Tori's POV -
So, after our encounter with Kayla's dad, we head back to my mom's and Tony's place.
Lily is still there when we arrive and she greets us.
We hang around with her for a while and then Kayla and I head up to our room.
"So, what do you think so far?" I ask her "it's amazing right?"
"Of course... I just wasn't expecting to see my dad with someone else and mom knows about it" she says "so I have a half-sister, it's no big"
"Well, I guess things happen for a reason..."
"Yeah... I know that. I'm just surprised about it all I guess"
We talk for a while and then go to bed for some, much needed, sleep.
The next few days pass pretty quickly and I anticipate the arrival of my father, Maddie and the boys.
Christian texts me when they are getting on the plane, before they have to turn their phones off.
I wait for them and eventually they come over.
Julian pulls me into an embrace first and then Christian joins in.
"We missed you" Julian says
"I guess I missed you too..."
"It's been awful to not see you" Christian says
"Do our parents know you're here?" I ask
"Not really. We kind of snuck out of Adrian's while they all went to bed" Julian says
"Oh... I see. You know, I'm sorry for acting the way I did last week. I guess I was confused as to what was happening"
"It's okay" they both say at the same time
"Victoria honey" mom shouts me "who's that there?"
She comes into the foyer and smiles as she sees the boys.
"Oh, hello. You're Maddie's children yes?" she says
The boys nod
"And you're the boys that have my little girl all hung up?" she says
"Uh..." they say
"Don't worry, I don't have the same opinion as George does. He's a guy, he doesn't see what I do. Then again, he never did with me. But he wasn't all bad though. I knew he loved me, but he didn't really show it very much."
"Mom, do you not have somewhere to be?" I ask
"Oh, right... I guess I don't want to embarrass you. I'll leave you guys alone" then she leaves
The boys stay for a little longer and then they leave.
The next day, dad stops by.
"Mary-Anne" he says to mom as she walks into the front room where dad and I sit and talk
"George" mom says quickly.
"It's... good to see you" he says "I know the last time we saw each other wasn't the best of times"
"It's okay. I'm sorry for how I acted when I saw you... I mean, with your parents"
"That's fine" dad says "I guess they were just looking out for their granddaughter after all. She is their only one... blood related of course"
Mom comes and sits next to me on the sofa and smiles at me.
She joins us in our conversation and she speaks of the boys and me
"It's not right for her to be with them... I mean, either of them would be just as bad, but being with the two of them is wrong" dad says
"Come on George, she's eighteen now. She can really do what she wants. But it's not like she's blood related to them" mom says, defending me
Dad sighs "you never listen to my side of things Mary-Anne. You always seem to think of ways to side with everyone else"
"That's because you're always so unfair" she says "but then you always agreed with me eventually"
"That was because I loved you. I... didn't want to lose you, but then I guess I did anyway"
I look at both of them and then I see it. They still have some kind of connection and it's not just me.
Christmas day comes and I ask to spend it with my mom and dad together. Seeing as they are in the same place this year and it is the first Christmas in over seven years since I saw my mother.
They both agree and allow Tony to spend Christmas with his children and Maddie to spend Christmas with her boys, Hayley and Elisa.
Turns out, Alex spent some of his saved up money and got on a plane over here to surprise Kayla and she was definitely surprised and he said he would take her to dinner on Christmas day as he conversed with the twins and asked them to sort something out for them.
Kayla's POV –
I was completely surprised by Alex coming over to me on Christmas Eve!
"Kay, I can't deal with this anymore. I guess I needed to do this because I need an answer now" he says to me "it's Christmas Eve and I've got on a very busy plane and pulled some strings in order to do this and I've flown for six and a half hours just to come and see you. So I may as well say it now before I chicken out. I had a week to think about this and I now realise that I can't stop thinking of you. I know I've said this a few times to some girls and not really meant it, but this time I mean it with all of my heart... I love you"
I pull myself together and think for a second. Do I love him back?
I compose myself and look at him in his eyes "I... love you too"
Then he pulls me to him and presses his lips to mine.
"I'm taking you out for Christmas dinner by the way. I'd asked the twins it they could sort something out for me and they managed it."
"Awh! You're so sweet."
"Well, I guess I can also thank Randy. He made me realise how I feel about you. I know I said I don't like the guy, but now I think I love him too now"
I look at him taken aback and he laughs "I'm kidding" he says "He's not that bad of a guy to be fair"
Christmas day, Lily says I can borrow one of her dresses and we spend the morning with Tori, her mom and Lily's family before we head for Christmas dinner out.
Tori's POV –
I get ready for my dinner with mom and dad and Mom and I head to pick dad up.
