Can Never Turn Back

Chapter 9: Baby Boy

Ashley woke up to Hayden's cries over the baby monitor. She got up from bed and she walked down the hall towards the nursery.

She walked into the nursery and she walked over to Hayden's crib. She picked him up and sat in the rocking chair across the room. She yawned as she fed the baby. "You know what sweetie? You'd love your daddy. He's a great man, he's done some great things. If only he'd come to see you," she murmured. She stroked the baby's cheek with a sigh. "Grandma and Grandpa may not love you and your daddy might not love us, but one thing's for sure, sweetie. I love you more than my life," she added. She smiled as she started singing "La mer" and she kissed his soft forehead when he fell asleep again.

The next day, Kimberly and Ashley were sitting in the park. Nathan was playing in the sandbox while Ashley was pushing the stroller back and forth with a sleeping Hayden inside. "Sorry that he kept you up last night," Ashley apologized.

"Nah, don't worry about it. I had to go through with it when Nathan was born," Kimberly answered.

Ashley sighed as she looked at her sleeping son. "He's a beautiful baby, Ash," Kimberly commented. Ashley smiled.

"He looks like his father," she answered.

Kimberly placed a hand on her shoulder. Ashley pushed the stray hairs behind her ear as she reached into the stroller and placed the red blanket over him. "Is it worth waiting around for Andros if he hasn't even answered my messages?" Ashley asked. Kimberly sighed.

"Do you still love him?" She asked.

"Yes of course," Ashley replied.

"Then he is worth waiting for."

Ashley bit her lip and she stroked her sleeping son's hand. Kimberly gasped when she heard Nathan start crying. "I'll be right back," she informed.

"Go, go," Ashley answered.

Ashley watched as Kimberly picked up her crying son. She watched as Kimberly coddled the crying boy. She let out a sigh as she listened to Kimberly. "It's okay, sweetie. Where did you hurt yourself?" She heard Kimberly asked.

"Fell down," Nathan replied.

He showed Kimberly the scrape on his arm. "Aw, come here munchkin," she cooed. Kimberly picked him up and walked over to the bench. "Auntie Ashley, Nathan fell down," Kimberly told her. Ashley had Nathan sit in her lap.

"You fell down?" Ashley asked.

"Uh huh."

Kimberly cleaned Nathan's scrape and put a band-aid on it and then she kissed it. "There mommy kissed it to make it feel better," Kimberly informed. Ashley set Nathan on the ground and he ran back over to the sandbox.

"Kim...have you ever spoken to Tommy?" Ashley asked.

Kimberly sat back and sighed. "I don't know where he is," she replied. Ashley bit her lip and played with her hair.

"Kim..." Ashley trailed off.

"What?" Kimberly asked.

Ashley let out a sigh. "I know where he is," she replied. Kimberly looked over at her.

"Where is he?" Kimberly asked.

Ashley smiled as she pulled a number out of her pocket. "This is his cell-phone number. Give him a call," she replied. Kimberly looked at the number and she hugged Ashley.

"Thank you," she murmured.

Ashley hugged her back. Kimberly pulled back. "But wait...how did you know..." Kimberly trailed off. Ashley sat back.

"TJ still keeps in contact with him. I called TJ and he gave me the number," Ashley replied.

Kimberly bit her bottom lip. "Do you think he still wants to see me?" She asked. Ashley placed a hand on her shoulder.

"The last time I saw him, he still loves you. He was talking about how he and Kat broke up and he was trying to find you here in Miami," Ashley explained.

Kimberly hugged Ashley again. "Thank you," she repeated. Ashley nodded and she watched as Kimberly got up with her cell-phone and walked towards a tree with Nathan by her lap. Tears were pressing against Ashley's eyes as she looked over at her sleeping baby boy. She reached into the stroller and picked him up. She held him in her arms and she kissed his forehead. Hayden opened his eyes and he gurgled. He reached up and grabbed her hair. Ashley smiled and she laughed slightly. "You know what munchkin? I don't have to worry about feeling lonely," she informed. Hayden just kept playing with her hair.