The Love of Lies

Surprises

Ashton’s POV

It’s crazy to think that Cori and I have only been living with one another for just a few months. So much has happened that I feel like a lot longer has passed.

Technically, she and I have known one another for a year, and although she looks like she’s nearing the end of her pregnancy, she’s just reached the end of the second trimester, making her six months pregnant.

It’s funny because the exact minute I met Cori is almost approaching, and I’m having trouble sleeping because I want to see how she reacts to the passage of time.

“Babe,” I whisper, not quite sure if it’s our anniversary in my mind only. “You awake?” Cori nods, peaking open one eye so that she can look at me.

“Is everything okay?” She whispers, her eyes slowly opening and closing as she struggles between alertness and sleep.

“It’s fine. I just wanted to be the first person to say Happy birthday to you.”

“My mother used to do that.” Cori is smiling, and because I don’t want her to start thinking about her past, I press a kiss to her lips and allow her to go back to bed,

In the morning, I have a huge surprise for her, one my mother thinks could be too much and send her into premature labor, but I’m selfishly willing to take the risk just to see the smile on my girl's face.

Anyway, Cori’s young, healthy, she has no trouble exercising, albeit she has trouble catching her breath if she does too much, but even her doctor was impressed by how well she’s doing considering that we didn’t know she was having twins until she was nearing the end of her first trimester.

It’s funny to think that when she sat next to me at the bar, I wanted to walk away from her, but for whatever reason I didn’t, and now…

I feel like the luckiest man alive.

Cori’s POV

Ashton is awake before me, which is odd because he likes to get as much sleep as possible when he stays up late.

“Did you cook?”

“I wouldn’t do that to you,” the man replies, setting a tray in front of me wearing an infectious smile.

It’s Friday morning, and Ashton should be at work, but I’m guessing he’s staying home because it’s also my twenty second birthday.

“Why are you so happy today?” Ashton doesn’t say anything, and it’s then that I notice the manilla envelope underneath my plate of food.

I was so distracted by some of my favorite things to eat that I hadn’t noticed it, but now, I feel compelled to open it.

“I hope this isn’t money,” I tease, not really liking the idea because, as I told Ashton once before, gifts should come from the heart.

I begin pulling out the paperwork and freeze before looking back up at Ashton, who’s still smiling like a fool.

“Is this real?”

“All you have to do is sign, and you’ll legally and truly become Miss Cori Russo.” I can barely contain my excitement, and as I try to push the tray away, Ashton comes to my aid, moving it just in time for me to pull him into the tightest hug I have ever given anyone in my life.

“Do you know how much this means to me?” I don’t know when tears started to fall, but I know that Ashton is wiping them away with his thumb as he slightly pushes me back, allowing me to lean on the pillows again.

I keep glancing at the paperwork and giggling in giddiness, tickled by the thought of finally being rid of the name that’s haunted me for so many years of my life.

"Hurry up and eat. I have something else for you." I'm so excited that I start shoveling my food, but Ashton stops me by holding the sides of my face with a warm smile. "I changed my mind; I want you to enjoy your meal."

I don't know what it is, but Ashton has been so warm to me lately that I feel on top of the world.

It doesn't feel forced like before, and it doesn't seem like he's just being nice for the sake of the twins, and if I didn't know any better, I would think that I was falling in love.

Ashton's POV

Cori is wearing a simple beige maternity dress that my mother bought for her, and on her feet are a pair of plain sandals, but to me, she looks stunning.

"Are we going somewhere?" She asks, still smiling ear to ear.

I have never seen someone sign a document with as big of a grin as Cori did, and it seems like from that moment, she's been doing nothing but smiling.

"I told you that I have something else for you." My mother gives me a warning look, but I've already got Troy on standby.

If anything happens, we will get her to the nearest hospital in time. We pre-planned the route and everything.

"What else could I possibly-..." Cori pauses in the doorway, unable to move from the shock. "Is that really my mother's car?"

I wasn't planning to do this, but the place where I had Cori's car parked had frequent visitors, and the amount of 'will buy' notes put on the vehicle led me to believe it was worth something.

Turns out, Cori's been driving a collector’s hobby car. I don't know where her mother got the money to buy it, but she took care of its engine maintenance, and it's worth more now than it was back then.

"I had it repainted and…-" Cori starts moving again, walking toward the car with a speed that makes me worry. "Babe?" The woman climbs into the car, hyperventilating as she opens the glove compartment, sighing deeply when she sees the photo of her and her mother still taped in place. "I would never erase the memories you've made with her."

