Hello again!

(Note this chapter contains more than one p.o.v. when the p.o.v. changes the person whose name the p.o.v. comes from is in bold.)

This is a kind of long chapter to make up for the gap that I haven't updated this story in.

I'll try to update as often as I can but I have tons of homework at the moment so no promises.

Here you are…

Chapter 17

Zoe.

When we got home I realized that I needed to go to the shops and get some food in before my parents came round that night. I hadn't got anything in so Ash volunteered to go to the shops. I didn't want to be left alone so it ended up with all three of us going.

"What are we going to have then?" he asked me.

"What would you like Jess? Grandma and Grandpa are coming for dinner." I asked the little girl who was enjoying being pushed around the shop in the trolley.

"Pizza." She answered. The standard answer she gave to anything.

"How about salmon pasta?" I asked Ash.

"Sounds good to me babe." He said pushing Jess over to the fishmongers' section.

"That was simple." I said following him.

We got back to the house and I started cooking trying to do anything to keep myself busy and not think about Lou. Ash took Jess back to his house to keep her out of my way so I could cook and he could pack. By about 5:30 they got back with a few bags and a box. He placed them in our room then went to play with Jess in the playroom.

My parents arrived at 6 as they had texted me earlier to say. They hugged me as they walked in the door and I introduced them to Ash.

"Mum, dad." I said as I opened the door, "Ash, Jess," I called to the playroom as I took their coats and hung them in the closet.

"Zoe, darling. Are you all right?" my mum asked above the sound of Jess running through the corridor to see them.

"I'm fine mum. Ash has been great. You'll love him to." I replied, reassuring her.

"Mr and Mrs Hanna. It is a pleasure to meet you. I'm Martin Ashford, Zoe's boyfriend. " Ash said as he shook hands with my dad and gave my mum a kiss on the check.

"It's nice to meet you too. I wish we could have met under different circumstances but anyway… it's nice to be introduced." My mum said.

"Martin." My dad said.

"Please. Everyone calls me Ash, even Zoe." Ash replied, picking Jess up, who was tugging at his feet.

We went into the lounge and Jess opened the Barbie doll my parents had bought her.

Ash was trying to undo the Barbie from its casing, cursing in whispers under his breath about all the plastic toggles he had jus got rid of after Ella and he was now starting again with Jess. At this my dad started to ask Ash about Ella.

"So Martin, you have a daughter."

"Ash please," Ash insisted, he was getting annoyed, he hated being called Martin.

"Ash," my dad corrected unwillingly.

"Yes, I have a daughter, Ella, she is sixteen in a few weeks." He replied happier.

"Really, what about Ella's mother?" my dad asked.

"We split up when Ella was about six, she had an affair with one of the nurses I worked with." Ash coughed slightly, I could sense that it was a sensitive subject.

"Right." My dad replied then walked out to go to the loo.

The rest of us sat there in an awkward silence for a few moments before Jess moaned that she was hungry.

"Auntie Zoe." she looked up at me, her large brown eyes melting my heart.

"Yes baby,"

"I'm hungry."

"Shall we go and have some dinner then?" I asked her cheerfully.

"Yay!" she cheered standing up.

"Come on then." I replied taking her hand and letting her lead me to the kitchen.

Ash.

Left alone in the lounge with Zoe's mother was the last thing I wanted to happen so when I made an effort to get up I wasn't expecting her to grab my shoulder and pull me back to the sofa again.

"I was going to help Zoe get the dinner ready." I explained.

"I know, and you can go in a moment. I just want to make sure that you wont take advantage of Zoe at this time. It is hard on her. Lou was her best friend growing up, not just her sister. Promise me you wont take advantage of her and … oh I don't know, get her pregnant or something." She said throwing her hands in the air.

I was confused at this last comment. Wasn't Zoe infertile, if so why was her mum worried about me getting her pregnant? I decided not to mention it now but ask Zoe about it later, if she was lying to her parents there had to be a reason why.

"Mrs Hanna, I would never take advantage of your daughter, I love her too much to do that. Her, Ella and Jess are the three most important people in my life right now and hope that it will stay that way for a long time, if not forever." I said honestly.

"I trust you, but if something happens to Zoe and it's your fault… I've already lost one daughter from the events of a bad relationship another to a car crash less then twenty-four hours ago. She's all I've got left. Don't do anything to her." she warned then stood up and went to help Zoe in the kitchen.

I sat there dazed for a moment thinking about what had just happened. Zoe was lying to her parents and he didn't know why, her mother was talking about loosing two daughters and then threatening me. I was confused but decided to ponder on it later. Now was the time for dinner.

