Two months later- Christmas Eve

      "Daddy's gonna be home, Daddy's gonna be home!" Cameron shouted joyfully as he pranced around the house.

To be honest, I was beyond frustrated that Aris was arriving back home tomorrow. I loved having the kids to myself, and it was good to have the kids-specifically Cam- not being babied 24/7.

     "Yeah, I know!" I replied trying to sound as enthusiastic as I possibly could so he wouldn't act suspicious.

     "I'm wearing this tuxedo for daddy because I love him, and he likes it when I dress up." Cameron proclaimed as he showed off his tuxedo to me as I held Rose in my arms.

    Rose gurgled sweetly as she grasped the hem of my fancy blood red sweater I had on. She shoved her tiny fingers in her mouth and began to rub her gums against them. That's when I realized that Rose was beginning to teeth, my little girl was beginning to grow up in my arms.

     "Mommy, why do you look so sad? It's Christmas Eve, mommy. Santa's coming and he's bringing presents for Rose and I." Cameron jumped around as he wheeled his Thomas the Train toy around on the linoleum kitchen floor.

      "Don't worry about it, okay?" I replied as I gave Cameron a sympathetic smile as I rubbed his blondish brown hair.

      "Okay." Cameron obliged as he grasped a hold of my skinny jeans before running away.

      Suddenly, I heard the distinct noise of Aris's truck outside the house. Cameron's head whipped around, his mouth gaping while his Thomas the Train toy dropped from his hands.

       "Daddy's here!" He gasped as he sprinted towards the front door to look out the window.

     He pulled over his Winnie The Pooh stool and walked up the small stairs. He lifted his small head up so he could peek out the window.

      "Do you see Dada?" I asked Rose sweetly.

     Rose let out a small gurgle in response as her petite hands grasped onto the door frame. Instantaneously, the garage door opened and doorsteps proceeded to the mud room door. Them the door handle began to twitch and my ex-boyfriend walked in at that moment.

     "Daddy, daddy, daddy! I missed you so much!" He squealed as he leaped into Aris's arms.

     Aris's deep masculine voice filled the house again, as it does always when he is present. I watched as Aris became engulfed in Cameron's comforting hug.

      "I missed you, bud! I really did," He mumbled as he stroked Cameron's hair making a ping of jealousy run through me.

Aris turned to me, his glance slowly falling to Rose, who was giving him a toothless grin. A hazy mist covered his eyes before he could reach Rose and I. His arms immediately extending at the sight of his beloved daughter, they began to wrap around her small body. He pulled her up from my arms and hugged her close to his chest.

"Hey baby," He muttered as he gazed into her agile blue eyes," I missed you so so much!"

Rose let out a small giggle as he tickled her belly; she squirmed in Aris's arms but he managed to keep a tight grip around the infant.

I still stood in the kitchen creating scenarios of how this encounter was going to play out. It may have been stupid for me to act that way, but I simply did not know how to act in this situation. There was never a moment in my life where I pictured myself hiding from my ex-boyfriend in his own kitchen while our kids are greeting him joyfully.  Standing here was not doing much for me or him, so I knew it was time for me to make an appearance.

     "H-hi, how has college been?" I inquired as I examined his Ford Mustang t-shirt and the pair of worn out jeans he had on. 

     "Hey,"he said his voice mesmerizing,"Mikayla."

I stood there speechless as I tugged at my visible bra strap. I yanked up my shirt and looked up at him, a smirk playing on his lips. I decided to stop getting caught in a trance so I let him continue.

"It's been alright. Nothing too crazy." He answered as he ran a hand through his thick brown hair, "I missed you all so much." He added a tone of disappointment in his voice as he spoke.

He glanced down at Rose and then at Cameron who was still keeping a strong grip on Aris's muscular leg. Cameron smiled back up at him before he looked over at me.

"Thanks," I offered him appreciative smile," that means a lot to the kids and me." 

Silence sat between us as I took a moment to give Aris a once-over. I noticed that his usually impeccable hair was shabbier than usual, leaving wisps of his brown hair to fall over his hazel eyes. To be honest, I approved of his new hair-do- since if really framed his face well.

"Oh!" I exclaimed with a small jump as I realized something, "I made some dinner." I exclaimed as I watched him return the beam.

