Loving All Over Again | ✓

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Replaced

Aliana's POV

I stared at her with shock. Did she really just ask that? She wanted to be back in my life after 6 freaking years? Why didn't she ask sooner? Why did she come back 6 years ago? If she had, I wouldn't be in this position.

"What?" I asked, even though I heard. I was just trying to process what she just asked me.

"I want to be back in your life. I can't keep living my life without you in it. I miss my daughter," she said pleadingly. The want was clear in her eyes. I shrunk in my seat, still kind of shocked.

And if it couldn't get any worse, this happened.

The door of the restaurant opened and a man and two young girls came through the door. Mom looked towards them, and her face lit up. I watched her questioningly. Did she know those people? Then I saw it.

The girls had curly raven black hair, skin the exact same color as mine, but eyes as green as my mom's. My eyes widened as I watched the girls and their dad come towards our table. 

"Hi, girls!" Mom exclaimed. She stood up from the table and took the youngest one into her arms. I sat there. The older girl stood there holding the man's hand, but her eyes were trained on me. I stiffened under her intense stare.

"Who are you?" she asked. 

"Who are you?" I shot back. She stepped back a step.

"Oh, Ali! These are my daughters! Bailey is the older one, she's three. And, Skye is one. And this is my husband, Alejandro." 

Oh. My. God. Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.

"Oh, uhm, hi," I said, my eyes going back and forth between the three humans that were apparently the important people in my mom's life now.

"So, what do you say Ali? Can I be in your life again? You can get to know Skye and Bailey. We can go out to dinner and go shopping at the mall," she suggested. I stood up from my chair slowly.

I gulped then said the words that I didn't want to say, but had to say. "I'm sorry, Mom. I can't, I just can't. It's been too long, you have a new family, a new life. It's just too much. It's too much change at once. And I don't think I can change how hurt I still feel after you left Dad, it will never go away. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, but it's for the best. The best for me and you."

She frowned deeply and stared into my eyes. Then she nodded sadly. "Okay, Aliana. I understand. If that's what you want. You have very good points, I can't just come back into your life this suddenly and ask you this much."

"Thank you for understanding," I said. She nodded, her lips tilting up in a smile the slightest bit. I didn't want to make my mom sad or anything, but it was for the best. She really couldn't come back into my life like this.

So I did what was best for me, and I said some quick goodbyes before walking around them and leaving that restaurant, never looking back

***

"Wants to be back in your life?" Fiona asked in shock. I stared up at the bunk above me. I was currently laying on my bed, telling Fiona about my mom and her new family.

"Yep," I replied flatly. I played with my fingers that were laying on my stomach as I continued staring at the bed.

She whistled. "Wow. That's crazy. You have so much drama in your life, Ali."

I sighed. "Tell me about it. First my dad, and now my mom. Why couldn't I have been born into a totally normal family instead of one that was set up for failure. My life would be much easier if my parents were still together and didn't go off and marry other people, and then have freaking kids!" 

I sat up and ran my hands over my face in anger. I still couldn't get over the fact that Mom had two daughters in the last six years. And they were almost exact clones of me. 

Then it dawned on me. I had two little sisters. I had always wished for some sort of sibling, and now I had two. But no, I was not going to try to be around them and get to know them if that meant I had to be around my mom too. Plus, that Bailey girl was sassy.

"I just...I just don't even know anymore. My life as finally getting easier, my life finally felt somewhat normal. And then my mom and my dad had to both suddenly come back into my life and wreck everything." I flopped back on my bed.

Fiona walked towards the bed and laid next to me. She reached over and took one of my hands. "Sometimes life gets really complicated, and just simply tiring. But all you have to remember is that you still have people that have your back. Me, Zora, Ashton, my family. You're not alone." She paused, a faraway look in her eyes. "And that's what I had to remember when I was struggling. I still am, but I just remember that, and it always makes me feel better."

I turned my head towards her and smiled gratefully. Then I reached over and hugged her. "I'm so lucky to have a friend like you, FiFi." She hugged me back.

"I could say the same to you, Ali." And I was lucky. Fiona always knew how to make me feel better. It didn't matter if I was having boyfriend troubles, or I was just really emotional when I was on my period. She was always there for me.

We laid there for awhile, just hugging each other. I thought over everything that had happened in the past few days. My life was getting more complicated, sure, but it was also getting better. Fiona had opened up and let me and Zora in. I had patched things up with my dad. I had finally let Ashton into my life.

Life had its ups and downs, but there was always something good in the end, something that you're so grateful to have. And for me, that's amazing people that support me for who I am and help me through the struggles of my life. And they bring happiness and comfort to my everyday life.

And sometimes I just needed some happiness and comfort.

***

"I saw my mom yesterday," I announced to Ashton the next day. We were currently laying on the carpet in the basement after a game of Scrabble that I had won, by the way. He looked at me, surprise etched on his face.

"Seriously?" he asked. 

I nodded. "Yeah. It was kind of a surprise. She asked me over email to meet her at a restaurant downtown, and I really didn't know what to reply since I haven't seen her in six years, but I agreed to it. I wanted to give her a chance."

"Was it a good idea? Or did it suck?"

I shrugged. "Half and half. But that's not the big thing. The big thing was seeing her new husband for the first time. He didn't really say anything to me. But that's not all." I paused.

He looked at me expectantly. "What?"

"She had two daughters, and they look just like me." I sighed and put my hands behind my head. Just thinking about those little kids that my own mother had with another guy annoyed me.

"Seriously? Wow, I didn't expect that. I bet that was hard for you, Ali."

"Kind of. It was mainly hard because they were made by my own mother but with some other guy. And the fact that they looked so similar to me, it was just crazy."

"Just remember, there's only one Alibear," he reminded me sweetly. A smile tugged at my lips despite all of the thoughts running through my mind.

"You're sweet," I said. He smiled at me.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that, Ali. I can't imagine going through that, and the fact that you actually said yes to meeting her in the first place, that's very strong of you." He put his arm out beside him and I snuggled into his side.

"You always know the right thing to say," I said admiringly. He kissed my hair.

"Only with you." I closed my eyes and smiled to myself, feeling very content, and at home.