At the end of it all, the judge ruled in favor of shared custody. Natalie was
to move back to Oklahoma with the kids, and would have them only on weekends.
Taylor would have them during the week days.When it came to touring, she was to
have them unless they were able to work something out themselves.
Things between Natalie and Arielle did change, and the bond they had shared
was in fact gone. No matter what Arielle did to try and gain back that
friendship, Natalie was just unwilling to try. It devastated Arielle. She missed
having her around to hang out with. She just didn't share that same bond with
her mom. That had changed when she had lied to her. She had forgiven her by now,
but had not forgotten. She had missed too much time with her dad because of
it.
Zac and Kate slowly started to rekindle their relationship. She was still
pretty pissed that Taylor and Natalie weren't together, but some of what Isaac
had said to her had an impact on her. She did realize that she had lost his
trust, and that it was something she needed to work on.
Ashley decided to enroll in community college classes to follow her life long
dream of having her own radio station one day. She didn't want live off of
Taylor and his career. Not to mention she knew how his family would feel about
that, and her own daughter. She worked hard everyday to get her school work
done on time and at the same time, be the best mom she could be. Taylor and her
agreed that working and schooling at the same time for her would prove to be
difficult with his career, and that if she could agree to paying him back later
for the classes, they could work things out.
Nikki had a couple months before she was due to give birth, and she was way
more than ready for that day. They were beginning to wonder if she was having
twins, she had gotten so big.
They were all together at the park for a picnic, Natalie staying off to the
side. She still chose not to speak to Ashley unless she absolutely had to.
" Arielle, could you hand me a bottle of water? My throat is so dry right
now." Nikki asked her.
" Yeah." She went into the cooler, and grabbed two bottles of water. One for
herself and one to hand over to Nikki. " I still say it would be cool if you had
twins. Then I would have two babies to spoil." She said, handing the bottle to
her.
" With what money do you think you would be spoiling them with?" Taylor
asked. " You have no job, except to go to school."
" You mean you wouldn't give me the money to spoil them with?" Arielle asked
with a pout, hoping that would convince him to.
" No. Get an after school job if you intend to spoil them." Taylor told her,
laughing at her attempt to get money out of him to spoil the baby.
" We are so not having twins. It's just... a big baby girl or boy. That's
all." Nikki said, taking a sip of her water.
Isaac laughed. " You keep trying to convince yourself of that, honey. I agree
though. I think we're having twins." He wrapped his arms around her from behind,
and kissed her cheek.
Zac stood at the grill, making the burgers and hot dogs and brat's up. " Give
it up, Nikki. You know your having twins." He smiled over at her. " There's no
talking yourself out of that one."
Looking over at Arielle, Nikki noticed a look of sadness on her face. She
knew it still hurt her that she had lost her baby. " Hey, don't even think about
that. Your still young, Arielle. You have plenty of time to have a baby." She
told her.
" Nikki is right, sweetie. You'll find someone special one day, and marry the
man of your dreams. The two of you will as many kids as you desire then. I
promise." Ashley agreed.
" I sure hope so." Arielle sighed, taking a sip of her water.
Christopher had been running around with the other kids. They were spraying
each other with water guns. When he noticed Arielle's look of sadness, he
decided the only way to cheer her up was to spray her.
She jumped up from her spot on the ground, and screamed at him. "
Christopher!"
He looked at her innocently. " What?" He asked.
Taylor laughed. " There's plenty of water guns. Get him, Arielle. Don't let
him get away with it."
" I have a better idea." Arielle smiled suddenly. She grabbed her little
brother by the waist, and dumped her whole bottle of cold water all over him.
He shivered, playfully hitting her when he was let go from her grasp. " I'll
get back at you for that one."
Even Natalie laughed at that as they watched him walk away to run around with
the other kids again.
________________________________________________
After the picnic, Taylor and Ashley had gone out for some time alone together
while Arielle babysat her brother. They had practically been living together for
the last couple of weeks. She had been staying over everyday, and he loved it.
