Chapter 15: Loose Ends Tied

Ashley was drawing in her design pad in the park while Jamie and Hayden were playing on the playground. She pushed her hair out of her face and she looked at a few more designs she made. "Still working hard?" A voice asked. Ashley looked up and saw Mark there.

"Mark…" she trailed off.

She stood up and pushed her hair out of her face. "Hey, Ash," he answered.

"Wasn't expecting to see you again," she commented.

Mark nodded his head slowly. "How are you doing?" He asked.

"I'm good," she replied.

Mark smiled. "Good," he answered. Just then, Hayden and Jamie were pulling on Ashley's dress.

"Mommy! We want ice cream!" Hayden told her.

Ashley laughed as she picked Hayden up. "Would you two mind just waiting a little bit while mommy talks to this nice man?" She asked. Hayden looked over at Mark and nodded.

"Okay," he replied.

Hayden and Jamie ran off to play again. "Wow…those are yours?" He asked. Ashley nodded with a small smile. "Beautiful kids," he commented.

"Thanks. Andros and I are proud of them," she answered.

"I can imagine why."

Ashley sat down on a bench and she let out a sigh. "You okay?" He asked. Ashley nodded.

"Yeah, I'm just a little sick, no big deal," she replied.

Mark sat down next to her. "You sure?" He asked.

"Mark, it's not a big deal," she assured him.

She pulled out her drawing pad and started drawing again. "Listen, Ashley…things didn't end so well between us," he commented. Ashley let out a sigh and she nodded her head slowly.

"Yeah…" she agreed.

Just then her phone went off and she picked it up. "Hello?" She answered. Mark sat there waiting patiently for her to get off the phone. "Really? No doubt about it? Thank you, doctor! Thank you so much!" Ashley stated. She hung up and a huge smile appeared across her face.

"What was all that about?" He asked.

Ashley stood up. "I'm pregnant…I'm pregnant!" She shrieked. She practically started bouncing around. Mark laughed when Ashley finally calmed down.

"You looked like Hope when she first found out she was pregnant with Kyle," he commented.

Ashley gave him a quizzical look. "Hope?" She asked. Mark nodded with a smile.

"I'm married now, Ash. My son's three months old," he replied.

"Mark…that's great! I'm so happy for you."

She hugged him with a smile. Mark hugged her back with a smile on his face. "I was trying to find you, to tell you that there's no hard feelings," he told her. Ashley pulled back and looked at him. "For what happened three years ago at the altar. I hold nothing against you," he informed.

"If I were you I would've hated me," she commented.

Mark shook his head. "I never saw you so happy," he answered. Ashley crossed her arms over her chest. "I mean, I stayed at the wedding. I hid in the back so you wouldn't see me," he informed. Ashley just stood there listening. "I heard every word he said to you and I saw your eyes just light up as he said those words to you. Andros is a good man even if he did make a few mistakes," he commented.

"Mark…I never meant to hurt you," she answered.

"I know. It didn't take me long to know that you wouldn't do anything to intentionally hurt me."

Mark kissed her cheek. "Thank your husband for me," he added. Ashley gave him a quizzical look.

"For what?" She asked.

"If Andros hadn't crashed our wedding and had you marry him instead of me. I wouldn't have met Hope and Kyle wouldn't be here," he replied.

Ashley smiled and Mark looked at his watch. "I better get going," he commented. Mark turned to leave, but then he looked over his shoulder. "By the way, Ash, congratulations," he added.

"Thanks, you too," she answered.

He nodded and he walked back to his car. Ashley rubbed the back of her neck and let out a sigh. "Mommy, ice cream now?" Jamie asked. Ashley laughed as she picked her daughter up.

"You two and ice cream," she laughed.

"Ice cream, ice cream, ice cream," the twins chanted.

Ashley laughed as she held onto Hayden's hand but had Jamie sit on her hip as she walked to the ice cream shop not too far away.

Later that afternoon, the twins were practically unconscious during the ride home. Ashley looked at her rearview mirror to find the twins asleep in their car seats. A smile came across her face and then she pulled up to the house. She looked up to see that Andros was home. Andros came out and he helped her get the twins inside.

They set the twins into their beds and they quietly left the room. "Should take them to the park more often," he commented. Ashley rolled her eyes. "Did you get a call from the doctor yet?" He asked. Ashley smiled and nodded her head slowly.

"Yeah," she replied.

"What did he say?" He asked.

Ashley held onto his hands. "I'm pregnant again," she replied. Andros picked her up and spun her around once. She laughed quietly and she buried her head in his shoulder once he set her down on the floor.

"Finally after weeks of trying," he commented.

Ashley smiled and she pulled back. Andros placed his hand on the back of her neck and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck kissing him back. She giggled when his hand went up her shirt. She pulled back. "No, no, not with the twins right upstairs," she objected. Andros sighed.

"Fine," he answered.

She gasped when he picked her up and took her up to their room. "Just have to keep the door locked again," he added. Ashley smiled and she placed her head on his shoulder. Andros set her down on their bed before going to the door, closing it and locking it.

"I think the twins won't be waking up anytime soon," she commented.

"Hope not," he answered.

Then he kissed her deeply.