Ana was quiet while she helped her mother wrap presents. Andrea thought a day of Christmas shopping in the city is what she needed to take her mind of Niall being gone.
"Penny for your thoughts..."
"Just trying to figure everything out I guess."
"Ah, the great Benny versus Niall debacle."
"It's just...it would be two totally different lives with each of them.
With Benny it's a white picket fence 3 kids and a dog.
Niall it's... touring for most of the year and not having a clue where the hell he is half the time while I'd be stuck in a totally different country away from everyone I love."
"You know that I would support you no matter what. As much as I want you to be my baby and stay near me forever, if being with Niall is what's going to make you happy then that's what you should do."
"Niall does make me happy...but...my job, you guys, everything is here."
"It's scary, sure, but if there was anybody who could move to a different country and start a life it would be you.
Ana you are the bravest, smartest person I know. You worked your ass off to make sure you were some statistic, you are my hero Lijana, and whatever you decide I will be so proud of you."
"Thank you...but that doesn't help me make a decision. Do I go to London, have this wonderful time then break Niall's heart? Or, do I leave my job, my family, and my best friend and break Benny's heart?"
"What you need to do, is clear your head, close your eyes and picture yourself 5 years from now...what do you see?"
Ana closed her eyes and tried to relax. She pictured their nice house, and his blue eyes, and blonde hair, and a life she had never even dreamed of. She knew who she had to pick, the tough part was breaking the other guys' heart.
***
Ana stood in front of the door, with the small present in her hands. Her mother, thankfully, had taken the rest of the presents to Nona's so she didn't have to haul them on the train.
That just left one, but it was probably the hardest one to deliver. She finally got the courage to knock on the door. He swung it open pulling on his shirt.
"Um, hey...I know, we haven't talked since last month but I got this for you... merry Christmas."
"I... I got you something too. Do you want to come in?"
"I'm actually running late, I need to get the train."
"Right, I could um, I could drive you. It's on my way to my parents house."
"Okay, thanks."
Benny went in and grabbed his things before following Ana down to his car.
They drive was silent and tense, neither of them didn't know what to say.
He pulled up to the curb in front of Millennium Station.
She grabbed the small gift Benny passed her as he tore the paper open on his.
She looked down at the ring in her hands. A heart with the band as an arrow, while he looked down at his picture frame. The scan from their first ultrasound, their little dot, in the middle of a frame with the words Daddy's Girl along the top.
"I remembered you said you wish we had gotten two instead of just the one when you were looking at it on your birthday. I went back to the doctor's and they printed me out a copy."
