The next two days passed slowly as I did my best to support Wesley and take care of Aurora. Having them around was simpler than I had expected, they were both kind and generous. Aurora would simply play with Arlo, running around the backyard now that he was able to do so, doing their homework together in the dining room as I cooked and helped when Arlo asked. Wesley spent most of his time in my bed and when I would crawl in next to him after getting the kids to sleep he would hold me, kissing my shoulders. The first night he simply cried for hours until exhaustion overcame him and he fell asleep, giving in to his pain. The second night, we were able to sit and talk, Wesley sharing stories about his father. I learned quickly that the reason it was so rough on him was that he had spent the last 22 years of his life with only his father and losing him was a huge part of his life now gone. He wasn’t sure how to fill that time anymore, the time he would spend caring for his father was something he wouldn’t need to do anymore. He was incredibly worried about Sara, wondering how she would take care of herself.

It was the morning of Holly’s birthday party, and Wesley still wanted to go, hoping that being around a large group of people would help him forget the pain that he was going through right now.

I had just made lunch for everyone and was in the bathroom doing my hair when the doorbell rang.

“Honey?” I called out to Wesley, “can you get the door?”

“Of course babe,” he called back and I heard him gasp when he opened it.

Running over, I found Wesley staring at his stepmother Sara and a taller, dark-haired man with bright blue eyes.

“No,” Wesley closed the door and I softly squeezed his arm.

“Who is that?”

“My ex-fiance. He must have heard my dad died and decided to… I have no idea but I’m not dealing with it.”

“I will then,” I pushed him aside and stepped onto the front porch, closing the door behind me, “Hi Sara,” I softly kissed her cheek and she squeezed me.

“Hi, Eli. How are they?”

“About as good as can be expected. I’ve been taking Rory to and from school. Wes has taken over my bed. We’ve been talking a lot about Art. How are you? We were worried.”

“I’m doing well. I… I miss him but we knew,” she sniffled and I hugged her again, “um… this is David.”

“Hello,” I nodded at David and he waved.

“Hi. Um… who are you?”

“I’m dating Wesley. He seems uncomfortable with you being here so if there’s something I can do for you, I would be happy to do so.”

“I came here to see him and Aurora. Offer my help…”

“He doesn’t need it. I’m not overstepping my boundaries as his partner to say that I’m doing that perfectly fine. Between my family and I, Wes and Rory are great.”

“I want to hear that from him. Not from some tiny… wanna be white boy.”

“Are you… criticizing the fact that I’m Mexican? What’s wrong with you?”

The door opened behind me and Wesley walked out, wrapping an arm around my waist.

“Honey are things okay?” he whispered softly and I shook my head.

“No. He’s racist apparently,” I pointed at David, “called me a wanna-be white boy. I don’t want to be. I am who I am and that’s all that matters. I can’t pick who I am. Yes. I’m from Tijuana but I was raised here. I’m Elijah. That’s who I am and that’s what matters.”

“David. There is nothing I want or need from you. I have Eli. He’s everything I want and need in a partner. He’s wonderful, his son is wonderful, and I’m finally happy and supported. I have no idea what you’re doing here, but I have to ask that you leave.”

“Sara told me that Art left me something in the will. So I came here for that and to see if you wanted to…”

“I don’t want you back. I have no desire to be with a man who leaves me the minute my daughter comes home. A man who leaves me for his ex-girlfriend. I have Eli. That’s all I want,” he softly kissed my cheek and I patted the side of his head.

“But I’ll end things with Ashley if you just come home.”

A visible shudder ripped through me hearing that name, knowing it couldn’t be the same Ashley, but hearing anyone with that name caused a physical reaction in me.

“What’s her last name?” I whispered, clutching Wesley’s hand.

“Sandson. Why?” David looked at me and my head snapped up as I looked up at Wesley.

“You… oh for fucks sake…” sighing, I went back into the house and grabbed paperwork off of my inner table before walking out and showing it to Wesley. It was my child support paperwork that showed Ashley’s entire name.

“Your girlfriend is Eli’s ex?” Wesley stared at David surprised.

“You’re who she left me for. Not that I wanted her anymore, but after we had our son, she slowly pulled away. I’m guessing based on timing… she was with you before she was with me. But my son looks like me, I know he’s mine. Have fun with her. Wes, I think the kids need us. We have somewhere to go. We can handle the will privately tomorrow okay? David. If you show back up at my house or Wes’ house, I will take legal action. Even if you’re with Sara. You’re not welcome here. Sara, I appreciate you coming to check on us, but please don’t bring him back around. There is nothing for him here.”

