*Ross's POV*
That whole night I couldn't sleep. I kept running over everything Mia said to me. How my kids would grow up without any happy memorise of me and that I didn't want parenthood. I don't know what was going through her mind but I refused to let my wife be right.
And that is an extremely hard thing to do from a husbands perspective.
"Excuse me?" I stood up with my hands still in my pocket facing the beautiful blonde in front of me. I only came to the restaurant tonight because Rocky thought it was funny to set up a date between me and this girl, Daisy, who I had no interest in but she did with me. As soon as I walked in I saw the most beautiful girl, her blonde hair was pulled back into a pony tail and she wore her uniform with a cute smile. Something just drew me to her. Throughout the whole date I wasn't interest in anything this other girl had to say. All I wanted was to talk to our waitress.
Once the date was over Daisy wanted me to come back to her place but I made up a stupid excuse to leave by myself. When she walked around the corner and out of sight I sat on the bench opposite the diner waiting for this mystery girl.
She stared at me before pulling her bag closer to her.
"Oh god, no don't worry I'm-" I stumbled over my words as her eyes widened but then changed into a smile.
I laughed nervously as we stood there in silence.
"Was something wrong with the food?" She asked looking from the restaurant back to me. I shook my head quickly and she raised her eyebrow. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
"This is going to sound crazy I know" I took a deep breath. "But when I was in there I couldn't help but...notice you....I had to talk to you"
She blushed and looked down. I smiled and shuffled on my feet lightly.
"Weren't you on a date though?" She asked looking up.
"Long story...It wasn't exactly a date, she thought it was but I'm not that into her" I laughed slightly and she frowned at me.
"So you were using her?" She stepped back slightly and looked passed me. Obviously trying to find an escape route.
"No! My brother set me and her up but he just did it for a joke and I didn't exactly like her and....I should really stop talking now"
"I think I understand..." She said slowly. "But I've worked for twelve hours today so I'm going home" She said politely and walked past me.
"Wait!" I ran up to her. "At least let me walk you home?"
"I don't even know you?"
"Then get to know me while I walk you home" I smiled and held out my hand. "I'm Ross"
She looked from my hand to my eyes and back again. She slowly grabbed my hand and a smile spread across my face.
"Mia"
I walked into mine and Mia's room and saw her lying there in bed. I still struggle falling asleep at night without her. After so many years sharing a bed it gets difficult being on your own. Mia was sprawled out across her side of the bed, laying on her stomach. My side was still neat and untouched. I sighed and then Mia snored slightly. I smirked and shut the door quietly.
I wondered down the hall and into the nursery, as I walked in Ryder was stood up in his crib and Riley was playing with his feet in his crib. I smiled down at my two sons, I still couldn't believe they were mine, that me and Mia made them. If someone told me back when I was sixteen that I would marry my childhood sweetheart and have three children with her, I would of called them crazy.
"Dada!" Ryder reached up and I picked him up and kissed his cheek. He smiled and pointed towards Riley. I looked down and he gave me a smile, showing his two new teeth that had come through. I picked him up as well and carried both boys into the kitchen and sat them in their high chairs.
Now what do I do?
I looked around the kitchen trying to find Ryder's baby food and Riley's milk.
I couldn't mind a thing! Where does Mia hide everything?!
"Daddy?" I turned around to see Robin stood in the door way rubbing one of her eyes and holding her blanket. I smiled down at my daughter and scooped her off the ground. "Morning baby girl!" I said kissing her cheek softly. She hugged me until Riley started to grizzle. I sat Robin down at the table and started looking around the kitchen again.
Wait does Mia still breast feed? I should know these things!!
"Daddy where's Mommy?" Robin snapped me out of my thoughts and looked back at my children.
"Mommy's sleeping so Daddy is taking care of you this morning" I smiled slightly while turning back to the shelves.
"But Mommy always wakes me up" Robin said. I sighed and realised that even my own daughter who was only four knew I wasn't around. She's so used to being with Mia and not me. Damn why did she have to be right?
"Robin can you help me?" I asked but my daughter just looked at me confused. "Can you help me find some treasure?" I asked and her face lit up.
"Yeah!" She cheered jumping off her seat.
"There's half where your cereal is and the other half where Ryder's baby food is! Can you find it?"
Robin nodded and pointed to the last cupboard on the right hand side of the kitchen. I walked over to find the lucky charms inside. I pulled out the box and placed it on the counter. Robin walked to the other side of the kitchen and pointed to the middle cupboard on the bottom. I then found the baby food. I quickly distracted Robin while finding the candy bars.
I knew exactly where they were!
"You can have this at school today for being a smart girl!" I said crouching down to her level. She took it from me and sat back at the table for her breakfast.
