One Night Plus a Lifetime

Old man

Aria remained there looking at his back as he disappeared into the narrow hall way , she still couldn't believe the things he told her . no this had to be a joke , a sick joke for that mater , how can she marry Devon, how did things escalate from bad to worse. if she had any fighting strength left in her before then right now Aria felt completely powerless. she tugged at her hair tightly wanting to wake up from this nightmare. her ship kept on sinking and sinking ever since she got here till she was drowning. what was she going to do how would she get herself out of this mess Devon knew her family and who knows what he would do to them if she runs away but still what he suggested was unacceptable to her, she bit her lip really had and sank herself at the door. again this time without any intention of getting up. she did not know who to talk to about this situation, his words replayed in her head ,'what you did lead this up' . what was she going to do....

the following day she had no intention of getting out of bed, it was a call from her father that made her sit up, she tried to force a cheerful voice so the old man would not worry. ''hey dad'' the voice on the other end of the phone was silent for a few seconds ''hey kitty''

Aria felt emotional hearing her father's voice she so badly wished she could tell him what she was feeling at the moment . to tell him that she hates this city and that she wishes she never left home, she wished she had attended that local college none of this would have happened if she had just stayed with her father. '' how are you is everything alright . " He asked and she answerd , "am okay Dad" Aria was covering her mouth to prevent herself from choking on her words. "Dad...have...have you ever been disaponted in me ...."? she asked while her lips were still trembling.

"Aria..." he only ever called her that when he was being serious. "Listen... i have never and ill never be disapointed in you....i am proud of the woman you have turned out to be.. even though we all make mistakes. The fact that you always learn from yours is the reason ill always and forever be proud to be your father "

hearing her father say these words to her , Aria's tears fell silently on her cheeks. She covered her mouth stopping her self from crying out loud. Where ever she went, her family would always be there by her side ready to support her throwgh anything. He did not ask her the reason behind her question but he told her exaclty what she needed to hear. Her Dad was an anchor holding her still from getting lost in this ocean filled with nothing but pain. Her brother was the clown ready to do anything just to see her smile everytime she was sad. Even if he bullied her sometimes. This family was her first priority and no matter what she needed to protect them from anything including her own mistakes. This situation she got herself in with Devon could really affect them if she did not do something about it. She did not mind endurering it all as long as they were kept far from harm. "I miss you dad.." she finally let her crying voice out for her father to hear. Maybe if she cried to him. She would feel better.

"I know you miss me kitty..., and i miss you too ............ which is why i came to this city to see you"

she jumped out of her bed and stood up holding onto her phone tighly to her ear. "What... Dad, ....are you serious, you are not joking with me right ....you are really here...were ..." she asked every single question she could think of, Aria went and stood near the window trying to see if he was really here outside.

"Kitty... " just then Aria heard a knock on the door,

in nothing but her oversized pajamas and flip flops she ran towards the door. When she opened it her dad was standing there smiling at her. She jumped and hugged her father , still having a hard time believing he was really here. "Dad you came" her tears continued falling again. All she wanted was to cry in his arms now.

Mr Remington had arrived in this city to surprise his daughter . all these days he was having a bad feeling about something and felt like she needed him. He could hear her voice on the phone, it sounded like she had been crying , now seeing how she was trembling in his arms he knew something was wrong. Aria was never the type to express her emotions very much. So seeing her like this meant whatever it was must be really serious. "Its good to see you kitten." .. he hugged her back. they sat on the couch in her school apartment. This was the first time Mr Remington had been to this city . He found extremely overwhelming. "How are you coping with school?"

"school? ...school is going fine" he noticed she was rubbing her hands together .nervously This was also something she used to do growing up if she did something wrong and was caught. He wondered what she did to make her this nervous. Mr Remington also noticed there seemed to be something different about her.. he could not tell if he was imagining things or maybe it was the fact that he had not seen her in a long time.

"Dad..." she called him while her eyes where glued on the floor.. " yes dear tell me i am listening "

"Well... the thing... I .. i ... i"

" will be ..i will be getting married" he froze the moment her words reached his ears. Did he hear her correcly, He scanned her face waiting for her to say she was just joking but what followed were tears running down her cheeks. "What????!!! ...Aria.!!!., what did you say.. ?" she did not answer him and just kept rubbing her hands together. Mr Remington was not expecting to hear this, he expected it to be about bad grades or being heart broken but getting married. He took a deep brearh wanting to calm down and hear her out before reacting. "Explain to me the meaning of what you just said." he demaded.

