
Aiden laughed. "And you're always hot as it is!"
Hope nodded. "Exactly! I get even hotter now that I'm pregnant. Not that I'm eager to go through labor again, but I will be glad once these last two months are over and I get these babies out of me!" She placed her hands over her womb. "No offense, my loves."
"Less than two months actually!" Aiden reminded her.
"Yes! Thank God," Hope replied.
They arrived at the front of the line. Hope ordered a cheese burger, fries, and a caffeine free Pepsi, and Aiden ordered a hot dog, fries, and a Dr. Pepper.
They then went to sit down at one of the many tables that was set out for the partygoers.
Hope smiled and waved when she saw Shawn and Claire sitting at a table. "Hey! Mind if we sit here?" She sat down without waiting for a response. "Ugh! It feels good to sit. I feel like I'm lugging around two bowling balls."
Shawn smirked. "Hi, Mom. Don't worry. The twins will be born soon enough."
"And once they keep you up all night with their crying, you'll wish they were back in the womb," Claire teased.
Hope and Aiden both laughed.
"I'm sure you're right!" Aiden said.
Hope grinned. "Maybe." She gently rubbed her stomach with both hands. "But I think it will be nice taking care of babies again."
Claire smiled knowingly. "I'll babysit anytime you need me to."
Hope raised an eyebrow at her. "Thank you! I may just take you up on that!"
Just then, Theo arrived back at the table. "Oh. Hi, guys!" He said with a grin.
"Hi Theo! How are you?" Aiden asked him, shaking his hand.
"I'm good, thank you!" Theo said.
"Hello, Theo! Did you already eat?" Hope asked him.
Theo nodded. "I finished my dog, then had to go to the bathroom before the rides. I drank too much Mountain Dew!" He grinned. "It goes straight through you."
"I know all about that! With liquids in general I mean," Hope said with a nod.
Claire downed the rest of her hot dog and drank down the rest of her drink, then threw out her garbage in the nearby can. "Well, it was nice seeing you guys again. Theo and I are going to go get some cotton candy and ride the Ferris wheel."
"And the Scrambler! Don't forget The Scrambler!" Theo reminded her.
Claire grinned, and placed an arm around him. "Yes, the Scrambler too."
Hope smiled. "Have fun!"
"Bye!" Aiden said with a smile and a polite wave. "Have fun!"
Claire hugged her father tightly from behind. "I'll catch up with you after the fireworks."
"All right. Do you need money?" Shawn asked.
"I've got it. Thanks!" Claire then walked off with Theo.
"That's the first time I've ever seen her turn down money!" Hope said with a smirk.
Shawn smirked too. "I know right? But she gets paid pretty well for doing her You Tube videos. You'd be surprised."
"I'm glad things are finally working out for her Online, and in a legitimate way at that," Hope said. She took a bite of her cheese burger.
"Me too! Believe me. I'm going to go mingle. I'll catch up with you again later," Shawn said, standing up with his trash.
Hope nodded. "All right, Honey. Have fun."
Shawn hugged his mother. He then placed a hand over top of Aiden's shoulder. "Bye Aiden."
"Bye, Shawn. See you later," Aiden said.
Shawn then ditched his trash and left.
However, before Aiden and Hope had a moment to themselves, Carol came over and sat down next to them. "Hey, hey, hey! Happy 4th of July!" She smiled and winked at them.
"Happy Fourth of July!" Hope said with a smile.
Aiden nodded. "Happy Fourth of July, Big sister! How are you?"
"I'm all right. Thank you." Carol nodded at Hope. "How about you? I bet you're ready to pop, huh?" She grinned.
Hope nodded. "Just under two months yet! Ugh! I can at least be grateful that this will definitely be my last pregnancy!"
"Do you realize that the twins won't even be fifty yet when you die, even if you live to be a hundred?" Carol asked her. "They'll be Forty-four."
"Carol! Why would you say that?" Aiden asked.
Carol shrugged. "What? It's true! No disrespect meant." She nodded at Aiden. "They'll be fifty-one when you die. Again, saying you live to be a hundred."
"Well that's morbid!" Hope smoothed her napkin over her lap. "At least they will have a parent for half their life, Lord willing." She smiled weakly. "I know it's not common for any woman to have a baby this late in life, but God blessed me with two anyway. It's got to mean they are destined for great things!" She smiled big.
Carol nodded. "I'm sure it does!" She smiled too.
"Anyway, you'll be dead sooner than I will," Aiden told Carol.
Carol nodded. "Saying you don't die prematurely!"
"Okay, you're being really morbid. You must be hanging around Andre too much," Andre muttered.
"I agree!" Hope said. She looked around. "Where is he anyway?"
