Mariana
I worry about her meeting her father. Right now she has enough on her plate and her dad might just create more drama. I know better than to tell her not to though.
"I want to come" I announced and she looked at me.
"To meet your dad I mean" I said.
"Oh honey Jess and Sierra are going to be there..." She started.
"I know, baby. I just want to be there for you. To be honest I'm not sure if I trust your dad and I want to..."
"Ok ok I'll ask if you can come. Just promise me you will be polite"she said as if I'm really going to be rude. I kissed her and then spooned her.
Sarah
I'm worried about meeting my dad again and it doesn't make it better that Mari is almost insisting that she comes along. I'm worried it's too soon for him to meet Mariana. I'm surprised he even wants to see me and i don't know how he is going to feel about meeting my wife too.
I sat down next to Mariana in the booth waiting for them to show up. We are early so it still might be a while.
"You ok, love?" she asked putting her hand on top of mine.
"Yeah i'm fine" i said forcing a smile.
"If you want to leave just let me know" she said and i know she is only here to make sure he doesn't do anything to upset me.
"I'll be fine, mommy" i joked and she rolled her eyes.
"I'm serious" she said. "He hurt you and if he says anything to upset you than…"
"We will march right out the doors" i said jokingly and i can tell she knows i'm doing it to keep myself calm. She squeezed my hand and smiled at me.
When they showed up Mariana was overly polite and shook his hand and everything making me smile.
"Wow it's amazing to see you again" he said and i smiled.
"You too"
"I'm sorry. I never should have let it go the way it did" he said sincerely and i shook my head.
"Lets just leave that in the past." he smiled seeming to be relieved at my words like he was expecting me to tell him to go to hell and then leave.
"So can you update me on you're life?" he asked.
"Well i work for the Youth Center helping parents raise kids, Mariana here is in real estate. We got married almost six years ago, about three months before our daughter Aliza was born…" i started and he looked shocked.
"I have a granddaughter?" he asked. Jess and my dad weren't very close after she moved out, when Sierra was seven, and they only talked when it was about Sierra. I'm not surprised he didn't know that we had a child together.
"Yes you do. Her name is Aliza Sierra Roberts and she was born on August 18th, 2024." I smiled at Sierra when she looked at me when saying Aliza's middle name. Her middle name was actually Marianas idea. We already had her first name picked out but didn't know what her middle name was going to be.
Flashback
She was holding our newborn daughter watching as she slept.
"She's so cute" i said playing with her tiny feet. She only weighs nine pounds and two ounces and is 21 inches long.
"Thank you" i said knowing she has given me the greatest gift.
"We have to give her a name" i reminded her.
"Aliza" she said and i laughed.
"A middle name, honey" i said and she groaned.
"We have to come up with another" she complained leaning her head against my shoulder.
"Yes"
"Hmm… We could name her after Sierra" she offered.
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"Yeah… Aliza Sierra. I like it" she said and i smiled. I liked it too.
Present
"Anyways where was I?" i asked looking at Mariana.
"Aliza" she reminded me.
"She is in preschool now and we are currently expecting another baby" I said and he looked at me surprised.
"You're pregnant?" Jess asked giving me 'oh my god, why the hell didn't you tell me' glare.
"Yes she is" Mariana confirmed.
"Wow, congratulations" He said smiling at me.
"When did this happen, and when were you planning on telling me?" Jess asked looking upset that i didn't drop everything to tell her but underneath it all she looked happy.
"Two weeks ago" Mariana said.
"I was going to tell you tomorrow at that dinner we had planned. We were going to tell everybody together."
"How?" she asked.
"Artificial Insemination" she answered.
"Isn't that how you would have had Aliza?" Dad asked and me and Mariana exchanged an awkward side-glance. The truth is we didn't originally get pregnant together.
Flashback
She practically fell into my arms the second i opened the door. She cried on my shoulder and i pulled her inside. I know that asshole of a boyfriend hurt her again. As much as i hate that she's not with me i would like for her to at least be with someone who treats her right. About six months ago we decided to take a break, date other people, since we were going through a rough time in our relationship. We stayed friends through as promised and i have pretty much been used to comfort her when Dan is a dick.
It takes so much to not kiss her and tell her i love her. Than do what i used to do to comfort her when we were together. Hot chocolate, movie, and cuddling.
Instead i pour her a glass of wine and waits till she tells me what he did.
