Stay… the word was on the tip of my tongue as I watched Reid walk out the door yesterday. I sat paralyzed on the floor unable to fully comprehend what was happening. He said he needed time to think. On one hand I completely understand him wanting to process the revelation we both had discovered together, but on the other hand, I'm terrified of what the outcome will be. What if he can't get past the fact I was with his brother? What if he thinks I'm lying? I hate the unknown.

I stayed up on the sofa all night staring at the door waiting for him to come back home… he never did. I finally fell asleep around 2:00 am. When I woke up a little bit ago, after only a couple hours of sleep, I was disappointed he didn't show. I think that pretty much tells me what I needed to know. I almost regret selling the house. The thought of Ava and I having to move out of Reid’s place has my stomach in knots. She's become attached to Reid; she won't understand. Twenty-four hours ago, Reid and I were so sure of each other… now.

The doorbell ringing brings me out of my inner turmoil. When I open the door, I'm met with my friend, Bella. And it's at that moment when her concerned eyes find mine; I allow myself to break down. Bella wraps her arms around me without question and holds me. I don't know how long we go on like this, but when I finally get my emotions under control I sit down on the sofa and ask, "You know, don't you?"

Squeezing my hand Bella shakes her head, "I don't know anything. Logan called last night to tell me he was staying at the clubhouse and wouldn't be home. He said something was up with Reid, and he needed his brothers. He mentioned I should come by first thing this morning to check on you, but didn't give me any details. Do you want to tell me what's happened?"

So, I start from the beginning; I tell her everything. All the way up to Reid walking out last night. Bella sits stunned for a moment before opening her mouth, "This is unbelievable. I know you've mentioned before Ava's father had passed, but Noah… Reid's Noah? Wow," she says stunned.

Sighing, "I guess if I had confided in you sooner than none of this would be happening."

"What do you mean?" she asks with a confused look.

"You have known the club for over a year, and we've been friends for longer. Not once did I tell you about Ava's father aside from the fact he's dead. I didn't know how to tell anyone. It's hard enough with Ava getting older and starting to ask questions I don't have the answers to. I got pregnant from a one-night stand with a guy who I didn't even know his last name or anything about him. What kinds of stuff am I supposed to tell my daughter? She knows her father is in heaven, but what about the other stuff. What was his favorite color? His favorite food? Simple things I should be able to tell her, so she feels like she knows him… has a piece of him. I can't give that to my daughter, so I avoided the subject altogether. It has always been easier. My fear is she will grow up feeling like a piece of her is missing. A year after Ava was born, I went back to that same house where Noah's party was. I realized how stupid it was of me to never ask for his last name. I went there in hopes to find his friend so that I could ask questions. I thought, what if Noah had a family? Maybe they would want to know about Ava. But I was too late. Some different people were living in the house. I know how stupid it was not to have found out right away, but I had just found out Noah was dead. I was in shock and then there was everything that happened with my parents when I got home." I finish placing my face in my hands. I had been an idiot, and I had paid for it.

"Mila, listen to me, you are not stupid. You were nineteen and just found out you were pregnant. We all make mistakes. And look at it like this. All those things you couldn't tell Ava before about her father, now you can. Reid is going to be able to tell her all about him. She may not have her father, but she has her uncle."

"What if he doesn't? He didn't come home last night, Bella. Seeing Ava might prove to be too much of a reminder for him. What if he finds he can't be with us?" I question even though I don't expect her to have the answers. Nobody but Reid does, and he's not here.

"You know that's not the kind of man Reid is. He's confused and hurting right now, but I have faith he won't disappoint." Bella says those words as if she's so sure. I don't want Reid to look at my daughter and be reminded of the pain of losing his brother.

After letting Bella's words settle, I decided I'm going to have to accept whatever decision Reid comes to. And at this moment with each minute he stays gone, it's becoming clear what his decision is. I don't blame him. "You have this look on your face like you're thinking the worst and are possibly going to do something hasty," Bella notices.

"I'm thinking about what my next move is going to be," I confess. "Reid doesn't want to come home because I'm here. He's too nice of a man to ask me to leave, so I'll make it easy on him."

"What the hell are you going on about Mila?"

Standing up from the sofa, I walk into the kitchen for some much-needed coffee. "I'm talking about me finding another place to stay. I can get a hotel for a few days till I find an apartment or something," I shrug trying to act nonchalant, but just saying the words out loud is tearing me up inside.

"Wait a minute," Bella insists, coming up behind me. "You're jumping to conclusions prematurely here, Mila. You don't know that Reid wants you to move out. And I bet anything he doesn't. Both of you need time to absorb this revelation. I can see you are in fight or flight mode. You're choosing flight. Do you love him?"

At Bella's question, I stop what I'm doing and look at her, "Yes, I love Reid."

"Then quit with all this crazy talk about leaving, and fight. Relationships are not easy. Sometimes it will be him that is fighting, and sometimes it will be you. Right now, you both need to fight. Besides the club, Noah was all Reid had. Reid was his big brother; he felt responsible for Noah. Losing him nearly destroyed him. Now Reid’s learned not only does his brother have a child- a living, breathing piece of him, but his brother had that child with the woman HE is now in love with. Reid's head is a jumbled mess, but I promise you his heart is with you. Was Reid leaving and not choosing to stay and figure things out the right choice? I don't know. But the real question now is- are you going to leave too or are you going to choose to stay and fight? Let him come back home and see you are still here. That you choose him."

Once again, Bella is right. She always seems to see the logic. I immediately began to think the worst and assume Reid is not in this with me. I need to do as Bella suggests. I need to fight, to show the man I love I'm still here. At least if he chooses to end what we have, then I'll know I stayed and fought. Because I believe in us and what we have together. I can only hope Reid does too.

After two cups of coffee and my nerves less on edge, the only thing I can do at this point is to wait.