Carol grinned, and nodded over a few yards away. "Tommy's back!"
Hope and Aiden both looked over towards Andre. Andre was holding little Thomas in the air, and Tommy as giggling like crazy as Andre pretended that Tommy was an airplane.
"Uh oh!" Andre said loudly. "Turbulence! Turbulence!" He began to gently shake Tommy from side to side, and Thomas' loud laugher was echoing throughout the square.
Andre grinned. "Look! There's Daddy and Mommy! They got you the cotton candy you wanted!"
He set Thomas down in his stroller, then Chad gave Thomas a huge piece of cotton candy.
Andre pretended he was going to eat it.
"No, Uncle Andre! Mine!" Tommy said.
"Aw come on! Can't Uncle Andre just have one little bite? Please?" Andre asked.
"Mm… Okay!" Thomas broke him off a little chunk of the blue sugary candy.
"Thank you!" Andre ate his fluff in one bite. "Mm! Delicious! But not as delicious as you!" He then kissed Thomas' cheek all over, causing Thomas to giggle again. "Uncle Andre stop that! That tickles!"
Andre stopped, but not before giving Thomas one more loud kiss on the cheek.
"I never thought I'd see the day," Hope said in amazement. "Andre Dimera is actually showing kindness and compassion."
"Amazing!" Aiden said.
Carol grinned at them. "See? I'm not stupid. I didn't take him back for nothing. I knew he had it in him to change!"
Hope and Aiden both looked at each other. Neither one of them would go that far, to think that Andre had changed, but if it made Carol happy, they were both willing to keep their mouths shut…for now anyway.
~*came back to me*~
It was getting dark now, and just about time for the fireworks display in the park. Thomas was getting tired and fussy, so Andre, who didn't care about fireworks, took Thomas home so that Chad and Abigail could enjoy the fireworks. Carol was wanted to stay to see the fireworks, so Chad had offered to give her a ride home after.
Most people were camped out on blankets, or on benches. Carol looked around. She didn't want to impose on Chad or Abigail. She figured they might want some time alone to watch the fireworks. It was the same for Aiden and Hope. She thought about watching them with Shawn, but as she was looking for Shawn, her eyes fell upon Casey. He was sitting all by himself on a park bench.
Carol walked over to him and sat down. "Is this seat taken?"
"It's a little late to ask," Casey quipped.
"Casey, I'm so sorry for what I said to you! I know you were just trying to look out for me, and you have every right to be angry that I forgave Andre for what he did to you. I love Andre though. I know what he did was beyond crappy, but I really believe he's changed."
"I hope you two are very happy together then," Casey said simply.
"Casey, look at me. Please," Carol begged.
Casey looked at her.
"I may be back with Andre, but it doesn't mean I want to lose you as my friend. Please don't stop being my friend just because I'm back with Andre, and just because I acted like a bitch and said some stupid and thoughtless things to you that I didn't mean!" She took his hands in hers. "I feel comfortable with you. I can talk to you about things I can't talk to Andre about. I know it sounds silly since you and I didn't meet all that long ago, but I already consider you my best friend. I'm lost without you. And I love Jake. I always wanted a dog, but I never trusted myself to be responsible enough to own one on my own."
Casey smiled at her. "Well, loving my dog is pleading a good case…"
"Pleading my case to Casey?" Carol joked.
Casey laughed. "You're so corny!"
Carol grinned big; relieved that the ice was broken.
Casey then placed an arm around her. "I consider you my best friend too."
Carol's eyes lit up. "Really?"
Casey nodded. "Well, you and Jake."
Carol grinned. "I can live with that! You should have brought him. I'm sure he would have loved a hot dog or a cheese burger!"
Casey nodded. "I thought about it, but then I would have had to leave before the fireworks. The poor thing is terrified of them!"
Carol laughed. "Aw, poor thing! Do they make doggy ear plugs?"
"I don't know, but it seems like something I should check in to," Casey said.
They both laughed.
Carol then rested her head on Casey's shoulder. "I'm glad to have you as my best friend again, Casey. I really missed you."
Casey side hugged her tightly. "Me too. I missed you too."
The fireworks began then, and they contently watched the fireworks together, both so happy to be best friends again.
~*came back to me*~
"They're so beautiful," Hope said as she and Aiden watched the fireworks. They laid on a blanket on their backs as they watched the fireworks.
"Not as beautiful as you," Aiden said, turning his head to look at her.
She turned toward him and they kissed. "You always say the sweetest things."
"They're all true." Aiden gently stroked her cheek. "You take my breath away, Hope."
"Oh, Aiden…" Hope's eyes lowered with love for him. She took his face between her hands and kissed him sweetly on the lips. "You take my breath away too," she murmured, nuzzling her nose against his cheek, her eyes closed in contentment.
