From Grief We grew (Only On Wattpad)

Chapter 40 Hayden

“This is my daughter Avery,” Bea says taking me by surprise. I look at her for a moment. Then back to Teagan to study her expression. Teagan frowns and looks at me. I’ll tell you everything. Please don’t ask anything now. Teagan nods like as if we just had a telepathic conversation and smiles. I mentally sigh. She holds out her finger and Avery grabs it. “Hello, sweet baby.” Avery chuckled. Teagan looks at me. Thank you.
 
   Fiona pats my back and comments, “Only two years ago I saw you and so quickly your father of a child uh? Big man uh big man.” I don’t say anything. I just chuckle. Bea looks at me and I nod.
 
   After we head into the Maze, I wrap my hand around Bea's shoulders. “You know how proud I am of you right now?” I ask. She stays silent and keeps walking. I grab her shoulders and stop her. “Hun, what’s wrong?” She shakes her head. I turn her to face me. “Tell me.”
 
  I place the picnic basket on the floor. I run my fingers through her hair and kiss her head. “Bea we don’t have to explain anything to anyone if you don’t want to. Trust me. Teagan will not push us. She won’t ask until tell and we don’t need to tell her right now.”
 
   Avery places her small hands on Bea's cheeks wiping her tears. She then kisses Bea. Bea kisses Avery's hand before looking at me. “I’m just scared,” she whispers. “S-she is your best friend.”
 
   “And?”
 
   “What if she thinks I’m not good enough for you,” she whispers and looks away.
 
   “No. Ah, wait-“ I squat down and take the baby carrier from it. I strap it on my back. I turn around and tell Bea, “First put Avery in. I can’t hug you while you hold the child.”
 
   “But what if she cries?” Bea asks.
 
   “Only for a little while. C'mon.”
 
   I wait until Bea says she is done and then slowly turn around. I place my hand on her cheeks. I notice the dark circles under her eyes. Her lips are cracked too. She barely even wears makeup to cover it. Not that I care. But no skincare either. She just works night and day. Has no time for herself. This girl, my baby girl has been a victim of the bad side of life. I know what she’s thinking, I know that she’s scared I’ll leave, and I know she thinks she isn’t good enough for me. What I don’t know is how to make her fears go away. So I just wrap my arms around Bea and hug her close.
 
   “You are beautiful,” I whisper. I feel her shaking and her sobs are muffled in my chest. “I wouldn’t trade anything in this world for you,” I whisper while I choke on my tears.
 
   Right then Avery starts crying and Bea quickly pulls away. Swiftly she removes Avery and carries her. “Mama is here. Mama is here,” she coos and rocks her.
 
   “Ah Baby couldn’t you wait till I comfort your mama,” I tell her and Bea rolls her eyes.
 
   “Hayden.” I turn around to see who called me and see Fiona walking up to us. Behind her Haley trails along. Bea quickly turns away and wipes her cheeks. “We can take the little one,” she offers and I pat Bea. She looks at me and I nod. She holds out Avery and Fiona carries her. Bea and I thank her.
 
   “Hello, small one.” Avery immediately grabs onto the beads on her neck and jiggles them. “Oh, you like that.”
 
   I watch as they walk away. I hear giggles from Avery and smile. “She’ll take good care of her,” I whisper and Bea nods looking at me.
 
   I take her hand in mine and hold it to my chest as I look at her seriously as I speak, “Bea Dawson I love you farther past the moon and back to the shallows of the earth. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve met inside out.  You are talented. Your voice makes me weak. You make me the happiest man alive. You deserve everything in this world and I hope I can give it to you. I wanna marry you one day and there is no place I’ll rather be than with you.”
 
   “Gosh you make me melt,” she says slapping my chest as tears roll down her cheeks. “I-I honestly have no words.” She smiles and wipes her cheeks. “I love you too. I love you so much.”
 
   “Do you trust me though?”
 
   “Yes. Yes. You are the next person after my father whom I love so dearly and trust with all my heart. Every day I thank all my lucky stars for you.”
 
   I smile and briefly kiss her. I grab her hand and hold it out. “Let's go complete our mission captain.” Bea bursts out laughing and nods.
 
