Return to Europe

Chapter 9

Audrey and Oliver decided to ignore all their doubts and fears for the time being and just enjoy being with everyone and especially with each other again. Audrey's girls were beginning to adore Oliver as much as everyone else. The wedding was quickly approaching and everyone's excitement was building more the closer the big day got. Oliver was getting anxious as well.

He and Audrey were becoming closer than they had ever been. He loved her more than ever and was beginning to become very attached to her daughters as well. The picture in his mind of them being a family became clearer as the days passed. Two weeks after they had first let go of everything and come together, he took a long awaited trip to the city. The jeweler was very surprised to see him again. It didn't seem that long ago that Oliver had come in the store to return to ring he had purchased for Laurel. He hoped he would not have to ever worry about returning the purchase he would be making today.

Finding a ring for Audrey was much harder than finding one for Laurel. Audrey was a very unique and special person and she deserved a ring with the same qualities. Oliver was beginning to feel that no piece of jewelry could ever encompass how he felt for her. The jeweler was beginning to sense Oliver's frustration and headed towards the back of the store, motioning for his customer to follow him. When he opened the box, Oliver was in awe. The ring possessed everything he wanted to present Audrey with when he asked her. It was classy, yet magnificent. The ring looked like it had been made for her. Without even asking the price, Oliver said he would take it. A lifetime with Audrey was worth everything in his Gringott's account.

Oliver thanked the jeweler profusely and went to put his purchase in his Gringott's vault until the right moment. He wanted to ask her right away, but he knew it needed to be special. It was the moment he had waited over a decade for and he wanted everything to be just right.

"Hey guys, I'm glad you are all here. There is something I really would like to talk to you about," Audrey said as she looked at her entire family sitting in the backyard. They were all there: her parents, her grandparents, Charlie, Percy, the twins, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Harry, Katie, Alicia and Penelope. They were the main reason she was in such a debate and she knew she needed to talk everything out with them.

"I'm sure you all know that things back home have been quite a rollercoaster for me. I've lived through it all and it hasn't shaken me, well, not too much anyway. The main reason I stayed strong through it all is because of you all. I am not sure if I can handle much more of it, though. Being here with you all has given me a chance to sort everything out and I think I have found a way to get my life back to where it was when I was happiest. I want to come back. I want to start all over, and become a part of everyone's lives again. You are all a vital part of mine and I don't want to miss anything else. It'll take some rearranging on my part, and I want to know that you will all support me in this. This is where I am happy, this is where I belong. Will you guys help me get back? For good?"

At first, no one responded. They looked at her with tears, with smiles, with both. It was what they had all been hoping for her to say, and amidst the hugs and emotion, they finally managed to convey this to her. She was coming home and they were going to make sure she never left again.

"As soon as the wedding is over, I am going to have to go back to Atlanta and sort some things out. I've got to get my house on the market, pack things up, and talk to the firm, let them know why I am leaving. I'm sure they will understand. They've all been really supportive through everything. As have you all. Still, I need to ask you one favor. The girls have been through enough and I don't want them to have to deal with all that I'll have to do there. Is it too much to ask for you all to watch them while I do all that?" They all immediately agreed to watch over the girls. Anything to get her back, they said. "Also, don't tell Oliver. I want to tell him myself, in my own way. See where things are going with us and all." Once again, everyone agreed. Audrey knew she was making the right decision. For the first time in years, she didn't question her judgment.

After telling her girls about the new plan for their lives and figuring out how to tell Oliver, Audrey headed over to his apartment to break the news to him. She hoped he would be as thrilled as everyone else. As much as she told herself he would be thrilled, something didn't feel right. Maybe she had just been a fling and he was hoping she would simply return to make a clean end to what they had. What if her news wasn't such great news to him after all? No, she told herself, Oliver loves you and wants you to stay!

He wasn't home yet when she got to the apartment, so she sat on his deck waiting. She was also dreaming about the life they could build together once she was back for good. The life they had always been meant to lead together. He and the girls had come to love each other and she knew they would all make a great family. In time, he would see that too.

She jumped up when she heard someone coming behind her. To her surprise, it was not Oliver. It was a gorgeous blond girl who looked about Audrey's age. Suddenly, Audrey felt very plain looking.

"And who might you be?" asked the woman.

"I'm Audrey. And you are?" Audrey asked, extending her hand.

"Laurel. Oliver's ex-fiancé," she said, returning the handshake. "You must be his latest."

"Actually, I've known Oliver since we were teenagers, we go very far back."

"Then I assume you have heard all about me."

"I've heard of you. There are still some things that Oliver and I keep to ourselves. Things in the past belong just there I say."

"Cute. But I would imagine he told you about the baby?"

"The baby?"

"Yes. I am pregnant, that's why I am here, to talk to Oliver about the child. Hopefully, he'll realize where fucking around gets you this time around. Casual sex is no way to go, that's why I broke off our whole sleeping together even when we were no longer together arrangement. Made me feel kind of cheap, you know?"

"Ah, yes, I understand," Audrey managed to stutter out. "Well, I wish you the best. I guess he should be here any minute and you probably want to talk to him alone. I'll just be on my way." Audrey quickly walked away from the deck before Laurel could see the pain in her eyes.

Laurel watched the girl walk away with a smirk on her face. So much for Oliver's little fairytale now! Too bad she didn't mention she was here to tell Oliver that the baby was not his, but Draco Malfoy's. Not only was Draco beginning to take some of the Quidditch spotlight (sleepig with the top Quidditch reporter does that to you), but he had also knocked up Oliver's ex-girlfriend. Laurel knew that the Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry ran deep and she couldn't wait to share this news with him. It would be almost as exciting as telling him about her encounter with Audrey.

Oliver couldn't help but to whistle to himself as he walked up the sidewalk to his apartment. He saw a figure moving on his deck and his heart began to flutter at the thought of Audrey. He felt like a schoolboy again.

"Honey, I'm home!" he said as he opened the door. To his surprise, it was Laurel, not Audrey that greeted him at the door. When he realized he had confused the figure of his ex-fiancé with Audrey when he saw her on the deck, he vowed to have his eyes checked. "What in the hell do you want?"

"Am I not allowed to just drop by and see my favorite little heartbreaker whenever I want?"

"No, not really. I assume this is about the little announcement you sprang on me a couple of weeks ago. I assumed by now you had hunted down the real father and were out of my life for good."

"Oh, I found him. He didn't take it at all the way I expected him to. Imagine Draco Malfoy wanting to marry a girl just because he knocked her up. Unbelievable!"

"Malfoy? You were with him while you were fooling around with me? You, you...GET OUT!"

"Not a problem. Oh, but one more thing. Some girl, I think her name was Audrey, was here. She seemed shocked that I was pregnant and left before I could clarify that the child wasn't yours. Poor girl, I hope I didn't ruin things for y'all." Laurel gave Oliver a hard look straight in the eye and left before he could say aything.

What in the hell had she told Audrey? He could just imagine how hurt she was. He had just gotten her back only to lose her because of some stupid girl that couldn't get over the fact that he had gotten over her. It would take a lot of work to get Audrey back. If he started now, he might be able to work things out before she was gone for good. Oliver picked up a couple of things from his room and left to find Audrey. He was not going to lose the love of his life a second time.