They then lie on their backs again and continued watching the fireworks, their hands and fingers entwined.
The fireworks were solely in the red, white, and blue colors. It was a good five minute show, and the finale consisted of nonstop fireworks—one right after the other. The end of the finale consisted of fireworks that spelled out Happy 4th! Below the words was an American flag made of fireworks.
Everyone sat up and clapped when the finale was over.
"I think that was one of the best firework shows I've ever seen!" Aiden said.
Hope nodded. "Me too!"
Aiden helped her up, then he gathered up their blanket.
"Let's go see if Carol needs a ride home," Aiden said.
Hope nodded. "I also want to tell Shawn and Claire goodbye."
So they said their goodbyes to Shawn and Claire, and then Carol.
Carol hugged them. "Did you enjoy the show?" Carol asked them.
"Yes! It was spectacular!" Hope replied.
"I loved how they did the Happy 4th of July and the flag at the end. So cool!" Carol said.
"And how they stuck to the red, white, and blue theme," Aiden added.
Carol and Hope both agreed.
"So, do you need a ride home?" Aiden asked.
Carol shook her head. "Thanks, but Casey and I are going out for coffee, then he's going to take me home. He's waiting for me in the car. I just have to go tell Chad and Abigail that I don't need a ride after all. I better go do that now, in fact. I'll talk to you guys tomorrow!"
"All right. Have a good night!" Hope said, hugging her one more time.
"Thanks! You too!" Carol then hugged Aiden too.
"Bye, Big sister," Aiden said to her.
"Bye, Little brother." Carol kissed his cheek then took off.
Hope smiled as she and Aiden walked back to their car, arms around each other. "I'd actually like to see her with Casey instead of Andre."
Aiden nodded. "Me too. Hopefully she'll come to her senses eventually."
~*came back to me*~
"Aiden moaned as he and Hope lie in bed in the dark, kissing. "I hate not being able to make love to you," he murmured.
"I hate it to, believe me. But we'll be able to again soon enough. I promise." She kissed him some more.
"I'm so glad we were able to get through our problems, and that you now know I'd never cheat on you," Aiden said to her.
Hope gently stroked his cheek. "And Tiffany and I are kind of sort of friends now. I'm glad she was able to forgive me when I apologized," she said, referring to weeks ago when she had personally apologized to Tiffany and sent her a dozen roses in apology.
"Who would have thought you guys would be friends, right?" Aiden said with a grin. "Tiffany's a sweet girl. She's very forgiving and compassionate. It's part of why I hired her—I could tell she was. I don't want my employees or associates to be jerks. I want to run a friendly business."
"And that's one of the many things I love about you!" Hope said. She kissed hm passionately.
Aiden moaned, and they kissed a moment more.
"I wish she were gay. Then I could be a hundred percent at ease," Hope said.
Aiden smirked. "Sure, you'd be okay with Tiffany being gay!"
Hope grinned, and playfully swatted him. "Shut up!" She rubbed her stomach. "I want some ice cream. Do we have any left?"
Aiden smirked. "You had a cheese burger, fries, ice cream, fried dough, and cotton candy at the celebration. How could you possibly still be hungry?"
"Hey—I'm eating for three now. Remember?" Hope asked him with a pout.
"I'm just teasing you. We have some rocky road left I believe," Aiden replied.
"Perfect!" Hope said.
"I'll go get some for you," Aiden told her.
"No, it's all right. I have to get up to go to the bathroom again anyway." Hope kissed him. "Do you want any?"
"I'm good, thanks. Hurry back," Aiden said to her.
"I will." She kissed him once more, then headed out of the room.
~*came back to me.*~
Hope had gone to the bathroom, and was about to go into the kitchen, when there was an insistent knock at the door.
She looked at her watch. It was almost eleven o'clock. Wondering who could be at their door so late, she headed over and peered out. She gasped when she saw who it was. Her heart practically jumped to her throat.
"Aiden!" she called out; part scared, and part in shock. She opened the door, and in tumbled Chase. He was bruised and battered in the face, and he looked like he could barely walk. He looked rugged, and frankly, malnourished.
"Help me!" he cried out.
Hope was too frozen in shock to do anything but stare at him, her mouth opened wide.
Just then, Aiden came down the stairs. "Hope, did you call m—" His eyes fell upon Chase.
"Dad!" Chase had tears in his eyes. "I thought I'd never get back to you…" was all Chase could say before collapsing to the ground.
Aiden stared at Chase for a couple seconds more, then suddenly feeling weak, he fainted, and thumped to the floor as well as Hope continued to stare in shock.
