Ellie’s night was filled with dread for tomorrow.  She left practice early telling the guys she had a headache and went to her parents to get Aidan.  After a fifteen minute bus ride they were finally home.  Ellie and Aidan played hide and seek for awhile before bath and bed time.

“I missed you today.  I didn’t get to see very much,” Ellie said as she rubbed a glob a green shampoo into his red hair.

“I miss you too.  I play with papa,” Aidan told her while she lathered his hair into silly designs.

“I know you did what did you play?”

“We play with truck.”

“Wow you played trucks.  I bet that was fun,” Ellie said smiling.

“Uh huh and nana made us maconi and cheese to eat.”

“I’m glad you had fun but its time to get your jammys on now so let’s go,” Ellie said, wrapping the little slippery boy in a towel.

Aidan was dressed in his airplane pajamas and in his crib sleeping within an hour.  Ellie was glad Aidan went down so easy but now she had the rest of the night to think about how she was going to tell Sean about his son. 

Today had been hard, seeing Sean again made Ellie feel things she didn’t want to feel.  She missed him, and she just wanted to feel his hand in hers again and to feel his lips touch hers.  But she knew that it wasn’t going to happen; Sean had someone and Ellie remembered she did too.  She hadn’t thought of Cameron since earlier today when she tried to hide from Sean behind him. 

As if on cue the Ellie’s cell rang the tone that let her know Cameron was waiting. 

******

Ava’s night was actually going better than she expected.  Sean turned out to be pretty cool.  Shelby still wasn’t her favorite person but she did come out of the guest room to eat and was acting civil.  Jay was pouting and acting like she wasn’t even there while Seth was bathed and lying in his bed watching TV.  It wasn’t the best way for him to fall asleep but it worked and everyone was happier in the end.  Shelby got Callie to sleep and in her portable crib and went to have a bath.  So Ava was left with Jay and Sean and since Jay wasn’t talking to her she made the best with Sean.

“So how old is Callie?”

“She’ll be three months old next week.”

“I remember when Seth was that little.  It’s so fun to watch them start to smile and try to make sounds.”

“Yeah it’s been amazing.  I never thought I’d have a kid now but she’s great.  So how long have you and my man here been together?”  Sean asked as he gave Jay a punch to the arm.

“We started dating a year and a half ago and moved in together almost a year ago.” Ava said trying not to look at Jay.

“Okay now Jay how did you get this girl to even go out with you much less live with you?”  Sean asked smiling.

“Just turned on the old ravine charm.” 

“Ergh you’re gross.  We met in school but after we graduated Seth’s father was being an ass and Jay was in the Dot one day when he was harassing me and Jay pushed him around for me.”

“Yeah well,” Jay said with a shrug

“What happened?” Shelby asked coming into the room and sitting on a very uncomfortable looking Sean.

“It’s a long, boring story,” Jay answered.

“It’s not boring or long,” Ava interrupted and began to tell Shelby and Sean the whole story. 

Ava was sitting at the counter at the Dot with Ellie.  They were celebrating the opening of Ava’s new store with milkshakes.  Ellie had her back to the door and noticed when Ava tensed up and the smile left her face, she turned and saw why.

“Tucker, how’s it going?” Ellie asked.

“Hey there Ellie, it’s not so great actually,” he answered then turned his attention to Ava.  “Where were you last night?”

“What are you talking about?” Ava asked.

“I went by your house and your aunt said you were gone for the night.”

“You can’t just come to my house Tucker.  You need to call before you come, don’t just drop by anymore.”

Ava’s aunt had lied and told him she wasn’t home, she just didn’t want to deal with him.

“Well excuse me but if I want to see my kid at 3:00 in the morning then you will answer the door and let me in,”  Tucker said pointing his finger in Ava’s face.

“Tucker you need to back up.  You’re embarrassing me,”  Ava said softly.

“I don’t care if I’m embarrassing you.  Ava I’m getting sick of this hard to get shit.  I told you I’m sorry now stop acting like a brat because you didn’t get your way.”

