All Roads Lead Home (Book #1)

Chapter 20

The last two weeks have gone by in a blur. My stitches were removed. The bruises have all faded and the memories of what happened, of Mike in general, were buried six feet underground along with him.

Jay still hates that he wasn't there to stop everything from happening. I just have to keep reminding him that I'm okay and that we made it through it all. The wounds have healed and the scars will fade.

I didn't go to Mike's funeral. I did call Madison to tell her I was sorry for her loss. She yelled at me and said it was all my fault. I never want to see or hear from you again. You ruined my life. I just hung up on her. What mother says such horrible things after her husband does something like that to her own daughter?

I still haven't told anyone about the baby. Everything has just been so crazy around here I haven't found the right time. I want Jay to be the first one to know, then we can tell everyone else together.

It's my birthday tomorrow and I'll finally be 18 so I can finally forget about all of the stuff with the social workers. After the stuff with Mike they decided the best thing for me was to stay with Ethan and Ava until I turned 18. Everyone agreed on that finally.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Birthday time. Jenn is throwing a "small party" to celebrate me finally being an adult. Her idea of a small party is over 100 people from school that I don't even really know.

But if that's what Jenn wants to do that's what Jenn will do. I can't stop her. As long as Jay is there by my side, I don't care who else comes. It's not like I'll be leaving his side.

"Krystah! Come down here for a minute!"

"Coming Jenn!" Yay. Party time.

I get downstairs and walk towards the back door. I see party decorations and can hear the music playing. I take a deep breath in and step through the door as I exhale.

The only people I see is my family. Ethan, Ava, Josh, Jenn. But where's Jay?

I feel him wrap his arms around my waist as he comes up behind me and kisses my neck. "Happy birthday," he whispers in my ear.

I smile. "Thank you."

I walk over to everyone else and they all smile at me, give me hugs and wish me a happy birthday.

"I thought you invited a whole bunch of people Jenn?" I ask as I look around.

"Oh, I wanted to but Jay wouldn't let me. He said you didn't want a huge party. So, I didn't invite anyone. I figured we could have a party with just us," she says with a sigh.

I grab her again and give her a giant hug. "Thank you, Jenn. I really didn't want a bunch of people here."

She just nods her head and pulls away. "Let's have a party then, shall we?"

Josh and Aaron let out a small cheer and run and jump into the pool. Jenn and Ellie follow close behind laughing. Jay sits down on a lounge chair and pulls me down onto his lap.

"You don't want to swim Jay?"

"Nope. I'm perfectly happy right here with you," he says as he wraps his arms around me again.

I lean back against his chest and smile. This is perfect. Being here with everyone. It's perfect. Well almost perfect.

We're sitting in the chair watching everyone in the pool while Ethan is grilling hamburgers and hotdogs. Ava is working on putting the salads and chips and drinks out.

Jay lifts my hand up and slips a ring on my finger. "I'm not askin' you to marry me right now. But this is my promise that I'm never leaving you," he says as he lowers my hand for me to see a small heart shaped diamond ring.

I turn around in the chair to look at him. "Jay, this is your mom's engagement ring! I can't..."

"Yes, you can. I want to spend the rest of my life with you Krys. My mom's ring is my promise to you," he says as he gives me a quick kiss. "My promise that I'm not going anywhere. My promise of forever. And when we're ready to get married," he pauses as he pulls the chain around his neck to show me grandma's rings. "These will be on your finger too."

I shake my head in disbelief. "What did I ever to do deserve you?"

"I don't know but I know I don't deserve you," he says with another kiss.

"Foods done! Everyone come and eat," Ethan calls.