Cori's eyes and nose are so red that I know she's fighting tears, and for a second, I thought that she was going to pass out.

"My mother hated this car," she suddenly says, taking me aback. I feel like I made a mistake but then… "I loved it though, especially because it was my grandfather's first."

From what I know, Cori's grandfather was an eccentric man who practically lost his mind after losing his wife.

Still, she claims that he was a positive influence in her life, but the only thing she really credits him for is constantly reaffirming that she and her mother deserved so much more than what they were given.

I guess that's important for a child to hear, but in my opinion, he would have been a better man if he kicked his son out to give Cori a chance at a full and normal life.

"So, this car represents them both?"

"Yes, but it’s more than that to me now." Cori rubs the car’s dashboard affectionately. "This car was my transportation, my office, my bedroom, my sanctuary, my escape, and finally…" Cori is crying so much that I feel like my mother was right, but I didn't consider how emotional the woman would become.

I knew she'd be excited, but right now, she's acting as though I've bought her a house.

"Babe, what's wrong? Should I not have done this for you?" Cori starts chuckling before wiping her face. Her legs are still hanging out of the passenger's side door, so when she opens her arms, I'm able to give her the hug that she wants. "Talk to me."

"This feels like a new beginning, and I'm so happy that it's starting with you."

I can see my mother, and when she covers her mouth, I know Cori is trying to tell me the same thing I wanted to tell her.

"I love you, Cori."

"I know," she replies, kissing me in a way she's never done while there are other people around.

It takes a while for her to fully stop crying, and by the time I pull her to her feet, her face is so red that, even though she's smiling, it looks like she's sad.

I wasn't at all expecting things to go this way, and although I'm ecstatic, I'm also concerned.

Fortunately, my family has been around from the moment Cori left our bedroom until now, so when we get back inside, my father's already waiting by the chair he bought her with a blanket and her book, Troy is bringing the small TV table, and Julia is in the kitchen gathering snacks.

Absolutely no one wants this moment ruined, especially because we're pretty sure Cori didn't have many happy birthdays growing up.

"Will there be cake?" The woman asks, still holding onto my hand as though she's afraid to let me go.

"Will you cry if I tell you?"

"I'm not sure." Cori is good at making fun of herself lately, but it's the healthy sort of self-mockery, not the other kind.

I kiss the woman again, and promise to come right back. I want to check in with my mother about dinner reservations tonight, because truthfully, I don't know if Cori can take a full day of tears, even if they are happy ones.

"Mom, you were right."

"I told you Ashton. That poor girl is already exhausted, and it's not even noon."

"How was I supposed to know she'd get that emotional?"

"If you truly loved her, you would have been able to guess." This is the first time I have ever been extremely angry with my mother over words.

My father and I bump heads all the time, but my mother could literally call me all the names in the book, and I'd kiss her cheek in response.

"Mom, please don't invalidate my feelings for Cori. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it, and you of all people should know that." There's a twinkle in my mother's eye, and now, I'm suspicious. "What kind of test was this?"

"The kind that you passed. Now, don't make that girl wait any longer. She clearly wants to be with you right now."

It's only then that I realize Cori keeps looking toward where I'm standing, and when I finally return, she's smiling again.

"Mind if I sit here and get some work done?"

"Not at all," Cori replies, opening up her book just as I flip open my laptop.

She and I have been left alone, but I feel like only ten minutes passed before she was fast asleep.

It's been like this for a while now, Cori taking small naps at all hours of the day, and while I once thought it was cause for worry, our doctor said that it was normal and healthy.

The way I understand it is that because she has trouble sleeping at night, she doesn't actually wake fully rested, and at the same time, she's not used to staying in bed all day, so even if she's tired, once she opens her eyes, she will get up.

An hour passes before my mother comes in with Cori's birthday dress, and she smiles as she takes in the sight of the sleeping woman.

"Be good to her Ashton," she randomly says, and because I know she means well, I simply nod.

In the meantime, I shut my laptop and prepare to do what I don't want to do, wake the sleeping woman up.

Before dinner, we have a surprise maternity shoot, and I'm told we have to be there early for hair and makeup.

However, the only thing I care about is Cori and her happiness, so if she says that she doesn't want to go, we'll stay behind, especially since we're having a pool party tomorrow.

Unsurprisingly, she wakes without complaint, and despite yawning a few times, she's nothing but smiles.