   We start to hear music after walking for a while. Bea jumps and I look at the light under our feet. It is an arrow leading the way. Wow. “Someone must have reached,” Bea notes as we walk.
 
     “Ah, I hope we don’t miss too much. C'mon, let’s hurry up.” Hand in hand we both run following the arrow. I see more lights and figures in a distance. Bea let’s go of my hand. ” I turn and look at her. She holds her chest while panting.
 
   “Go go I’ll come,” she waves.
 
   “You sure?” she gives me a thumbs up.
 
   I run out of the lane and reach the centre. It’s a big square ground. This part of the Maze is covered in snow. There is a snowman made beside a big tree. The tree has a swing hanging from it. I notice Fiona being led to the swing. The girl leading her is dressed in a big black gown. A red velvet cape trails on the floor as Fiona walks. She also has on a flower crown. I look around for Avery and see Haley holding her.
 
   I whistle and Fiona chuckles. She sits on the swing and the girl gives her a rose which Fiona gladly takes. I notice Bea walking past me and going to Haley. Another guy emerges from behind and goes to Haley. He takes her hand leading her to the center. Another girl and guy come out and start dancing. Haley slow dances with the guy and Fiona dances with the girl.
 
   They then switch pairs and Haley ends up with Fiona. They stop and giggle. Fiona says something and Haley nods still giggling. Then they start dancing. The other performers gesture for us to join too. I walk up to Bea and hold out my hand. “I don’t think Avery would like it,” she says in concern.
 
   “May I?” I turn and see the girl who was dancing with Fiona. She holds her hand out and says, “I’ll hold her. You two go dance.” Bea hesitates but then gives Avery to her. She takes my hand and we join the others.

   After we dance, we settle down to eat. We chat about college and work when suddenly Avery starts crying. Bea and I try coaxing her but it is no use. We check her diaper but there is no poop. Teagan holds her hand out and I give her the child. She kisses its head and just like that Avery stops crying. Bea and I exchange a look in surprise.
 
   “Hello, baby.” She holds out her finger and immediately Avery grabs it. Avery pulls Teagan's hand and kisses it.
 
   “Awe so cute,” Haley comments. Teagan nods. “Yes. I love her already.” Teagan hugs her to her chest. She then looks at me with a smile. I already have a feeling I know what she is thinking. Zayden would love her too.
 
   Once we are done, the performers take us through a shortcut outside. We cross the road and stand by my car. “I had a great time and I don’t want this night to end,” Haley admits to which we all agree.
 
   “Hey, Haley why don’t we go to that art museum you said?” Lucah asks.
 
   “Yeah!”
 
   “Sorry but I have to go home now,” Fiona says. I notice disappointment flash in Haley's eyes. Are they a thing?
 
   “Yeah Bea and I gotta go too. We have work.”
 
   “Ugh okay. How about we meet for Christmas? You guys would be free then, right?” Haley asks and everyone nods.
 
   “Okay, guys. You decide and let me know. We really have to go now,” I say looking at the time. They all wave goodbye and I leave with Bea and Avery.

***

“Maa can you take care of Ava? Bea and I have to do some rehearsal,” I yell as I drag Bea upstairs.
 
   “Hayden, what are you doing? Let me go get Avery,” she hisses.
 
   I take her into my room and close the door. She looks at me with her hands on her hips. I look at her admiring how beautiful she looks in the red dress I bought her. I place my hand on her neck and trace her freckles with my fingers. My other hand slowly pulled her shawl away. “Hayden…”
 
   “I told myself that when you wear this dress. I’m gonna make you remember wearing it,” I whisper.
 
   “Sorry. I actually wanted to wear it on a special occasion but I didn’t have clothes-“
 
   “Every day is special with you Bea.”
 
   She blushes and looks down. I move my hand and pull out the silver stick that’s been holding her hair in a bun. It falls loose. “Hayden…”
 
   I lift her chin. I lean forward and kiss her nose. Then her cheeks. My lips move slowly covering every freckle on her face with kisses. “Hayden…” she whispers again. I pull away and look at her. I take her hand in mine and hold it. “If you will let me, I want to kiss every freckle on your body to show you how much I’m in love with each one of them.”