Running Away From a Past Life

Final Chapter: 18

    “What’s up Ashley? You alright?” Corinna was the first to notice that I was practically trembling. Aunt Liz wasn’t the stern type, so something must be wrong for her to just randomly text me that we need to talk.

“Oh, sorry. Nothing’s up, I was just thinking and Aunt Liz texted me.” I quickly responded. We finished scarfing down warm breadsticks after eating our pasta and paid the bill. Olivia and Josh had driven separate, and Anthony drove Corinna, Ian, and I. He dropped us both off at my house and I hesitantly went inside to see what Aunt Liz was wanting to talk about.

“Hey you two!” Aunt Liz appeared from her small work room which basically included a desk with her laptop and work files and bookshelves.

“Hey…uh you wanted to talk?” I finally asked.

“Oh right, well…sort of. It’s actually more like show. Just follow me.” Aunt Liz led Ian and I out to the garage which holds Aunt Liz’s car. She opened the garage door on the other side and there sat a brand new black Ford Fusion. “Surprise!” Aunt Liz said in a cheesy but excited voice.

“No way?” I looked at her questioningly and noticed Ian looking at me questioningly.

“Yeah! I may not be rich but I’ll be damned if I work as much as I do and not at least have some money in the bank!” Aunt Liz said as she clapped her hands together, still excited.

“Aunt Liz, we can’t accept something like this. Especially from your hard earned money.” I politely declined.

“Ohhh…no…you’re taking this the wrong way. Ashley, between us three I have plenty more money. Think about it. I’ve had a very successful, but busy, career for many many years, and most of them I have spent completely alone in a house that Steven and I had already paid off when he was alive. We were both very busy with successful careers and we pretty much just bought everything that we had money down, so I don’t have a whole lot of bills.” Aunt Liz explained in detail all whilst grinning from ear to ear. I didn’t know what else to say so I just hugged her. “Come over here Ian, this is for the both of you for your future home.” Aunt Liz laughed and motioned for Ian to join us and she wrapped him in a hug too.

    From then on time just sort of passed. I was as happy as ever. Two months passed and Ian and I had finally just visited Ann Arbor and picked out a rather nice house, and not super far from campus either. Olivia was also beginning to pack her things for college, she had to stay in on-campus dorms being a freshman and what not, but Ian just listed that he already resided in the campus area, which allowed him to stay in our new home rather than have to live on-campus in dorms for the first year. We came back to Middleton, after like one day of being in Ann Arbor, to pack up the rest of our things and also pick up Olivia because she was riding with us to the campus. I was about 30 weeks pregnant at this time. Only 10 more weeks to go. The medical facilities at U of M were very nice, and I immediately found a perfect place and doctor to deliver Mia when the time came. We still had just a couple weeks before classes and hockey practices started, but Ian had already cleared off a week around the time that Mia was due, that way he wouldn’t miss it. Olivia pretty much crashed at our place most of the time since school wasn’t actually in session yet and the dorms were cramped. Our house was nice; it had a master bedroom…Ian and I’s room, and two guest rooms. We turned the larger guest room into Mia’s soon-to-be room, and put basic furniture into the other guest room, such as a bed and dresser and the like. Olivia would crash in the guest room when she came over, which was fun because Ian could fill out last minute paperwork while Olivia and I talked and explored the area.

    Before I knew it, another 6 weeks flew by. Ian and Olivia both started school. Lucky for me Olivia’s schedule included classes early in the morning, and then later in the day. Ian’s classes weren’t as early, they were all pretty much around the middle of the day. This meant that Olivia could come by after her morning classes and hang out with me. She helped me finish setting up Mia’s room, it was perfect. I was huge by now, given the fact that I only had a few more weeks until I brought Mia into this world. Ian was busy with classes and hockey practice later at night, but we were still happy. He’d come home and I’d be waiting up watching tv and he’d set his bags down and kiss me and tell me he loved me.

    Another 3 weeks went by. Mia’s due date was in a week, but she could pretty much come any day. Ian was home now because this was the time he’d taken off so he could be here to help me and for the delivery of our baby. I was actually in the dining room reading a recipe book, thinking about making a really nice dinner for Ian and I, and Olivia and Josh, when my water broke. Josh was coming to visit Olivia so I told them I would cook dinner for all of us, and I was actually kind of excited, but that plan clearly got ruined when I began going into labor.

“Oh my Gosh!” I exclaimed, catching Ian’s attention from the game on tv in the other room. He quickly appeared in the opening of the dining room and saw me sort of hunched over holding my stomach with a shocked look on my face.

“Holy shit! I’ll help you to the car!” Ian said sort of in a daze. I wanted to laugh at him but I too was in too much shock to react any other way. Ian got me into our car and drove me to the very close hospital where I laid in a large hospital bed for what seemed like all night in pain. My doctor talked me through the whole thing, and Ian stood by my side, tightly holding onto my hand. Finally, after hours, the doctor got even more serious and things started picking up the pace.

The first thing I noticed that brought me back into reality was the tiny high pitched cry.

“What a beautiful healthy baby girl!” The doctor praised Ian and I then took Mia to the other side of the room to clean her off. After a couple minutes they put a matching bracelet on both Mia and I and handed her to me. It’s funny, how any other baby looks kind of gross so soon after birth…but Mia was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I teared up and looked up at Ian. He had the same amazed look that I did. The doctor got the birth certificate all ready which read the name “Mia Elaina Rossi”. Ian and I had finally decided on a unique, but not too crazy middle name only about 2 weeks ago. Although all babies are born with light or blue eyes…Mia’s were a mind-boggling ice blue, and looking into them when she occasionally peeked her eyes open really made both Ian and I positive that there was something extra special about our little girl. Along with her blue eyes, which she must’ve gotten from me, even though hers were different and way more gorgeous, Mia also had Ian’s naturally dark thick hair and there was a tint to her red newborn skin that made me positive that she had Ian’s dark Italian complexion. She was the perfect cross between both Ian and I.

“Happy birthday little Mia, and Happy 18th birthday Ian!” I looked back up at Ian, catching him off guard as he was staring intently at Mia and I.

“Woah! Dang I totally forgot it was my birthday! What a…miracle. There’s no other way to put it. I couldn’t ask for a more amazing little present.” Ian said, I could see that he was about to burst with love.

    A few more weeks went by and we were finally back at our own home with our new addition. My birthday was coming soon as well, and I would follow Ian in turning 18 in just 3 weeks. Mia was a hassle, as any baby is, up all night, but yet both Ian and I couldn’t wait to go into her room and hold her and love her until she stopped crying. One night, Ian came home a bit late from hockey practice. They had a big game coming up in a week. I had just put Mia to bed when he walked up and hugged me from behind. When I turned around he was dropping to a knee. At first I thought that I bumped into him unknowingly and hurt him, but then he pulled out a tiny black velvet box, and displayed a beautiful white gold banded princess-cut diamond ring. It was both simple, but very elegant at the same time.

“Ashley Williams, will you marry me?” Ian asked, gazing into my eyes the entire time. There was only one answer I could possibly give him.

"Yes."

***THE END!***