My Life with the Boys

Chapter 29- Life After College

Age 21

So it ended up taking me a little longer than expected but I finally arrive at my parents' house. It took me a few months to organise the house, separating everything into items to sell and stuff to put into storage which I had sent to a storage facility near my parent's house along with some of mine and Evie's stuff. Then I had to deal with finishing school and selling the house.

But anyway I am home. And even though I may no longer be scared I am still nervous. I mean how do you explain to your friends and family why you decided to disappear for a year without a word or an explanation?

I get out of the cab holding a sleeping Evie against me with one arm and my smaller bags with the other. The cab driver helps me carry our suitcases to the front porch and I pay him before finding my key and walking it. It is a bit late but my parents should probably still be up.

"Hello?" I say quietly.

"Alison? Is that you?" I hear my dad's voice.

He walks out into the hall and looks at me confused. It takes a minute before he realises that I am holding an eight month old baby.

"Hi." I say awkwardly.

"Where have you been? We have been worried sick. And who is this?" dad rambles.

"I will answer all your questions in a minute but first I need to put her down. There should be a push chair on the front porch." I tell him.

He goes outside and brings it in and I put Evie down and cover her with a blanket. I will put her down properly later. First I have some explaining to do. Leaving Evie in the living room, I go into the kitchen where my mum who looks like she was just in bed is now sitting at the table with my dad.

"Oh honey." Mum comes up and hugs me when she sees me.

"Hi, mum." I hug her back and then pull away, sitting down.

"Where have you been?" dad asks me again.

"I was at Grandma's house." I say. "She died."

Dad's face looks almost regretful but he tries to hide it.

"You have been there all year?" mum asks me.

"Yeah. I didn't want her to be alone. And if you weren't going to go then I had to. I needed to get away for a while anyway."

"And the baby?" dad asks. Mum doesn't look surprised so I am guessing that dad filled her in. "Is she yours?"

I nod. "And... and Ethan's." I finally say out loud.

Mum looks at me confused and sad. "You and Ethan?"

"It was a onetime thing. At Sam and Laura's wedding. I didn't know until the accident. When I was at the hospital." I explain.

"So I have a granddaughter?" mum smiles, her eyes tearful, surprising me because I thought she would be disappointed or mad.

"Yes. Her name is Evelynn. Or Evie." I tell them.

We spend hours talking about the past year and what is to come. We all decided that tomorrow we are going to go over and tell Ethan's family everything which I know is going to be hard. But they need to know.

***

I am excited. But sad because I miss my baby girl who I left with mine and Ethan's parent's. I have never been away from her for this long but I am glad she is getting to know my family. I just have to remind myself that it is only a week. After taking a cab from the airport I go to the address that I was sent.