The First Encounter

Epilogue

Ten years later.

"Mama, where's my school bag? I'm going to Mom's tonight. I need it." Avery called.

Arizona looks up from where she was helping Mateo with his homework. "I put it by the front door for you."

"Where?... oh, wait, I found it!" Avery said. "Tim, hurry up. Mom will be here soon."

Tim groans and moves toward the door. "I wanted to hang out with Jesse tonight."

"Well, you can't. We are going to mom's. It's her birthday." Avery said. "Raven is coming home from college too."

Groaning, Tim looks toward Arizona. "Do I have to."

"Yes. It's your mother's birthday." Arizona said. "She'd be sad if you didn't."

"But I want to hang out with Jesse and plus Mami said she would take me to see her." Tim mumbles.

"Timothy, you are going and that's final." Arizona said firmly.

Rolling his eyes, the twelve year old turns toward the door.

A soft knock on the door caught their attention.

Avery instantly opens the door and smiles upon seeing Amelia.

"Hey." Amelia smiled.

"Happy birthday mom." Avery says while Timothy stands to the side, mumbling to himself.

"Thank you." Arizona hugged her daughter. "Tim, are you okay?"

"Yeah." Tim mumbles, not looking at her.

"Tim, don't lie to me. What's wrong?" Amelia asked him.

Timothy just rolls his eyes. "Why do you care?"

"Because I'm your mother." Amelia said.

"No you're not." The twelve year old snaps out just as Carina walks out of the nursery with his younger sister Mia. "She is!"

Amelia frowned. "Tim, where is this coming from? I am your mother."

Timothy just moves over to Carina. "No you're not."

"Tim?" Avery said. "She's our Mom. Not Carina."

Carina looks up in confusion before looking over at Arizona. "What did I miss?"

Arizona shrugged.

"Tim, if you don't want to come, it's fine." Amelia said quietly.

"I don't." The twelve year old responds. "Mami, can you take me to Jesse's?"

Carina frowns and looks toward Arizona and then Amelia. "Tim, you should spend time with your mother for her birthday."

"She's not my mom." Timothy said.

Amelia sighed. "Avery you don't have to come either if you don't want to. I'm just going to go." She turned to leave. She'd been looking forward to this day for weeks. 

Avery instantly reaches for Amelia's hand. "I want to come mom, I've been so excited."

Amelia turned to look at her youngest daughter and nodded. "Okay."

Arizona stands up and moves over to Amelia. "I'm sorry about Timothy, I'll talk to him."

Amelia shook her head. "I wasn't there for them. It's my own fault."

****

"Mama, can I have some chocolate milk?" Mateo asks, looking up at her.

Arizona looked up from her book. "Sure buddy."