Connected; sequel to baby, please.

03

Angelina

       I stepped off of the plane with Athena on my left side and Aaliyah to my right. "Why don't I see palma trees, mama?" I chuckled to myself.

"It's palm trees, honey. We're not outside yet." I shook my head.

"Well, what are you waiting for lady? I want to see our daddy!" Aaliyah yelled excitedly before running off. At first I felt a rush of warmness run through me from her adorableness, but dread consumed me. In just an hour, I'll see Grayson. I waited for Athena and went to go get our luggage. 

Before I knew it, me and my two babies were outside waiting to get picked up. Ethan was going pick us up. This would be the first time he met them. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, Ethan was facetiming me. I anxiously answered. "Hi." I smiled.

"I'm here, I think I see you and the girls." I looked around for him, but there was many cars everywhere.

"What color is your car?"

"It's the Tesla." my eyes widened in shock.

"Is it that one, mama?" Athena's tired soft voice whispered. I looked in the direction she was pointing in.

"I see you." I slightly smiled. Ethan pulled over and ran out of his car. He ran up to me and gave me a tight hug that almost made me burst into tears.

"How are you?" he smiled.

"Good." was all I was able to get out. Ethan was like the brother that I never had, and not seeing him for so long made me realize how much I missed him. imagine how it will be when I see Grayson. Ethan's eyes twinkled as he squatted down to see the two little girls holding my hands. "Hi, I'm Ethan. And you?"

"I'm Aaliyah." she smiled.

"I'm Athena. You know me, You're uncle Ethan!" she said excitedly. Aaliyah gasped.

"You are! What are you doing here?"

"I'm taking you to your daddy. Is that okay?" the girls nodded.

Ethan stood back up. "Come on Angelina, we have some catching up to do."

***

In that slightly long car ride, me and Ethan caught up. Him and his girlfriend got engaged, Grayson designs jewelry which I find amazing since he always wanted to but he never did because he thought that it would  be too feminine as a job for him.

His entire family will be at his house but only for a bit so me and Grayson will have time alone. despite what Ethan said, I feel like they hate me. "We're here." Ethan said. I looked up to see a house different from the one I left. It was huge and at the time we were together I hated big places, so I guess he took up the opportunity to get one.

I opened my car door and opened Aaliyah's as Ethan opened Athena's. We left our suitcases in his car, I wasn't staying here. we walked to his front door and Ethan knocked. Aaliyah looked at me confused since I was so nervous. "Mommy-" she got cut off by Lisa opening the  door. Tears built up in my eyes along with guilt. Instead of Lisa yelling at me, she greeted me with teary eye and a smile. "Angelina." she hugged my tightly.

"How are you Lisa?" I asked, swallowing my tears.

"I've been good. How are you two?" she said bending down to the girls.

"I'm good." they both said in unison.

        "Come inside, your father is waiting for you in the living room." she grabbed their hands. I gulped, I was only a couple feet away from Grayson. I want nothing more than to turn around and run back to new York right now, but my kids need their father. I slowly walked in the door and walked right behind Lisa. "There he is!" Lisa shouted.

"Hi." I heard Athena say quietly. I was still behind Lisa, so I didn't see Grayson. Lisa turned around to me.

"You have to say something to him." I looked past Lisa and saw Athena and Aaliyah on Grayson's lap. I couldn't see his face though. I nodded and sucked up my pride. She moved out of the way and I fully saw grayson. I never knew how much I had missed him until now.

         He looked exactly the same as he did before I left. I just hoped he changed. He looked up at me with soft eyes, and immediately looked down to the girls. He ignored me.

         I cant say I expected something, but at least a single 'hi' could start off something. "Can I tell you two something?" grayson smiled.

"Yeah?" Athena said excitedly.

"I made two some necklaces. do you want to see them?" they both nodded frantically as my heart warmed.

If only I had stayed.

I shook my head. No, I shouldn't have.

Grayson pulled out two dark green jewelry  boxes with the letters 'A.B.D' written in gold on Athena's and 'A.K.D' out of his pockets. It was their initials. "I only know your initials. Do you two know your middle names?" They both nodded proudly.

"My full name is Athena Bailey Dolan. Athena smiled. Grayson looked up at me for a split second, glossy eyed. He cleared his throat and looked away.

"What about you Aaliyah?"

"My middle name is Katherine." Aaliyah smiled widely.

"You two have beautiful names. Do you want to open the boxes now?" they both nodded then opened the boxes.

On both of them there was a big colored gem. Athena's was pink, and Aaliyah's was purple. They both gasped at the sight.

"Thank you daddy!" Athena shouted.

"You're very welcome." he nodded.

Lisa cleared her throat. "Athena, Aaliyah, How about I show you two around?" Lisa said sticking out their hands. I prayed that they wouldn't leave me and Grayson alone, but they got up and left anyway.

I bit my lip, suppressing a whimper.  "Hi Grayson." I tried my best not to frown.

"I-I don't even know what to say." he stood up and paced around the room.

My eyes got glossy. "I'm sorry." I frowned.

"You're sorry? You hurt me angelina!" my eyes widened in shock.

"You didn't hurt me? I understand that leaving you and taking the kids was wrong, but you hurt me too Grayson. Remember that." He went silent for a second.

"You didn't have to go so far." He said quietly. "I loved you so much, and when  I figured out what you had done, I felt so much betrayal that it physically hurt. I had to move away Grayson."
He looked away. I cleared my throat. "So what, are the kids going to stay here and I'll rent a hotel?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No. I have guest rooms you guys can sleep in."

"You don't have to do that." I said softly.

"I'm not doing it for you, I'm doing it for them." He chuckled.

"I don't know how Casey is going to feel about this though."

"Who's Casey?" I asked.

"My girlfriend."