Most Likely To

Mother Knows Best

28 hours later and my sister Ashton became a mom. Of course, she was a mom the past nine months, but seeing her hold my nephew in her arms made it pretty official. Although I would never forgive her for making me stand by her side while she gave birth. But I wouldn't have had it any other way.

We had all slept for a good amount of time afterward. Of course, my mom and I let Cam and Ash have their own time with the baby before we got to hold him. We agreed it wouldn't have been right to take up time.

"You know growing up I used to tell people you were twins?" My mom nudged me. We were sitting on the small couch while Ash held baby Griffin next to Cam. We all had the tired look in our eyes. We all needed the nap that Griffin was taking.

"I always felt like we were twins," I told her.

"She's really happy that you were here you know that right?" She smiled at me. It was her 'I'm proud of you' smiles.

"Yeah me too," I sighed happily. "But don't expect me to have a baby anytime soon. That was terrifying." I shook my head at her. "But beautiful."

"You or your sisters better not be having any more babies anytime soon. None of you better not get any ideas." She scoffed playfully giving me a nudge.

"Do you guys want some sleep?" I asked the two new parents.

"No I'm fine," Ash yawned.

"Oh please. You guys take a nap. Mom and I will be right here," I said holding out my hands for the baby.

Ash gave him a kiss and so did Cam before they passed him off to me. I swore I heard him coo as he snuggled into my arms. I sat back on the couch next to my mom so we could both swoon over him.

"Hi baby Griff," I whispered to him. His lip tilted upwards just the slightest. My heart burst apart at the seams. It wasn't his first smile, Ash had gotten that one of course but I took what I could get.

I kept talking to him while my mom also spoke to him. We told him all about his crazy aunts and grandpa who he would meet later today. They all wanted to make sure Ash, Cam, and baby Griff was all okay before they came to visit. That's when mom and I would be going home to get some real sleep.

I was already dreading leaving them. I just wanted to stay and make sure Ash and my nephew were okay. I knew they would be, but my mom was right. We were practically twins.

"And when you can walk I'll take you to the beach when you and your parents come to visit me at school," I promised him. "And all your aunts can come too. The whole family in fact. We gotta big one so buckle up little dude."

"I think he'll be okay. I mean your father survived this long," mom giggled next to me.

"In a house full of girls?" I raised my eyebrows at her. "All we can do is hope," I snorted.

By that time we had to pass Griffin off to the nurses so my mom and I went downstairs to find something to eat.

"You know I could go grab us something if you don't want to eat this cafeteria food," I eyed her as she sniffed a piece of limp lettuce.

"No it'll be okay," she sighed. "Have the winners of the Film Fest been announced?"

I groaned slumping back into my chair like I would have if Scarlett was next to me. "No, I haven't heard anything. I'm sure Scarlett would have told me. Maybe she's secretly mad that I had to call out though," I shrugged.

"You don't think Drew or Madi would have told you anything? Sam?" I laughed at her for that one.

"No. No, I don't think so," I sighed.

"You wanna tell me what's going on with that?"

"Do I have to," I grumbled dunking a piece of bread into my soup.

"No, you never have to do anything. But it might help if you did."

I sighed but went into the story of Drew and I even when I embarrassingly kissed him outside of his match, to Nick cheating on me, to the whole part of Drew's movie I saw. It was a little embarrassing at parts but it did feel good to talk about it with her.

"I said some crappy things mom," I looked at her. I tried to figure out if there was disappointment in her eyes but I couldn't tell. It was a completely neutral expression.

"Like what?" 

"Like how I think love and soulmate stuff was a myth. How I didn't want to fall in love because I didn't want to end up heartbroken like Dylan," I winced.

"Well you have said it to her face so is there really a matter of hiding it?" I shook my head at her. "Whatever happened to that list you girls used to have?"

"We still have them," I took another bite of soup.

"Do you believe in them? Honestly?"

"I mean I know this sounds stupid mom but, I tried. I know it's dumb but I did try to follow them. What I don't get is how I follow those rules or I do things like not get serious with guys or too involved, but how do I still end up with a hole in my chest?" I asked her. "I mean it's heavy and aching and I don't want it there. This is exactly what I was trying to avoid."

She took one of my hands and rubbed her thumb against mine. Letting me know she was there and she was not judging me.

"You want to know what I think?"

"Always," I gave her a small smile.

"I think that you can't help who you like or develop feelings for. And everyone had their own version of love and how they show it."

I gave her a small nod unsure of what to say. She did have a point.

"Do you think Drew has feelings for you?" Her voice was small.

"No," I stifled a laugh.

"Do you want him to?"

"No. Yes. I don't know mom," I threw my head into my hands.

"Well, I think he does." She leaned back in her chair folding her arms

"Then why would he embarrass me about kissing him or put all the crappy things I said into his movie?"

"Maybe that's something you need to ask him?" She looked at me.

"I hate that you're right," I sighed.

"I'm gonna go check on your sister and call your dad. Meet me upstairs when you're ready to go okay?" She gave my hand a little pat leaving me to be alone. I knew she wanted me to call him, but I just wasn't ready.

I pulled out my phone while I finished off the hunk of bread I was chewing on. I had asked her if any winners were announced yet. I sat and chewed waiting for a response.

Drew won.

I smiled to myself a little bit. Even if I was being a monster in his film, I was glad he won. He worked hard on it, and he was good at what he did.

He seems off though. Sorta unhappy? He wouldn't talk to any of us though. Did something happen? How's Ash?

I decided just to call her and tell her all about Ash and baby Griffin. I even sent her the photos of the little peanut I had already taken on my phone. I told her about the argument Drew and I had before Ash came running over. I even told her about what my mom and I just talked about.

"I love your mom." She sighed. "She's right you know?"

"Yeah I know"