“Right,” Sara nodded, “Wes,” she reached into her purse and handed him a large stack of documents, “this is the will, the deed to the house, and everything you need to settle your father's estate. I am so sorry. David told me you asked him to come by. So I showed him where you were. I should have called first.”

“You’re not to blame, mom,” Wesley softly kissed the top of her head, “he’s always been good at twisting things to fit his needs.”

“Wesley please, I just want to talk to you,” David pleaded.

“You are talking to me. Go ahead. One minute,” Wesley crossed his arms across his chest.

“I made the biggest mistake of my life letting you go. Leaving you and Aurora. I was just scared. I… I wanted a family but I wasn’t ready and suddenly you brought her home. It scared me. But I’m not anymore. I’m ready. Come back to me.”

“No. You don’t get to decide to be ready when my daughter is 7 years old. It’s been 7 years. You had a year to prepare. An entire fucking year and you didn’t. She is my daughter. You have no right,” Wesley sniffled, wiping an angry tear away, “no fucking right to show up here like this just after I lose my best friend and tell me you’re finally ready for something I needed you for 8 years ago!”

The door opened and Arlo came out, Aurora hand in hand with him. I quickly walked in front of them, blocking them from view.

“Is… is that her?” David stared at Aurora.

“No,” I answered quickly, “no she’s mine. They both are. These are my children.”

“She looks just like Wes. You can’t fucking lie to me,” David spat at me.

“She’s my daughter,” I hissed, reaching back and taking Aurora’s hand, “Arlo’s older sister. Go away. Please just leave. Things are hard enough for everyone right now. We don’t need to confuse her anymore. She has no concept of who you are and it’s better that way. Wes has made it clear he’s done with you. So leave. Get off my property.”

“Let me just-” David took a step forward and Wesley stepped in front of me and the children, completely blocking us from view.

“Fine. She is mine. Eli is doing his best to keep her safe. To give her what she needs. You’ve been told to leave the property. So I suggest you leave.”

A car pulled up and my brother jumped out, running up to us.

“What the… who the hell are you?” Jeremiah stood next to Wesley, creating another person to block us.

“Wesley’s fiance.”

“Ex-fiance,” Wesley growled, “you fucking left me. You abandoned me as soon as I brought Aurora home. Your girlfriend is Eli’s ex. It’s just too many coincidences. Leave, David.”

“Wait you’re with Ash?” Jeremiah turned back to look at me, “I came here to tell you not to come to the party. Ashley is there and won’t leave. I don’t…”

“She doesn’t need to be around the kids. I know,” nodding, I squeezed Arlo’s hand and he cuddled closer to me.

“Daddy? Who is Ashley?” he looked up at me confused.

“Don’t worry about it, baby. No one important,” I bent down and softly kissed his forehead.

“She’s your-” David started to yell and before anyone could stop her, Sara slapped him across the face.

We all froze in shock and she rolled her shoulders, standing at her full height.

“You took advantage of my kindness. Of my grief to get close to my son and my granddaughter. Now you’re trying to cause issues with the man he’s dating and his son. There is something wrong with you. If I need to, I can contact the attorney that wrote up the will and have you removed. Actually,” she turned to look at Wesley, “check the date of the last time it was modified.”

“Um,” Wesley quickly opened the folder and pulled the papers out, "huh? It was changed on the morning we… the morning he left us."

“Go to the page where he left everything. I never actually looked through it.”

“Alright,” he flipped to the page she asked for and started to read, “I, Arthur Wesley Sterling, leave my vehicles and all of my financial decisions to my son, Wesley Lucian Sterling. To my girlfriend Sara Anne Rodgers I leave my home and my military pension. To my son's partner, Elijah Levi Cruz, and his son Arlo Levi Cruz, I leave 15000 dollars each so that they may never struggle. I request that Arlo’s money be placed in a fund that can acquire interest until he goes to college. To Jeremiah Ronald Cruz and his fiancee Holly Annette Sweeney I leave a separate 10 thousand for their new child. To Mina Charlotte Cruz, my best friend, my,” Wesley gasped, “my first love, I leave the pearl necklace I had bought for you the night of prom. I’m grateful that we never reached a point of a relationship because our sons found each other. We met for them. For my granddaughter, my sunshine, my beautiful,” he sniffled, “my beautiful flower, Aurora Rosaline Sterling, I leave 45000 dollars to be accessed as soon as she goes to college as well as my piano which she loves to play. To David Robert Willis I humbly request that you go to hell for abandoning my son when he needed you most.”

