The Other Family

Chapter 45

We got home and dad Anne and Gemma were waiting there to meet him. We took his stuff up to my room, he said he'd rather sleep on the couch in there with Ariel and I than in a spare room. Once we got his stuff settled we got changed and went for a walk. I changed my shoes into black low cut converse and put my hair into a bun. Then we left. We walked down to the pier and got fish and chips and had that for lunch. Then Ariel ran off to play at the park, Matt put his arm around me "so. Why have you been upset" he asked. I smiled "Louis's gonna be a father" I say as a tear falls. Matt looked at me "you're pregnant?" He asked sounding hurt. I shook my head "it's not mine" I say as I start to cry. Matt hugged me and kissed my head "shit" he whispered. "I'm so sorry jo" I smile and shrug "it's fine. But he didn't tell me. I had to find out through Cosmo on snapchat. That's why he wasn't upset when he found out about Ariel" I start to cry even more. Once I was done we got up and walked hand in hand down the shoreline towards the park "so, when are you going back to Australia?" I asked. Matt looked at me "I'm not" he said with a smile. I screamed and jumped into his arms "you're staying?!?!?!" I squealed. He nodded as more tears ran down my face. He smiled and wiped my face "I'm going this weekend to look at housing that the school offers" "so you'll be in London?" I asked feeling slightly deflated. He nodded "yes. But I have another option." He said. I was curious "what?" I asked "I could quit" he said. I stopped walking and looked at him shaking my head "no. No. You can't quit" I said. He sighed "this isn't like Australia. I can't. I can't live on campus with Ariel. So I have to live off campus but the scholarship doesn't cover that" he sounded defeated. I bit my lip "well. I mean. She could, if it's ok with you. She could stay with me. I mean if you aren't ok with that then forget I said anything" I quickly said. He looked at me "but, don't you want to go to school?" He asked. I shrugged "I still can. I'm enrolled at Oxford. I'm going next week to look at flats. She could stay with me and you'd only be an hour away. We could come for lunch or dinner or the weekends. Whenever you're free" I offered slightly timid. He stared at me in disbelief "YOU GOT INTO OXFORD AND DIDNT TELL ME?!?!?!" He screamed, rather enthusiastically. I smiled and nodded while he swooped me up in a huge hug "that sounds fantastic. I'm sure Ariel would love to live with you" Matt whispered in my ear as he hugged me. "Let's head back" I said gesturing toward Ariel. We had some searching to do for apartments before Tuesday. We got home and I sent Ariel to grab my laptop while o got her a snack. Then we sat down together on the couch; Matt with me up against his chest with Ariel on my lap. I logged onto the realtor website and we picked out a few places for Us to see on Tuesday.