But they hadn't gotten much time to themselves. He had taken her to the botanic
garden center to walk around and just talk.
She was talking about her classes at community college when he decided to
interrupt her with a kiss. " Let's not talk about college or anything like
that."
She kissed him back. " What should we talk about then?"
" Let's talk about us." He suggested. " Are you happy we got back
together?"
" Of course I am, Taylor." She kissed him again. " I've never been happier. I
can't believe you felt you had to ask me that."
" Well, I know the last couple of months have been difficult even for you.
You've had to practically take in my kids, who don't exactly like you. I know
how much that hurts you."
" Yeah. It does." She admitted. " But I wouldn't change a thing, Taylor.
Being with you makes me happy. Nothing could change that. Not even your kids
hating me."
He kissed her again. " I'm glad. Because I... I have something important to
ask you, Ashley."
" What's that?" She asked, with a smile on her face.
He took something out of his pocket, and got down on one knee. Taking her
hand in his, he spoke. " I know we've been back together for a short amount of
time, Ashley. But I love you with all my heart. We were always meant to be
together, I know that now. You never stopped being a part of me." He revealed
the ring he had in his other hand. " Will you do me the honor of becoming my
wife?"
She looked at him in surprise, and for a moment stuttered on her words. He
started to think she going to say no by her reaction. Finally, she nodded her
head to say yes and managed to say it. " Yes. I will marry you, Taylor." She
smiled at him, and he slid the ring on her finger.
Getting off his knee, he threw his arms around her and kissed her. " I love
you, Ashley. So very much."
" I love you too, Taylor." She kissed him back. " I can't wait to become your
wife."
Everyone around them started to clap and congratulate them on their
engagement. They happily thanked them, and then continued to walk around hand in
hand, talking about what their wedding would be like.
_________________________________________________________
Two months later, everyone got together at the Gaillardia Country Club for
their outdoor wedding. Ashley had been the one to walk her mom down the aisle,
and Nikki stood at her side as the maid of honor. Isaac stood as Taylor's side
as the best man.
The reception was just inside after the ceremony, and Arielle lightly was
tapping on her glass of sparkling cider to get everyone's attention. Nikki had
already made her speech, and she wanted to make one as well. Everyone looked her
way, and she spoke up. " I know that generally the maid of honor and the best
man are the one's to make speeches, but I wanted to say something too." She
faced her mom and dad with a smile on her face.
" I know I haven't always
been entirely supportive of the idea of this. I'm sure you could tell by my
actions that I was against you two being together at first. But I see how happy
you two make each other and as long as you continue to make each other happy,
then that's all I need to convince me that you are meant to be together."
Tears of happiness came to Ashley's eyes as her daugther spoke. She had
wanted more than anything to hear those words, and now she had. As she lifted
her glass and clanked her's with Taylor's, she smiled over at her daughter.
Just a couple of weeks before, Nikki had in fact given birth to twins. Having
a boy and a girl, they gave them the names of Aiden and Leigh.
Kate and Zac were doing better than ever at this point, and were in talks of
having another baby of their own. They had talked through all their issues and
once again Zac felt he could trust his wife with anything.
Natalie had started to date again about a month ago and she seemed to be
happy. It was hard for her to see Taylor marry Ashley still though. A part of
her loved him still, and she knew she always would.
Arielle's best friend had settled herself there in Tulsa and was in college
studying photography. She was actually in charge of taking pictures this day, as
her first official job. When she wasn't studying, she was doing little
photography jobs on the side and worked at the coffee shop.
At the end of the reception, Ashley pulled her daughter off to the side and
gave her a big hug. " Thank you so much, Arielle. I know we haven't been the
best mother/daughter team lately, but..."
" You may not have always been the best mom, but you've been there for me for
the most part when I have needed you. And I'm always here for you when you need
me, mom." She interrupted her.
" Well, I'm going to need you more than ever. I have a little secret for
you." Ashley told her with a smile on her face. " Me and Taylor are going to
have a baby. Your going to have another brother or sister."
