Just Hold Me

Four Years Later

"Mommy," Allie yells from her bedroom. "Mommy."

Adam rolls onto his back. "Emily, I think you're child wants you."

I groan. "You know, this world would change dramatically if you'd actually help every once in a while."

"Ouch," he mutters. "That's hurtful."

I kiss his cheek. "Sorry, baby. I'm just tired. I'll be right back."

Allie is my wonderful daughter. This honestly wasn't planned. Adam and I were to wait a few years before having kids. But I guess this works too. She's turning four this Friday. And she's absolutely adorable.

I love her so much.

I open the door to her bedroom. "Is everything okay?" I ask her.

She sits up. "Mommy," she says.

I sit at the edge of her bed. She crawls over to me and lays her head on my lap.

"Is something wrong?" I ask her.

She sits up on my lap, her small face looking up at me. "I hungwy."

I smile at her. "Hungry," I correct.

Adam walks in, rubbing his eyes. "I can make some early breakfast," he says, stifling a yawn.

Allie smiles excitedly. "Yeah!"

Picking her up, Adam takes her over to the kitchen. "I'm going to teach you how to make pancakes."

"Okay, daddy."

I head after them, unable to keep the smile off my face.

"Come here, Em," Adam says to me, waving me over. "I'm going to teach you as well."

He hands over Allie as he makes the pancake mix and turns on the stove, thoroughly explaining what everything does.

"I want to," Allie says when he went to pour the mix. She reaches for the bowl. "Can I?"

He hands her the bowl. "Don't put in too much."

She carefully, with Adam's help, pours in the pancake mix. She smiles at me. "Look, mommy."

I run a hand through her blond curls. "I saw you, baby," I say. "Good job."

We were sitting down and eating our pancakes when there's a light knock on the door. Followed by the doorbell.

I look at the clock. "Who would show up at five in the morning?"

Adam stands up. "I'll get it."

"Are you thirsty?" I ask Allie. "Do you want some milk or juice?"

She nods. "Apple juice, please."

"Emily!" Two pair of arms wrap around me. "Oh my gosh! we missed you so much."

Turning around, I see Kaitlin and Brooke. Both beaming up at me.

"Hey," I say excitedly. "How are you girls doing? How are you here?"

Kaitlin smiles. "Mom wanted to see you early. I mean, we did too. Obviously. But it's been four years years, Emily. We haven't seen you in four years."

I hug them. "I know. It's been forever."

Adam walks in, followed by my mother and a little four-year-old boy.

I bend down at his level and smile. "Hey."

He giggles. "Hi."

I stand up. "He's precious," I say to my mom, who's eyes were starting to mist over.

"I missed you, Emily," she says, wrapping me in her arms.

I hug her back. "I missed you too, mom. Thanks for coming."
• • •
Adam and I were sitting in our bedroom looking online for actual houses. You know, the four bedroom, two-and-a-half bath kind of stuff. Beautiful but cheap.

It's definitely not easy. Because even though my dad still sends me money, I can't just take all those credit cards and withdraw one million dollars from my accounts. Or maybe I can but why would I want to.

"How about this one?" he asks. "It's 3000sq.ft. It's got five bedrooms and three bathrooms. And it's got a pool."

I look at him. "How much is it?"

He hesitates. "Nine hundred."

I shake my head. "That's still too much, Adam."

He takes my hands. "But think about it. Won't it be worth it? Imagine all the space we'd have. Things we could do in a house like that. Or any actual house for that matter. I don't want to be stuck in an apartment for the rest of my life."

I roll my eyes. "I'm not saying you have to be. Just that six hundred is our budget. And that house is well over our budget."

"But why?" he whines.

I laugh. "Adam, we can't just take nine hundred thousand dollars from a bank account and use it to buy a house. Because that's pretty much all we have. What if we have some sort of emergency? We won't have enough money because we spent it all on a house."

"A beautiful house," he retorts.

I run my hand through his hair. "It's beautiful. But it's also too expensive."

We spend another half hour house hunting when Allie walks in the bedroom.

She lays one our bed. "Can we watch a movie?" she asks.

I shake my head. "It is an hour past your bedtime."

She starts whining, she's about to throw one of her tantrums. "But I'm not tired."

Adam smiles at her. "We let you stay up a whole hour, Allie."

Needless to say, she got her way and we sat in the living room watching Disney movies.

Allie sat on Adam's lap but lay her head on mine.

I could tell she was already asleep. But I just don't want to get up.

Adam wraps his arm around my shoulder. "I'm really glad I came back for you," he whispers.

I look at him. "What?"

His eyes look into mine. "That day when you left? I was still at my mom's. I told her not to let you know."

Knowing I'd get mad, I stay quiet.

"But at the college, I was feeling miserable without you. I know I don't say it often. But I'm really glad I came to my senses."

I smile softly. "I'm glad you did too."

He laughs quietly and brushes his lips against mine. "You would've made it without me."

I kiss him for a while. "But I wouldn't have wanted to."
• • •
It isn't supposed to just happen like this. You don't just meet someone and decide they're going to change your life. I didn't even believe in love.

Even while I was dating Adam. I just couldn't see myself being happy.

But it worked.

I have a beautiful little girl and could possibly have another one on the way--- I'm still not sure, a wonderful husband who loves me, and my family is not as messed up as it was a few years ago.

Though dad can still be a little rough on the edges.

But I'm happy. And I wouldn't trade that for the world.

HEY!!! IT'S FINALLY OVER!!! THANK YOU FOR BEING SO PATIENT THROUGHOUT THE WHILE BOOK.

THANK YOU FOR READING.

I KNOW IT WASN'T THE BEST BOOK OUY THERE. BUT I STILL APPRECIATE IT.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GIVE ME HONEST FEEDBACK. I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!!

AND THANKS AGAIN FOR READING!!! I HONESTLY HOPE YOU LIKED IT CONSIDERING IT WAS THE FIRST BOOK I HAVE EVER WRITTEN ON WATTPAD.

HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY!!!