Nodding, Ben amended, “While Harvey and I talk.”
Standing up and hugging Ben, Ella said, “Of course.”
By that point, Lizzy and Lola had abandoned the swings and were currently racing each other around the yard, laughing, screeching, and being very loud.
Yelling, “Girls, chill!”Ben gave Ella a look.“You sure?They can be a handful.”
Giving Ben a smirk, Ella replied, “Six younger siblings remember?I got this.We will be fine.”
Giving Ella a quick peck on the lips, Ben said, “Okay, well, if you’re sure.Let’s give it a go, sir,” Ben said, looking back at Ella as he and the reporter headed back into the house.Calling over his shoulder, he said, “We won’t be long.Have one of the girls come and get me if you need me.”
“We’ll be fine.No worries,” Ella yelled back.
For the next hour, Ella and the girls played games and had a great time while Ben was interviewed by Harvey.It took about an hour for his interview.When Ben finished, he found Ella and his sisters watching a movie upstairs in the movie room.His parents were still not home, so he joined them.
Later that night in bed with Ella sleeping soundly next to him, Ben struggled to find his own slumber.He could not stop the movie reel of the day that kept running through his head.Memories of his father, the first one, Tommy Thompson, the one he later found out was not his father, along with many of the events that led to his life being turned upside-down when he was eleven, played on a loop in his head.
Ben’s interview with Harvey Cox had dragged back up all of those memories and emotions.If nothing else good came out of his family telling their story, he realized that it had cemented his decision to be there for his son.Of course, they did not yet know the gender of the baby, but when he thought about it, it was always a boy in his head.If it turned out to be a girl, that would be fine too.Reliving all that happened to him the first twelve years of his life today had convinced him that he and Ella were doing the right thing.
Between watching movies and then later eating way too much pizza and playing cards with his parents after they got back home, Ben and Ella had not had time to discuss Taylor’s comment about Ella going to Michigan in the fall.One of Ben’s last thoughts before finally drifting off to sleep was a promise to himself to discuss that with Ella sooner rather than later.
Chapter 19
Malibu, California
By the time Ben and Ella were dropped off at the airport in Little Rock for their flight back to California, Ella’s world had tipped over on its side once again.She had woken up Saturday morning to the news that instead of Ben doing his internship in California as had been planned, Ben’s dad had arranged with the dean of Ben’s Poly Sci department to join his campaign staff and do the internship in Arkansas.That meant that Ben would need to be in Little Rock in January.
That was something that Ella was not prepared for.She and Ben had not even discussed a wedding date, but given this turn of events, Bennett and Poppy suggested Ben and Ella have a small wedding at their church in Searcy over the Christmas holidays.Ben, his parents, and sisters were all so excited about these plans that Ella felt she had to go along with them—even though she was not sure she was totally onboard with them.She felt like she was getting swept up in a tidal wave and carried along toward a future she had no control over.
Every time Ella started to raise a red flag and call a halt to all the events that were hurtling forward, she was forced to hold it in because Ben was so completely ecstatic.She could not bring herself to poke a pin in his bubble of joy.However, she felt her future was being planned for her—without her input.She was not quite sure how she got here, but she had no clue how to slow down the runaway train her future seemed to be on.
Ella was sitting next to Ben in the gate area waiting to board their flight back to California when her phone lit up.Looking down, she was shocked to see her mother’s name pop up.She showed Ben the caller’s name.Not wanting to bother others around her, Ella stood and walked off to a quiet area before answering.
“Mom?Is everything okay?”asked Ella.Considering the radio silence from her parents since her bombshell announcement, she thought it must be something terrible for her mother to be calling her.
“Everything is fine, sweetheart.I just needed to hear your voice and talk to you.I have missed you so much.It has been a really hard holiday without you.”
Ella could hear the pain in her mother’s voice.She hated that her mother was hurting, but she had been hurt as well.Wanting to keep the call on a positive note, Ella said, “It is good to hear your voice too.I missed all of you.Ben and I have been in Arkansas for Thanksgiving.We are actually at the airport preparing to fly home.”
After a pause, her mother replied, “Ella, your home is here with your father and me.We have talked about it, and we would like for you to come home.”
Taking a deep breath, Ella took a moment and then said, “Mom, I am with Ben.We are going to be married and are having a baby.You and Poppa have to make peace with that.”
For a moment Ella’s mom did not say anything.When she finally responded, she sounded very defeated.“I thought you might say that.You are as stubborn as your father.You have always known your own mind.If you are determined to do this, please come home and be married in your home church.Let us all be a part of it.I have already missed a holiday without you.I have no intention of missing my oldest daughter’s wedding.”
“Mom, I would love to do that, but what about Poppa?Have you talked to him about this?I refuse to come back only to have Ben treated like he was before.We are a package deal.”
Sighing deeply, her mom replied, “Your father and I have discussed this at length.I have made it abundantly clear to him that I refuse to lose you because he can be a stubborn mule.And honestly, he has missed you as much as I have.Thanksgiving was not the same without you.I am not going to lie.This is not the life either of us wanted for you.But we are not going to lose you and our first grandchild.Come home.I promise you both will be welcome.What do you say?Maybe a Christmas Eve wedding in the chapel?I know you have always loved Christmas.”
Ella thought for a minute, then said, “I have to talk to Ben about this, but honestly, it sounds perfect.”Ella could not hold back the tears that suddenly filled her eyes.“I will talk to him and call tomorrow.And Mom, thank you so much.I have missed you so much.All of you.Even the boys.”At that moment, Ben began waving her over because their flight was boarding.Ella said, “Mom.I love talking with you, but our flight is boarding.I need to go.”
For the first time during the call, Ella’s mom sounded lighter.“That’s fine.Talk to your Ben.If he is agreeable, we can work out the details.And Ella, I love you so much.Go catch your flight, and we will talk tomorrow.”
Ella hung up, feeling lighter and more hopeful than she had in weeks.
Over the next four weeks, Ben finished up his classwork.Thankfully, Ella’s morning sickness had eased.Even though Ben was busy studying for his finals, they still found time to be together.
Ella was busy planning a small wedding by phone—with her mom doing most of the legwork.Ben and Ella agreed to having only one attendant each and two flower girls.Of course, Sophie would be her maid of honor.Ben asked his dad to be his best man.If Lizzy and Lola had not been in the wedding, Ella was pretty sure none of them would ever hear the end of it, so they were included.Luckily, none of Ella’s other siblings had any interest in being in the wedding, a fact that she was very happy about.