Ashley smiled and gave her mom a big hug. " I can't wait, mom."
to move back to Oklahoma with the kids, and would have them only on weekends.
Taylor would have them during the week days.When it came to touring, she was to
have them unless they were able to work something out themselves.
Things between Natalie and Arielle did change, and the bond they had shared
was in fact gone. No matter what Arielle did to try and gain back that
friendship, Natalie was just unwilling to try. It devastated Arielle. She missed
having her around to hang out with. She just didn't share that same bond with
her mom. That had changed when she had lied to her. She had forgiven her by now,
but had not forgotten. She had missed too much time with her dad because of
it.
Zac and Kate slowly started to rekindle their relationship. She was still
pretty pissed that Taylor and Natalie weren't together, but some of what Isaac
had said to her had an impact on her. She did realize that she had lost his
trust, and that it was something she needed to work on.
Ashley decided to enroll in community college classes to follow her life long
dream of having her own radio station one day. She didn't want live off of
Taylor and his career. Not to mention she knew how his family would feel about
that, and her own daughter. She worked hard everyday to get her school work
done on time and at the same time, be the best mom she could be. Taylor and her
agreed that working and schooling at the same time for her would prove to be
difficult with his career, and that if she could agree to paying him back later
for the classes, they could work things out.
Nikki had a couple months before she was due to give birth, and she was way
more than ready for that day. They were beginning to wonder if she was having
twins, she had gotten so big.
They were all together at the park for a picnic, Natalie staying off to the
side. She still chose not to speak to Ashley unless she absolutely had to.
" Arielle, could you hand me a bottle of water? My throat is so dry right
now." Nikki asked her.
" Yeah." She went into the cooler, and grabbed two bottles of water. One for
herself and one to hand over to Nikki. " I still say it would be cool if you had
twins. Then I would have two babies to spoil." She said, handing the bottle to
her.
" With what money do you think you would be spoiling them with?" Taylor
asked. " You have no job, except to go to school."
" You mean you wouldn't give me the money to spoil them with?" Arielle asked
with a pout, hoping that would convince him to.
" No. Get an after school job if you intend to spoil them." Taylor told her,
laughing at her attempt to get money out of him to spoil the baby.
" We are so not having twins. It's just... a big baby girl or boy. That's
all." Nikki said, taking a sip of her water.
Isaac laughed. " You keep trying to convince yourself of that, honey. I agree
though. I think we're having twins." He wrapped his arms around her from behind,
and kissed her cheek.
Zac stood at the grill, making the burgers and hot dogs and brat's up. " Give
it up, Nikki. You know your having twins." He smiled over at her. " There's no
talking yourself out of that one."
Looking over at Arielle, Nikki noticed a look of sadness on her face. She
knew it still hurt her that she had lost her baby. " Hey, don't even think about
that. Your still young, Arielle. You have plenty of time to have a baby." She
told her.
" Nikki is right, sweetie. You'll find someone special one day, and marry the
man of your dreams. The two of you will as many kids as you desire then. I
promise." Ashley agreed.
" I sure hope so." Arielle sighed, taking a sip of her water.
Christopher had been running around with the other kids. They were spraying
each other with water guns. When he noticed Arielle's look of sadness, he
decided the only way to cheer her up was to spray her.
She jumped up from her spot on the ground, and screamed at him. "
Christopher!"
He looked at her innocently. " What?" He asked.
Taylor laughed. " There's plenty of water guns. Get him, Arielle. Don't let
him get away with it."
" I have a better idea." Arielle smiled suddenly. She grabbed her little
brother by the waist, and dumped her whole bottle of cold water all over him.
He shivered, playfully hitting her when he was let go from her grasp. " I'll
get back at you for that one."
Even Natalie laughed at that as they watched him walk away to run around with
the other kids again.
________________________________________________
After the picnic, Taylor and Ashley had gone out for some time alone together
while Arielle babysat her brother. They had practically been living together for
the last couple of weeks. She had been staying over everyday, and he loved it.
But they hadn't gotten much time to themselves. He had taken her to the botanic
garden center to walk around and just talk.