"Dad...i.. met a man.. and we ...uhhmm we want to get married.." her explanation did not make any sense at all since when did she decide to do this. And who exactly was this man. "Aria... why did you make such a decision ?" this did not add up . His little girl , the Aria he saw grow up and acted like a child around him was now telling him she wanted to get married ? he stood up and paced back and fourth waiting for a more reasonable explanation.

"Dad ... we love each other and we want to live together" Aria lied. Even saying those words made her feel dizzy. Devon had no feelings for her, actually he did, he had feelings of hatred.

Mr Remington knew Aria all too well, there had to be another reason she was talking about getting married, love was definitely not it. This Aria he saw grow up would never give up her dreams and her wings just to settle in one spot and be married. "Tell me the truth Aria... you cannot tell me you want to get married because of love... you are still young and have all the time in the world to do so .. but now...no... there has to be a good reason.. and you are going to tell me right now.. because-"

"i am pregnant" she said holding onto her face and crying heavily " i am pregnant dad... i made a mistake .. am sorry ..please forgive me... am really sorry.. am so stupid, am stupid i am an i***t ...i am pregnant dad"

he felt as though a knife had pearced his heart. He looked at his daughter not knowing what to say or do. This was beyond his thoughts Mr Remington stood silently without saying a word. He was angry and upset with what she just told him . However looking at her current state. It seems that Aria was giving herself a hard time and punishing herself for this. He wondered how long she had been struggling like this without telling him. despite his disappointment as a father. he still felt deep sorrow for her.

he went to hug her. He could feel her trembling as she cried. All he did was let her cry . What she did would surely affect her education and all her progress but that was not the most important thing to him.. what was important was her well being and her health no matter what happens she will still remain his daughter who he loved deeply. When he felt her calm down , he sat next to her wanting to continue the conversation. "Is that why you want to get married..." she nodded her head. That was not a reason to get married . Marriage should be based on love and nothing else. "Aria you don't have to get married just because you are pregnant. " she shook her head .

"No dad i do... the thing the father to my baby... he has a huge reputation in this city and we are trying not to .....have people create trouble for his career. " She lied again and used the word 'we' as if this was a decision made by both of them when in reality . This was what he demaded of her. Aria figured if she lied to her father about the relationship between Devon and her being about love, then he wouldnt worry. As long as he believed she was happy then he would be happy to.

"What do you mean explain to me is he a celebrity or what.. it does not matter Aria i cant let you go through with this. "

"Not a Celebrity but... a politician" Mr Remingtons eyes widened and looked at her keenly. "Aria are you planning on marrying an old politician???!!!" that thought made him furious. His daighter with an old probably corrupt politician that idea did not sit well with him.

Aria shook her head "No Dad ..No..he is not an old man.. He is young Dad.. just a few years older than me" ,she did not know his real age but she guessed he must be somewhere between 27-29 Devon did not look older than that.

Mr Remington calmed down a little but still he knew politicains were dishonest people. "A politician Aria ...all they do is swindle people and eat the countries money.. why would you want to get yourself involved with such people. "

"Devon is not dishonest he is an honest man." even her entire body trembled saying these words. Why did she have to defend that Devil of a man. How she badly wishes she could tell everyone about how much of a jerk he is .. still Aria never felt Devon was like one of those corrupt politician. Maybe it was because he was already rich so why would he steal from the people.

"Dad ....i ask you to trust me....please .... this will not affect me in any way....i will have the baby and continue with school i promise you ... am no longer a child ... i will be a mother soon..... and .heaven knows how happy i am to have this baby... i will do anything to protect it. I was worried you would hate me if you found out thats why i never said anything but please ...trust me okay" . her father took a deep breath and looked at her .

The following day, the girls were back all three of them. They were seated in their living room studyng seriously when a knock disturbed them. Meredith opened the door and saw a big white box had been delivered to their room. On top was a card with Aria's name on it. She took it inside and gave it to her. The girls surrounded Aria curiously wanting to see what was in the box and when she opened it. They gasped at its content.