“So, what’s the big announcement?” Brandon asked as they all sat around the table eating dessert. “I cancelled a hot date for this…”

“Brandon Cassidy,” Nora scolded him. “There are little girls sitting at this table. Behave yourself.”

“Right, sorry,” he replied then looked over at Shelby and Cassie and made a face that made them both giggle.

Ella was completely overwhelmed by just how accepting her family were of, not just Nate, but of his girls too. Even Brandon, who had been so angry about Nate coming into Max’s life, had gone out of his way to make them all feel comfortable.

Ella could see that Cassie really liked Brandon, and she was pleased to see the little girl happy once more.

“Well,” Ben said as he sat his spoon down on the table. “As it happens, there is something that Jules and I would like to share with you. We’ve decided that we are going to get married.”

“Get married!” Brandon sighed and rolled his eyes. “That’s not news, you guys have been engaged a year. I thought you were going to say you were having a baby.”

Ben froze at Brandon’s words, and Jules’s cheeks flushed as a big grin slowly spread across her face.

“OH MY GOD!” Ella exclaimed as she picked up on their reaction straight away. “Are you guys going to have a baby?”

“Well…” Ben replied with a huge grin. “As it happens, we are a little bit pregnant.”

“OH MY!” Ella screamed as she jumped up from the table, and hurried around to hug her big brother. “I’m so happy for you guys.”

She hugged her brother again, then Jules, as everyone else stood to congratulate them too.

Suddenly Max screamed from his seat at the table and covered his ears with his hands.

“Hey buddy,” Nate said, as he lifted him from his seat. “What’s the matter?”

Max didn’t reply. Instead he kept screaming.

“We were too loud for him,” Ella explained as she hurried back around the table to where Max was, with Nate. “When he’s tired, he doesn’t like loud noises or commotion.

“Max,” Cassie said before Ella could even reach him. “I think I heard your dog calling your name. I think he doesn’t like the noise either.”

“Dog sad?” Max asked as he opened his eyes, and stopped screaming instantly.

“I think so,” Cassie replied. “I think we should go look for him.”

She held out her hand and waited for Max to decide what he wanted to do. Everyone watched as Max slipped his hand into Cassie’s, while Nate set him back down onto the floor. Without saying a word, he let Cassie lead him across the room to his toy box.

“Wow,” Brandon said with a smile. “I have never seen him calm down so quickly before.”

“He loves Cassie,” Ella said as she gave her brother a smile. “He loves both of the girls, and he is happy when they are around. I think the company is good for him.”

“I think so too, they are exactly what he needed,” Henry said, then added with a smile as happy tears glistened in his eyes. “Well, this has been quite a day. I went from having one grandchild to three, and now number four is on the way. I think this needs some champagne.”

“I think so too,” Ella said, but for some reason, her eyes pooled with tears too, and she knew she would not be able to hold them back. She quickly excused herself and headed for the back garden.

“Hey,” Nate said as he sat down next to her on the back-porch swing. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah” Ella nodded as she wiped the tears from her eyes. “I’m just being stupid; it’s just, I’m so happy that my family has accepted you and the girls being in my life. I guess I thought that this would be so much harder. Ever since I got pregnant with Max, I always felt like I was disappointing them. Like they second guessed everything I have done since I told them I was pregnant. Finally, I feel like none of that matters anymore.”

“I think your family just love you, Ella,” Nate said as she took hold of her hand. “I think they acted the way they did because they wanted the best for you. That’s not a bad thing.”

“I know,” Ella said and smiled at Nate.

“Now, how about we go back in and toast your new niece or nephew,” Nate said as he stood up, still holding her hand. Ella smiled once more as she allowed him to pull her to her feet, and she was face to face with him. He leaned forward and softly kissed her on the lips.

“Thanks,” Ella beamed as his lips left hers, before she turned and headed back inside the house, still holding Nate’s hand.

