Find Our Way Back - T.H

•25•

•3 years later•

"Happy birthday dear Audrey, happy birthday to you!" Everyone sings as Audrey blows out the candles on her cake.
"I can't believe she's already nine.." Tom sighs.
"I can't either." I say.
We pull the candles out of the cake, and grab the knife to cut a piece for everyone. Audrey excitedly pulls Paxton over to sit next to her as they wait for a piece of cake. Paxton has stayed in the care of his mother and her new husband, who have quickly become mine and Toms favorite couple to go out with. Audrey and Paxton are best friends now, and definitely have a little crush on each other. It's so cute. All the kids get cake and take it out to the backyard to eat it by the pool.
I feel a weird pressure in my stomach, and it brings a smile to my face.
"Tom, feel." I say.
Tom's hand lays over my quickly growing belly, feeling the kicks and movements of our little baby. We had been talking about trying to have a baby, but the malfunction of the birth control beat us to it, and we couldn't be happier.
"I can't wait to meet our sweet little bean." He smiles, kissing my lips softly.
We walk out into the living room where all our friends are, and Haz looks me up and down with a laugh.
"You're getting fatter by the day!" He comments.
"I will eat you alive, Harrison." I say plainly, making Tom laugh.
"Are you going to be that insensitive when I'm pregnant Haz?" Abbi asks.
Abbigail and Haz finally came to their senses a year ago after dating a bunch of losers that they just wanted each other all this time. No one really saw it coming, but now I couldn't imagine it any other way.
Adriana of course is still single and living her best life. She has enough party left in her to last another decade.
"You're really driving me crazy not letting us know the gender yet." Abbi says.
"I told Audrey she'd be the first to know, after I tell her tonight we will tell everyone else." I assure her.
"She won't even open it just for us to see, believe me I'm just as anxious to find out as you are." Tom says.
The kids play a little while longer, before everyone leaves and her party comes to an end. Audrey thanks us a million and one times before going to rummage through the mountains of gifts she got. Audrey has become a beautiful little girl with such a big heart, I was really worried that by now she'd have a terrible attitude, but I've never met a nine year old girl that is so humbled and sweet.
"Thank you. I love you guys." Audrey hugs us, going to head up to her room.
"You have one more gift." Tom says to her.
"I do?" She questions.
"I got the gender results." I say, and her face lights up.
"What is it?!" She asks.
"We don't know yet, we're letting you open it." Tom says, handing her the envelope with the results in it.
I've been secretly hoping for a boy, I've always wanted a little boy. Tom really wants another girl though, so we both anxiously await the result.
Audrey takes the envelope quickly, and starts to open it. She pulls out the white piece of paper, unfolding it and reading what the results are. A bright smile comes to her face, and she looks up to us.
"I'm going to have a baby brother!" She squeals.
"A boy!" I cheer.
"Just like you wanted." Tom smiles, kissing my temple. He's definitely happy either way, but I can tell he's happy for me, that I got the boy I wanted.
"Cool, now dad can push his aspirations onto someone else." Audrey laughs and Tom's mouth drops.
"Are you saying you want to quit ballet?" Tom asks.
"No. Bye!" Audrey says quickly, walking off to her room.
Tom sighs, putting his arm around me as we lay back on the couch.
"When did she get so big and grown up?" He asks, staring off into space.
"I don't know.." I say.
It feels like just yesterday I told Tom that Audrey is his daughter, and now here we are.. having a little boy, living together, the last step to take together now is marriage.
"Are you ever going to propose?" I ask.
Tom looks at me with an amused smirk, obviously entertained by my question.
"You just want me to buy you a big fat diamond don't you?" He teases.
"Ugh no! I would say yes even if you proposed with a ring pop." I state.
"Well, then I guess it's a huge step up that I got you a sixteen carat emerald engagement ring Huh?" He says casually.
My eyes go wide, and my hand flies over my mouth.
"Oh my god" I breath out.
He starts laughing loudly, and my awe turns into confusion.
"Please, I'm not ready to get married." He says and I slap his arm.
"You asshole. Don't do that to me!" I pout.
"You make it too easy." He giggles.
____
I drop Audrey and Paxton off at dance rehearsals, and text Tom that I will be home quickly. He has to leave for a week to do reshoots, and he wants us to have a nice dinner together before he goes. It's our tradition.
I pull into the driveway, and get out of the car. I'm not even dressed nicely, and my hair is a mess. Tonight won't be like our five star date nights but that's okay.
"Hey I'm here!" I call as I walk inside.
"Help!" He calls frantically.
I jog into the kitchen, laughing at the sight. The kitchen is filled with smoke, and he has a pout on his face as he looks down to the burnt food. I walk over to him, seeing the blackened food in the pan.
"What was it?" I ask, opening a window.
"Lasagna." He sighs.
"Baby.. that's not a lasagna." I giggle, shaking my head at him.
"I tried." He shrugs.
He takes the oven mitts off his hands, throwing them on to the counter top. I grab his face, pulling him in for a soft comforting kiss.
"I appreciate the effort, but maybe we should order takeout?" I suggest.
"Yeah that's probably a good idea." He nods.
I grab my phone, calling our favorite restaurant. Tom grabs me by my waist, pulling me into him and making me laugh. Ugh I love this man with my whole heart. I order our food, and hang up the phone.
"You're so pretty." He says, kissing my shoulder.
"I'm practically in pajamas and my hair is a mess what do you mean?" I laugh.
"You're always pretty to me." He states.
His hands grip my hips, turning me to face him. His eyes look at me with the same adoration as when we were in high school.
No matter how we age, his eyes will never change, and they're my favorite part of him.
He clicks something on his phone, and music starts to play. He pulls me close to him, dancing. I press my forehead to his as our bare feet step across the cold kitchen tiles, moving our bodies to the music.
I can feel his fingertips on my skin, and his curls tickling my forehead. Everything about Tom is so intoxicating.
I am truly in love with him.
"You mean everything to me, Allie." He says softly. "You are my whole world, and our babies are the best gift."
His hand rests over my small bump, the smile on his face contagious.
"So I want to show you just how important you are to me.."
he removes his hands from my hips, reaching into his back pocket. He slowly lowers down to one knee, his brown eyes looking up into mine. The little white box in his hand opens, revealing the most gorgeous ring I've ever seen in my life.
"Darling, would you be my wife?" He asks.
Tears fall down my cheeks as I nod my head yes, too in awe of what just happened to even say a word. He smiles widely, sliding the ring onto my finger and pulling me into a hug. The jitters going through my body right now are so intense, I can't believe that just happened.
I pull from the hug to kiss his lips, then I look at the ring on my finger.
"It's real." I say almost in a whisper.
"It's real." He nods. "And I've had it since the week you got back to London."
My eyes widen at him. He got this that long ago?!
"What?" I ask.
"The night you showed up at the bar, and said you moved back.. that's when I knew I would be marrying you someday. I went out and bought it the very next day." He explains.
Words can't even describe how lucky I feel to be with such an amazing man. Through everything, he still manages to be the best person I know. I don't know what i'd do in a world without him.
"I love you so much Tom." I say.
"Not as much as I love you."

A/N: and that's the end🥺 thanks for reading yet another book of mine guys, I really do appreciate it. My new book Atonement will be out in the next few day's! Hope you'll check it out!