Live, Laugh, Love [COMPLETE/PUBLISHED]

Chapter 18

Later that night...

I close the lid on my laptop and I set it next to me. I wish Jasper was here right now. After we had gotten something to eat he dropped me off at home and he said that he had to go help Luna and Rose with something. I can only assume with the adoption paperwork. He is good at the kind of stuff. I sprawl out on my bed, nearly knocking my laptop off. Remind me why I wanted to take time off of work?

You needed some time away, Lia.

Yeah, yeah. Shut up.

I wonder what my life would have been like if Dad had kept me and left Jennifer. I'm never going to refer to her as 'Mom.'.

Would I have still met Jasper? Would I still have gotten a job at Coleman & Co.?

So many things would have been different.

I would have had a normal family. I would have had a family Christmas. Hm, I wonder what that would have been like...

If things were different...

"Dad! I'm home!" I yell as I walk into the house. I look around the living room and kitchen and I don't see him anywhere. His car is here, but he isn't.

"Dad?" I ask again. It echoes throughout the house and again, there is no response. I put down my bag on the table. I walk into the living room and I squat down and plug in the Christmas tree. I see the presents under the tree and one catches my eye. I pick it up and I read the label.

To: The sweetest girl

From: Dad

These are the things that I cherish with my dad. I was never just his daughter, he always said that I was the best thing that ever happened to him. I know that Mom leaving was hard, but he jumped in and became both parents. I hear footsteps from behind me and then a voice starts to speak.

"Sometimes I wonder what things would have been like if she made me leave with her." I turn around and I see Dad standing there.

"Dad, I don't want to think about it, because I am happy that I have you," I say standing up and walking over to Dad. I wrap my arms around him pulling him into a tight hug.

"Me too, bug." We hold each other in a hug for another moment and the doorbell starts to ring.

"I got it," I whisper, pulling away from him. I walk back into the foyer and I answer the door.

"Mom."

Back to reality...

My eyelids pop open and there are tears streaming down my face. I sit up quickly and wipe them from my face. I grab my phone from my nightstand and I look at the time. 7 PM. I was only asleep for an hour. I unlock my phone and I scroll through my contacts until I find a certain name and I dial them, hoping for them to answer.

Jasper was finishing up some paperwork with her sister and her wife, so they can finally adopt a baby when he got a call from one of the most important women in his life.

"Hon, I'm with my sister right now," he says answering the call.

Can you come here, please?

"Lia, what's wrong?"

I just need you here.

"Okay, okay. I'll be there soon, I promise." He hangs up the phone and apologizes profusely to both Luna and Rose. He rushes out to his car and sets his phone up to tell him how to get to his destination from his sister's house. He arrives within 15 minutes and makes his way to the door and prepares to knock, but the door is pulled open and I jump into his arms.

"Oh, Lia," he says cradling my body against him. He picks me up bridal style and carries me back into my apartment. He goes to my bedroom and lays me down on my bed and lays down next to me.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asks, wrapping his arm around my waist. Tears continue to flow down my face and I sniffle.

"I saw her," I reply, trying to stop my tears.

"Saw who, baby?"

"My mother. I didn't really see her, it was in my dream, but it felt so real."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. I just imagined what my life would have been like if Dad never left me. Things would have been so different. I wouldn't have you. I wouldn't have Daphne. I wouldn't want to change a thing about my life, because it led me to you."

"Me either. I love you, Lia," he says leaning down and giving me a peck on the lips.

"I love you more, Jasper."

"Not possible." I snuggle closer to him and fall right back asleep. Now, this is home.