She was talking about her classes at community college when he decided to
interrupt her with a kiss. " Let's not talk about college or anything like
that."
She kissed him back. " What should we talk about then?"
" Let's talk about us." He suggested. " Are you happy we got back
together?"
" Of course I am, Taylor." She kissed him again. " I've never been happier. I
can't believe you felt you had to ask me that."
" Well, I know the last couple of months have been difficult even for you.
You've had to practically take in my kids, who don't exactly like you. I know
how much that hurts you."
" Yeah. It does." She admitted. " But I wouldn't change a thing, Taylor.
Being with you makes me happy. Nothing could change that. Not even your kids
hating me."
He kissed her again. " I'm glad. Because I... I have something important to
ask you, Ashley."
" What's that?" She asked, with a smile on her face.
He took something out of his pocket, and got down on one knee. Taking her
hand in his, he spoke. " I know we've been back together for a short amount of
time, Ashley. But I love you with all my heart. We were always meant to be
together, I know that now. You never stopped being a part of me." He revealed
the ring he had in his other hand. " Will you do me the honor of becoming my
wife?"
She looked at him in surprise, and for a moment stuttered on her words. He
started to think she going to say no by her reaction. Finally, she nodded her
head to say yes and managed to say it. " Yes. I will marry you, Taylor." She
smiled at him, and he slid the ring on her finger.
Getting off his knee, he threw his arms around her and kissed her. " I love
you, Ashley. So very much."
" I love you too, Taylor." She kissed him back. " I can't wait to become your
wife."
Everyone around them started to clap and congratulate them on their
engagement. They happily thanked them, and then continued to walk around hand in
hand, talking about what their wedding would be like.
_________________________________________________________
Two months later, everyone got together at the Gaillardia Country Club for
their outdoor wedding. Ashley had been the one to walk her mom down the aisle,
and Nikki stood at her side as the maid of honor. Isaac stood as Taylor's side
as the best man.
The reception was just inside after the ceremony, and Arielle lightly was
tapping on her glass of sparkling cider to get everyone's attention. Nikki had
already made her speech, and she wanted to make one as well. Everyone looked her
way, and she spoke up. " I know that generally the maid of honor and the best
man are the one's to make speeches, but I wanted to say something too." She
faced her mom and dad with a smile on her face.
" I know I haven't always
been entirely supportive of the idea of this. I'm sure you could tell by my
actions that I was against you two being together at first. But I see how happy
you two make each other and as long as you continue to make each other happy,
then that's all I need to convince me that you are meant to be together."
Tears of happiness came to Ashley's eyes as her daugther spoke. She had
wanted more than anything to hear those words, and now she had. As she lifted
her glass and clanked her's with Taylor's, she smiled over at her daughter.
Just a couple of weeks before, Nikki had in fact given birth to twins. Having
a boy and a girl, they gave them the names of Aiden and Leigh.
Kate and Zac were doing better than ever at this point, and were in talks of
having another baby of their own. They had talked through all their issues and
once again Zac felt he could trust his wife with anything.
Natalie had started to date again about a month ago and she seemed to be
happy. It was hard for her to see Taylor marry Ashley still though. A part of
her loved him still, and she knew she always would.
Arielle's best friend had settled herself there in Tulsa and was in college
studying photography. She was actually in charge of taking pictures this day, as
her first official job. When she wasn't studying, she was doing little
photography jobs on the side and worked at the coffee shop.
At the end of the reception, Ashley pulled her daughter off to the side and
gave her a big hug. " Thank you so much, Arielle. I know we haven't been the
best mother/daughter team lately, but..."
" You may not have always been the best mom, but you've been there for me for
the most part when I have needed you. And I'm always here for you when you need
me, mom." She interrupted her.
" Well, I'm going to need you more than ever. I have a little secret for
you." Ashley told her with a smile on her face. " Me and Taylor are going to
have a baby. Your going to have another brother or sister."
Ashley smiled and gave her mom a big hug. " I can't wait, mom."