Pretty Little Liars: 16 & Pregnant

A Temporary Roommate

Two Months Later
Aria's Pov

It's been two months since the worst day. The day my mom died, the day she was murdered by A. I still haven't learned to cope with the fact that she's gone, and honestly, I don't think I ever will. It still hasn't registered with me that I can't just go over to her house for a visit, or that I can't call her with questions about motherhood that I only feel right asking her. Like last week when I picked up the phone and dialled her number to ask how long Piper's tummy-time should be, only to remember that she can't give me the answer. Sometimes, I forget that she's gone, not just permanently but forever. I'm trying to learn how to keep going, how not to live in the past, but part of me is still holding onto it in hopes that it can be reversed or something. I know I can't change what happened, but I'm having a hard time accepting it.

"So Aria, you're still up for dinner at my mom's tonight?" Ezra asks as he walks back into the living room. I just nod. In all honesty, I'm actually starting to tolerate Dianne more and more. She's been visiting more frequently, and I've started to dread it less each time. Maybe, just maybe, I could say that I'm actually starting to enjoy her company.

"Everything okay?" Ezra asks, sitting down beside me on the couch.

"Yeah," I reply "Just thinking."

"About what?" He says, looking at me worriedly.

"My mom." I answer quietly. He pulls me into an embrace, not saying anything. I don't know what I would've done if I didn't have Ezra through all of this, he's helped me in more ways than he even realizes.

"She loved you so much, Aria." He says into my hair "Don't ever forget that."

"I know." I choke out "She loved Piper too. But now, she's never gonna get to see her grow up. She never even got to see her take her first steps, or say her first word. Piper will never know what an amazing person my mom was."

"Maybe not personally, but we have pictures and stories that we can share with her. Piper's going to know all about her grandma." Ezra reassures me. I nod into his chest, willing myself not to cry. Biting my lip, I manage to keep the tears back, although the memories still play vividly in my mind. The police telling me that there was a murder, only for me to find out it was my own mother. Getting arrested for it, as if I could possibly do anything to harm her. The court trials, the funeral planning, and the funeral itself. There was so much legal stuff that had to be dealt with; her possessions, her money, everything between the two. The money got split down the middle between Mike and I, and her possessions were kind of a free-for-all between us, we could take what we wanted and sell what we didn't. It's a bittersweet feeling seeing all of her stuff; happy knowing that she once used it, but sad knowing that she never will again.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts by the sound of Piper crying, which comes from the baby monitor on the side table.

"I've got her," Ezra says, getting off the couch and going upstairs. Not even a minute later, he walks back into the room holding our tired looking daughter. She cuddles against Ezra with her eyes half closed, her fingers in her mouth.

"Why is it that she'll suck her fingers all day if we let her, but won't keep a pacifier in for more than five seconds?" I question with laugh.

"Maybe pacifiers are much too babyish for her, and she's graduated to a more sophisticated way to soothe herself." Ezra replies sarcastically.

"Oh, I'm sure that's it." I joke "Four months old and she already thinks she's grown-up." I look at Piper, who watches Ezra and I with her curious blue eyes "Maybe I'll believe it when you can hold your own bottle, how about that, little monkey?" I tickle the bottom of her foot, causing her to smile that toothless smile I love so much. I lift Piper from Ezra's arms, much to his disappointment.