What He Left Behind

Part 01

-Two years later-

“Ella please honey, don’t make a mess.” I said as I quickly picked up the cereal that she was about to spill all over her. She laughed as she tried to pull herself up on my leg. She is now trying to walk and I hate it. She is growing up way too fast. I don’t know where these last two years have gone. It seems like just yesterday that I was going to the hospital to have her.

“Nawnie” She said reaching one hand up to me and quickly lost her balance, causing her to fall on her butt.

“What baby?” I asked as I picked her up.

“Hungy, baba” She cooed as I placed her comfortably on my hip.

“You want your baba? We need to go get some groceries baby girl.” I said as I handed her a bottle that I packed for later.

I quickly gathered her things and headed to the car where I placed her in the carseat. It’s only takes about 15 minutes to get to the store and Ella loves to ride in the car.

-flashback-

I finally got to bring her home. I looked around at my empty apartment and all I could think about was how lonely I was going to be. My mom has to go back to work an I didn't know what I was going to do. I have never taken care of a baby on my own.

I placed Ella in her crib and sat down in the floor. I just cried. There was nothing else I could do. Ryan was on my mind, I wish he was here. But that was something that was my fault u was too stubborn to tell him about her so I had to grit my teeth and bear it myself. I laid in the floor and cried myself to sleep that night

-end flashback-

When we got there I placed her in the buggy and start to roam the aisles for the things that I need.

“Nawnie get get.” She reached her little hands out for lucky charms.  I smiled placing them in the buggy. She has gotten into the stage where instead of calling me mommy she calls me nawnie because on one of the cartoons she watches they call their mommy that. I think it is the sweetest thing in the world.

I look up to continue shopping and my heart drops as I see who is coming toward me. I couldn’t think of anything to do to keep him from seeing me. He also had a girl with him, who by the way was hanging all over him. I didn’t know what to do. Jealously raged up in me even though I know I had no right to be jealous, he isn’t mine anymore. I looked down and kept walking. Hopefully he would be too caught up in the girl to notice me.

“Ireland is that you?” I heard that all too familiar voice. I stopped dead in my tracks. I’m sure that I looked like a deer in headlights.  “It is you how are you-“ he stopped abruptly looked at Ella who started to whimper because she couldn’t reach her passy. I quickly grab it, placing it in her mouth before she got really upset.

“Hey” was all I could get to come out.

He was staring at her and I knew that he could see it. She looked just like him. Of course I didn’t look like I had a child, but I knew he could tell by her looks. He pulled his arm out of the girl’s reach. “Is she yours?” I came out as a whisper.

I only nodded. His breathing became more labored. I have thought of this moment a million times. The first time he would see her, by accident. I knew it would happen eventually, but I never dreamed that it would be so soon. Before I knew what was happening he ran out of the store. I was shocked to say the least. I didn’t know what to do. Should I follow him and try to explain? Or should I just leave it alone and try not to worry about it? I didn’t know that he was going to be back in town or I would have never come here today.

“Nawnieee” Ella whined.

I picked her up and quickly made it to the front paying for what little that I managed to get before I got upset and left. I needed to be alone to sort this entire thing out. I thought I was doing the right thing for him but by his face I think I just made it worse.

<Ryan’s POV>

I stopped by the store to pick up a few things with my girlfriend Anna. We have only been dating two months and it’s nothing serious but I really like her.

“Let’s get some cereal for breakfast.” Anna said as she looped her arm through mine.

I looked up as I started to walk toward the aisle and my heart dropped. I would know that face anywhere, even if she isn’t looking at me. Ireland Johnson. I can’t believe that she still lives here, I was sure that after I left that she would move on with her life and go to college. What would make her stay? I quickly walked over to her with Anna in tow, but my mind wasn’t on her.

“Ireland is that you?” I asked and she didn’t reply. She only looked at me and all the color all drained out of her face at that moment. “It is you, how are you-“ I stopped talking as I finally looked down at the buggy that she was pushing. There was a child. She had long brown hair and stunning blue eyes. I looked closer and she looked just like me.

“Hey” she said quietly. My heart was beating out of my chest and I didn’t know what to say. All I could think about was that child. Could it be mine? Did she not tell me? “Is she yours?” I whispered before I could think too much about what I should say. She nodded and that is all it took for me to be thrown. That baby had to be mine. I walked out leaving Anna looking stunned, I didn’t even bother to see if she was following me.

How could she do that to me? And to make matters worse I didn’t even have the guts to call her out on it. I couldn’t find my voice, that stunning little girl was mine and I know it. I could see it in her eyes, she didn’t want to tell me. Does that mean that she stopped loving me? I wanted answers but I didn’t know how to get them. She was still as stunning as she was the day I left, but I wish that she knew that I only done it for her best interest.

<Ireland’s POV>

I couldn’t think of one thing that could make this day even worse. He found out. I know he did, I could see it in his eyes. Even after all these years I could still read him like an open book . I picked sleeping Ella up and made my way to her room to place her in the crib. She was the only thing that I have ever cared this much for except for him. She was the big thing in my life. She turned me completely around. I don’t know what I would do without her. He is the only thing that could have made these two years better. I still loved him and surely he had to know that. But he was with another girl and she was better than me. She didn’t have a child to take care of and she didn’t keep a huge secret from him either.

From that moment I decided to make it my mission to avoid him at all costs. I wouldn’t be able to sleep good again until he was gone. I laid down in the floor beside her crib and started to cry. He was home and I didn’t know what was going to happen now. Would he try to find me and confront me for what I done or would he leave it alone and pretend like he never seen her? I pondered all this while the tears continued until the blackness took over and I fell asleep.