Ari

I wanted to ask sebby what happened in the parking lot a few days ago, but I know my love. I know that he needs time to process. He told me he didn't want his biological parents to meet charlie. I agree with him on that. They hurt sebby deeply, wounds that will never fully heal. They made sebby feel like he wasn't good enough for me, for charlie.

I haven't asked stephan about it either, he has been busying himself with school, work, and meadow. I hope he knows that I'm here if he needs to talk too.

After getting Charlie to sleep I head to mine and sebbys room. He's not home yet. I know the club is having a party tonight. Sebby usually doesn't go to them, but it's Jaspers birthday. Peyton offered to keep charlie for the night so I could go too, I declined. I don't really enjoy partying. I'd rather be the one to put my daughter to sleep.

I grab my phone off the night stand after i get out of the shower. I dont have any texts or calls from seb. I decide to send him one before i go to sleep.

Me: hey, my love, I just got charlie to sleep. Stephan is already in his room. I'm about to go to sleep. I love you, be safe.

I wait for a few minutes, but don't get a reply. I lay the phone down on night stand and fall asleep.

"Mommy?" I crack an eye open to see ny daughter standing infront of me.

"Hi, baby. What to get up here and cuddle with us?" I yawn.

"Where's daddy?"

I furrow my eyebrow and look over my shoulder, sebby isn't in bed.

"I don't know, probaly up at the club house. He'll be home soon I'm sure." I didn't mean to lie to my daughter. I expected sebby to come home. It's been three days and he's still not home.

Dad, uncle parker, eli, and Jasper all left to go help another club in texas the moring after the party. Dad is friends with their president Everhett. I could text dad to have one of the other guys see what's going on or I could just show up at the clubhouse, but I don't want to drag my family into whatever the hell is going on with me and sebby.

I try to make things as normal as I can for the kids. Charlie misses her daddy. Stephan has been spending more time with meadow since he wasn't going to the shop with seb after school.

Me: sebby I don't know what's going on. I have tried to give you your space. I need you to talk to me, please.

Future husban: i know..

I have sent multiple texts over the last few days this is the only one he has replied to.

Me: come home please. Its after 2am. The kids are sleeping, we can talk...

Future husband: yeah, I'll be there soon. I love you angel, I don't want you to ever doubt that.

My thoughts start spiraling with what he means by his words. Did sebby cheat on me? Does he not want to marry me anymore? Does he not love me anymore? Those thoughts make my stomach turn. I run to the bathroom to empty my stomach.

I'm dry heaving when I feel a hand come to my back. "What's wrong baby?" Are you okay?" The worry in his voice evident, but I can't find it in myself to care. He's been MIA for days. He doesn't just get to walk in here and act like everything's okay.

Once I finish I stand without a word and go to the sink to brush my teeth. He stays rooted in place Watching me the whole time.

Once im done he finally speaks. "I'm sorry angel." He sounds so defeated. I look over at him and nod. "Everything that happend with Tammy was just putting me in a weird headspace. There no excuse for not coming home though."

"I get it trust me I do, I know all about shitty parents. I'm here for you though, you know that right?"

He nods his had and steps towards me until he is close enough to pull me into his arms. "I love you, angel."

I wrap my arms around his waist. "I love you too. Your daughter's been crying for you sebby. It broke my heart, she just wanted her daddy." I choke out.

I can feel him wince against me. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I never want to hurt you or her. You both own my heart."

"Can you tell me what's going in sebby?"

"Tammy's got cancer, stage four, she's dying. She wants to get to know stephan and me before she goes. I don't know what to do. She asked for you and charlie to come too, but that's a no. As for myself I just don't know, angel."

"What's your heart telling you sebby?"

"That I'll regret it if I don't. That one day ill wake up and ask myself why i was such a coward and didnt get to know her."

"Youre not a coward no matter your decision, my love. I think you should though, spend a little time with her, or both of them . It doesn't mean you have to forgive them, or even understand their choices. You don't want to live with regret that you have no way of fixing once she's gone."

"Yeah, I think you're right. It's just so hard." I can hear the pain in his words, the way his voice breaks. "I never realized how much it hurt before. I was just a kid, I didn't even recognize her when we went to their house. Why couldn't they have just chose me ari?"

"Sebby, my love. It was never about not choosing you. They were sick, I think that's something I need to realize too about my own mom. Addiction makes people, do, and think things they normally wouldn't. I don't think you owe them your forgiveness or your live, you don't owe them anything. Maybe you owe it to yourself though, to get to know them."

"I think you're right." He sighs holding me tighter. "I should have just talked to you sooner, rather than locking myself in my room at the clubhouse."

"Next time you're going through something, don't push me away. I'm always here sebby. I'll always help you through whatever is plaguing your mind. We're a team, we're a family. I think your daughter is going to make you grovel though."

"I will baby, and she should, and I will grovel to both of you. You didn't deserve the way I have been acting the last few days."

"We all go through stuff sebby. When I went to Texas I was running too, but we always bring eachother back. We're eachothers beacons, calling one another home even on the darkest of nights."

"You're my home, aribella. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you. I'll make it up to both of you, I promise." He says and places a kiss on the top of my head.

"Take a shower then come to bed. There's going to be a little girl waking you up in a couple hours ready for some daddy time."