"Ok everyone, you ready?" my mom asked as we lined up in our cap and gowns to take a picture.

"We're ready," Max said, as we all smiled and posed while our parents took pictures of us.

"I'm so proud of you," my mom said as she hugged me.

"Thank you," I said hugging her back.

"Look how grown you are," she said as her eyes began to water.

"Momma you promised you wouldn't cry," I said handing her tissue.

I had stuffed a few tissues in my pants pocket before leaving, I knew she was going to be a blubbering mess today.

"I know I did, but I can't help it, you'll understand one day when you have your own," she said, taking the tissue from me, drying her eyes.

"We did it," Max said, patting me on the back.

Max got accepted into a college in California on a football scholarship, Marcie also got accepted into the same school, she's going to be a doctor. I wasn't really surprised when Marcie said she was going to be going to the same school as Max.

"Hell yeah we did," I said, happy to be through with this school.

I had exactly a week left in this town before I boarded my plane and left for two years, at least I wouldn't be alone though, I would have my amazing girlfriend with me, I thought as I looked over to where Mia was taking pictures with her family. I couldn't help but smile, I couldn't believe that she was my girlfriend.

Mia and I had gotten extremely close in the past two weeks, I actually opened up to her about some of the things that had happened with Kevin. She was the one who actually encouraged me to start going to therapy, and I'm so glad I took her advice, therapy has been so good for me.

I started going to see Doctor Roberts three times a week, he has me on a few medications to help with my depression, I've even done a few sessions with my mom so I could try and get over the abandonment issues I was having. I even wrote Keven a letter last week, asking him why he had done what he did.

His only response was because I looked like my mother and it kept bringing up the past for him. Just another shitty excuse from him, but in a strange way it brought me a little bit of closure. Kevin said that the reason he turned himself in was because he felt guilty for what he was doing to me, but he couldn't have felt too much guilt because he kept doing it.

I was honest to god the happiest I've ever been, but at the same time, I felt like I didn't deserve it like all of this was just a dream. Ever since I started my new medication I was having issues with feeling numb to things, it was like my emotions were being blocked to where I really couldn't feel much. Doctor Roberts said that it was normal and once the medicine has been in my system longer that it will ease up, all I could do was hope he was right.

One year later.

"I'm pregnant," Mia said as I walked back into our bedroom.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"I'm pretty sure," she said holding up a positive pregnancy test.

I walked over to where she sat on the bed, taking the test from her as I looked at the positive sign.

"It could be a false positive," I said.

"That's what I thought as well so I went to the doctor while you were in class and it's real, I'm pregnant," she said handing me a folded-up piece of paper.

Unfolding it, I read it word for word and I still didn't believe she was truly pregnant. I mean sure we talked about having kids but not this soon, I wasn't through with college yet, Mia and I both were having to work just to make the rent every month, we couldn't afford this right now.

Sitting down beside her, all I could do was go between the pregnancy test and the piece of paper, trying to wrap my head around all of this.

"I'm going to be a dad," I said, as it was finally fully hitting me.

"Yup and I'm going to be a mom," she said, her voice sounding shaky.

Reaching over I took her hand in mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"We'll be fine Mia," I said, not even believing my own words.

"Alex we're barely able to make it now, how are we going to afford a child."

"I could always pick up another job."

"I barely see you as it is between your classes and your night time job, where would you even squeeze in another job, and don't even think about quitting school, you only have a year left, I'll be damned if you quit just cause we're having a baby," she said.

"We'll figure this out Mia, I swear we will," I said I hugged her up.

It's been a year since we both moved to Japan, I have a year left in school before I graduate, currently, Mia was working for a vet that's close to my school, and I was working at a convenience store after school. The money could be better but we were making it, barely but we were, Mia and I had just talked the other night about marriage and here we were, expecting a child.

"Why are you crying?" I asked as I handed her some tissues.

"I'm going to get so fat," Mia said.

"No you're not," I said, as I couldn't help but laugh at her statement.

"Don't laugh at me," she said lightly hitting me in the chest.

"I'm not I swear, I just wasn't expecting to hear that, that's all," I said as she smiled at me, before hugging me once more.

"I love you, Mia," I said.

"I love you too Alex."

Another year later.

"I got it," I said, yawning as I got out of bed.

"You sure?" Mia asked as she rolled over in bed, watching as I walked to the door, opening it.

"Yeah I'm sure," I said as I walked across the hall, opening the door to the twin's rooms.

It's been three months since Mia gave birth to them and I still couldn't believe we were parents to twins. Walking in, I headed straight to Emberly's crying form, picking her up, I started to lightly bounce her in my arms, trying to soothe her before she woke her brother up.

