Ella sat by Max’s bed and stared at his little chest, as it rose and fell in time with the machines. It had been four days since the accident, but there was still no real change in Max’s conditions.

The doctors had said that if Max made it through the first night, his chances of making a good recovery were increased.

Max had several injuries from the accident, including a broken leg and a broken collar bone. The real issues, however, were there had been some damage to his spleen, and there was a bleed in his brain.

Two surgeries had managed to stop the bleed in his brain, and so far the spleen seemed to be starting to heal.

But Max still hadn’t woken up, and the doctors had warned both Nate and Ella that they wouldn’t know if there were any other deficits until Max regained consciousness.

Today was also Nina’s funeral.

Ella had offered to go with Nate to support him, and to be there for the girls, but Nate insisted that Ella’s place was with their son, and taking care of the baby she was carrying. She still hadn’t told anyone about the baby. Right now was about Max, and nothing else really mattered.

“Max,” Ella whispered as she leaned forward and softly touched his face. “Mommy is here sweetheart.”

Ella lifted his soft, little hand and pressed her lips to it.

“I was thinking about the night I brought you home from the hospital,” Ella whispered. “I was so scared that I wouldn’t be good enough to be your mom. I sat there for hours watching you sleep, watching your chest rise with every breath you took. I remember thinking that I didn’t have what it took to be a mom, but I was wrong. I was already a mom from the first time I felt you kick inside me. That day you became my world.”

She paused and watched him once again. Closing her eyes, she willed her little boy to just wake up and look at her.

“Max, you have to open your eyes,” Ella said as she too opened hers, and looked at her son once again. “You have made me who I am today. You made me a mom, and I don’t know how to exist in a world without you. Please don’t leave me.”

Ella brushed away the tears from her face, and brought his little hand to her mouth once more, then rested her head on the bed next to him. She felt tired and completely broken.

“Ella,” Nate whispered and pressed his lips softly against her head.

Ella woke slowly, forgetting where she was for a moment, but then it all came crashing back into her mind, and she bolted up in her seat.

“Is Max okay?” She asked as her eyes instantly went to her little boy.

“He’s fine,” Nate said as he pulled a chair over and sat down next to Ella. “No change.”

“I must have dozed off,” Ella sighed, as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and checked her watch. She was surprised to see that it was already after nine. She looked over at Nate and gave him a sad smile. “How was the funeral?”

“Horrible,” Nate replied honestly. “I mean, I know I have no love left for Nina, and I am so angry at her for what she has put you and Max through. But she was still Cassie and Shelby’s mom. They are so confused about how they should feel. They loved her, but she let them down, and it breaks my heart to see them so sad. I don’t know how to make it right for them.”

“How were they when you left them?” Ella asked wishing she could have been there for the girls.

“They were okay, I guess,” Nate shrugged. “I honestly don’t know what I would do without your family. Jess is a complete mess, and Nina’s parents don’t want to know anything about me or the girls.”

“You’re kidding me,” Ella said stunned by what Nate had said. Okay, she could understand them being upset or angry with Nate, but to turn their back on the girls too. She knew that there was nothing in the world that would make her mom and dad do that to Max.

“Mom wanted to take them back to the house,” Nate continued. “But the girls didn’t want to go. They said they wanted to stay with Henry and Nora.”

“Your mom stopped by after the funeral,” Ella said as she turned from Nate back toward Max. “She is so upset about Max. She asked if it was okay for her to stay for a few days. She said your sisters want to come to see him too.”

“Yeah, Becca called me today,” Nate replied. “She and Amelia are going to drive down this week. Maddie is in Europe on business, but she is trying to get home. Liv’s twins have chicken pox, so she can’t come, but she promised that once they are better, she will come down to visit.”

“Then he better hurry up and get well,” Ella sighed as she reached up and brushed his cheek with her fingertips. “He has a lot of new aunts to meet.”

Suddenly Max started to move, and cough, as the alarm on his machine started to sound.

“NATE!” Ella exclaimed as she jumped to her feet. “WHAT’S HAPPENING?”

“It’s okay, don’t panic,” Nate said as he hurried around the bed and hit the alarm for the nurse’s station. “He’s okay; he is fighting the intubation. That’s a good thing.”

