A Lovely Surprise

Trip

JOSH'S POV ~ ~ ~
"Why is she acting depressed now?" Erin asked coming into my office.
"What's today's date?" I asked looking over some papers.
"It's February 25th." She stated.
" Aria's birthday is in a couple weeks. She always gets like this when it gets closer to her birthday." I said.
Erin walked over taking the pin out of my hand & put my reading glasses on my desk. She straddled me holding my face. " Whats going on baby?" I asked her.
" I want a date night. I miss you." She pouted. I held her waist, "okay. Talk to Dre & see when she can watch the kids. I'll clear a day for us. " I told her.
She smiled then kissed me.
" thanks baby. " She said softly. "I love you Erin." I said kissing her again. "I love you too Josh. " She replied kissing me more passionately.
"DANNY! No!" Dre yelled as we heard something shatter. "I better go. " Erin rolled her eyes. Then little Cameron came running. "Mommy! Danny break glass!" He said pointing. Erin picked him up. "I heard Cam." Erin said walking down the hall.
I decided to take a break & go help the girls with the babies.
I walked out to see Danny in time out, Willow crying & Cam investigating.
" I'm going to let your daddy deal with you." Erin told Danny.
" baby what happened?" I asked as she finished up cleaning up the glass.
" Danny was running in the house then he shoved willow into the corner table shattering the vase you got from italy. & Willow has a knot on her head." She said.
Dre had willow holding a ice pack to her head. I walked over to her. She reached for me , i held her putting my forehead onto hers as she was still sniffling. "You okay babygirl? " I asked. She shook her head no. I kissed her head gently then gave her back to Dre. I gave Danny a good talking to and made him sit in time out for 30 minutes. I helped make dinner, letting Erin take a little break.
After dinner I sat in my office, looking over contracts. It was about 7pm.
My office phone began to ring. "Who is calling me this late?" I asked myself. I looked at the number and it was a California number. "What?" I asked my self.
I picked up the phone,I put it up to my ear. "Hello, Joshua Rose speaking." I said.
" you are one hard man to get a hold of." A woman said giggling.
"May I ask who this is?" I asked unsure.
"Oh sorry, um you may remember me, I'm Sara Miller. I adopted out your niece about 7 Years ago." She said.
I sat up in my chair, "oh yes, what can I do for you? Is she alright?" I asked eager.
" yes, She is doing fantastic. I need to get a hold of Audrey. Do you know where she is or how I can find her? I've been searching for her for 4 months, I cannot find her so you were my last resort." She said desperately
"Yeah, Dre lives with me. She at my house now. What business do you have with her?" I asked confused.
" It has to do with aria. I really need to speak with her." Sara said.
" sara, I'm saying this politely as possible but whatever it is I need to know before you inform her. Ari is a very sensitive subject to her. I just need to know if I need to be prepared for any emotional outbreaks." I said.
"Oh your fine Josh. I undearstand. Ari wants to meet her. They're having a birthday party on her birthday we want her to come to but the day before we want them to meet." She said.
" Oh god are you serious.?! Hold on." I said. I set down the phone and shut my office door.
I grabbed the phone. "Are you serious, wait before anything. Is she gonna get to be in Ari's life?" I asked worried.
" yes unless she shows any type of unhleathy relationship with Aria." Sara said.
" wow, um look I'll have her in Cali for the birthday and the day before but you can't tell her now." I said.
" why?" She asked confused.
" because if you tell her now, she'll want to come down there now. You can't torture her like that for 3 weeks." I said desperate
"Okay, alright. Josh I trust you. Be here the day before Aria's birthday." She said.
" one last question....
What about Michael?" I asked.
" Michael has been in Aria's life for 2 months now." She stated.
" shit. Okay." I replied.
"I'm going to tell you the same thing we told michael. Whatever happen between those two needs to be put aside for Aria." She said.
" yeah, your right. But eventually they are gonna explode on eachother & I think Aria needs to be warned of it." I said.
" we will Josh." She replied.
We exchanged information and chatted a bit about what's gonna happen. I really can't believe this. This changes everything. This is gonna change our lives dramatically hopefully for the good but I know with Michael back in the picture there will be some bad for Dre.
Then there came a knock on my office door. I looked over to see my beautiful wife. She came in my office, "who was on the phone?" She asked
"Shut my door." I says smiling
She did as told. "Aria's case worker just called me, Aria wants to meet Dre. We're going to California. We gotta be there the day before hey birthday for them to meet! " I said excited
"Oh my god! Does Dre know? " She asked surpirsed
"No! And you can't tell her cause it'll be torture making her wait. You know she won't sleep or eat till she sees her. She'll get all unhealthy." I said. She nodded understanding.
" what about Michael?" She asked staring off.
" He's Already in Aria's life." I said not pleased.
" this is gonna be a Rollercoaster. But she is a much stronger person now. I think she can handle him." She said sitting against my desk.
" I hope cause I can't go through all that stuff with her again. I don't wanna come that close to losing my sister again." I said worried.
" babe, she's grown so much. She's not that weak inoccent little girl anymore. She's graduated college, helps you run your business plus the dance studio. She's very much independent." She said.
" You're right. I gotta let her figure this out. "
"I'm always right. " She smirked. I rolled my eyes with a smirk.
" Oh & clear Thursday cause you are all mine after 4pm." She smiled then left.
I did as told. I decided to take that whole Thursday off to help Dre with the babies. Erin works every now & then at a rehabilitation center & so she v worked today.
" Willow are you sure you wanna where that princess dress for lunch?" I asked.
" A princess has to always look her best" She said with her head held high.
" She wears that dress every day for lunch." Dre told me.
" does she really? " I asked giggling.
She nodded. We fed the little monsters and ate our lunch too.
Me and Dre sat with the kids as we ate.
" So what are you doing in 3 weeks." I asked.
" Ari's birthday is in 3 weeks." She stated basically telling me she was doing nothing
"Well we have to be in Cali the day before her birthday for some business meetings & a conference." I said wipping the crumbs off my face.
" Do I have to go?" She whined. I nodded. She rolled her eyes. "This is not gonna be fun." She pouted.
" Can we go too daddy? " Danny asked
"We are all going" I said.
" why aren't just you & me going? " She asked.
" Erin has never been to California before & I figured It'd give mom & dad some time with the kids." He said.
" I'm not going any where near that town." She said with bitterness.
" That's fine." I replied
*
*
Two & a half weeks later.
" Dre are you packed?" I hollered. She rolled her eyes nodding.
" could you at least try to have fun, for Willow?" I asked. Willow adores Dre.
" Fine." She sighed. "It's gonna be a really eventful trip. We're gonna have fun!" I said. "if you say so." She replied with some hope.
I helped Erin pack the kids stuff.
"Let's go!" I hollered..... and no one came down stairs.
" our flight leaves in a hour!" I said. Then I heard feet shuffling.