I was able to graduate before the twins were born, so we moved back to our hometown, where we're currently staying with my mom until we can get into our own place. I got a job at the local college teaching an art class, Mia has been staying home with the twins, at least until they're old enough for school, her idea not mine.

This was something that I would never force her to do, I told her it was completely up to her what she wanted to do about work and the twins. So when she came to me saying she wanted to stay home until they were in school, I supported her 100%.

After getting Emberly back to sleep, I gently placed her back in her crib, before walking over to Miles's crib. After making sure he was ok I walked out of the room, quietly shutting the door behind me.

Walking back across the hall, I walked back into our room, shutting the door behind me before crawling back in bed.

"Everything ok?" Mia groggily asked.

"It was Emberly, she just had to be rocked back to sleep," I said wrapping my arm around Mia's waist bringing her closer to me.

"Goodnight," I said only for Mia to hum back a response.

Ten years later.

"Dad, Emberly won't give me the remote," Miles whined out as he and Emberly fought for the remote.

"Emberly I told you it's your brother's turn to watch what he wants," I said walking into the living room.

"But dad the episode isn't over yet."

Sighing I walked over to Emberly, taking the remote from her, before checking to see how much longer there was on her precious show that she has to watch every day.

"Miles let her finish this, there are only ten minutes left, then you better give him the remote, ok?"

"I will," Emberly said causing Miles to glare at her.

"Daddy," my four-year-old daughter yelled out happily as she ran towards me.

"Finley," I said, grabbing her up as she let out an adorable giggle.

"What time are Uncle Max and Aunt Marcie coming over?" She asked as I let her down.

"Soon sweetie, how about you go in the living room with your brother and sister, I have to finish cooking."

"Okie Dokie," she said smiling as she ran into the living room.

On my way to the kitchen, I peeked into the living room to see Finley sitting in between Miles and Emberly, watching tv with them. The sight brought a smile to my face as I walked into the kitchen, opening the oven to check on the casserole.

I had such amazing kids, especially Finely but that was mainly due to the fact that she was still a little angel. I knew one day she wouldn't be though, she'd start acting like Emberly and Miles soon.

There was a knock at the door, followed by the sound of someone running.

"I got it," Finley yelled out before I could hear the door open.

Walking out of the kitchen I see Max and Marcie walking into the house, while Finley and their kids ran into the living room.

"Uncle Alex," Mia, their youngest daughter said, as she ran over to me.

"Hey Mia," I said, picking her up as she hugged me.

Mia had just turned two a few weeks ago, she was also their fourth and last child.

"Go play with the others ok,"

"Ok," she said, running into the living room after I put her down.

"She's getting so big," I said, hugging Marcie.

"Isn't she though, all of our babies are growing up on us," she said, letting go of me.

"How have you been?" Max asked as we gave each other a quick hug.

"Good, been busy though. You?"

"Bout ready to pull my damn hair out, Justin has been giving us problem's lately," max said.

Justin was their oldest kid, he's one year younger than the twins.

"What's he doing?"

"Just not wanting to listen to us," Marcie said.

"Just hang in there, Miles was like that a few years ago," I said as we made our way into the kitchen.

I grabbed two pot holders before opening the oven, taking out the casserole before placing it on the counter.

"Man that smells good," Max said closing the oven for me.

"Hopefully it tastes as good as it smells, I followed Mia's recipe to the T," I said, feeling a little sad.

Mia died two years ago in a car wreck, we had just gotten engaged. The twins were seven, and Finley had just turned two. It was the worse thing I've ever experienced so far, if it hadn't been for our children and my mother and friends I don't think I would've made it, to be honest.

It was about a week or so after her funeral when Marcie found out she was pregnant. When they found out it was going to be a girl they came to me and asked if they could use Mia's name.

At first, I was a little iffy about it, but I said yes, and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, I thought it would bother me but it didn't.

"I'm sure it does, and I'm sure if she was here, she'd say it was good," Marcie said, trying to make me feel better.

"Kids come on, dinners ready," I yelled out as they ran into the kitchen, taking their seats at the table.

The three of us placed everything on the table before taking our own seats. We made plates for the kids that were still a little too young to do it for themselves, as the older kids served themselves.

I couldn't help but sit there and stare at everyone, I just couldn't believe how much my life has changed over the past two years. I was fortunate enough to have two amazing loves of my life, three beautiful children, amazing friends, my mother and me were in a really good place now, hell I was even close to Mia's family, even her dad.

Over the past ten years, I found out that Kevin died in prison from some kind of health issue he was having. Brent is doing life in prison for killing someone, but none of that really matters to me anymore, they were a part of my past that needed to stay there.

It still amazes me, I went from being alone to having the whole world with me. I was the happiest I've ever been in my whole life.

The end.