Ashton
"You look so beautiful!"
"You think?"
"Oh wow Ally, you look nice. Do I scrub up well?"
"You look very handsome," I said, "Stand together, I want a photo,"
They did, awkwardly smiling, then Alyssa slipped her shoes on and pushed past me to put her hair clips in.
"My sling ruins my outfit,"
"You gotta wear it. Have you been doing your physio?"
"No," she grumbled, "I'm ready to go,"
"We need to, we can do it together,"
"Can you fix my hair please, dad?" Axel said, "It's pissing me off,"
"Sure,"
"Thank you. Whose gonna be there today?"
"Mike, Crystal, Cal, Maddox, us, and them... I think some of Gabi's old friends are coming. I know Julien's in town, I think April is coming, her friend Ezra,"
"Oh, nice. Thanks for letting us come,"
"Hey, you're family," I said, playfully pinching his cheek, "You're my kid, and it's my nieces birthday,"
"It seems like a really big deal she's having a birthday,"
"It is... it is really big. It's always big, I guess it sounds quite morbid but we always used to worry she might not get another birthday,"
"She's proper adulting now,"
"I suppose so!"
We went downstairs and put our shoes on, then I grabbed the gifts and took them to the car, locking up behind the kids.
When we got there, they stuck to my side like glue, shuffling into the house. We put the gifts with the others, then I found Mike, and got the kids a drink. Everyone else was dressed nicely too, and Sierra looked beautiful in her dress. I was glad the plan had worked, I was pretty sure she would've been devastated not to look fancy on her engagement day.
Gabi had really wanted this to happen for a long time, but even I was surprised she wanted it done on her birthday. I could see her beaming from across the room as she spoke to Sierra and Crystal though, so it was obviously the right choice. It made things pretty easy to cover up too. Mike had set up a balloon arch, they had sorted out a nice cake, everyone was dressed nicely... yet none of them knew what was going to happen. I had even brought my camera to take photos of 'Gabi and her friends'.
And it was all for Gabi, really, but it would make it all look nice. Even the buffet had food they ate on the picnic they got promise rings on- I was chuffed for Luke, and he had really gone all out for this. I was proud to see him all grown up, even though he was in his 40s and had been grown up since the day Gabi was born. This was all grown up.
It was much more meaningful and mature than last time. We all knew it wasn't right last time, but I could wholeheartedly say that I knew they would be together making each other happy for the rest of their lives.
"Ashton! It's been so long! I didn't think it had been long enough for you to have teenagers though?" April said, hugging me tightly.
"This is Axel and Alyssa, and they are my kids! This is April, Gabi's friend,"
"I love your hairclips,"
"Oh, thank you,"
"How's university going?"
"Really good, got lots of friends,"
"I wouldn't expect anything different. These guys have buddied up with your sister,"
"June?"
"Yeah,"
"Well I don't know how because she is annoying, and best friends with my ex boyfriends brother,"
"She's nice to me,"
"Yeah, well, sibling love and hatred am I right?" she smiled, "Anyway, I'll let you guys be,"
She rushed off, so I took the kids over to Gabi, Sierra getting Alyssa to sit next to her.
"You made it," Gabi beamed.
"Of course we did. You look beautiful, happy birthday sweetheart,"
"Guess what I got?"
"What?"
"A holiday. Out of the country. A proper actual holiday with a plane,"
"Oh wow, that's amazing,"
"Me, mum, dad, and Maddox,"
"I'm really happy for you, I know you have wanted a proper holiday for a really long time,"
"It's gonna be super fun," Sierra said, "Luke was looking for you, I think he's in the kitchen,"
"Probably worrying about the buffet,"
I left them all sat over there and went to the kitchen, finding Luke looking out the window with a beer in his hand. It wasn't opened, so I took it from him and turned him round, straightening his shirt collar.
"I'm gonna be sick,"
"You're not gonna be sick,"
"What if this is a mistake?"
"Don't be ridiculous, Luke. Look at me... this is right. This is your family, you make each other the happiest in the whole world,"
"I know... I know,"
"You're just getting crowd shy. Come on, everyone here loves you, they're gonna be excited,"
"You definitely have no doubts about this?"
"Luke, I would have told you years ago. You know that because we have done it, but you need to stop thinking about the past and what things led to that. This is your future and you deserve it because you got yourself one bloody amazing woman, and mother, and best friend,"
"Okay,"
"Ready?"
"Yeah. Cal and Mike are gonna freak,"
"They're going to be buzzing,"
It was a clear day, so I decided to get people outside for photos. It started off with Gabi's friends, then Axel and Alyssa, then a few family friends and of Luke and Sierra. Everyone was in good spirits, so I brought out a bottle of (fake, for my kid's sake) fizz and had Luke open it. That was his self proclaimed signal.
"I would like to make a toast," he said, "To Sierra,"
"Not the birthday girl?"
"Not the birthday girl. Sierra has helped organise this all, she's helped Gabi's day go perfectly. She always helps our days go perfectly,"
"Oh stop it," she laughed, "It's Gabi's birthday!"
"It's okay, mum. You have helped, a lot,"
"Fine,"
"Sierra made this house a home when we moved in. As you all know we did a 'running away move' but it was okay because I was running away with her. She held us all together, she was, and is, an incredible mother to Gabriella,"
The way she looked at him made my heart grow. Luke deserved someone who looked at him that way. So deeply in love.
"I am toasting because Sierra makes Gabi and I happy. She makes sure we're okay, she makes us laugh, she makes awesome cookies. And, she makes my heart burst,"
"Is he... surely not?" Cal whispered.
"No comment,"
"What?!"
"I couldn't imagine going a day without her love. It would be miserable. And I don't want that. I never want to go a day without your love, or without getting to love you because loving you was one of the best things that ever happened to me. So for that reason, I am asking you,"
He knelt down on one knee and pulled out the ringbox, opening it up to a gorgeous ring.
"Will you marry me?"
YOU ARE READING
restart// 5SOS
Fanfiction(comes after ceaseless) A lot of times life doesn't end up the way people picture it. Ashton had always accepted he wouldn't have kids. He had Gabi, and enough family to keep him happy- until he was told he would be a good dad and couldn't shake th...
