Mere Chance: An Ezria Fanfiction

XXIII. (Don't Fear) The Reaper

"Hey Ez-what's your mom like?"

As I asked this, he looked at me like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. I could tell that my statement had practically ripped him from an intense thinking session, because his eyes grew wide as he looked at me. His expression told me more than words could in this very moment: he didn't know what was going to happen when she got here.

"I mean-you never talk about her. So, I just assumed she wasn't involved in your life." I explained as I rocked Seraphina gently in my frail arms.

"Oh, no, no. It's fine. I never talk about her because she is the type of mother that no one would ever wish his worst enemy to have. She was either never involved or too involved with Wes and I." He said as he sat at the foot of the hospital bed.

"I'm sorry." I replied softly. I apologized because Ezra almost always changed the subject whenever I asked him about his family. I always assumed it was because of what happened with Maggie; and if it was, I completely understood.

"Aria, you don't need to be sorry. The reason I don't talk about her isn't because I want to keep you from my family. It's because I want to keep my family away from you." He said, laughing to himself. He caressed my cheek gently and I smiled. I leaned in to kiss him and we shared a passionate lip lock before we heard a knock at the door.

He let me go and got up to unlock the door. I sat up in the bed and watched closely as the door opened, and I watched as a very tired-looking Wesley Fitzgerald stumbled into the room.

"Hey, Z. And hello, Aria. It's good to see you again." He panted as he slumped forward. He had obviously been running down the hallway. As he stood up, he saw that I was holding Sera; and his eyes grew wide. "I almost forgot: congratulations, you two."

"Thank you, Wes." I said quietly as I held Sera closer to my chest. She had woken up now; and was reaching up towards my face. I held her tiny hand in my own and she instantly quieted down. Momma's girl from the get-go.

"What name did you decide on again?" He asked. He walked over to the bed and I smiled.

"Seraphina." Ezra said cautiously as he stood beside me.

"It's cute." He replied.

"Would you like to hold her? I mean, you are her uncle." I offered with a smile. Wes looked at Ezra before accepting. It was cute: the relationship between Wes and Ezra. I hadn't had a good relationship with Mike before, well, Ezra became a major part of my life. And I had always had my mom by my side. I never knew what it would've been like if Mike was all I had.

I handed Sera to Wes and he sat down in a chair beside me. He smiled as he held her, and that was when I noticed how similar the two Fitzgerald boys were. Ezra and Wes had the same smile and nose, which apparently had been passed down to Sera as well.

"She looks just like the both of you." He mentioned while still studying his newborn niece's face. He was probably still trying to take everything in. And who could blame him? I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I was now a mother to the most beautiful baby girl. I wondered if Ezra felt the same way.

"Thanks." Ezra said, taking my hand in his. His thumb began moving in a constant assuaging circular motion on the back of my hand. Soon, Wes handed Sera back over to me and sat back down on the chair next to me.

"Wes," Ezra began, still holding my hand,"why would our mother call me saying that she was coming to visit?"

"Wait; she's coming here? Now?" He muttered in a worried tone of voice.

"Soon. Did you tell her?" Ezra replied. The irate tone of his voice was enough to make anyone run for the hills. But, I understood why he was so angry. Well, at least I thought I did.