C H A N G E

{10}

"Riley?" Well I guess he hasn't forgotten what I look like. 

"Brandon?" My voice comes out my small and fast as my heart starts to beat faster and my chest tightens. I sit up straight as he still stands there in front of me stunned, Mason lets go of my hand and sits up normally as well. I haven't seen Brandon in years and now he suddenly pops up in the most chaotic part of my life. We all stay there in silence. I don't know what to say, what do you say to the person whom broke your heart two years ago. Am I supposed to act normal? Am I supposed to mad? Am I supposed to be completely heartbroken? I have no idea how the hell I am supposed to feel? He left me because I had dreams I wanted to pursue, he left me without an actual reason, and he left because he didn't want to hear me out.

"Brandon, baby your mom wants to see you now." My swirling mind gets interrupted by the voice of whom I only assume to be Brandon's girlfriend.
"Thanks Jess. I guess I might see you around Riley." He says intertwining his finger with Jess holding hands as they walk off towards the hospital room across the hall.
"Who was that?" Mason asks as the couple walks out of earshot.
"Oh just someone I used to know. Don't worry about it." I answer quickly not making eye contact, I can tell he knows something is up as he wraps his arm around my shoulder.
"If you need to talk to me ever about anything I am all ears okay?" He says quietly not trying to push the subject any further. We sit there together quietly which seems like forever as my mind moves a hundred miles a minute thinking about Brandon. I thought I would never see him again I am over him, I have been over him for what seems like forever yet my whole entire body couldn't function as he stood there in front of me.

"I'm gonna take the kids for a walk to get a coffee do you want one?" I ask, him noticing that the twins are getting a little bit restless and the toys in their hands are not a sufficient distraction anymore.
"If it isn't too much trouble and don't worry I think I can handle Tyler for a little while." He says, bouncing my handsome little nephew in his lap.
"Thank you I'll try to be quick." I say giving him a quick kiss before leaving him.

It has taken me a while but I have finally located the Hospital Café, I order two coffees and I get a bottle of water for the twins to share. I lean against a pole with the pram next to me sipping my coffee just giving myself a little chance to relax before heading back to Mason.
"I never thought I would ever see you again, well in person anyway." I can hear his voice come from beside me and I hesitate before looking at him to respond.
"Well it was bound to happen sometime." I say trying to play it cool.
"So how are you Riley?" He asks trying to start up a small talk.
"I'm fine thanks. You?" Play it cool Riley, you are completely and utterly over him, he dumped you two years ago.
"I'm okay."
"It's been nice talking to you Brandon but I have to get this coffee back to my boyfriend before turns cold." I give him a weak smile before putting my drink next to Mason's in the pram's cup holder.
"Yeah, maybe I will see you around." He says resembling my smile but much weaker than my own as I walk away I feel guilty. I feel guilty about not caring as much as I used about him. He just looked so sad and I feel guilty that I can't comfort him. I always feel guilty about everything all the time. That is one of my biggest flaws.

It is not your fault that he is in some sort of pain, he's not yours to look after and he hasn't been for two years. He has someone else. You have someone else...

"Thanks so much I could really do with some caffeine." Mason laughs taking the cup of coffee I am currently giving to him. I retake my seat from before and sip on my coffee watching Tyler squirm around in Mason's lap.

I'm sure to everyone else that we look like the perfect little family, a happy husband and a wonderful wife with their beautiful three kids. But no, I'm just some broken girl trying to mend her heart with Mason's heart of gold. And these three beautiful kids are just my nieces and nephews. I just sit their daydreaming of what my life would be like if Mason and I we got married and had kids which is probably not healthy considering we just starting dating. But I do it anyway because I would rather be stuck in some made up fantasy in my head over being stuck in a hospital waiting room.

* * *

Mason drives my car through the streets of Miami towards Matt and Penny's house. Its around Midnight and it is way past the twins bedtime, I can only hope Matt and Penny check out of their hotel late so we can get a sleep in. He thought it would be better if there were two of us to tackle bedtime for the kids considering Sydney slipped them both some lollies when I went to the toilet before we left.
"I hope Aspen gets well soon. I think I might go in to see her tomorrow." Mason speaks up over the giggling from the backseat.
"Yeah too bad we didn't get to see her, but she does need her rest." I say as we approach the house with the blue door.
"Prepare yourself Mason cause these kids hate bedtime." I unbuckle myself and take a big deep breathe hopping out of the car.
"Okay so here is the plan. You sit with the twins while I put Tyler to bed quickly then I'll come out to get the twins with you then we do their night routine." I say as if I were telling the game plan to a group of footballers.
"Okay Coach let's do this thing." Great minds do think alike.

I put Tyler to bed in record timing, and I run back out to the car to see Mason playing some kind of game with Louis as Ivy sits there thankfully already fallen asleep. I manage to pick her up and walk into the hallway and then the slam of the door unfortunately wakes her up. I curse at Mason in my head for not shutting the door quietly.
"Come on Louis lets race Riley and Ivy upstairs." I burst out laughing as Mason runs slowly, letting Louis win. He looks like a complete idiot. An idiot whom I like a lot. 

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I'm so sorry I took forever to update, I was a bit busy and had writer's block. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and have had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Love Ruby x