Engaged To An Rockstar

The Conversation Pt. 2 (Ashley)

The sun spilled into my window when I woke up this morning. I opened my window to let the soft breeze in and glanced at the flowers that seemed more blooming. I rubbed my belly absentmindedly, feeling a few kicks coming in. 

''Whoa there,'' I whispered to them ''Not yet, but soon. We'll see your cute little face.'' 

The baby gave a soft kick in response, and I smiled at them. I glanced at the mirror, noticing many changes over these past few months. Besides my belly, which is a little bigger, almost the size of a papaya, my breasts are a little bigger and fuller. My black hair has also grown longer as it reaches almost to my back, and my nails have grown a little longer to the point where it almost looks like claws. 

 ''Ashley'' shouted my mom ''Can you come down here please?'' 

''Coming,'' I shouted back 

I grabbed my phone as I walked downstairs. I instantly heard my mom's laughter, along with someone who sounded very familiar. I stood on the last step seeing him. Ezra stopped laughing when he saw me but offered a hesitant simile and pleading eyes. Even though it's been a month since I saw him, he also looks different. His curly brown hair is lighter, fuller, and longer, almost to his shoulders, looking disheveled and all over the place. He is forming a beard on his jawline, and his eyes, which are now brighter, are looking at me. 

''Ashley'' he said 

''Ezra'' I replied 

''Well'' Frankie said snapping us into the moment ''Emily?'' he asked my mom ''Is there any snacks?'' 

My mom laughed ''Of course, let me show you the kitchen'' leaving me and Ezra alone. 

A few moments came when neither of us said anything but looked at the floor or, in this case, our phones. When did we get here? From loving each other to just not saying anything to each other? A part of me wanted to say something, a joke, or yell at him, but instead, I got nothing to expect, a tired sigh that came out of me nowhere. I was about to turn around and just walked upstairs to my room when I felt a soft hand on my arm. 

''Can we talk?'' Ezra asked ''Please'' he whispered 

''Sure,'' I said not looking at him as I continued walking up the stairs. I heard his soft footsteps behind me as I walked across the long hallway and finally opened my bedroom door. I sat on my bed, hearing the door close softly behind me. I looked at Ezra, whose looking around my room, staring longer at the posters on the wall. I instantly became embarrassed over everything in this room. The cartoon flower bedsheets and a map of the United States that was tapped on the closet are now ripped at the edges with multiple small holes. My desk is now empty where my computer used to be. And the posters are still on the wall. Why didn't I tear them down when I got the chance?  

''Whose that?'' Ezra asked, pointing at a picture of a woman in the picture. I looked closer, seeing my cousin making goofy faces at the camera and me. ''My cousin Jeanie,'' I replied. A wave of sadness suddenly washed through me but instead, I opened the drawer next to me, softly planted the picture there, and closed it. 

''You guys seem close,'' Ezra said 

''Yeah, we were,'' I replied, looking anywhere but at him 

''What happened?'' He asked 

''She died'' I said

Ezra nodded in understanding as he sat next to me. He reached for my hand,I saw a flash of his frown before I moved toward the edge of the bed.  ''You said you wanted to talk?'' I asked 

''Yes'' Ezra replied 

''About what?'' I asked 

''How's the baby?'' Ezra asked 

''I recently went to the doctor, and they said that the baby is fine,'' I said 

Ezra nodded 

Anger and frustration began to rise in me ''Is that why you are here? To see how the baby is?'' I asked 

''Yes,'' Ezra said, ''but I also came to see how you are doing and to talk about us.''

''Ok'' I said ''I'm surprised you can fit me in your schedule'' I mumbled 

A couple of minutes ticked by in silence. ''Ezra,'' I started looking at his bright eyes ''do you even want me anymore? Do you even want to be a father?'' I asked 

''Of course,'' Ezra said, holding my hand and looking intensely at me. ''Ashley, you and the baby are my whole world, and I'm sorry if I have been neglectful to you and the baby. It's just all of this is new to me, and it's coming fast, which I thought I needed to respond fast, and I thought I had more time,'' he sighed. ''But now I know that the time to be there is now. Especially now, and I'm sorry,'' he pleaded. 

''What about the tour?'' I asked 

Ezra glanced at me, then took out his phone and handed it to me; the screen showed a video  ''Press play'' he said  

I gave him a skeptical look, but I pressed play. The video shows Ezra sitting on his bed, smiling at the camera. A couple of seconds of silence came before he cleared his throat and began speaking.

''Hello all,'' he said. ''This video might be long, but I feel it's important to say. First, I want to thank all of my fans who have supported me on this epic journey in my music career, those who have bought every album and every merch, attended nearly every concert, and sang my songs out loud to the world. I thank every one of those fans. However, you know how the saying goes that all good things have ended. I'm not sure if you're aware, but I married the most beautiful, kind woman on the planet, and she is pregnant with our child. And while we were excited to bring a bundle of joy into this world. I'm also quite scared of not being the perfect father/parent for the child. So to truly be there for my wife and my child, I'm quitting the tour. For now. Check the link in the bio, and you will see a live-stream concert for everybody to watch.  I love you all, and I'll see you on stage.'' 

The video ended, and I handed Ezra back the phone. I couldn't believe he did that for me, the baby, and us. A part of me is still shocked and angry that he'll throw his career for my family and us. Yet I didn't tell him that Im angry; instead, I held his hand and asked ''Are you sure this is what you wanted?'' 

Ezra nodded, ''More than anything.'' he kissed my hand ''I love you '' he said 

''I love you too,'' I replied hugging him. I felt his soft hands rubbing my back, and as we pulled apart, I leaned back so that he could see my baby bump, and he placed his hands softly on the bump. His eyes opened wide ''The baby just kicked,'' he said with a simile. 

''Hello, little one,'' he whispered to the bump.