Capturing Ella

(Releasing Joe) Chapter 58 - Ella

August 8th, 2015.

'I'm terrified,' Joe owned up to me, leaning back in his chair. Thanks for the generosity of Maui – also known as "We feel sorry for you, and the injuries you have got from our stupid safe base position and us hiring the wrong people to nearly get you two killed several times" they upgrades our already free seats to first class for the flight back to Colorado. We never really wanted the upgrade as we were more than happy in economy for the nine hours back home for me, but they upgrades us relentlessly. They even said in the email we would get complimentary champagne – which I couldn't have. Assholes. I put the glass down, glaring at it evilly. Just tempt me with what I can't have.

'I told you! You really should have told work you're pregnant by now,' Joe said, leaning over to kiss my cheek as I gave him an evil look. Bastard thought the whole champagne thing was funny.

'How about you tell them, then?' I asked, glaring at him and he shrugged with one shoulder, sitting down on the sofa to tie his shoes. 'I mean it took two of us to tango –'

'True, but you'd be the one to get maternity leave,'

'Whatever,' I laughed, knowing work couldn't remain ignorant for long. I had pulled back up the contract on my laptop and saw they would arrange maternity leave when the twenty week scan was complete so I still had time. I was only nineteen week pregnant – and was in Colorado for ten days and had the twenty week scan (even though it was about twenty two or twenty one and a bit week scan) the day after we landed.

'Why are you terrified?' I asked, holding his hand when looking out the window across Heathrow's departure building and the runway. It was a stupidly early flight – we were leaving at half six in the morning, and even though it was basically a ten hour flight by the time we got to depart and get the hell off the airplane, we would arrive in Denver at about 9am – meaning we would have a bloody long day to start with.

'What if everyone hates me?' Joe mumbled and I laughed slightly leaning on him.

'They won't hate you,' I whispered back but he remained silent. 'They'll be uneasy around you to start with – almost like they're awkward around you but if you give it time you'lll be absolutely fine. I won't leave you alone with them at first, don't worry.'

'Are we going to tell them you're pregnant?' Joe whispers, playing gently with my engagement ring, spinning it slightly as I grinned at him.

'I might tell my brothers first brother. My parents – they'd be unbearable. I might just leave my parents a note on the bed – maybe even one of the ultrasounds as well,'

'Ella, you know you have to tell them – right?' Joe whispered to me sleepily, his arm around my shoulders like he normally does, my right hand on his thigh.

'I know.' I whispered back. Truth be told, I was scared of telling my religious parents that I had got pregnant on a one night stand when I was on holiday – when they told me they trusted me to be sensible and safe – with my Soulfinder. How would I even explain to them the whole story? They believe that if you know your Soulfinder you had to be dedicated to each other since the start and I ignored that. I thought I would ruin Joe – and at times I think I still will ruin Joe – and I even think I did ruin Joe with my stupid acts but I ruined him but it was enough for him to rebuild himself to include me. I was so glad that he found out about the whole Soulfinder thing because if he didn't where would we be now? Would be even be together? Would I of had to raise our baby alone? I immediately put my hand over my abdomen.

'Ella, you're over thinking the past again,' Joe mumbled in my hair and I shrugged. I can't help but think of the what ifs.

'Don't think of the what if's, they never happened. What happened was we got out relatively safe and alive, and now we're engaged and have a baby on the way that both of us will love and cherish and we will raise the kid together and we will raise the kid properly as well. We're staying together, me and you. That's all you need to worry about,' Joe said, smiling down at me as I grinned up at him, stretching up to kiss him.

'Is this a bad time to mention I'm scared of flying,' Joe whispered holding my hand.

'You're scared of flying? Since when?' I asked.

'I've never been easy with it but since... you know.' He shrugged and I leaned against him.

'We'll be fine hun, I'll be here.' I tried to reassure him, holding his hand even tighter. He smiled slightly, kissing the top of my head but still looked slightly anxious.

Twenty odd minutes after the pilot told us we were at the correct altitude to release our seatbelts, both Joe and I reclined our chairs into the laying position they had in first class and snuggled up to go to sleep. Joe fell asleep strangely quickly having been up the night before worrying about the flight. I stayed awake. Truth be told I was absolutely terrified for this to happen. I knew that my parents would be fine with Joe, and if they were fine with Joe all my brothers will be as well but I was absolutely terrified it would all kick off. As the only girl within the family everyone was stupidly overprotective of me and were always joking about killing the person who dared to touch me if I didn't get there first. I knew it was a joke, but I was still panicking. I hoped they loved Joe because there was no way I would leave him, but I didn't want to leave my family either.

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10:55am, Colorado

I had been milling over my thoughts the entire plane journey over here, only briefly pausing when Joe woke up and we had another deep and meaningful conversation about our fears of meeting my parents and my brothers. It ended up with me crying and Joe having to hug me for about an hour or so.

'You literally live in the middle of nowhere – don't you?' Joe laughed, sitting in the passenger seat as I drove down the main road into Wrickenridge. I say "main road" and it even said so on the map but only three cars had passed me in the last twenty minutes. We had drove past all the other roads, and now the only destination for this road was my home town.

'Very isolated. It was brilliant,' I laughed as we drove past the wooden road sign welcoming us into the town. I breathed in a juddery breath.

'Hey, it'll be fine.' Joe said as I headed towards the town centre. I only had a few more minutes to prepared myself for the onslaught of family.