When the nurse and doctor came rushing into the room, they asked Ella to step outside while they took care of Max.

Nate guided a reluctant Ella from the room, out to the hallway. She held her breath, as she stood and watched them working on Max through the glass doors.

When the sound of him crying echoed the hallways, Ella’s heart almost jumped from her chest. It was a sound she had been longing to hear for the last few days.

Finally, the doctor looked at Ella through the glass and gave her a smile, then nodded at her to come in. She quickly hurried into the room, followed closely by Nate.

When she reached Max’s bedside and saw his angry little face pinning the doctor with an unimpressed look, she couldn’t help but laugh as a wave of relief washed over her whole body.

“Hey Sweetheart,” Ella said as she leaned down and softly kissed her son on the cheek. “I am so happy to see your beautiful eyes.”

“I’m hungry,” Max croaked as he looked up at Ella, and Ella laughed once again, knowing that her little boy was going to be okay.

Exactly two weeks later, Max was discharged from the hospital. He still had a lot of recovering to do, but the doctor said that as Nate would be with him at home, there was no real reason to keep him in the hospital any longer.

When Ella and Nate arrived at her parents’ house with Max, they were surprised to walk into a surprise welcome home party for him.

“Oh wow, Max,” Ella said as she turned to her son, who was in Nate’s arms because he still had a cast on his leg. “Everyone is here to welcome you home.”

“Wow,” Max said until he spotted a cake on the table. He turned and looked up at Nate. “Daddy, I’m hungry.”

“Let’s get you something to eat, Buddy,” Nate laughed as he walked further into the kitchen.

Ella was surprised to see everyone that she loved, and everyone that loved Max, in the room, including Karen, Nate’s four sisters, and their families. Ruby and Brady was there with little Lucas, as was Carly, and of course, there was her mom and dad, Brandon, Ben, Jules and the two girls. Even Pete was there and Ella was happy to see him.

“Were you surprised?” Cassie asked as she rushed up to Ella and gave her a hug.

“I was very surprised,” Ella replied, as she hugged the girl tightly. “And I bet this was all your idea.”

“It was,” Cassie replied with a smile, but then it faded a little.

“Cass,” Ella said as she held the girl at arms-length. “You know that what happened to Max was not your fault, right?”

“Yeah, I know,” Cassie replied and gave Ella another smile. “But from now on, I just want to be the best big sister in the world.”

“Sweetheart,” Ella replied as she hugged the little girl once more. “You already are, and I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks, Ella,” Cassie said as she hugged Ella too.

“Do you want to know a secret,” Ella whispered into Cassie’s ear and the girl nodded excitedly. “You’re going to be a big sister again.”

“REALLY!” The girl squealed excitedly, as Ella glanced over at Nate and he gave her a grateful smile.

“What’s going on?” Brandon asked as he appeared next to Ella and Cassie, and gave them a curious look. “What are you two up to?”

“I can’t tell,” Cassie beamed happily. “It’s a secret.”

“But I’m your favourite, most handsome, funniest uncle, in the world,” Brandon said as he slipped his arm around the little girl’s shoulder, and this just made her giggle. “You know you can tell me anything.”

“I can’t tell you this,” Cassie replied determinedly.

“Well that’s no fun,” Brandon said and pretended to pout.

Ella looked at Nate once more and gave him a questioning look, and he just smiled and nodded, before Ella turned back to Cassie.

“Cass,” Ella said, unable to hide the happiness from her voice. “You can tell him.”

“Really?” Cassie squealed once more, as she jumped up and down excitedly before she turned back to Brandon. “I’m going to be a big sister again.”

“What!” Brandon exclaimed, while there was a course of wows and oh my Gods around the room. Brandon turned to Ella and gave her a questioning look. “Are…are you pregnant.”

“I am,” Ella confirmed with a big smile and was greeted with a loud cheer from everyone, including Max. Before she knew it, she was getting hugs and kisses off everyone.

Nate walked over to Brandon and asked him if he would take Max. Then he raised his hand and asked for a little bit of quietness, and instantly a hush fell over the entire room.