“I can’t believe your wife didn’t even show up at the court today,” Brandon said as they all sat out on the back porch later that evening. The three kids were in bed, and the grown-ups had decided a few drinks on the back porch to celebrate the day, was the right thing to do. “I mean, they are awesome kids, why wouldn’t you fight for them?”

“I don’t think Nina was really meant to be a mom,” Nate sighed before he took a long sip of his beer, but Ella could see that he was hurt for his girls. “Still, I was sure she would try fight to for them, but I guess her friend is more important than her girls.”

“Well at least the girls don’t have to deal with her or him for now,” Henry said as he sat forward. “They are with the right parent, and they are where they belong. If their mother can’t put them before some man, she doesn’t deserve to be their mother.”

“I must admit,” Nate sighed. “I was relieved when the judge said Nina wouldn’t be allowed to see the girls until she addresses her drinking problem.”

“That’s a very good thing,” Henry nodded.

Ella didn’t give her opinion on the subject. She was happy Nate was given sole custody of the girls and relieved that they wouldn’t even have to see Nina for now because she knew that Cassie was afraid to go back there. Still, something in her gut told her that things were far from finished with Nina.

In her head, she remembered how Nina looked at Nate the night before, and she knew that Nina was never going to give up without a fight. The fact that she didn’t turn up in court made Ella think, Nina was not planning on fighting fairly.

Ella just sipped her bottle of beer and listened to her two brothers, her dad and Nate change the subject to baseball.

Nora stood up and started to clear away the empty bottles, and glasses that were on the little table on the decking.

“Let me help you, Mom,” Ella said as she stood up. As she picked up some of the bottles, she could feel Nate’s eyes on her. She glanced at him, and she could see a look of concern on his face. She gave him a smile that she really didn’t feel before she turned and followed her mother into the house.

“Are you okay, Sweetie,” Nora asked her daughter once they were alone inside the house. “You’re very quiet this evening.”

“Yeah, I’m okay,” Ella replied as she made sure all the bottles were empty before she stacked them into the recycling box her father kept in the kitchen.

“Are you sure?” Nora pushed, and Ella knew her mother was not going to be put off easily.

“I’m just a little worried,” Ella shrugged, hoping she wouldn’t cry, despite the fact she really wanted to. “But I’m sure I’m just being stupid.”

“If you’re worried, it’s not stupid, Ella,” Nora assured her. “Is it Nate and the girls? Are you worried about taking on someone else’s children?”

“No, it’s nothing like that,” Ella replied. “But I am worried about them, or more specifically, I am worried about Nina. I’m worried she is going to do something stupid.”

“What makes you think that?” Nora asked, and Ella knew that now her mother was worried too.

“I don’t know,” Ella sighed. “It’s just a feeling I have. She was so angry last night, but then she didn’t turn up today; I don’t know… something isn’t right.”

“Have you talked to Nate about this?” Nora asked.

“No,” Ella sighed once more. “I know I should, but he’s happy. He has his girls, and they’re safe. How can I take that happiness from him”?

“He loves you, Sweetheart,” Nora said as she took Ella by the arms and looked into her face. “It’s written all over his face every time he looks at you. He would want to know if something is upsetting…”

Before Nora could even finish what she was saying, Nate appeared in the doorway from the back garden.

“I will leave you two alone,” Nora said, giving Ella a smile. She then touched Nate softly on the arm, before she made her way back outside.

“Is everything okay?” Nate asked as he gave her a worried look.

“Yeah,” Ella said and gave him a warm smile, but she knew deep down inside she would have to tell him what was on her mind.

“Are you sure?” Nate pushed as he slipped his arms around her waist and drew her closer to him. “You’ve been very quiet tonight.”

“I guess I’m just a bit worried,” Ella admitted with a sigh.

“What’s worrying you?” Nate asked as Ella could hear the nervousness in his voice.

“I guess I’m a little thrown that Nina didn’t turn up today,” Ella replied honestly. “I suppose I expected her to fight harder for the girls than she did today, and it makes me wonder is she planning something else.”