The boys come out also and when they see me, they smile at me
"Honey, you look lovely" dad says to me and then he looks at mom and a slight smile appears on his face "you uh... look good too Mary-Anne"
"Thanks George, you look... nice also"
Dad gets in the front passenger seat of mom's car and I get into the back.
We head to the restaurant and are seated.
Dad sits opposite mom and me.
We order our drinks and talk while they take our order
"So, how have you been?" mom asks dad
"I've been okay. It's just been pretty hectic lately, but I've been alright so far. How about you? How is your engagement with Tony going?"
"It's good. I mean, I love him, but I know Lily doesn't like me very much. She hardly ever speaks to me and when she does, she doesn't speak for long. I mean, she seems to like Tori. But I guess she wouldn't like the woman who her dad is replacing her mom with. She did run away for about a week when Tony proposed to me"
"Maybe she just needs time to get used to it" dad says "sometimes children don't get used to their mom or dad getting re-married after losing one of their parents. I'm sure you were like that right? You know, when your mom re-married"
"Oh, yeah. I guess I was pretty annoyed that she would replace dad just like that"
"Do you still speak to your mom?" he asks
"Not really, I lost contact with her and Kevin a while back"
"Does she know you're getting re-married?"
"She doesn't know we're divorced"
"Oh... you didn't tell her?"
"Nope. I haven't spoken to her since before we divorced. Besides, she was never very good of a mom to me anyway"
Our food arrives and we eat and chat. I'm surprised that they are speaking so calmly to each other.
Then I see something in them as they speak to each other and catch up on the past few years.
When we sit in the car after we had finished, mom speaks
"Would you like us to drop you off or would you like to join us back at the house?" mom asks "you could invite the others along if you wish and we can all spend the evening together"
"That would be nice" dad says "I'll call Maddie now then"
He does and strangely, she agrees to it all.
We drop by Adrian's house and both boys jump into mom's car and the others follow in Adrian's car.
As we drive, the boys both look at me.
"Don't look at her like that" dad says, which makes them move their gazes from me to him
"Come on George, let them be" mom says "they can be like this if they wish. It's nothing to be ashamed of. They're in love. Let them be in love"
This causes Christian to look out of the window and I place a hand on his thigh and he turns to me, giving me a weak smile and turning out of the window again.
Julian's POV –
I watch Chris as he looks out of the window when Mary-Anne says what she does.
Tori places a hand on his thigh and he gives her a brief smile before looking back out of the window.
We finally reach the house and Adrian and the others arrive a few moments after us and we head inside.
Mary-Anne explains her plans to her fiancé and we sit in the front room and play some games as if we are a big family.
Alex and Kayla join us after a while and we all have a laugh.
I stop Chris as we have a moment alone to ask him what's up
"What do you mean?" he asks me "I'm fine"
"Why did you act weird in the car?" I ask
"Look, I don't think I'm in love with her. I know you are. I know I love her. but in love? I don't think so"
"So, what does that mean?" I ask "what if she decides to choose and she chooses you?"
"No, she will definitely choose you" he says "I know it"
Adrian walks into the kitchen then "What's going on?"
"It's nothing" Chris says
"Come on. I saw how you two both jumped into that car with Tori. Mom also told me what happened. I know she has had second thoughts about George also. So you may get what you've wanted after all" Adrian says
Chris and I head back to the little party and we join in with the fun.
Tori's POV –
When we finish the party, dad, Maddie, the boys, Adrian, Hayley and Elisa all go back to Adrian's place.
The next couple of days pass and Mom and Tony are having a New Year's party and everyone was invited.
The morning of New Year's Eve comes and everyone is rushing around trying to get the decorations up and everything sorted.
"Honey, can you help me with the guest list?" mom asks "I have to make sure it's right"
I nod and Alex and Kayla come down and offer to help hang decorations.
"Oh, maybe you could sort out the music" mom says to me "instead"
I nod "okay"
I head to sort out the music.
Dad comes by asking to talk to me about something.
"What's wrong dad?" I ask as we walk outside onto the porch and sit down on the porch swing.
"The thing is... I'm sorry how I've been acting about the whole situation. Maddie and I have talked about it and she feels as though her boys' happiness comes before hers and she wants to divorce. I agree as I realise that I never really loved her like I loved your mother" he says
"Really?" I ask "but what are you going to do about mom? You still love her right?"
"That's where you come in. Maybe you can help me out" he says
"So, I can be with the boys if I want to?" I ask
"Yes. If you... want to" he says
----
So, this is another chapter!
Hope you like.
The next chapter is the second to last chapter. I'm hoping
Thanks for reading
Vote/comment
Hannah