After Ezra and I fell asleep, I was so tired from constantly crying and laughing that I managed to stay asleep in his arms all night. That was the first time in weeks that I had gotten a full nights rest, as I began to suspect my being pregnant a few weeks before I knew for sure, and I was a nervous and anxiety-ridden mess for the time being.
In the morning, I was awoken by the smell of breakfast on the stove and brilliant rays of sunshine coming through the open window. I was surprised at my sudden burst of optimism, as I was usually (and Ezra could confirm it) the most pessimistic person you would ever meet.
I slowly began to get up out of the bed, when I heard Ezra talking to me.
"Honey, don't move a muscle." He said, turning around with a plater in hand. "Breakfast is coming to you."
"Ezra Fitz, you are too good to me." I said, giggling as he approached me. He set the tray down at the foot of the bed and kissed me passionately on the lips.
"I know." He said after he broke our kiss. "I love you SO much." I could never get enough of him saying that to me.
"How in the world did I get so lucky?" I asked, staring at my shirtless boyfriend as he sat down beside me on the bed.
"I was just about to ask you the same question." He replied with a smile and kissed my forehead softly. As soon as he said these words, I suddenly grew incredibly serious. The doubt in the back of my mind suddenly came to the forefront of my thoughts, and Ezra noticed this. "Hey. What's wrong?"
"It's nothing. I'm just-I'm really nervous. What if we aren't as prepared for this as we think we are? What happens when the baby is born? What if I'm not a good mother?"
"Aria, please don't think like that. I understand why you're nervous. I was nervous, too. I know that this isn't exactly ideal right now, but isn't this what we were planning for eventually?" He replied softly.
"Yeah, eventually. Not now. I don't want to stop you from doing the things you want to do in life. This'll change everything, Ezra. Everything. Please, if you don't want this, I want you to be completely honest and tell me. It's not too late."
"You want me to be completely honest? I want to do this more than anything else in the world. Nothing can hinder me from doing anything, because you're the only thing that matters to me. And it is too late; because I have already fallen in love with our child. Our baby will change our lives in the best ways possible. Babe, we will be so damn happy. I already am. This will be a wonderful thing for us in the end. I love you." He reassured me lovingly. I smiled weakly as he wiped tears from under my eyes with the pads of his thumbs.
"I love you, too. Thank you for being the best boyfriend a girl could ever ask for. And thank you for loving me today the same way you loved me yesterday." I whispered.
"I will always love you, Aria. I will always love both of you." He placed his hand delicately on my stomach and looked up at me with a smile.
"What?" I asked, chuckling.
"Can you turn to the side for a second?" He asked as he bent down slightly. I laughed and looked down at him. The funny thing is, he was just about eye level with me now.
"Why?"
"Because you're so skinny, I can't tell if you're showing yet from the front. Not that I don't love you skinny. I love you just the way you are. I just think you'd be cute with a baby bump."
His boyish smile and pleading blue eyes made me cave; and I laughed before turning to the side like he had requested. He ran his hand down my midsection, flattening the fabric of my shirt to my skin.
"Here we go. See; I knew it. You make an adorable pregnant woman." He chuckled as he put his hand back on my belly and smiled.
"I am not showing yet!" I exclaimed, feigning offense.
"Hmm, I think the baby objects. Right here. See?" He asked with a light smirk as he took my hand and put it where his was a moment ago. I huffed jokingly, because he was right. I don't know how I didn't see it before, but there it was: I was definitely showing. The bump was so incredibly tiny, I barely noticed it at first. Ezra stood up and wrapped his arms around me. "That's our baby."
He grinned widely and lifted my chin slightly so that he was looking me in the eyes, and kissed me once again.
I looked over at the nightstand on Ezra's side of the bed and I saw one of the copies of my ultrasound pictures. It made me so happy that he loved me and our baby as much as he did.
"Hey," I said, grabbing the photo from the table and handing it to him."I want you to have this one. If you want, I can even give you another copy to frame."
"I happily accept that offer, Aria." He said while taking the picture gently in his hands and looking at it. As his eyes remained fixated on the picture, on his face formed a smile. And it wasn't his usual smile either. This smile was a far bigger smile. This smile could brighten a room and blind whoever happened to be in it. Then, I saw a tear slowly trickle down his cheek.
"What's wrong, babe?" I said while putting a hand on his shoulder. He looked at me with tears still in his eyes.
