Never giving up on you - Completed.

25.

'Mom, when is daddy coming home?,' Hailey asked for the tenth time this hour. She was hanging over the back of the couch, staring at me. I frowned at the article I was reading at my laptop and looked at my daughter in distraction.

'Tonight honey, now don't ask me again.' Hailey sighed and plopped down on the couch again, watching her cartoon. I turned back to reading the article until my phone went off. I picked up without looking.

'Yeah?'

'Well, don't you sound happy to hear from me,' Austin complained. I chuckled.

'Sorry, I was busy.'

'With what?'

'Looking up my to-do-administration before moving in with you.'

'Oh!' His voice sounded a bit more uplifted now. 'Good. So... I was just calling you to let you know we're boarding soon.' I smiled and closed my laptop. I was planning on taking Hailey to LAX and pick up Austin as a surprise; he thought he would only see us tomorrow at earliest.

'Is that daddy?,' Hailey yelled, jumping off the couch and running up to me. She put out her hands to get my phone and I handed it to her. 'Hi daddy!'

'Hi baby! How are you?,' I heard Austin's voice say.

'I'm good. We're gonna pick you up tonight at the –'

'Hailey!,' I said, shaking my head. 'No! That was supposed to be a surprise!'

'Oh...' She pouted a little and Austin's laugh reached my ears. 'Sorry mommy...' I sighed and pulled her on my lap, taking my phone from her.

'Well, you just heard our plan to pick you up,' I said to Austin, who laughed again. 'Our daughter can't keep a surprise to herself, just like you.' I raised my eyebrows at Hailey, who was sulking on my lap.

'I love the idea, bu abe, you really don't have to come over, I'll come your way tomorrow... I have to get to Stanford anyway...'

'I know, but that's tomorrow and tomorrow is just too far away.' Austin let out a laugh.

'Don't throw my lyrics at me.' I chuckled.

'Get your ass on that plane, Carlile, and come our way a.s.a.p.!'

'On it,' he said. 'See you soon. Love you.'

'Love you too, Aust...' I pouted a little when he hung up on me and looked at my still sulking daughter on my lap. 'What about we go get our stuff and head to your father, kiddo?' Hailey's eyes brightened up and she nodded, jumping off my lap and running to our bedroom while yelling:

'Daddy's coming hooome!' I laughed and shook my head, following her to grab some clothes and necessities before heading to L.A.

&

It was a good thing that we left home on time, because traffic was a nightmare and it took us over three hours to reach LAX. I quickly parked my car and got Hailey out, then looked on the flight information Austin had sent me for which arrival gate we needed to go. After some while we found it and I sunk down on a bench, pulling out my phone to catch an incoming message from Austin if he'd send me one. Hailey looked around her, watching all the hectic and happy people who welcomed back their loved ones at other gates.

'Caity?,' someone called and I turned around to see Amanda standing behind me.

'Oh my God, Amanda, hi!' I got up and we hugged shortly. 'It's been a while!'