Up for the Chase (14 page)

“What are you asking me?”

“Do you believe in the supernatural?”

“Yes,” I take a deep breath and I decide to tell him, he has always been someone that I knew I could confide in. “When I went and sat on the beach deciding whether or not to keep Av. My mother came to me. I knew I was imagining her, that I looked crazy talking to someone but I didn’t care. She told me what I needed to hear.”

“Why an old man?”
He asks.

“Because it wouldn’t set you off at first he knew you better than anyone, so maybe he picked something that wouldn’t terrify you. Picked a persona that he knew you would listen to until you were ready to know that it was him.”

“Until you” he says looking over at me seriously.

“What?”

“He knew me better than anyone until you.” and he lets the conversation die as we stare out over the river.

Chapter Twenty-
Five

Chase

August

Life has taken a significant turn. I am standing in the kitchen as I hear the front door close and I walk over to it as Ariana smiles and leans up to kiss me as I escort her into the kitchen.

“Chase
, what is this?” She asks as she scans the room looking over all of the décor that I have put up just for her.

“I wanted to do something nice for you.”
more than just do something nice for you.

“Where’s Avery?” She asks me curious, but not worried.

“Staying at Isabel’s for the night.” Isabel is her new friend that she has met since coming to Orlando.

“Oh
, so we have the whole night together?” she asks and I nod my head.

“Yup,” I smile to her,

“And you orchestrated all of this?” I nod my head and the timer for the food goes off and I walk over pulling it out of the oven.

“Oh, steak?” she asks me.

“Not fancy enough?” I ask her concerned

“Oh you know me. Food is food and either way I am excited about it.” I laugh knowing that she is right. I portion her plate just right as I walk them over to the table and sit it down in front of her.

After dinner I get up from the table and grab her plate and put it into the sink reaching up and grabbing more plates and then the cake that is sitting in the fridge. I pull it out and take it over to her. I smile looking down to the decor.

“Dessert too?” she asks me smiling, “I am stuffed I don’t know if l can eat anything else.”

“Shh, it’s the best cake. You have to try it.” I say sitting it down in front of her and then sighing to myself when she doesn’t look down at it immediately. I walk back over to my chair, being awfully aware of her not looking at the slice of cake sitting in front of her. I sit down and smile to her, “It really is the best cake I think that I have ever had.” She finally smiles and then looks down to the plate sitting in front of her.

“Chase,” she gasps as her eyes look over the diamond that sits on top of the white icing.

“Ariana, I don’t want to ever worry about losing you again. I want us to be a real family—,” I stop as she holds her hand up and she jumps up from the table and rushes up the stairs and I hear the bedroom door close.

I’m lost for words as I climb the stairs after her and push the door open. I hear her becoming violently ill in the bathroom that is connected to our bedroom.

“Ariana, are you alright?” she doesn’t answer and I begin to worry as I push the door open and walk into the bathroom to her I knell down as I brush her back.

“Have you been sick today?”
I ask her.

“No,” is all she can manage to
get out before I hear her beginning to heave again.
Oh god, I made her sick with the food.
When she finally doesn’t have anything else left in her stomach she relaxes still with her face resting on her arm which is still on the toilet seat.

“It was the food wasn’t it?” I panic as I look to her, and she doesn’t answer. “Oh, god I’m sorry baby, I didn’t mean to make you sick. I just wanted to do something special. I wanted to let you know how much I loved you, do you need to go to the hospital.” I’m rambling now and then she begins to laugh. “What’s so funny, I just gave you food poisoning how can it be funny?”

“Chase you didn’t give me food poisoning.” She says, her voice is filled with kindness.

“Than what is it?” I ask her panicking.

“Chase, I’m pregnant.” She sighs as she sits back. “I didn’t want you to find out like this. I was planning on telling you tonight, but well…,”

“We’re having another baby?” I think I shout it at her, but I’m not sure. She smiles and
nods her head.

“I mean it’s not
100 percent yet; I have an appointment on Friday, but I’m pretty sure.” I think I squeal, but everything sounds so surreal. “And yes.” She finally says and my heart stops I think for a moment.

“Yes.” I repeat making sure that she just told me that she will marry me.

“Yes, Chase, you are the only one that I have ever wanted to be with. I will marry you.” That night turned out even better than I was planning on and when we finally got out bed the next morning to go and pick up Avery she looks to Ariana’s hand immediately.

“Mommy is that new?” she
ask and Ariana beams.

“Yes,”

“Did daddy give it to you?” she asks.

“Yes, baby, we are going to get married.” I think it hurts her feelings that Av
doesn’t seem very excited that we are all going to be a real family.

“Ariana, she’s six, she doesn’t understand.”
I tell her.

“I know, it’s just,”
I squeeze her hand as she trails, telling her that I understand.

“I
know me too.”

March

“I don’t understand,” Avery says to me as I walk her to the nursery that sits in the hospital

“Why couldn’t I be in the room with you
guys.” She’s pouting.

“Well, your mom was in a lot of pain and we didn’t want you to have to see that.”
I try to explain to her.

“It’s painful to have a baby?” she asks me

“Yes,”

“Was it painful when mom had me?” I stop and I kneel down to her.

“I’m sure it was.” she looks like she wants to ask me another question before I stop and smile at her as we are standing in front of the big glass windows. “Come here.” I say to her lifting her up to peer into the room. “He's right there.”

“Chase,” I hear my mother’s voice as she walks up to me, “he is simply stunning."

“Thanks mom,” I heat Avery giggling as my mother smiles to me and I can see the tear that is burning at her eyes.

“Matthew?” she asks and I smile.

“Yeah, I owe him so much and I will never be able to repay him.”

“He loved you Chase, he never expected anything in return.”
She tells me and I finally see in her eyes that she doesn’t hate me.

“I love
him too,” I smile to her with the water burning at my own eyes.

“Can we go see mommy?” Avery asks in my arms.

“Sure thing,” I tell her kissing her cheek as we turn around walking back down the hall towards Ariana’s room as we enter she is just waking up. “Hello beautiful.”

“Is he alright?” she asks, still groggy,
and I nod my head.

“Everything’s perfect.”
And I lean into her placing a kiss on her forehead.