“Can you walk okay?” Nick asked, walking over to the passenger side of the car, and helping me out by my hand.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” I smiled adoringly at him.
“You sure? I can carry ya, if you want,” he said seriously.
“Well, actually…I do feel a little weak…” I trailed off, looking at him from the corner of my eyes, and grinning at him.
“If you insist,” Nick smiled, lifting me off the ground and carrying me to my front door.
Shay greeted us at the door and held the door open for Nick. He walked over and gently sat me down on the couch.
“Thanks!” I said, kissing him on the cheek.
“I’m so glad you’re home. I’ve missed seeing you at the office,” Shay said, walking over and sitting beside me on the couch.
“Yeah, me too. Where is Tristan?” I asked, looking around my very neat house.
“He’s upstairs in the nursery. Want me to bring him down?” she offered, rising from the couch.
“No, no…it’s fine. I’ll go up and see him,” I said, motioning for her to sit back down. I walked up the stairs and peeked around the corner into the nursery. I walked over to the crib and saw Tristan contentedly drinking the milk from his bottle and clutching his ragged gray teddy bear.
“Hey sweetheart! Mommy’s home now,” I smiled, picking him up out of his crib, cradling him in my arms.
He was so small and warm…I didn’t realize just how much I had missed holding him until that moment.
“I love you,” I whispered, kissing him on the top of his head.
“And I love you,” Nick said, walking up behind me and placing his arms around my waist. He started kissing my neck softly and then my jawline, until I turned my head slightly and our lips met.
We finished our kiss and then I asked seriously, “Nick can we talk? I’ve got something on my mind.”
“Yeah, sure. What is it, babe?” he asked, taking my hand.
“Hold on. Let me put Tristan down and we’ll talk about it downstairs. Is Shay still here?” I asked, walking over and putting my son back in his crib.
“Nope, she said she was going to go home so that we could be alone,” he grinned.
I rolled my eyes at him and walked downstairs, Nick following close behind me.
“So, what’s on your mind?” he said, settling down on one end of the couch.
“Nick, before I went to the hospital, I had decided that I was going to LA to take the job and you and I weren’t well…you and I anymore. Obviously, that’s changed, but I need to know where we stand and where this relationship is headed,” I looked into his blue eyes, searching for the future.
“Peyton, I can’t tell you for sure where this relationship is headed. Love is funny…you never know where it’s going to take you. I do know that I love you very much and wherever love does take us, I want to go there with you,” he said sincerely.
“Aww! Nick, I love you, too,” I said.
“But?” Nick replied, knowing there was more.
“But…what about Tristan? You said you weren’t ready to be a dad,” I reminded him.
“Pey, those days that you were in the hospital and Tristan stayed with just me, I didn’t mind. I actually enjoyed having him around. I was wrong when I said that I didn’t want that responsibility. If taking on the job of being a dad means that I get to have you, then I’ll do that,” he said, taking my small hands into his own much larger ones.
“You mean that?” I asked, knowing that he did.
“Yes, of course. And about what’s going to happen in our future…I don’t want you to take the job in LA. I couldn’t stand being away from you or Tristan for that long,” he said smiling.
“I know, but I’ll never have enough money with this job here to send Tristan to a good college and provide him with the life I want him to have,” I said, looking down at the floor.
“Sweetie, I have enough money to put Tristan through college five times! Don’t worry about money, ok?” he grinned broadly, showing off his perfectly straight teeth.
“Okay, I won’t go to LA. I’ll stay here with you,” I smiled, leaning my head against his chest.
“Good. Also, I would like us to get married one day. Not right away, of course, but I promise, we will one day,” he stated, running his fingers through my hair.
This comment shocked me quite a bit, so I sat up and stared into his dreamy eyes. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be? I love you, Peyton. When you were in the hospital, I didn’t know what would happen to you or what those test results were going to show. I was just as scared as you were…I was afraid I might lose you forever,” he said, stroking my cheek with the backside of his hand.
I took his hand into mine and replied, “You don’t ever have to worry about losing me. I’ll never leave you, ever.”
Nick and I were about to kiss, just when we were interrupted by a loud screaming cry. I sighed and got ready to get up to go check on Tristan.
“No, it’s okay…I’ll go get him,” Nick smiled down at me, making his way upstairs.
After a few minutes, I walked upstairs and heard Nick singing “Surfin’ USA” to Tristan. I laughed slightly and walked into the nursery, watching Nick cradle Tristan in his arms. I crossed the room and walked over to the sweetest guys in the world. Nick pulled me closer and wrapped his arm firmly around my waist and held Tristan in the other arm.
“I love you Nick,” I said, kissing him softly on the lips.
“I love you, too,” he said, kissing me on the top of my head, as I rested my head against his strong chest.
There we were…me, Nick, and Tristan…one big, happy family.
