BF(F?): A Josh Richards Fanfiction *completed*

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"A girl!" Patti and my mom exclaimed simultaneously, hugging one another. Josh and I were really making their dream of becoming family come true.
Someone cleared their throat from behind Josh and me, and I turned around. "Dad?" I whispered, barely choking the word out.
Patti ushered us inside before my mom could see him. "What are you doing here, Zoren?"
"My baby is having a baby. It only seems appropriate that I would stop by," he explained, never breaking eye contact with me. "Samantha doesn't want to see me? That's a shame."

"Sir," Josh interjected, "while it is wonderful that you're here, I don't think that this is appropriate, and I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
"Don't think that you'll intimidate me, son," my dad shot back. "This is my house."
"Was," I corrected, finally gathering the courage to speak. "This was your house. You left. You don't get to come back and act like nothing happened."
He ignored my statement. "Why don't you come live with me, honey? Darla would sure love to meet you, and I'm sure that you'll love your brothers and sister."
"No," I answered, standing my ground. "You don't get to come back ten years later to try to pick up the pieces of the mess that you made. Now, you need to leave before Mom sees you."

Mom walked in just then. "Before I see who?" she asked before making eye contact with him. "Zoren."
"Samantha," he replied, matching her tone. "I see that you're still missing me." He motioned to a picture of him and me at the zoo a few months before he left.
"Your daughter misses you. I couldn't give two shits what happens to you." Mom was keeping her cool on the outside, but I knew her better than that. If he kept pushing, the anger was going to bubble over.

As if no one had gotten the 'don't come inside' memo, Jim opened the back door. "Zoren! What the hell are you doing here?" he asked. "No contact to any of us for ten years, and now you want to show up? Get the hell out before I make a phone call to the sheriff."
My dad turned around, headed towards to door, but he stopped in his tracks before facing me. "In all seriousness, Hay Bale, I could not be more proud of you. You'll be a better parent than I ever was to you."
He closed the front door behind him, and I heard his car start in the driveway. The tears escaped, falling more quickly than they ever had before.
"Shh," Josh whispered, pulling me into a protective embrace.

When I had finally calmed myself down, I looked up at Josh. "If you ever make our daughter feel like this, I'll kill you," I threatened.
"I could never," he whispered back to me, kissing my forehead. "Let's go back outside. We still have some guests."

After what felt like an eternity later, the only people left in the backyard were my mom, Josh's parents and siblings, Jaden and his parents, and Nessa.
"Thank you so much, you guys," I thanked them, sinking down into a lawn chair.
"Night is not over yet, my dear," Josh replied from across the yard where he was taking down tables with Jaden. "We thought that we would have a little bonfire. Are you up for it?"
I nodded, not moving from my seat. "That sounds perfect."

When the yard was cleaned up and the food was put away, we all sat together around the fire pit. Jim got the fire started, and I looked around the circle. "Isn't this crazy?" I asked.
"What?" Nessa said, looking for more of an explanation.
"This," I replied, gesturing to all of us. "If someone had told me eight months ago that this is where we would all be, well, I would have laughed in their face, that's for sure."

We sat in a comfortable silence as the fire burned. I didn't know when I fell asleep, but I felt Josh pick me up, carrying me inside. "I love you," he whispered as he tucked me into the bed. "This is the happiest that I have ever been, and I owe it all to you."
He headed out into the hallway, and I felt my cheeks flush red as my heart skipped a beat. I hadn't ever known that this is what I wanted, but now that I had it, I couldn't be more grateful.

The next morning, I woke up to Josh's light snore. I ran my fingers over his chest absentmindedly.
"Kaitlyn," I whispered.
Josh responded groggily. "What?"
"I think that we should name our daughter Kaitlyn," I explained. He was half asleep, so i wasn't expecting him to remember any of this, but we would see.
"If you pick the first name, I pick the middle name," he responded. Maybe he was more awake then I thought.
"Alright, shoot," I answered.

He rolled over, propping himself up on an elbow. "Quinn. Elizabeth. Renee. Victoria. That's what I've got. Take it or leave it, my dear."
I began to say the names out loud, tasting them in my mouth. "Kaitlyn Quinn Richards. I like that one. Kaitlyn Elizabeth Richards. Kaitlyn Renee Richards. Kaitlyn Victoria Richards. Oh, that feels like a mouthful. I really like Quinn. Kaitlyn Quinn."
"I'm so glad that you like that one because that was my first choice," he teased, leaning in to kiss me. "Do you hear that, Kaitlyn Quinn? You have finally got a name."

As Josh talked to my bump, I found myself falling more in love with him. He was going to be a phenomenal dad, and I couldn't have been more excited to start this journey with him.
"What?" he asked, looking up at me.
I shook my head. "Nothing, I just love you, Josh."
"I love you, too, Hales," he responded, tilting his chin up to kiss me again.