Troian Bellisario: Just Me & My Girl

A Piece of Forever (Finale)

One Month Later
Troian's Pov

Three days ago, I was married to the most amazing man on this planet at a wonderfully dream-like ceremony. My life finally feels the way I always dreamed it would, and it's all thanks to Keegan and our beautiful children.

In fact today is the birthday of a very special little girl, my Aspen Marie. Although now six years old, I still see her as my baby girl, and I always will. My love for her is something so strong that it makes my heart ache in the best way possible, and I don't know what I'd do without her. There was a time it was just me and her, and though our life now is what we've been meant for all along, those times with just me and my girl will always be held close to my heart.

"Mommy," I hear a small voice say from outside my bedroom door. I smile, happy that she's finally awake. I've been up for about half an hour, rising before even Theo. I just couldn't sleep any longer with the thought of Aspen's six birthday on my mind.

"I'll be out in a second Asp." I say, looking at Keegan still fast asleep next to me. I slip out from under the covers, tiptoeing across the floor and opening my bedroom door. On the other side stands my pajama-clad daughter, an excited look in her blue eyes.

"Happy birthday baby." I say, picking her up and hugging her tightly.

"Thanks Momma." She replies, smiling widely "I'm six now!" She holds up six fingers, looking proud.

"I know you are." I smile sadly "My baby girl is six years old. Where does the time go?"

"I don't know." Aspen shrugs to my rhetorical question. I walk down the stairs still carrying her, being quiet so as not to wake Lukas and Theo. Sitting down in the living room, I grab the photo album from the coffee table that I was looking at last night. Placing Aspen on my lap, I open the album to the first page.

"That was you the day you were born." I say, smiling at the tiny blanket wrapped baby.

"I was so little." She giggles, touching the picture gently.

"You were very little." I agree "Six pounds and eleven ounces to be exact."

"Is that little?" Aspen questions.

I nod "About the same as Ella weighs." Her eyes widen as she pictures our chihuahua, the one she's picked up effortlessly countless times.

"That's little." Aspen agrees. I smile, flipping through the album until I come across pictures from her first birthday.

"You're a year old here." I explain "Just a tiny bit older than Theo right now."

"Is that Lucy?!" She questions excitedly, pointing to a picture of herself and Lucy and her first birthday party.

"Yeah that's Lucy." I chuckle, flipping to the next page after a moment. On the top left hand corner, there's a picture of Keegan holding Aspen at about a year and a half. It's taken on set in what's noticeably Spencer's room, the four-post bed frame in the background.

"And that's you and Keegan." I smile, studying the picture some more. I remember those days well, even though they seem very distant. Probably something to do with the fact that I was tired beyond what coffee could fix. Working crazy hours on set with a baby as a single parent was undeniably difficult, but I think I learned a lot about myself and all I was capable of.

After flipping through the rest of the album, I place Aspen on the couch beside me and tell her I'll be right back. From the top shelf of the shoe closet, I grab a small wrapped box.