 I lead everyone over to the kitchen with a swift wave.

"Mommy made a pizza with lost of cheese. I helped put some of da the cheese on there!" Cameron exclaimed as a smile of excitement spread across his small face as he grasped his father's empty hand.

"Oh wow!" Aris gaped as he examined the pizza on the table, mixed with many other appetizers. Plus, a few assortments of pies for dessert lay on the gingerbread man tablecloth," Why is there so much food? I hope you don't expect us to eat all of this. I mean, I am hungry but not that hungry." He laughed as the vibration spread across his chest.

"We even made your favorite pie, key lime pie." Cameron added as he reached for the pie.

"Hey, watch it Cam! Don't touch the pie, we don't want it to fall on the ground." I ordered as I pulled his arm away from the pie.

"Awe. . ." Cameron sighed as he leaned his body against the wall in disappointment and frustration.

"I hope it's okay, but I invited our parents and your siblings over for dinner." I admitted as I prayed that Aris wouldn't panic that I had invited almost his whole family.

"You what?" Aris games as his voice suddenly changed from gentle to angry.

I could feel his heart practically beating out of his chest. His breath was hot and his eyebrows burrowed aggressively. 

"I-I invited part of your family and my family over for dinner." I repeated, stuttering a bit.

"My dad?" He asked, his tone was biting but he was desperate for an answer, "Did you invite him?" He asked sternly, his hazel eyes fixed onto mine.

"

"Good, good." Aris answered, his tone was at a much calmer state than it had been before,

I offered a smile as I stole Rose back from Aris. He planted a small kiss on her forehead before letting me hold her.

"Well, we have a good forty five minutes until your parents and siblings arrive here, so if you want to change into a more formal outfit or something. . ." I recommended as I shrugged my shoulders.

"Yeah, I probably should do that, especially since Lizzy would be quite mad at me for not wearing "appropriate" clothing on special occasions. One year when we were much younger, I was ignoring my mom because she kept telling me to change my shirt since all I was wearing was an Elmo t-shirt and loose-fitting jeans. Lizzy came up to me and grasped my shoulders angrily. She yelled at me and told me to go change, thankfully, after she yelled at me, mom immediately punished her and sent her up to her room." Aris laughed which made me smile.

"Wow, well you go do that then, Aris. I will stay here and watch the little stinkers." I proclaimed as I hugged Cameron before I watched Aris jog up the stairs and into his bedroom.

"Mikayla?" Aris shouted from his bedroom, his deep masculine voice booming," Who is all attending the Christmas party tonight?"

I reminisced myself looking through the email I had sent out a few nights ago, tripping to remember who replied," I believe everyone is coming," I responded," wait, I haven't heard back from Josh yet though." I added as I waited for him to come back downstairs.

"Oh." Is that he said, then, the footsteps vanished and his bedroom door shut before I could say anything else.

Josh, Chris, Tyler, and Lizzy were Aris's siblings. They are all very nice people, just like Aris but the only one who hates the fact the Aris has kids is Josh. See, Josh got married a year or so after Cameron was born. At the time, we had found out that his wife was pregnant with a girl, and we were all excited.

Unfortunately, Aris and his brother lost contact for quite a long time since Josh was furious at Aris for his choice that he made. Aris really never regretted the choice but he knew that he should have followed his faith instead of breaking a huge rule in the Catholic religion.

"Mommy are grandma and grandpa coming over?" Cameron inquired as he looked up at me, his eyes filled with wonder.

"Of course, silly goose! Why wouldn't they?" I laughed as I lay my head on the couch, waiting for the guests to arrive.

ding dong

"Someone's here! Someone's here!" Cameron squealed as he ran around in circles aimlessly.

I slowly sat up from the extremely comfortable couch and moved my body towards the door. Hesitantly, I slowly strolled over to the door, Aris's hand was already resting on the door handle before I could open it. I nodded, letting me open the door himself.

As he opened the door, the person standing there was nearly unrecognizable by I couldn't tell Aris knew who he was, and I could tell that he was just as shocked as I was.

AN//guys!! Oh my goodness, isn't this chapter such a cliff hanger? Can you guess who the person is at the door? If you have a guess, comment your guess! Don't worry in the next chapter, the person will be revealed😉

Love you guys!

~SDS