Raura's Daughter

forty one.

Ross' POV

Laura and I held hands as we wheeled Isabella's pushchair into our high school. It was my first day back at school after disappearing for almost a month and a half and despite my best efforts to try and avoid people, it wasn't working out very well.

"I feel like everyone is staring at me." I murmured into Laura's ear.

Her grip tightened around my hand and she continued to walk ahead with her eyes facing forward. "They aren't."

We walked slowly past the different lockers and my stomach began to churn as I realised that I'd probably come face to face with one of my siblings at some point during the day. There was absolutely no way of avoiding it and that worried me.

I also know how much of a gossip Rydel can be. If she sees the engagement ring on Laura's finger she'll rat me out to our parents in a heartbeat and I'm not even sure I want any of my family to be involved in our future together after everything they've put us through as a couple and now as a family of our own.

Laura entered the nursery and gently scooped Isabella out of the pushchair and into her arms. She bounced her on the top of her thigh and pressed her lips to Isabella's forehead. "I love you so much cutie pie, have a good day okay?"

"Momma." Isabella murmured. She wrapped her arms tightly around Laura's neck and the both of us chuckled.

Laura handed her to me and I smirked at my beautiful daughter as she gurgled and smiled in my arms. "Make sure you get some sleep today because according to nonna Ellen you kept her awake all night."

"I think my mom will be asleep for the next five hundred days." Laura teased as we laid Isabella down in one of the pink cribs. "We'll see you later baby and then Uncle Calum and Auntie Raini are going to help us to fix the apartment up so that you'll have somewhere to sleep when we go home."

After signing Isabella into the nursery and saying a quick hello to the other parents Laura and I finally headed off to our first lesson of the day which just so happened to be a free period. I smiled and took her hand in mine. "Shall we go for a walk?"

Laura nodded and smiled back at me. "How about the bench we sat on all those months ago before our world completely changed?"

I chuckled and nodded in agreement with her. "That sounds good."

We slowly walked around the school grounds, chuckling to ourselves about old times and how much our lives had changed since we'd found each other until we came to an abrupt halt at the bench we'd sat at way before the party or any of the events had taken place.

"I remember you sat in front of me with a mug of hot cocoa in that big raincoat with the most gorgeous smile on your face and I just knew in that moment that you were going to become very special to me." I said, wrapping my hands up in her own.

Laura shyly giggled from across the table and shrugged her shoulders. "I guess I kinda felt the same way. You were different from all those other guys at this school... but a good different."

I raised my eyebrows slowly and glanced down at her engagement ring. "Are you sure about all of this?"

"Ross..." She murmured, slowly shaking her head at me. A smile was forming on her lips. "I've never been so sure about something in my entire life."

I bit my lip to try and hide the huge grin that was forming on my lips but I couldn't be bothered. I was the happiest guy around and it was all because of one simple girl who had stuck up for what she believed in that day in the diner. "My family might not accept us... or our decision but I want you to be my wife, Laura. I don't care what anybody else says."

"They won't disown you, Ross. They love you. There's just a small bump in the road right now and all of you have to figure out how to get over it."

I gently tucked a strand of Laura's brunette hair behind her ear and smiled knowingly at her. "You're right, Laur. You're always right."

Laura giggled and flipped her hair behind her shoulder before pulling one of the cutest grins I'd ever seen in my life. "I know!"

I was about to continue our conversation when a gentle tap on my shoulder made me turn around and almost fall backwards off the bench. Rydel was stood behind me with her arms wrapped around her waist and an apologetic smile covered her lips. "Hey bro."

Laura stood up slowly from her spot on the bench and smiled at the both of us. "I'm going to give you two some time alone."

Before I could protest Laura walked off in the opposite direction and Rydel took Laura's place in front of me. "We need to talk." She murmured, placing her hands out on the table in front of her.

"Wait... did... did Laura arrange this?" I asked with furrowed eyebrows.

Rydel nodded and held up her cellphone. "She texted me to tell me where you two were so I figured I'd come and talk to you before you could run away from me."

I exhaled in defeat and raised my eyebrow at her in question. "If you're here to beg me to come  back home it won't work. You're wasting your time."

"I'm not." She replied bluntly. "I'm here because you're my brother and I can't lose you over some stupid tour that didn't work out."

I didn't answer her, I kept my gaze fixated firmly on the bench beneath us. I knew deep down that I'd fucked everything up on tour and that I'd ruined our only chance to be a band but I had to sacrifice my dream for a new one - my family. 

"We miss you, Ross. I miss you. We want you to come home."

"I can't." I bluntly said. I watched as Rydel's eyebrows raised in confusion at my reply. "I have a place now... with Laura and Bella."

She opened her mouth to reply to me but nothing came out, she just stared at me in bewilderment. "Why do you look so surprised?" I asked. "You live with Ratliff."

"We're married, Ross... it's different-"

"We're engaged." I muttered. 

Rydel's mouth was agape. "Huh? Without asking for dad's approval first?"

I chuckled bitterly at her. "Dad's approval? Are you serious, Delly? I don't owe anything to him."

"You know that it's family rules to always ask dad, Ross-"

I stood up from my seat on the bench and rolled my eyes before throwing my backpack over my shoulder. "Did you ask dad?" She was silent. "I didn't think so. I've got a lesson to get to. See you... sis."

I walked away from her with narrowed eyes. Laura was waiting for me with her arms wrapped around her waist. Without saying a word, I gently grabbed her by the arm and pulled her along with me.

I was done with my family and I'd never go back to them.

a/n

oooh, what do you guys think about Ross' decision? 

is he right?

all my love,

b x