Haven Harbor • a.i. •

Chapter 100

The honking of a car horn was heard outside and all of us headed to the front door to get our bags.

"Have a safe flight and call me when you land." Ann came forward to hug me and I hugged her tightly in return. "I love you Carter, you're going to have so much fun."

I smiled at her words.

"Thank you. I love you too." She kissed my cheek then let me go to hug Ender and Ashton placed a hand on my shoulder, smiling widely.

"Love you Grandma." Ender hugged Ann.

"I love you too. I'll be going to pick up Bear today and I'll send you plenty of pictures of him and Indie."

"Okay." Ender grinned and Ann moved to Gracie.

"Be a good little girl for your Mommy and Daddy. I'll come visit you soon, okay?"

"Okay Grandma." Gracie smiled.

"Oh I'll miss you two so much." She pulled Ender into the hug as well and they both grinned.

Gracie gave Ann a kiss and told her she loved her before Ann went to hug Ashton, reminding him to watch after us before we said our final goodbyes and walked out the front door.

I still had a ridiculously stupid smile on my face as we put our duffels in the back of the car and Ashton gave me a weird look.

"What are you all smiling for?"

"It's just that it's been a really long time since a mother has told me she loved me." I said, almost choking up a bit.

Ashton grinned before pulling me into his embrace and giving me a kiss.

"She does love you. You're her daughter now."

I nodded.

"I have a mom again."

"Yeah...you do have a mom again." He continued to smile and gave me a few more kisses before we loaded into the car.

We were apparently the last stop on the way to the airport because when I got to the door Gracie was hugging her uncles.

I got her strapped into her car seat and set her back pack and Mr. Carrots in her lap, while she sucked on the top of her sippy cup.

I took a seat between Luke and Ashton while Ender went to the back to talk to Michael about a comic book store he had looked up online that was in LosAngeles that he wanted to go to.

I hadn't looked up really but when I did I noticed a fairly muscled man sitting up front.

"That's Brad, he's one of our body guards." Ashton explained and introduced the two of us.

"Daddy I want kisses!" Gracie suddenly demanded from her car seat.

"What's the word we say when we want something?" He asked her.

"Please!" She said loudly and Ashton and I smiled at her before he leaned over to give her a few kisses on her face.

"Are you happy now?" He asked her and she nodded, shoving her sippy cup back between her lips.

The car ride was silent until I saw signs for the airport and I became a bit antsy.

"Okay I'm really nervous." I blurted out.

"Why? There's nothing to be nervous about." Ashton rubbed my shoulder.

"I don't know." I whined and he put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me over to plant a kiss to my hair.