Page 49 of From Fake Dates to Forever Goals

I shake my head, feeling the lump in my throat grow. “You don’t understand. I told Ava I couldn’t take on the responsibility,” I confess, my voice breaking.

Her expression darkens. “Is that what you’ve decided?”

“No,” I say quickly. “I realize now how wrong I was. I want to be with her. I want her and our child.”

“Then what’s the trouble?” she asks matter-of-factly.

“I’m afraid I’ve pushed Ava too far. I don’t think she wants anything to do with me anymore,” I say, tears finally spilling over.

“You need to win her back, then, don’t you?”

“How?” I ask, desperate for guidance.

“I knew Ava was a beautiful soul the moment I met her,” my mom says, a soft smile spreading across her face. “And I know she loves you very much. The question is, do you love her?”

“I love her more than anything in the world,” I admit, the truth coming out like a flood.

“Then go and tell her that,” she says, patting my shoulder gently.

“Do you think she’ll forgive me?”

“You hurt her, Sebastian,” she says, her voice firm. “But I believe she’ll forgive you, because the love she has for you is real.”

Her words wrap around me like a lifeline. After everything, I finally have a glimmer of hope that I can make things right.

I hug my mom tightly.“Thank you for everything, Mom,” I say, my voice thick with emotion.

“Now go get her back,” she replies, her tone both encouraging and resolute.

That night, I catch the next flight back to San Jose, determined to make things right with Ava. I know there’s a real chance she might never forgive me, but I have to try. I can’t walk away without fighting for her, for us.

When I arrive at her apartment, I take a deep breath before knocking on the door. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest as I wait. The seconds stretch painfully, and when she doesn’t answer, I knock again. Through the faint light under the door, I can see the silhouette of her feet. She’s there, but she’s hesitant to face me.

“Ava,” I say, my voice soft but urgent. “Please. I need to talk to you.”

I hear her shift behind the door, and for a moment, I think she’s going to walk away. My chest tightens.

“Just give me a chance to make things right,” I plead.

After a long pause, I hear the lock click. The door opens slowly, revealing Ava. Her eyes are puffy and red, her face a portrait of pain I know I caused. The sight of her breaks me.

“There’s nothing more you can say, Sebastian. I’ve made up my mind,” she says, her voice quiet but firm. “I’m having this baby, with or without you. You can’t change my mind.”

Her exhaustion is palpable, as if she’s too drained to even be angry.

“Can I come in?” I ask.

She hesitates, her eyes searching mine, before stepping aside and motioning me in.

“I don’t even know where to start,” I begin, standing in her living room, feeling both lost and desperate. “I can’t tell you howsorry I am for what I said. I was a fool, Ava. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I let my fear get the better of me, and I hurt you. I hate myself for it.”

She looks away, avoiding my gaze. Her silence is unbearable.

“I want to be there, Ava,” I continue. “For you. For our baby. I want to make this right.”

Her eyes snap to mine, sharp and full of disbelief. “Don’t say things you don’t mean, Sebastian. Don’t confuse what you think you should do with what you actually want.”

“When you told me, I panicked,” I admit, my voice trembling. “I wasn’t prepared for something so life-changing, and I lashed out. But I’ve thought about nothing else since. I love you, Ava. I love our baby. I want us to be a family.”

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