“Something else?” Nate asked, giving her a questioning look.

“I don’t know,” Ella shrugged. “I just think the way she looked at you last night, and the things she said. I don’t know why she didn’t turn up today, and it makes me scared that she is just going to take them again, and disappear forever, or something worse.”

“Well I won’t let that happen,” Nate promised. “I will do whatever it takes to keep them safe; to keep you all safe. I swear I won’t let her anywhere near any of you. If Nina turns up at the house, I will just call the police. The judge has put a restraining order in place, so if she comes by, she will be arrested.”

“Okay,” Ella replied and smiled, but his words offered her little consolation. She was scared, but she wasn’t sure exactly what she was scared of. She leaned up and kissed him softly on the lips. “I think I’m going to call it a night. I’m tired.”

“Okay,” Nate said as once more a worried look settled in his eyes. He watched Ella closely, but he didn’t say another word.

“Can you tell everyone I said good night,” Ella said as she turned and walked across the kitchen. When she reached the door, she turned back to Nate and smiled. “I will see you when you come up.”

“I won’t be long,” he sighed and gave her a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Ella turned and headed for the stairs, then up towards her room.  Before she reached her room, she checked in on the girls, then Max. She lingered at Max’s doorway and watched him sleep. A feeling of fear settled deep inside her.

She loved Nate so much but standing there watching Max sleep, there was the tiniest voice in her head that questioned if she had made their life harder than it should have been.

She quietly stepped back and closed the door. When she reached her room, she had no idea why, but she suddenly felt sad. She walked to the bed and sat down just as hot, salty tears, trickled down her face.

She lay down on the bed and buried her face into her pillow as a sob escaped from deep inside her. She didn’t know why she was crying, but now that she had started, she couldn’t stop.

She pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around herself and sobbed quietly until tiredness claimed her, and she fell fast asleep.

“Ella,” Nate's voice whispered into the darkness, as she slowly turned and opened her sleepy eyes. As her eyes focused, she found Nate lying in front of her, watching her closely.

“Hey,” she whispered and smiled.

“Hey,” he replied, but he looked sad. He reached out and softly touched her face. “Talk to me.”

“What’s there to say,” Ella sighed as she leaned her face into his hand.

“Tell me that we are going to be okay,” Nate pleaded as he looked deep into her eyes.

“Of course we’re going to be okay,” Ella assured him. “I love you so much.”

“I love you, too,” Nate breathed out as he moved closer to her. “But I need to know that love is enough for you. That I’m enough for you.”

“You’re all I have ever wanted,” Ella sighed against his lips. “I know things are up in the air right now, but you’re what I want for the rest of my life.”

“That’s all I needed to hear,” Nate whispered as he slowly pressed his lips to hers. Suddenly, Ella’s body seemed to come alive. She knew what she needed, more than that, she knew what she wanted. It was Nate; it was always Nate.

She took his face in her hands, as her kiss deepened. She needed to feel him against her. She needed to lose herself in him.

Nate quickly rolled her onto her back, as his kiss deepened too, and Ella knew that he needed her as much as she needed him. They quickly pulled at each other’s clothes, as the urgency inside them grew.

As Nate eased Ella’s panties down her legs, his eyes held hers, and the hunger that stared back at Ella, almost took her breath away.

As Nate settled between her legs, he balanced above her and stared down at her face.

“Tell me that you will always love me,” Nate pleaded as Ella’s heart hammered in her chest.

“I will always love you, Nate,” Ella breathed. “I have loved you forever.”

“I will marry you, Ella Cassidy,” Nate whispered as he dropped his mouth to the soft skin of her neck, and trailed kisses upwards till he reached her lips. “You will be my wife, and I will love you till the day I die.”

Before Ella could respond, Nate slammed his mouth against hers, as he pushed into her with one thrust.

Ella cried out, as she pulled him closer to her.

As their bodies moved together as one; every tiny doubt Ella had, seemed to disappear, as she lost herself in the man she loved.