“Okay, so, these last few weeks have been…well probably the worst of my life,” Nate began as he looked around the room. “There were so many times that I thought my heart was going to shatter into a million pieces; first over the girls, then over Max. But we got through it; we made it to the other side because, as a family, we are strong. There are no words to describe how grateful I am to each and every one of you, and how much you all mean to me. Henry, Nora, Mom, Brandon; all of you.”

He stopped for a moment to compose himself, and search for the right words.

“But there is one person that has truly kept me going over these past few weeks,” Nate continued. “One person that was my guiding light in a dark storm. She has taught me that not only can love give you strength and happiness, but it can be true, honest and beautiful. She is my best friend, and the girls and I are so lucky to have her in our lives. And Max is beyond lucky to have her as his amazing mom.”

He stopped and looked at Cassie, who gave him a big smile before she took Shelby’s hand and made her way up to Nate, then she pulled a little box from her pocket and handed it to her dad.

Nate turned back to Ella and smiled before he dropped down to one knee, and so did the two girls.

Ella’s heart almost stopped. She brought her two hands to her face, as happy tears pooled in her eyes.

“Ella Cassidy,” Nate said as he reached up and took her hand. “I have loved you from the first moment I saw you. I can’t imagine my life without you in it.”

He stopped and looked from Cassie to Shelby, and they both smiled, then they all turned back to Ella.

“Ella,” the three of them said in unison. “Will you marry us?”

Before Ella could reply, there was a huge cheer in the room.

“Yes,” Ella replied through tears of happiness. “I would love to marry you.”

Nate stood up and quickly took Ella in his arms, and kissed her softly on the lips, and once more the whole room cheered.

“Are you sad that we are never going back to either of the houses?” Cassie asked Ella as she tucked her into bed that night. She and Nate had agreed that a fresh start was what they all needed, so they were going to sell both houses and buy a bigger house that was just a couple of doors away from Henry and Nora. In the meantime, they would remain in her parent’s house.

“Not really,” Ella replied with a smile as she sat on the edge of the girl’s bed. “They are just houses, bricks and paint. A home is where your heart is, and my heart belongs to you guys, so no matter where we live, I will know I’m coming home.”

“I miss my mom,” Cassie whispered as she looked up at Ella.

“I know you do, Sweetie,” Ella replied as she brushed the hair back from the little girl’s face. “And I know I can never replace her, she will always be your mom, but I promise I will do whatever it takes to make you and Shelby happy. I can be your friend.”

“I would like that,” Cassie replied with a smile as she sat up and hugged Ella before she added. “But is it okay if I pretend you’re my mom too.”

“Cassie,” Ella said as her eyes suddenly glazed over with tears. “I would like that very much.”

“And Shelby too?” Cassie asked.

“And Shelby too,” Ella replied.

“I love you, Ella,” Cassie whispered.

“I love you, too, Sweetie,” Ella replied, then she kissed the little girl on the head and stood up from the bed. “Sweet dreams.”

When Ella walked out of the room, she made her way along the hallway to Max’s room, where she found Nate sitting on the bed next to Max, reading him a story. He looked up and smiled when he saw Ella at the doorway.

“He’s asleep,” Ella whispered as she walked into the room.

“I know,” Nate replied in a hushed voice, and smiled as he closed the book. “But I wanted to see how it ended.”

Ella laughed as Nate sat up straight, then leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers.

“I love you,” he breathed against her lips.

“I love you, too,” Ella replied before her eyes fell to her little boy, fast asleep in the bed.

“What are you thinking?” Nate asked as he gave her a curious look.

“I was thinking about the first time you met Max,” Ella replied honestly. “I was so afraid that sharing Max would be the hardest thing I would have to do in the world, but I was wrong.”

“I’m glad you feel that way,” Nate replied. “Because I don’t plan on going anywhere, anytime soon.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Ella smiled as she looked at Nate once again.

“Are you sure you’re okay about the new baby?” Nate asked as he pressed his hand to her stomach. “What if this baby is like Max.”

“Then I will consider myself to be the luckiest mom in the world,” Ella replied and smiled at Nate. “Because all our kids are pretty damn amazing.”

“And so is their mom,” Nate replied as he leaned forward and claimed her lips once more.

 

 

 

 

The End.