We arrive home and Aubrey heads right for the kitchen pulling out plates and dishes I didn't even know we had and she places them down on the middle island bench
"Are you going to let me help?"
"You can help." She says as she opens the drawer and pulls out a knife "what you can't do is boss me around and tell me how to do things, Mr perfectionist." She points the knife at me.
"Would I mess with a pregnant woman waving a knife?" I laugh
"A smart man wouldn't." She squints her eyes, a grin appearing on her face.
I make my way over and take the knife from her hand, placing it down on the bench. "Lucky I'm a smart man." I press my lips to hers.
Wrapping her arms around me she deepens the kiss, sliding her tongue into my mouth.
I lift her and place her on the kitchen counter, continuing our kiss.
"Guys, people have to eat here," Amara yells with a laugh
I pull back from my kiss to find Amara, Nate, and Oli standing in the kitchen
"Why did I give you a key again?"
"Because you love me." She smiles
"Hey man." I smile at Nate as I help Aubrey down from the bench, and she makes her way to Amara giving her a hug
"Look at you, my baby girl is getting so big." She places her hand on her stomach.
"Easton said the same thing this morning," Aubrey smiles and places her hand on her stomach
Amaras eyes widen and she takes Aubrey's hand "what the hell is this?" She squeals
"Oh uh," Aubrey bit down on my bottom lip softly
"Of all the people to ruin a surprise, it would be you Amara" I roll my eyes
"No way? He asked you to marry him?"
"Yes!" Aubrey finally caves with a huge smile on her face
"Oh my god, details how?" She gushes "Nate, look at how beautiful this ring is." She gasps looking at it
"In typical fashion, we had a fight and then he asked me to marry me." Aubrey laughs
"Really East?" Amara huffs softly
"Hey, I had a lovely night planned, it just didn't go as planned."
"It was my fault." Aubrey speaks up "I got the wrong idea about something and, anyway it doesn't matter now, because we're getting married and we're having a baby, everything feels great right now."
♠
We spend the rest of the afternoon in the kitchen. I left Amara and Aubrey to do most of the papering of the food but stay close in case they need a hand.
Oli has been sleeping in his pram most of the afternoon, he's such a good baby, you forget he's around most of the time. I wonder what our daughter will be like, I hope she's a sleeper like her mother.
Soft cries being to come from the pram and I make my way over. "Hey little buddy." I pick him up, giving him a cuddle as I rub his back softly "did they wake you up with their loud talking?" I kiss the top of his head
I look up and see Amara and Aubrey both watching me with smiles on their faces
"You're going to be make a great dad East." Amara smiles
"I'll try." I give her a soft smile and make my way into the living room
"He's awake." Nate says looking up from his phone
I take a seat next to him "Yeah he woke up a second ago, do you want to take him?"
"No man, you can hold him, you need all the practice you can get. It's not long until you'll have your own little one."
"Four months." I reply with a smile
"You scared?"
"Not really, I'll have Aubrey, and I know she's going to be a wonderful Mum."
"I think she will be as well, she's a natural, Amara was always a natural as well."
"Speaking of my sister, how are things?"
"Great, everything has been going really well, I've been saving my ass off so we can move out of your parents place, but we're good."
"Can't handle the rents huh?" I laugh
"It's not that, they're really good to us and they keep to themselves mostly, but I want to provide for her, I want to give her a house of our own to raise Oli in, and extend the family."
"Thanks for that image." I huff softly "But if you need a loan I'm happy to give you some money?"
"No man, I want to do this, I want this to be my money, I don't want to borrow anything. Your dad already offered to buy us a place and I turned him down as well."
"You know I'm sorry I was so hard on you and Amara to start with, and I'm sorry you felt the need to sneak around for so long, I was wrong, you are good for her, and I don't think she would have found anyone who adores her as much as you do."
"Fuck, don't make me cry now Easty." He jokes "no thank-you, I appreciate it." He smiles
I look down at Oli who is fast asleep once more and stand up. "I'll go and get his pram."
♠
At around six everyone else arrives. The girls have the food out ready to go and everything looks amazing. There isn't a single food you can think of that isn't here and not only does it look amazing, it smells amazing as well.
Everyone comes in and grabs some food and a drink, and we all stand around talking in our little groups, catching up.
I watch as Aubrey takes a seat on the kitchen stool and rubs her lower back gently, but keeps a smile on her face as she talks to my Mum.
I make my way over and give mum a kiss and hug hello, then place my arm around Aubrey, and take over rubbing her back.
She snuggles into me and smiles softly, keeping her face turned to Mum
"So, what's this all about then?" She asks cheerfully "you're already giving me a granddaughter, what more in life would I want?"
"Shall we put them all out of their misery?" I ask Aubrey with a grin
"I think so." She nods
"Guys," I call out getting everyone's attention. "Aubrey and I have something we'd like to tell you." I smile at her and she back at me "last night I asked her to marry me, and she said yes."
Mum squeals happily and embraces us both. Everyone else in the room making their way over when they have a chance.
All the girls care about is the ring. They all gush over it, admiring it, putting an even bigger smile on Aubrey's face. It's only a moment later I see Caleb making his way in my direction.
"Hey." He says as he reaches
"Hey." I say back wondering where this is going.
Even though Caleb has been with my cousin for some months now, we still don't talk a great deal, I don't hate him and I don't believe he hates me, but we're also not best friends.
"Congratulations, I'm happy for you guys."
"Thanks man."
"I guess I owe you an apology."
"For?"
"For being a dick in the beginning and trying to get in between the two of you, I was so decided that you'd hurt her, that I didn't stop to see how much you love her and for that I'm sorry."
"If I was you, I would have felt the same way. I shrug "I'm not always the best person, and I'll admit I look back on the way I've treated Aubrey in the past and it makes me cringe, I don't deserve her, you've always been right around that, but I do love her and I'd give my last breath for her and our baby girl"
"I know you would, and just so you know I feel the same about Romee, I'm glad to have met her, I guess everything happens for a reason."
"I guess it does." I look over at Aubrey with a smile
"Easton Raven, you sneaky devil!" Angie grins as she gives me a hug "I'm so happy right now."
"So am I Ang, so am I." I tell her truthfully. "I know she's not, you know biological yours but you raised a really amazing girl Angie"
"I did nothing." She shrugs "she had beautiful parents before she lost them, she's so much like her mother, the way she talks, her facial expression, her kind heart." She smiles watching her "Her Mum would be so proud, and she'd love you, she always had a thing for the bad boys as well."
"Hmm?" I raise a brow "Aubrey's dad was a bad boy?"
"The only boy in school who smoked and had tattoos, and he was the one she had to have."
"Like mother like daughter." I grin
"You remind me of her Dad sometimes. The way you care for her. Maybe it's just that you both have this bad boy persona going on, but watching a bad boy being sweet to my girl, it reminds me so much of the two of them."
"She doesn't talk about them much."
"It's hard for her still, I know she still misses them, and I'm sure she thinks of them every day but it's not always easy."
"I understand." I nod "Still when she lost her parents she could have gone off the rails and she didn't, because she had you, so never doubt what a huge part of her life you've played"
"Aw, thank-you Easton." She gives me another hug.
The rest of the night goes on much the same, everyone talking, celebrating our news with a few drinks. As I stand back watching them all, I know that things can't get any better then they are right now.
And I have a bad, bad feeling.
I have a little surprise for you all, and one by one I'll be dropping clues on my Instagram. Can you figure it out? Clue one is already posted! Follow my Instagram to play along. (You have to request to follow me, but I'll except you, don't worry we're all friends here!