Zoe.

Where was Ash? I thought he had followed me into the kitchen but he didn't show up, then my mum came through the door and my dad came back from the toilet. Jess was sitting in her booster seat and my parents were chatting to her when Ash finally came through the door.

"Where have you been?" I asked him as he came over, wrapping his hands around my waist and kissing my neck.

"I got talking with your mother then I sat down to think about what she said and I have some questions to ask you later." He said.

I was puzzled. What did my mum say to him that he had questions about.

"What questions?" I asked.

"I'll ask you them later. Don't worry its nothing serious and you don't have to answer them." He said registering the puzzled look on my face.

I decided to take his word for it and

Served up the dinner onto plates.

The conversation at the table was focused on Jess and she was enjoying being the centre of attention. She was laughing, joking and showing off. Just like any five year old. This made me feel sad. Lou would never see Jess grow up. Jess would grow up and memories of her mother would fade and she would rely on photographs. It saddened me as I thought of telling her that her mother was up with the angels in heaven. I had no-idea how I was going to tell her and for that reason and that reason alone I was glad my parents were here to help.

After dinner my parents went into the lounge to watch a film short with Jess, whilst Ash and I did the washing up.

"Are you going to ask me those questions now?" I asked.

"No, you'll have to wait." He replied throwing bubbles at my face.

"Oi!" I shouted back and threw some back.

Washing up abandoned a mixture of bubble and water fight was taken up. By the time we had used all the bubbles up and the sink was nearly empty we were both soaked, laughing with each other.

A cough came from the door and I saw my mum standing there not looking impressed.

"Zoe. Have you two finished?" she asked, hands on hips.

"Nearly mum." I answered.

"The film has and Jess would like a bath. Shall I finish here and you can go and give it to her?" she asked.

Why was she so annoying? She had to take the fun out of everything.

"Sure. Ash, come on." I said somewhat coldly, and pulled him with me upstairs.

Ash and I gave Jess her bath and put her to bed. She was tired and fell asleep quickly. After changing out of our wet clothes and into more casual ones we made our way downstairs.

We entered the lounge where my mum and dad were sitting in silence watching the titanic. We cuddled up together and watched the end with them, drinking wine, beer and whatever else I had in the cupboards.

When the film had finished my parents went up to bed in one of the spare rooms whilst Ash and I sat cuddled together for a few minutes.

We went up to bed at around eleven and I finally had the chance to ask Ash about those questions he had for me.

"So, you said you had some questions." I said as I undressed.

"I did." He replied.

"Ask away then."

"Please don't hate me if I'm wrong but your mum said if I took advantage of you and got you pregnant then I would have her to answer to, this I understood. What I didn't understand was the fact that I didn't think you could get pregnant." He said slowly.

I felt sick inside. I had been lying to my parents for years, thinking I would never settle down and have to face the fact I couldn't have children. By letting my parents think I could, helped me stay positive. I hadn't told Ash I could have kids, how did he know?

"I can't. But how do you know?" I asked looking away from him.

"I heard Tess and Sam talking about it. They were talking mainly about the fact you were so good with Jess and then Tess mentioned how it was sad that you could never have a family." He explained.

"Right." I answered. "Do you mind?" I asked

"No Zoe. I love you, just because you can't have kids doesn't make me not love you. You are everything to me Zoe Hanna and I want to spend the rest of my life with you no matter what happens I will always stay by your side and help you through it. You and me, together." He said coming to sit behind me.

"Really?" I asked.

"Really." He replied.

"I love you Ash." I said kissing him.

"I know."

"The reason my parents don't know about me being infertile is because they were so pleased when Jess was born they wanted more grandkids and they were pressurising me to settle down with someone. I was with Nick at the time and I tried everything, IVF, these weird herbal remedies. Nothing worked. Then Nick and I broke up and I just couldn't tell them. . My mum lost her first child when she was in her late twenties. It was before she met my dad and she was married to another man, who abused her. Their daughter Fee got in the way of his abuse when she was just four. It was a year before my parents met and they had me. My mum was so protective of me when I was younger and still is. My mother believing I can still give her a happy family makes me believe it too, even though I know it's not true. Its stupid I know" I explained cuddling into his arms under the duvet.

"Its not stupid." He replied.

"I love you Ash. Thanks for today."

"No worries. I love you." He replied.

He lent to the bedside lamp and turned it off, plunging the room into darkness and we fell asleep. I was wrapped in his arms and I felt safe. All my troubles disappeared and I fell into a deep sleep with the man I loved.

Next chapter will be up as soon as I can write it.

Hope you like it… leave me a review please!