Once I sorted out the food Robin ate next to me while I watched Ryder mush most of his over his face. Riley was on my knee and now had hot red cheeks from crying. I needed Mia now.
Suddenly the door opened and Mia stood there in her sweat pants and tank top. She looked at the kids and then at me and smiled.
"Morning"
I nodded towards her and then stood up. By this point Riley was screaming and I had no idea what to do. Mia walked over and took him from me.
"Keep an eye on them while I feed him please?"
She left and I cleaned up Ryder and washed up the bowls. Robin went upstairs to brush her teeth and Ryder was walking around the living room grabbing hold of anything he could find. I looked out the window and then felt two arms wrap around my torso.
"Thank you" Mia mumbled against my back.
"No problem" I said simply. She leaned up and started kissing my shoulder softly. For a second all I wanted to do was turn around and feel her lips on mine. To feel the sparks I always feel whenever we used to kiss.
I don't think I can remember the last time we did kiss.
"Mia stop" I said sternly. She froze and let go of me slowly. "I'm going to take Robin to school the go to work. I'll see you later" And with that I left her standing alone.
*Mia's POV*
Just as I settled Riley down for his nap the doorbell went. I groaned and opened the door to my old friend Lucy. I rolled my eyes and let her in. I've known Lucy to long to do the fake smile, hugging hello's. She knows I'll open the door and all she has to do is shut it behind her. Lucy sat herself on the couch and smiled widely.
"What are you so happy about?" I sat down on the couch in front of Ryder playing with his toy aeroplanes. He was defiantly a double of his father.
"Don't you notice anything different about me" Lucy smiled and I looked at my best friend. Her hair was still dyed red and her eyes were still deep brown. She still wore the same type of clothes and her make up was still done the same as when she was a teenager.
I shook my head. "Nope, care to explain?"
She groaned and started waving her hand in front of my face. I then saw it. A ring on her wedding finger. I quickly grabbed her hand and held it steady in front of my face. She has a ring....
"So what do you think?" She squealed. She took her hand away from mine and admired the diamond on her finger.
"He proposed last night! It was amazing Mia!" She said happily and I tried to mask a smile on my face but the struggle of knowing someone for so long is they start to know when your hiding something.
"What's wrong?" She asked sitting closer to me. I felt tears brim in my eyes and a knot form in my throat. I shouldn't being doing this, I shouldn't be taking over Lucy's time.
"Mia!" I looked at her and smiled weakly. "What's the matter?"
"Ross....Ross is leaving me" And then I burst out crying. Lucy gasped and pulled me into a hug. I cried into her shirt leaving tear stains. She stroked my hair and tried to calm me down.
And then Ryder started to whimper as well. I quickly broke away from Lucy and scooped my son up. "Shhh baby" I cooed resting his head on my shoulder. He calmed down and relaxed in my arms. I rocked him back and forth on my lap and kissed his soft hair lightly.
"He's leaving you?" Lucy whispered, I nodded slowly and kissed Ryder's fingertips. "Why on earth is he doing that?"
"He says it's not working..." I said as my voice cracked. Lucy looked down and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry Luce, this is your day, I shouldn't be crying. Tell me, how did it happen?" I sniffed and wiped my eyes.
"Are you sure?" She asked raising her eyebrow.
"Positive"
"Well we dropped Amber at my parents last night and Rocky took me to the beach. He had a picnic set up and we had the whole beach to ourselves" She smiled at the memory. "Then he just blurted out the question! Not the most romantic thing ever but I wouldn't change it for the world"
"Are you coming?" Ross called back to me. I was desperately trying to keep my dress down as the wind kept blowing it up. I was having a Marilyn Monroe moment but it defiantly wasn't as glamorous.
"Ross it's so windy!!" I shouted. Now this was turning into the worst birthday ever. I trudged over to Ross who was now entering a small cave on the edge of the shore.
"Ross!" I whined, he walked back out and smirked. I glared and he grabbed my hand pulling my inside. He quickly covered my eyes and started leading me forward.
"What ever happened to a birthday where the boyfriend takes his girlfriend out for dinner? Not to a creepy cave on a deserted beach" Ross chuckled at my comment but didn't say anything. After a few more steps we stopped and Ross removed his hands from my eyes. I gasped at what I saw in front of me.
The have was surrounded in hundreds of candles. Covering every inch of the space, lighting it up making it beautiful.
"Happy Birthday baby" He whispered in my ear. I turned around my wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed his cheek repeatedly.
"I love you, I love you, I love you!" I said between kisses. "Ignore everything I said before!" Ross laughed and kissed me softly. Now the next part of your gift is very special okay?
I nodded slowly and watched Ross walk over to his bag. His back was to me so I couldn't see what he was doing. When he turned around I gasped again but this time almost falling over because of the shock of what I saw.
An engagement ring.
The italics are what have happened in the past.