mr. mara

•13•

[1 year later]

"Still can't believe she's four months today," Zion says. "I swear she was just born yesterday."

"I know," I say. "Time really does fly by."

It's been a year now since everything happened. We graduated high school and moved across the country. I didn't want to be anywhere near my parents anymore. After everything happened they still hated me and still hated the fact that I fell in love with my teacher.

I had a baby girl four months ago. Her name is Emi May Mara. She was very healthy when she was born and she still is.

The boys and the girls all love her so very much. They all insisted on moving with Zion and I. I am really glad that they came with us. We all live very close to each other. Brandon and Maggie live together. Edwin and Izzy and Austin and Ansley. Zion lives with his girlfriend, Angela. Yes, he finally found someone. All of our houses are in the same neighborhood. I can see each of their houses from mine. It's good to have people around that you know.

"Jump!" Ansley yells to Raine. She jumps into the pool and Ansley catches her. Ansley and Austin adopted Raine right after we graduated high school.

"Good job!" Brandon says.

Nick isn't here with us though. He hasn't even met Emi yet. He is still back at home serving his stupid time. I haven't talked to him in a couple weeks now. I just never find time to call him. Plus the phone calls depress me. We can only talk for a minute or two and then we are disconnected.

He doesn't get out for about another year. I don't know if I'll be able to handle that. I don't even know what we are. He acts like we are still a thing, but at the same time it's like he doesn't care anymore. I want to wait on him, but it's not easy. I just wish he was here with me. With us.

"Have you talked to Nick recently?" Izzy asks.

"No," I say. "I haven't really had a lot of time to call him and it's so hard to find the right time to because of his restrictions."

"Yea, I get that," she says.

I sigh, "Yea, well I'm going to go change Emi. I'll be back soon."

I pick her up and I walk into the house. I go to the living room and I lay her softly down on her mat. I grab her changing things and I start to change her.

"Hi, baby girl," I say. "You're a happy girl aren't you?" She starts laughing at me. I smile at her and she starts to suck on her hand. "You know, I can't wait for you to finally meet your daddy. He's an amazing person and he's very handsome. You are going to love him when he comes home," I sigh. "Things went wrong though, baby girl. It was kinda my fault, but he had to take the blame. He did it all for us though. He's an amazing guy."

She starts babbling and I chuckle. I put her clothes back on and I pick her up. I sit down on the couch with her and I start to bounce her up and down lightly.

I stare down at her as the tears fill my eyes. I always say that I should move on from Nick, but I can't. Every time I look at Emi I see Nick. She looks just like him. I can't just forget about him. He is who I love.

"He will be home soon," I whisper. I lean down and I kiss her head a few times.

"Or now," I hear someone behind me say very softly.

I turn around to see the person I didn't think I would see for another year. It's him. I quickly stand up and I stare at him in awe.

"Nick?"

"Hi, love."

"W-what are you doing here? You said another year? How the hell are you here?"

"Sh," he says. He walks over to me and Emi very slowly. "I lied."

I smack his chest as the tears roll down my face, "Why would you do that?"

"I wanted to surprise you," he says. "And I didn't want to get your hopes up if they decided to extend it even longer."

"Did everyone else know you were coming back here today?" I ask.

"Yes," he says. "I just didn't want to tell you because I was afraid they would make me serve longer."

"B-but you're h-here?"

"I'm here," he smiles. "And I'm not going anywhere ever again."

I close the space between us and I smash my lips onto his. It tastes like tears from the both of us, but we don't care. All that matters is that he is here now and I'm not alone anymore.

We both pull away and I lean my forehead onto his, "I love you, Nick."

"I love you more." He steps back a little bit and smiles down at Emi, "She's beautiful just like her mother."

"I think she looks like you."

He smiles, "Yea, I see it too."

"Here," I say. I give her to him and he starts to sway back and forth. She looks up at him and I smile. They look so perfect together.

"Hi, Emi," he says. "I'm your daddy. Your mommy was just telling you about me. I got to come home early to see you."

He sits down on the couch with her and I sit down next to him. I rest my head onto his shoulder as he continues to talk to Emi in his cute baby voice.

"I'm so happy you're home," I whisper.

"Me too," he says.

He goes back to talking to Emi. I sit there with my head on his shoulder and I just listen. I didn't think things would be back like this for awhile. I thought he would be gone for so much longer, but I was wrong.

He's here now and he's not going anywhere. He is stuck with us and I'm so grateful for that.

I never thought my life would be this way. I never thought I would fall for my high school math teacher. I never thought we would have a kid together, but here we are.

I look up at Nick, "I love you, Mr. Mara."

"Kai," he playfully rolls his eyes. "What did I say about calling me that?"

"Mmm. I don't remember," I say. "You might have to tell me again."

He chuckles and presses his lips to mine, "I love you more, Kai."

                                   The end