Pretty Little Liars: 16 & Pregnant (Sequel)

Too Big for Her Britches

Five Days Later
Aria's Pov

"You're getting too big for your britches Stella." I say as she squeezes ketchup onto her plate, without spilling it on herself or even the table.

"Too big for her bridges?" Piper questions.

"Britches, not bridges." I chuckle "It's just a saying."

"I'm a big girl," Stella chimes in "Big and my bridges."

I nearly snort with laughter "Close enough."

We finish lunch and head back to the car, and I contemplate on what to do next. Eventually, sometime sooner than I'm probably thinking, we're going to start needing more money. I was thinking of applying for jobs here in Maine, because since the kids and I have been here, it's felt like something close to home. I'm not really sure what that word means anymore, but I am determined to make it something that doesn't leave a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"What are we doing now Momma?" Piper asks from the backseat.

"Well, I think we're gonna go to a job centre so I can apply for some jobs." I tell her.

"But why?" She questions.

"Because, we need money so we can keep doing things like eating, and having a roof over our heads." I say only half-sarcastically.

"But what about in Rosewood?" She continues "How come you didn't have a job there?"

"Well, in Rosewood I was a stay-at-home-mom, and I was able to do that because your Dad made enough money to support our family." I explain.

"And now he doesn't?" Piper asks.

"No, he still does, he just doesn't..." I trail off "We just don't rely on him financially anymore."

"Why not?" She continues.

"Okay, Piper, you're gonna have to lay off on all the questions." I say "I understand that you want to know what's going on, but I'm also trying to put this behind us, and that's kinda hard to do when you bring it up every two seconds."

"Okay." Piper sighs.

"Look, I'm sorry, but I really don't have as many answers as you think I do." I admit "I'm still trying to figure it all out myself."

"That's okay." She replies, my understanding girl.

By the time we finish at the job centre and arrive back at the little cottage we've been staying at, Stella is fast asleep in her car seat. Everyone says that she looks more like me opposed to her father, but when she's asleep, she looks so much like Ezra.

"Hey Pipes, do you mind carrying our leftovers in?" I ask "I gotta get your sister." She agrees easily, and after I make sure the car is locked, we make our way to the front door.

"Mommy after dinner later can we—" Piper comes to a halt, as well as drops all the food she's carrying.

I gasp "Piper! What are you—"

"Daddy!" She screams, taking off in a sprint. My eyes lock with the mans sitting on the cottage doorstep, and for a moment my whole body feels electric. But as he begins to stand and the realization that he's really here sets in, I'm overcome with a whole different feeling.

"What the hell are you doing here." I say under my breath as Ezra scoops his eldest daughter up and hugs her tightly "And how did you find us?"

"Aria I know what you think but you need to hear me out." He replies "Can we just go inside and—"

"No," I cut him off "No we're not gonna do that. What you're going to do is give me my daughter and get the hell out of here."

"Your daughter," Ezra scoffs "She's my daughter too, and that wasn't fair for you to take her or Stella away from me."

"What wasn't fair is what you did, what you're doing." I snap "You're the one that ruined our family, not me Ezra. I took the girls away because it's not safe for them to be around you, not now that you're...you're—"

"Tell me what I did then!" He shouts "What did I do to deserve having my kids taken from me?!" Piper flinches at the sound of her father yelling, something she's rarely heard before. Stella stirs in my arms, but doesn't wake.

"Let's not have this conversation in front of the kids." I mutter "In fact, let's not have it at all. Please just get out of here."

"I'm not gonna do that." Ezra says "At least not until you give me a valid reason why I should." I stare at him in disbelief, all kinds of emotions brewing inside me.

"Because," I start "You betrayed us, and you lied to us, you lied directly to my face multiple times. I don't know why you're working for him but I don't care, the point is that you're not who I thought you were and I don't want you anywhere near me or my kids."

"Stop saying your kids, they're not just yours!" He says through gritted teeth.

"You don't get to call yourself their Dad after what you did to them." I shake my head. He just stares at me, his breath heavy with frustration. Or maybe despair. Perhaps both.

"We need to talk about this." Ezra states "I'm not leaving until we do." I agree to talk with him, partly because it'll help bring closure for the kids and I, but mostly because I know Ezra has a one-track-mind and really won't leave if I don't agree to talk.

"Have a seat." I mutter "Let's get this over with."