Although Ella’s days were boring beyond belief, her nights were anything but.She learned that sometimes it was slow and thoughtful.Other times it was quick but effective.Their past experience in the hotel had a frantic element to it.Now the need to hurry no longer existed.They had all the time in the world.
If there was one downside to this time together, it was that no matter how many times Ella called her parents, it just went to voicemail.She had spoken with Julia, Sophie, and Jorge several times.It was as if they had been designated as the Ella police and tasked with keeping an eye on her.Sophie called Ella almost every day and updated her on the family and the diner and encouraged Ella to give her parents time.Ever optimistic, Sophie was sure eventually everything would work out.On each call, Sophie would remind Ella that her parents had made it clear that she was welcome back anytime, but only if she left Ben and never had anything to do with him again.Her parents held Ben completely responsible for corrupting their perfect daughter.
Ella knew that was not true.As much as she wanted to repair the relationship with her parents, she loved Ben.He loved her.She believed that.She was not going to give him up just to make her parents happy.There had to be another way.
Ella also talked to her brother at least once a week.He usually called to check on her and see if she was ready to come home.Jorge ended every call by threatening to come to Malibu and kick Ben’s butt if needed.
While Ella was bummed about the situation with her parents, she had to admit, she loved living with Ben.Never in her wildest dreams had she ever imagined that she would be living with a man and not married to him.
After the fiasco with Ella’s parents, Ben had asked her if she would like to go ahead and get married.He offered to go the Justice of the Peace route or a quickie trip to Vegas.
Even though Ella could not wait to be married to Ben, she could not see herself getting married at a tacky Vegas drive-through wedding chapel.She had spent her whole life believing that someday she would be married in a full Catholic mass to a very Catholic boy with her whole family in attendance.The thought of getting married without them was unthinkable.So instead of agreeing to a quickie wedding, Ella asked Ben for some time to see if things might improve.Ben did not see how that was going to happen, but he was at a loss to deny her anything.She had asked that they table wedding talk until after the Thanksgiving holidays, and he agreed.
Thanksgiving had always been a major holiday for Ella’s family.Her dad was big on everyone making sure to say what they were thankful for.She could not imagine not being with them for the holiday.She kept waiting in vain for them to answer her call and tell her all was forgiven and to bring Ben home for the holiday.That call never came.
The second week of November, Ella had last official school assignment, her group project presentation.Any qualms she had about it were wasted because she nailed it.It was done over Zoom, and once that was over, Ella was officially finished with her degree.To celebrate, Ben took Ella out for a fabulous dinner at the Old Place in Malibu.
At first, Ella had been excited about dressing up and going out for a nice dinner.However, walking into the restaurant, she immediately felt underdressed even in her best Sunday dress and dressy sandals.The feeling of not belonging was made worse once she got a look at the menu.Seeing the prices, Ella was taken back.Of course, none of it phased Ben.He was at home in places like this.Deciding to ignore her own insecurities and focus on the fact that Ben had chosen her, Ella resolved to enjoy her celebration.In the end, the food was incredible, and they had a great time.If there was one thing that might have put a damper on the evening it was that once again, Ben brought up her walking at her commencement.Given the situation with her family, Ella was not sure that was something she wanted to do.It seemed silly to walk with only Ben there to see it.If things were different maybe, but as it was, she was not sure it was something she wanted to do.
Ben convinced Ella at least to pay the grad fees and order a cap and gown just in case.She agreed, though it seemed like a waste of money for something she might not use.In the end, she paid the fees and made sure everything was in order should she decide to walk.But that was a decision for another day.Just like their wedding, Ella resolved not to think about it again until after the Thanksgiving holiday.
Chapter 14
Aspen, Colorado
The Thursday before Thanksgiving, Ella had still not heard anything from her parents.Months earlier, Ben had planned a ski trip to Colorado to visit a few of his college buddies in Aspen before heading to his parents’ house in Arkansas.Ben promised that if an invite from Ella’s parents came, they would immediately change their plans and fly to Napa.
Assured that if her parents relented and she could be with them, Ella agreed to accompany Ben to Colorado, although she had no intention of skiing.She was still relatively hopeful that her parents would have a change of heart at the last minute and that they would all be together over Thanksgiving.Ella worried that Ben would still try to go to Arkansas.However, he assured her several times that he only wanted to be where she was.If that was Napa, then so be it.Giving him a kiss of appreciation, Ella asked herself again how she had gotten so lucky to find him.
When Ben had first told Ella about the trip to Aspen, she had to tamp down those pesky insecurities that crept up when she was placed in a new situation she knew nothing about, a much-more-common feeling now in this new world she found herself living.At the end of the day, Ella told herself she would just be meeting more of Ben’s friends.So far, she had really liked the ones she had met.Still, she was a little unsure and offered to stay at his apartment in Malibu alone while he went without her.Ben gave her a look that told her that was never going to happen.Once he showed her pictures of the luxurious condo the agent had booked, her interest perked up.
