Roomies - The Baby Years

Chapter 26

I managed to get hold of my old friend from Watford who rented outflats and she luckily had one available that was big enough for both me and Ben.

Eli and I sold the house, and he helped me move into the flat back in Watford again. It was bittersweet, I loved being back home in watford but I hated not being there with Eli.

Keli was still here, and she had taken up the part of babysitting Ben whenever I had to write or other things. The two of them got along really well, and one could see how much she missed her own son when she played with Ben.

Christmas was over and we were a few days from New Years Eve as I drove Eli to the airport. He had packed down everything he thought he'd need for his first time in France. He had talked to Willa and she would be meeting him at the airport, showing him around his new home town. I hated that she was in his life that way again, but I was grateful that he had someone to help him feel a bit more at home over there.

The last week had been intense. There wasn't a day when we hadn't been sad or nervous about what was happening, but we both knew it was for the best. He had to take this step in his career, and I was not going to stop him from fulfilling his dream, like Willa had done all those years ago when she got pregnant and declared Eli as the housewife.

Once we got to the airport and he checked in his luggage and all those things you do that makes you nervous at the airport, it was time for us to say goodbye.

I didn't want to.

"I can't believe this is happening." I said and Eli took me in his arms,

"I love you, Stella."
"I love you too, I hate France though." I pouted my lips and Eli chuckled, "yeah me too, we should just cancel all flights there."
"Exactly, the world would be a better place." I was still being held by him, me cheek against his chest and I listened to his heart, it was beating faster than normal and I looked up at him,

"We could have been great, couldn't we?" and he nodded, "The greatest." he said and leaned down, kissing me right on the lips. I kissed him back, and I had to really fight myself to pull away. When I did, he groaned and grabbed my hands, kissed them and then looked at me again,

"I'm grateful for you, and I never want you to settle for anything less than you are worth, and you are worth it all, Stella Molins."
"You go and make me proud, stand up for the people that needs it the most and take down some bad guys, ok?" He nodded, then we kissed each other again, quickly. Before I knew it, I was waving goodbye to him from a distance as he went through the gates. Then he was gone.

I went out to the car, started a radio channel and started crying. I must have sat there crying for a good 20 minutes before I decided to drive back home to Watford. There was a feeling of peace, but also a feeling of loss. I didn't know which one was the stronger one at the moment.

Ig ot back home just as Niall was coming to pick up Ben. He was going to have him through the night, for the 2nd time since his overdose.

The first time had gone well, and Niall seemed to be doing well, so I had no reason not to trust him.

Niall and I both jumped out of our cars at the same time, and he must have seen that I had been crying because he came over and wrapped his arms around me.

Then we just stood there for a while, hugging. Innocently enough.

As we got inside the flat a few moments later, Keli was playing with Ben on the Xbox but when Ben saw his father, he almost threw the remote and ran over to Niall. It was a sight I loved seeing.
"Hey, you little turd, you can't just ignore the game!" Keli called after him and he laughed as she called him a turd.