"Wine?" i offered as she followed me into the kitchen.
"Uh… i can't have any" she said and i turned around worried. What does she mean she can't have any?
"I'm pregnant" she explained and i could see the panic on her face.
"Mariana?"
"I was going to tell him tonight during our date and before i could he told me it was done that he was cheating on me. I wasn't going to tell him after that" she said crying. I didn't know what to do. I awkwardly moved next to her letting her decided what to do.
Pregnant? I thought trying to wrap my mind around it. I always wanted to have children with her. Now she's pregnant by someone else and he isn't even here for her. I don't want her going into this alone.
"I'm sorry" i said awkwardly. She me an awkward smile in return.
"Do you have hot chocolate?" She asked hopefully.
"Yeah" I nodded. "Just go and relax"
She hesitated a second but soon turned around and left.
"What am i going to do?" I said quietly to myself. I put the milk into the microwave and heated up. When i walked out i had two cups of hot cocoa in my hands.
"Thanks"
"Sure" i paused. "It's going to be ok" I attempted to reassure her.
"I can't do this alone" she said wiping the tear away.
"You're not. I'll always have your back" It's hard to find a way to say, 'I love you and would do anything for you' without sounding girl friendly.
"I can't….I can't ask you for that" she said sounding guilty.
"You're not asking" I offered lamely.
"I can't let you do that.."
"Why not we are friends" i said and the word was so forced.
"No… i hurt you. You shouldn't even be talking to me." she said getting up to leave.
"You're my best friend, Mariana. I can't lose you" i said getting up after her.
"You deserve better than me" she said.
"Taking a break wasn't even you're idea" i reminded her.
"We never should have done it" i said and she shook her head.
"Sarah"
"I love you" i said and just like the first time, i said it before i realized i did.
"Sarah… we can't do this"
"Why we took a break didn't we? We both dated some 'lovely people' and i don't know about you but i miss us" I said lovely people sarcastically. I complain about her now ex-boyfriend but i've been with my fair share of bad girls since our break.
She looked at me with a look of 'Are you serious?' before giving in and kissing me. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close. I've missed this so much.
"Lets take this slowly so we don't mess it up again" i said and she nodded.
"I'm Regina Phalange"(Please tell me at least someone knows what i'm referencing) I said holding my hand out for her to shake and she laughed at me.
"You're a dork"
"Interesting name, do you have a nickname" she rolled her eyes.
"You're lucky i love you, Sarah"
"I'm sorry. Who's Sarah?" I asked and she pinched me.
Present
I looked over at Mariana and she looked down awkwardly. We hate, her especially, when people ask how we got Aliza. I know she still feels guilty about it, but she doesn't have to. After all it gave us Aliza, I'm happy it happened. Yes i would have loved for us to have conceived Aliza together but it probably would have ended up differently if we did. Besides thats how we i got pregnant.
"Uh… no. Thats complicated" i said awkwardly and Mariana looked around awkwardly.
"Oh so whose Aliza birth mom, if you don't mind me asking"he asked and both Jess and Sierra yelled at him.
"I'm sorry"
"oh... it's ok... Mariana is" I explained and he smiled awkwardly.
"Well congratulations, you both seem like you are wonderful parents" he said but it was so forced. Oh well, guess it's better than nothing.
Sierra
I can't believe how disrespectful he is being to them. Asking whose Aliza's birth mom. Like did he really need to know that immediately? He could have assumed that since Sarah is pregnant now that Mariana had the first kid. Normally that's how they do it.
"I can't believe you asked her that?" I yelled and he rolled his eyes.
"You're the one who is making this a big deal, they didn't mind"
"they are polite, that's insulting. It doesn't matter who her birth mom is, they are both Her mom's" I said and he just sighed.
"right"he said sarcastically. I hate my parents sometimes. Scratch that... 99% of the time.
"You're so predictable" I said Rolling my eyes.
"Why am I predictable? I'm trying to accept it, aren't I?" He defended.
"Its not hard, they love each other. They have a kid together. A preschooler gets it" I argued turning and walking away. I can't count how many times I've been accused of being gay because I stick up for them. I'm not, but I believe in standing up for them. For Sarah, Mariana, her mom's, and my two gay friends Dave and Sam. (Who are so cute together). And everybody else that is for that matter.
Hey I'm so glad i got this to work. I had the 22nd chapter done the day after posting chapter 21 but couldn't post it due to computer problems. Please review