“He… he left stuff for us,” I stared at the paperwork, my heart heavy, “he didn’t need to do that.”

“He did it because he knew you cared for us and because he apparently cared for your mother more than either of us knew. Also,” he smiled and looked at David, “you better figure out how to get to hell. Because that’s all you’re getting from my father.”

David stared at all of us before getting into his car and leaving quickly. I sat on the porch and pulled both of the kids into my lap, holding them tightly.

Thank god you're okay.

He's gone.

Get Ashley the hell out of Washington.

"Jerry," I looked up at my brother, "Why is she here?"

"She wants to see…" he looked at Arlo and I shook my head.

"Absolutely not. No. She has no rights to him."

"I'll handle it. Is there somewhere you can go?"

"My house," Wesley nodded.

"You live behind me. She's not stupid. She'll circle the block to find my car."

"I have another house. It's in Puyallup. Only an hour north."

"Alright. We can get things together quickly and head right now. We’ll come back tomorrow night. Is that enough time for you to get her out of here?"

"Should be. I'll tell mama what's going on. Just go to Puyallup. I'll tell her you went to a random city in California or something. I'm good at lying. Hopefully, Holly hasn't tried to kill her yet," Jeremiah hugged me and kissed both of the kids on the head before hugging Wesley and running off to his car.

"Alright, kiddos. Who is ready for a fun little trip?" I smiled at them and they both smiled back, nodding.

"Wesley," Sara sighed, "I'm so sorry."

"I don't blame you," he shrugged, "we'll be back tomorrow night we can start handling everything then."

"Alright. I love you, son."

"As I love you."

Wesley helped me pack a bag for Arlo and myself, Wesley and Aurora taking the bags they’d been using at my house and we decided to take my car, hoping that if Ashley came by, she’d think someone other than me lived in my home.

“Are you sure you want to drive? I don’t mind,” I squeezed Wesley’s leg as he pulled away from the house.

“You don’t know where we’re going. It’s okay,” he smiled, covering my hand with his own, “although we didn’t think about the seat part. Arlo should have sat behind me. His legs are shorter than Rory's. I’m scared I’m crushing her.”

“Rory are you okay?” I smiled at her over my shoulder and she nodded, before looking back at her tablet, “she’s fine apparently.”

“Eli,” he sighed softly, “we should talk when we get there. I…”

“Okay. That’s fine. We can talk when we get there. Don’t push yourself.”

The rest of the drive was silent, Wesley softly rubbing my thigh as we did and when we arrived, Arlo and I both gasped as soon as we laid eyes on the house.

It was 3 stories made of soft brown slats with white trim. There were large windows on every floor, the front door was painted a beautiful burgundy. Above a 2 car garage was a redwood deck attached to the second floor and there was a black spiral ladder from the deck up to a small balcony on the third floor. Behind the house was a rock wall that ended at the second story, on the top of the wall was the beginning of a forest, huge beautiful buckthorn trees creating a barrier between the top of the wall and the house.

“Wes… this is amazing,” I whispered.

“Thank you,” he patted my leg and we all climbed out, grabbing our bags and heading into the house.

Every wall was white, the fireplace on the first floor a black and jade marble, a large TV mounted above it. Every room matched, the furniture a soft gray, the appliances stainless steel and there were fake plants throughout the home. The kitchen had a two-sided bar perfect for a family breakfast, and everything was clean, the carpets were all a soft brown, and the kitchen and bathrooms had beautiful light hardwood.

We made our way up the first set of stairs to the second floor and found 2 large bedrooms, their doors facing each other, and a bathroom at the end of the hallway.

“Arlo, you can take the right room, Rory’s room is on the left. But you can play in there with her. If you’d feel better, the bed will fit both of you,” Wesley smiled, opening the door to Aurora’s room.

The walls were a soft yellow, butterflies everywhere, and a large queen bed in the middle of the room covered in pillows and stuffed animals. There were 3 large toy boxes along the wall across from the closet and there were fairy lights along the entire ceiling.

The kids immediately dropped their bags and Aurora started showing Arlo her toys.

“We’ll be upstairs Rory.”

She nodded and they kept playing as Wesley drug me up the final set of stairs to the master bedroom.

“Wes,” I gasped when he opened the double doors.

The king-sized platform bed was pushed across from the doors, a small cream bench sitting at the foot of it. The wall behind the bed itself was black, the doors to the balcony to the left of the bed, and a massive closet and bathroom to the right. The bed itself was made of light wood with a soft gray comforter on top. The room was warm and welcoming, perfect.

“It’s beautiful,” I whispered.