Ava got up and walked outside with Tucker on her heels.  Once they were in the back of the building Ava turned to face him.

“Didn’t get my way are you fucking kidding me?  I’m not playing games with you Tucker, I told you when you said you wanted to stay here that you can see Seth but we are over and that hasn’t changed and it’s not going to.  Get over it and move on.  You’re the one acting like the brat.”

“You little bitch,” he spat and grabbed her by the tops of her arms. 

“Dude you need to keep your hands to yourself,” Jay said from the spot where he had been watching the whole time. 

“Fuck off,” Tucker said not even looking at Jay.

Jay didn’t speak, he looked at Ava who had tears staining her checks and pulled Tucker away by the collar.  They began to exchange punches until Jay got Tucker in the stomach and lost his breath and decided that it was best to let it go. 

“Keep your hands off her.  You got it?  I know some, well lets just say not so nice people, and if I see you touch her or she tells me you have touched her I’m going to let you meet them,” Jay said then spat on the ground where Tucker was laying.

Jay turned to Ava who was still crying.  “You alright?”

Ava nodded and wiped the tears away.

“Come on I’ll give you a ride home.”

“I have my car.”

Jay cut her off “Ava I’ll take you home or wherever you want to go and I’ll bring you back later to get the car.  Let’s just go now.”

“Okay,” was the only answer she could give.  How did you thank someone for beating up someone?

“Well Jay took me home and the next day he came to check on me and we went out and things just went from there,” Ava said finishing the story.

“That’s so sweet,” Shelby said from her spot on Sean. 

“Well how did you two meet?” Ava asked Shelby.

“Um a party,” Shelby answered. 

“How long have you been together?”

Shelby looked at Sean who shrugged and answered “Bout two months.”

“Oh,” was all Ava could manage to say.

“Well hell that’s some shit.  How did you two manage a three month old kid in just two months?”  Jay asked finally joining the conversation.

“Jay!”

“What I’m curious.”

“Well curiosity killed the cat.  So I’d shut it if I were you,” Shelby said.

“Hold up, girl you are in my house unless you want me to boot your ass out you better watch your mouth.”

After Jay’s remark Shelby stormed back to the guest room leaving the three alone again.

“Sean I’m sorry man but damn she just told me to shut up.  I haven’t known that girl a week and already she is bitchin at me.” 

“Don’t worry man she doesn’t get any better with time.”

“Should you go check on her?” Ava asked.

“Nah she’ll get over it.”

“Well what the hell is going on with you two?  You do realize that can’t meet someone and have a baby in two fucking month’s right?” 

“Jay!”

“It’s cool.  We hooked up a party long time ago and two months ago she showed up at my door with baby in hand saying here you go daddy.”

“Did you make them do a paternity test?” Jay asked.

“Yeah, she’s mine.”

“Well just because you have a kid by her don’t mean you have to live with the bitch.  Why did you bring her with you?”

“Jay do you think I wanted to?  She is only sixteen and her dad is threatening all kinda shit.  So I have to keep her happy and her mouth closed.”

“Sixteen?” Ava said not so sure about Sean anymore.

“I know, but I swear to god I didn’t know.  We hooked up at a party, I was drunk as hell and to be honest I don’t even remember sleeping with her.  Every time she gets all up on me I just want to puke.  It’s just not right.  Fucking sixteen.  Mr. Ehl and I had been talking about opening this place up and I was getting all my stuff ready to leave Alberta when she showed up.  I had to leave I had all this planned and Mr. Ehl was counting on me and she threw a fit when I said I was going to leave her and Callie with her dad for a month so I could get us a place and get the shop opened. So here I am with bitch in tow.”

Ava felt sorry for him, she just couldn’t help it.  He had messed up and was about to find out that he had made the same mistake two years earlier.  And what will happen when Ellie and Shelby meet.  Ava didn’t even want to think about that was about to blow up.  But tomorrow was near and it wouldn’t be long.