Lost & Found

The tale of a surprised girl

The next couple of months went by in a blur - December all the way through to the end of January. Yet, a few prominent memories stood out in Emma's mind: Christmas, New Years and Aiden's 27th Birthday.

She spent most of Christmas Day crying in bed remembering how happy she was just a year before with Patrick by her side. She had just found out she was pregnant and the two of them were so happy to start their family, unaware that just three months later Patrick would be gone.

Aiden came by that evening with a small present for her - even though they told each other they weren't going to exchange gifts. She accepted it only when he told her it was less of a gift and more of a memory. When she opened the small box, her breath caught in her throat. She'd long since forgotten the photos that were housed in the box.

It was a photostrip with four pictures of the two of them in a photobooth that was taken at a fair that passed through a nearby town during the summer they first started dating. They were only fifteen and it was the first pictures ever taken of the two of them as a couple. When Emma left for Boston, she gave them to Aiden to keep until she came back.

"I forgot about this," Emma said quietly, looking up at Aiden with a sentimental smile.

"It hung on the wall by my bed for years. Even after I left home for college. I'd always come home to it," Aiden said with a fond smile.

"Aiden," she breathed, feeling tears burning in the back of her eyes.

"I promised you I'd give it back when you came home," he told her, his smile still ghosting his lips.

"But..." She balked.

"Don't worry. I took a photo of it for myself," he told her, patting the front pocket of his jeans where she could see the outline of his phone as plain as day.

"Thank you," she said, gently picking up the photostrip before setting the box down.

"Turn it over," Aiden said, reaching out to tap the front of the picture.

She did as he said, finding his handwriting scrawled across the back. It read: A reminder of us to be here when I'm not.

She smiled fondly, reading the slightly amended words he once said to her long ago.

"This isn't a subtle way of telling me you're going away, is it?" She asked as her smile dropped off her face.

"What? No," Aiden chuckled.

"Cause those are the words you said to me before I left," she acknowledged as her heartbeat pounded in her chest.

"I know, Emmy. They're just words from a moment long since passed," Aiden assured her, chuckling under his breath.

"Important words," she added. Important words from a moment in time neither of them would ever forget.

She placed the photostrip on top of the box it came in as Aiden leaned in, kissing her.

"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere," he breathed against her mouth before kissing her again.

"Thank you," she murmured, wrapping her arms around him as she pulled him down on the bed with her, connecting their lips once again.

Their first adult New Years together was low key. They spent the evening at Aiden's apartment having dinner and watching a movie with Haven and Lucy - Tangled, one of Haven's favorites. Lucy fell asleep on Aiden's chest as Haven fell asleep with her head propped up on Aiden's leg and her legs laying over Emma's thighs. Emma commemorated the moment with a New Years Eve selfie of the four of them before getting up to carry Haven to her bed. Emma kissed Lucy's forehead before Aiden placed her in Haven's old port-a-crib that he set up for her in Haven's room.