Plus One

Blur

She pulled into her garage and sighed as she got out. "Thanks for following me." Ethan nodded. He went to speak, but Anna was already walking away. He frowned as the garage door closed behind her. He sat in his car for a little while in case something happened, but he knew she wouldn't call him. She didn't need or want him anymore and he was the one to blame. He had an hour or so before therapy and swung by his house to change. He was going to stay with his parents for the rest of the week since the 4th of July landed on a Friday. As he drove to therapy, he prayed Anna would be alright.

Jo had called Anna that night to invite her to the family barbecue. She knew the Andersons didn't celebrate it and wanted to see Anna. It had been too long. Anna was shocked that Ethan hadn't told them they were through, but she knew he'd be there and she couldn't do it. Anna learned fast, however, that there is no saying no to a persuasive Southern woman. She would make a quick appearance and leave before anything got too crazy. She had a plan and she was going to stick to it.

Anna had been at the Crane estate for two hours already angry at herself for not sticking to her plan. She wanted to be there for thirty minutes, but between Jo and Piper that was a lost cause. She did a great job of avoiding Ethan in a way that if Ivy was suspicious, she didn't let on.

The food was delicious and conversation flowed. Anna was seated next to Ethan, which was awkward but they got through it. As everyone congregated outside for the fireworks, Anna found herself once again standing next to Ethan. "They're beautiful."  

Anna smiled as the sky was painted a rainbow of colors. "Yeah, you are." Anna looked into his eyes and regretted it. She saw longing, pain, sadness and regret and it was too much. "Ethan..." He interrupted her. "I never told you I'm sorry. I'm sorry for sleeping with her. I'm sorry for saying those things. I'm so sorry for breaking your heart."

Anna was feeling too many things. Her heart ached all over again at the reminders. Her stomach did flip flops as she looked into his big green eyes. But the most prominent feeling was that of her head swimming as she grew dizzy. "Ethan..." Ethan quickly grabbed her as she fainted. Ivy screamed as she ran over to them.

He picked her up bridal style and headed inside to his room. Ivy was on it bringing over a cold washcloth and placing it over her head. She looked at her son's forlorn expression. "It's going to be okay," Ivy said after a while. "She loves you and you love her." Ethan sighed heavily as he sat in the chair beside his bed. "Sometimes love isn't enough." Ivy gave her son a kiss on the head before squeezing his shoulder. She left them alone and made her way downstairs praying for a miracle.

Anna came to a few moments after Ivy left. "Ethan." Anna called out. "I'm here, pretty girl." The use of the nickname was a habit, but he saw the expression on Anna's face. "You need to see another doctor. Clearly, the one you saw when we ran into each other didn't help things." Anna shook her head with a chuckle.

It was apparent their baby was no longer satisfied with their father not knowing about them. "I'm pregnant, Ethan. We're pregnant." Ethan stared at her in shock blinking away as he tried to make sense of things. His hands instinctively gravitated to her stomach where he felt a slight bump and smiled. "I'm only four months, but I think now that you know we should start talking about our co-parenting plan."

Ethan's eyes moved from her small belly to her face. "Co-parenting?" Anna looked at him as if he were dumb. "Just because we're having a baby doesn't mean we're together, Ethan." He was smacked down back to the reality of his situation. He had truly ruined things. They would have been a family. "I know we're not together, Anna. I just think we have time before then." Anna eyed him before backing down.

"So, when are you due?" Ethan asked his hand still on her stomach. Anna chuckled lightly. "December." He looked into her eyes and smiled. "Full circle." She nodded thinking on last December. "Wait, so that means the baby is a St. Patrick's baby." Anna hadn't thought about it. "Make sense. We were acting like rabbits." Ethan's smile widened as he thought of the many times and ways he had taken her that month. Anna saw the look in his eyes and looked away. They were thinking of the same thing.

They heard a knock on the door before Eliza and Jo walked in. "You're awake!" Jo exclaimed happily. Anna smiled at her and nodded. Eliza looked to Ethan's face and then his hand placement and beamed. "You're pregnant!" Anna moved Ethan's hand and sat up. "Who's pregnant?!" Ivy called out running into the room.

Ethan rubbed his hands over his face. "We're pregnant." Anna finally answered sighing. The scream Ivy let out was piercing as she jumped over Ethan to get to Anna. Anna couldn't help but laugh loudly as she squeezed her. "Mom, don't hurt her or the baby!" Eliza called out moving her before giving Anna a big hug. "We're going to have a baby in the house!" Jo clapped happily.

Anna let them all chatter about the news and the various ways they were going to spoil the baby. She made Ivy promise not to tell her mother, so that she could tomorrow. "Aren't you and Ethan both going to go over there?" Anna looked at Ethan who stood on the balcony with his sisters. "I know you're not together right now, honey, but you want the father of your child to always have a good relationship with your family." Anna knew she was right. Her father will flip about her having a baby out of wedlock, but also the harsh reality that she will be a single mother. The best thing would be to show a united front and ward off any drama.

Anna said her goodbyes before Ethan walked her to her car. "Will you be okay getting home?" She nodded looking up at him. "I appreciate your apology, Ethan. I do, but I told you once that I wouldn't take you disrespecting me or yourself and you did both. How do you expect me to just get over everything you've said and done? Would you get over it if the roles were reversed?"

Ethan took a step forward, but she took a step back. He sighed heavily watching her with sad eyes. "Our focus needs to be on our baby. We can be civil and maybe one day be friends, but for now Bean is priority." Ethan smiled at the nickname. "I thought we agreed on Carson." Anna's eyes grew wide at the conversation they had while still in a false relationship. "You remembered?" He nodded moving a strand of hair from her face. He leaned forward happy that she didn't recoil and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, Anna."

The whole drive home Anna thought of the one man that had so much power over her. It wasn't fair, because it wasn't mutual. Prior to the breakup, Anna told herself that though he hadn't said it Ethan did love her. She could just tell, but now she knew that wasn't the case. When you love someone, you don't do what he did to her.

They were going together tomorrow to tell her family and she was a nervous wreck. She couldn't sleep and wanted so badly to call him and just listen to him speak, but she couldn't do that anymore. She couldn't even bring herself to watch The Arrow because of how much Oliver Queen looked like Ethan. She decided to paint instead.

She let her mind loose and dipped into color after color not really paying attention as the brush moved. When she was done it was 8 am and a painting for her with a large belly stared back at her. It was soft and welcoming and maternal. She didn't know what made her paint it, but she was glad she did.

She had a few hours before Ethan would be there to take her to her parents' house so she needed to get ready. She wore another loose fitting dress and strappy sandals before tying her hair up into a ponytail. The doorbell rang and she was quick to answer it. He looked handsome in jeans and a V-neck. "You look beautiful," he complimented looking her over in the pink dress. "Thank you." They made their way to the car and Ethan chatted about lighthearted topics that she appreciated. She wanted to address their relationship status and how to bridge that with her parents but they were already pulling up.