"Aria, you have given me the most extravagant and extraordinary gift anyone could ever ask for, and I want to be with you forever, as long as I live." He said, standing up and placing the picture on the bed beside me.
"I want that, too. I love you, Ezra." I replied, rising to stand with him in the center of his apartment. Then, the unexpected happened. Ezra knelt down on one knee and looked up at me with the biggest smile I have ever seen on his face. I didn't know what to say.
"What are you doing?" I said, growing excited and nervous all at once.
"Aria, you are the only girl I have ever truly loved and I will never stop loving you. Ever. I want to wake up next to you every morning, and I want to fall asleep next to you every night. I want to raise our child together. When you told me last night that you were pregnant, I knew. I knew then that I wanted to make you mine, forever, as long as I live. I want to love you way longer than anyone else. I have wanted to do this every single day since I met you, and I feel that this is the absolute perfect time to do so. Aria Marie Montgomery, will you make me the happiest man alive, and marry me?" He asked, holding out a box with a beautiful diamond ring inside it.
Again, I didn't know what to say. Well, I knew exactly what I wanted to say, but no words came out. The ecstasy in his voice really shone through; and I think the absolute shock in my expression did the same. After a moment, I finally found my voice again.
"Yes." I managed to squeak out in the quietest voice that was barely audible to even myself.
"What?" He asked, smirking. He had heard me, but I think he wanted to hear it again.
"YES!" I exclaimed as a huge smile grew on Ezra's face. "ABSOLUTELY!"
He stood up and laughed with me in my flurry of emotions and hormones. He slid the ring onto my left ring finger and kissed me. I have never been happier than I was on that day at that time.
As I looked closer at the stunning ring that I now proudly wore as a symbol of Ezra's and my love, I noticed how intricately beautiful it truly was. The diamond had a subtle pink hue about it, making it even more stunning; and the white gold band in which the diamond was placed had an engraving on the inside. Our names were carefully etched into the metal in a gorgeous cursive font, and I looked up at him in shock.
"You like it?" He asked as he took my hand in his.
"I LOVE it!" I exclaimed. "This must've been so expensive, Ezra! How did you manage to buy this?!"
"I've been saving up for it for awhile now. I love you so much, and you deserve the absolute best." He replied, kissing me.
"Ezra Fitz, I love you so much." I said as he kissed my head.
"Aria Montgomery-soon-to-be-Fitz, I love you AND our baby more than you could ever know." He replied, looking into my hazel eyes.
We both laughed. I couldn't wait to become Ezra Fitz's wife. I couldn't wait to become a mother. I could, however, wait a long time to go home. My house is a frenzy of fighting and hatred, and for all I know, it's gotten worse since last night. Ever since my mom had found out that my dad had cheated on her with the she-devil-who-shall-not-be-named, the Montgomery household hasn't been the same.
"So," I began, "how long until we can get married? I mean, I love the word 'fiancé', but..." I asked Ezra who was fumbling through a drawer to find something. He chuckled softly before looking back at me and I smiled.
"Well, that depends. We can get married on your birthday if you'd like. Whatever you want, babe." He replied, still looking over his shoulder at me.
"That would be AMAZING!" I said, running over to kiss him. We kissed for a moment and then he broke the silence.
"What do you think?" He said while pulling a gold wedding band out of a drawer and letting it flash in the sunlight. It was absolutely gorgeous. It even had our names engraved on it, just like mine. I smiled at him and he carefully dropped it into its bag on the counter.
"It's absolutely perfect for you. I love it; and I love you." I replied whilst holding his hand in my much tinier one. He smiled and squeezed my hand lightly.
"Now I can start telling people to back off my man." I added playfully.
"You could do that." He began while tucking stray strands of hair behind my ear. "But I'd probably do it for you."
"I love that idea." I said, pulling him into my arms for a kiss. We kissed for a solid ten minutes before Ezra looked at his watch.
"What time is it?" I asked as I leaned my head on his chest.
"Late. And it's Wednesday." He said as he began throwing on a shirt and slacks. Meanwhile, I casually walked over to the bed and reached under it until I found a bag which I had put there when we first became a couple. I quickly changed in the bathroom and walked out in under ten minutes.
"Is that a new record?" He asked as I helped him with his tie.
"I came prepared." I replied, straightening his hair.
"You always do." He said, kissing me and opening the door for me like the gentleman he is. "After you, my beautiful fiancé."
How in the world did I get so lucky?