Page 37 of Wait for the Dream

As far as interactions went, that wasn’t the worst. Getting accused of being after his money made me feel like shit, because to the outside world, pit probably looks like I’m using Aiden for his money.

His best friend gets pregnant and cut off by her family, and she suddenly has feelings for him? Who is going to believe that I’ve always loved this man? I know the truth, my friends know the truth, Aiden knows the truth, but the rest of the world doesn’t. I know I shouldn’t care what the rest of the world thinks, but hearing Daniel basically imply that I got pregnant on purpose to take his money just opened wounds that hadn’t yet healed.

And the icing on the cake is that someday I will have to tell Rowan how she came into this world. Someday she will have to know that her sperm donor didn’t want to know her. That his family didn’t want to know her. Someday, I will have to break my little girl’s heart.

I know what it is like to be unwanted by the very people who are supposed to love you most, and I never wanted that for my kids. I know Rowan will always have a family that loves her unconditionally, but someday, she will know about her biological father and how he responded when he found out, and that breaks my heart more than anything ever has.

I just hope that when that day comes, she will have been shown so much love that putting the pieces back together won’t be hard. That she will see all the love that she has been surrounded by, that she has a family that chose her from the second they found out she was coming into the world, that she will know that she has a family that will drop everything to come to her rescue when she needs them, just like they did when I sent that text earlier. She will have aunts and uncles, a Mimi and Pop Pop, a mom and a dad, if all goes well with me and Aiden, who love her enough that she won’t feel the loss of people who aren’t worth the hurt, aren’t even worth a second thought.

Aiden

Bailey and I walk into our apartment a little while later with Chloe and Maggy following us. Sebastian, Dallas and Maddox are on their way. After Blue stopped crying, we decided to go back to our apartment and hang out for a little bit. Bash is going to grab Luca since he is such a little energy ball, and will brighten everyone’s mood. I’m glad I decided to walk to class this morning, so I could drive Blue’s car back to the apartment without having to worry about mine.

“I should go back there and kick that dude’s ass.” Chloe says flopping down on the couch.

“No one needs their ass kicked, I’m honestly just sad. Someday I’m going to have to tell Roro about him—,” She trails off, but I think we all know what she is trying to say. She doesn’t want to break her girl’s heart.

“We don’t need him, Blue. Rowan is already so loved,” I say and press a kiss on her forehead. “Does anyone need anything?” I ask, heading into the kitchen to grab some water for Bailey, knowing she is going to need it.

“Can I have some water?” Maggy says crawling into the chair with Bailey, hugging her tight.

“I’m good, thanks” Chloe says, just as the door opens and Maddox walks in.

Maddox gives Bailey a kiss on the cheek. “You alright, Bee?”

“I”m alright, Maddy, I promise.” I see a small smile play at her lips.

I finally get to the kitchen, grabbing a couple bottles of water. I stop at Blue’s backpack on the way back and grab the sugarplum pound cake I put in there while I was gathering her things at the cafe.

“You’re in my seat.” I tell Maggy, who gets up and goes to sit on the couch next to Chloe, Maddox throws himself down on the couch, laying his head down on Magnolia’s lap. Magnolia absently plays with Maddox’s hair. I pick Bailey up bridal style, sit down and cradle her on my lap. I grab the remote and turn on Bluey, Luca’s favorite show.

The front door opens and Dallas walks into the apartment and goes straight to Bailey, “You alright, Bee?” He asks placing a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently.

“Guys, I’m really okay.” She chuckles.

I search her face and find that she’s mostly telling the truth. She’s sad, worrying about the day Rowan asks about her biological father, but she is mostly okay.

The front door opens again and a very excited Luca runs through the door yelling “BEE BEE!” He climbs onto our laps and hugs Bailey around the neck, squeezing a little too tightly.

Sebastian chuckles at Luca, “Woah there buddy, we’ve gotta be careful with Bailey.”

“How’s my favorite boy?” Bailey says, pressing a small kiss into his hair.

“We are still on this whole, ‘Luca is your favorite boy’ thing?” I use air quotes to emphasize my dislike of not being her favorite boy.

“You’re going to have to get over it, Bear. I won’t be your favorite girl anymore, when this little one gets here.” Bailey shakes her head at me.

“That’s different and you know it. She’s my daughter, he’s your nephew!” I protest. A chorus of soft gasps and ‘awwww’s play through the room, and I look to see tears welling in Bailey’s eyes. “Why are you crying? What did I say?”

“She’s your daughter?” Maggy says from the couch, her voice is just as thick with emotion.

“Yea. I thought I’d made that clear awhile ago.” I say, totally confused. Bailey has known that I want that for weeks now, and I haven’t hid how much I love this little girl, and how much I want her to be mine from our family either.

“I mean, we all assumed that was the case, but you’ve never said it so plainly before. At least not to us.” Maddox says.

“Well, let me make it clear, as long as it’s okay with Bailey, I fully plan to adopt Rowan as soon as humanly possible. I love Bailey with my entire heart and soul, and fully plan to marry her as soon as she will let me. Bailey will be my wife, Rowan will be my daughter.” I say the words loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, but I am looking only at Blue. She needs to hear them more than anyone else.

“Gah! It got real sappy in here real fast.” Chloe says breaking the tension and a chorus of laughter rings through the room.