They agreed to keep the news about the baby to themselves in Aspen.Ella was relieved because she was not ready to share that with all his friends, who she suspected would think that was the only reason Ben was with her.
Ella wasn’t stupid.A part of her knew all too well that if she weren’t pregnant, she would not be engaged or living in Malibu.She certainly would not be going with Ben to Aspen.If things had been different, she was not sure what their relationship would even look like.For certain, it would be vastly different than it currently was.When Ella asked Ben what he had told his friends about her, he smiled and said he was bringing his girlfriend.
As wigged out as Ella was about meeting more of Ben’s friends, she was ever more stressed at the thought of meeting hisparents.The horror of how awfulherparents acted was still very raw.She prayed his parents would take it better than hers.But she did not hold out much hope.After all, the truth was Ben was bringing home a waitress he had known for all of about five minutes.His parents would probably think she got knocked up to trap him.All those thoughts swirled through Ella’s head as they flew first class to Aspen.The only upside was that Mia and Davy were going to be there, so Ella would know at least one other female.That gave her some comfort.
Once Ben and Ella arrived at the resort, she was awed by its beauty.The pictures did not do it justice.Looking around at the luxurious condo and the majestic scenery surrounding it, Ella marveled at how different her life was now: taking skiing holidays, flying first class, staying in a high-end condominium.She felt like such a poser, and she was pretty sure everyone else would see it too.
Sensing that something was off with Ella, Ben, who was fast becoming very astute at reading her moods, wrapped her in his arms.“I bet you could use a nap before we meet up with the gang for dinner.”
Relaxing into him, Ella nodded.“Oh, a nap sounds good.”For a person who went almost twenty years on almost no sleep, Ella was becoming a huge fan of naps.She was always tired.According to the pamphlets her doctor had given her, that was a common side effect of growing a human.
Around 6:00 that night, Ben woke Ella.They had seven o’clock dinner reservations.She quickly showered and dressed in skinny jeans, a cute top, and low booties.When Ella left Napa, she did not bring any heavy clothes with her.Ben had loaned her one of his puffer jackets for the cooler temperatures, which she threw on as she followed him out of the condo.It was two sizes too big, but it was better than nothing.
Ben and Ella were the first to arrive at Ajax Tavern, where the group had arranged to meet.While they waited for the others, they ordered the truffle fries, which were just being delivered when Ben’s friends entered the restaurant, making so much noise that everyone turned to look at them.Ben stood and motioned the group over.As they approached the table, he gave Davy, Mia, and Jack hugs along with all of the others.With little fanfare, Ben introduced Ella as his girlfriend.His friends all introduced themselves and made an effort to make Ella feel welcome.
Of course, Davy, Mia, and Jack all remembered Ella from Napa and commented on how great it was to see her again.In addition to them, Ben introduced her to Jarrod and his girlfriend, Fran, and Billy and his wife, Dalaney.The others also said how nice it was to meet Ella, but she could see the questions racing through their minds.
Two of the girls gave Ella strange looks.She knew what they were wondering: They were trying to figure out how she had bagged the one guy who had managed to not get serious with any girl over the past five years they had known him.Little did they know, that was a question Ella asked herself on a daily basis.
Jack was the only singleton of the group.He had not brought a plus one but was up to his old tricks.Before they had even ordered, he had gotten the waitress’s number.Her name was Heidi, and everyone teased Jac about his nonstop flirting with her, but he took it in stride.
Per their normal, for most of the evening, the guys dominated the conversation.Listening and trying to absorb as much as she could, Ella was very quiet.Repeatedly, Ben asked if she was okay.Every time, Ella smiled and nodded yes.Throughout the dinner, the guys kept a steady stream of sports talk.It surprised Ella that she was able to understand most of what they were saying.She had learned a lot about football.She considered jumping into the conversation when one of the guys made a dig about Arkansas football from the game the previous week.She started to correct a stat that the guy had incorrectly thrown out as a criticism, but she thought better of it.She wanted Ben’s friends to like her, and pointing out one of their mistakes was probably not the best way to do that.She needn’t have worried.Ben was on it and quickly told his friend that he was wrong and why.
Shortly after that, while everyone was finishing up their dinner, Ben excused himself under the guise of going to the bathroom.Instead, he went to the bar and ordered champagne and several desserts.After dinner, Heidi brought it all along with glasses for everyone to the table.When it arrived, the group was shocked.
Mia was the first to react, “Wow!This looks fabulous, but we did not order any of this.”
