Ava Grace
Running Away
Arriving at the restaurant at twenty minutes to six, the group of three were shown to the private room where nearly everyone already were. The only people who hadn't arrived yet were Mike and Sarah. Ordering a Heineken, Billie Joe stood behind Tre, bent down and said "Where's Mike?"
"He just called my cell. Him and Sarah are in the city, they'll be here by six, she had to go to her apartment after moving some stuff during the day."
Nodding, Billie Joe stood up straight and said "Well, I'm going out for a smoke then."
Billie held up his pack of cigarettes in Adie's direction and as she looked at him, he pointed at them then himself and then to the door that led out to the balcony. Nodding, she went back to her conversation with Claudia and Ava and he made his way outside.
A few minutes later, Billie Joe was taking a drag from his cigarette when he heard the door open and looked over his shoulder. Seeing Ava, he faced back in the direction he was looking and said "You shouldn't be around the cigarette."
"A few minutes won't hurt Drina and Ry."
"Already have easier names for them, eh?"
"Shut up."
Ava leaned next to him and said "I still don't have the option to skip dinner, do I?"
"Did you order something to drink?"
"A virgin appletini."
"Then you're staying."
Ava sighed then said "This is gonna be bad."
"I'll keep him in line."
Laughing, Ava finally could get the words out to say "Like you could do that."
"I'm plenty tough."
"Against Joey and Jake maybe. I could even probably take you. And Mike has muscles, think of his advantage."
"Then I'll get him and the girlfriend to leave if I have to."
"Really?"
"Just for you."
Ava side hugged Billie Joe and said "You're a good big brother."
"Thanks."
He kissed her temple and said "I'm glad you decided to move back, even though what happened."
"Hey, you win some and you lose some."
Ava shrugged and they both heard the door to the balcony open. Billie turned around and Ava heard Mike say "Hey thirty year old. Come on in so we can order. I'm starving, we've barely stopped moving Sarah's stuff all day."
Ava sighed and took Billie Joe's cigarette out of his hand. She took a long drag and he whipped around and said "Ava Grace, give me that cigarette."
Passing the cigarette back to her brother, she said "Jesus, you sound like mom."
"You're pregnant."
"So? One smoke puff isn't gonna hurt."
Ava and Mike looked straight at each other and he opened his mouth to speak. Before he could, Ava pushed passed him and made her way across the room to Adrienne, who was still talking to Claudia, but now they were joined by a blonde.
"Adie, can I get your keys?"
"Oh, Ava, this is Sarah. Sarah, this is Billie Joe's little sister Ava."
Ava fake smiled and said "Adie, do you have keys to the Beemer with you?"
"No squirt, why?"
From outside they heard Mike yell "You told me she was staying in New York! How am I supposed to handle myself around her and Sarah?! She won't even talk to me because of the call and you don't tell me she moved in with you!"
Ava pointed outside and said "That's why."
Claudia pulled a set of keys out of her pocket and said "I came here from work so my Toyota is out front. Tre has our other car, we'll pick up my Camry later."
"Thank you so much Claudia."
"It's black."
"Okay. Thanks."
Ava got her purse from Anna and left the private room. She made her way outside to the parking lot and pressed the panic alarm button on the car key. It started going off and she shut it right back off, knowing where exactly Claudia's car was.
She began walking to it and started crying. She pressed the automatic unlock button just as she heard Mike yell "Ava, come back!"
Wiping tears off her cheeks, Ava looked across the parking lot and saw Mike on the top of the restaurant's stairs. She got in the car, turned on the ignition and drove off. Driving around for the next hour, she ignored the ringing cell phone in her purse, that was resting on the passenger seat.
Finally, getting sick of driving and growing hungry, she got McDonald's then went to the Oakland pier. Eating her french fries while sitting on the car's hood, she walked couples walk by hand-in-hand and thought of a time when she hoped her and Mike would be that lucky. Now, she just wished he forgive her for the secret she was keeping.
She looked at the cell phone in her hand, which hadn't rang in nearly twenty minutes, and saw the time was seven-thirty. She tucked it in her cleavage and finished her milkshake.
Ten minutes later, Ava was still sitting on the hood when she heard the gravel crunching under someone's feet and when she turned around to see who it was, she found it was Mike, he said "You thought I wouldn't find you here?"
"I was hoping."
"You've been coming to this same spot since you were fourteen to get away. I know all your hiding spots."
"Can you please go back to my brother's birthday dinner?"
"Everybody's out looking for you. Well, not everybody. Your mom went home in case you went there. Anna, Marci, and Holly all went home in case you showed up at one of their places. Adie went home in case you went there, and Sarah and me got in a fight and she went back to her apartment."
"I'm sorry I caused you two to fight."
"What?"
"Well, if it hadn't been for me Beej's birthday wouldn't be ruined, you wouldn't have fought with your girlfriend, and the people I love would actually be enjoying themselves tonight."
"Shit happens. We'll celebrate some other night."
"Can you at least go? Tell them you couldn't find me. I'll go home soon."
"I don't believe you."
Mike sat next to Ava on the hood and said "I'm not leaving unless you leave."
"Mike I said leave."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Asshole."
Ava shivered at the breeze suddenly coming off the water and Mike said "Wait here."
He got off the car and walked away, returning about three minutes later, carrying a grey sweater.
"Put this on. You shouldn't get sick while you're pregnant."
"Why do you care? You haven't wanted anything to do with me since you found out."
"Because you're having Ben's baby-"
"Babies...I'm having twins."
"Oh, well then, but yeah. Because of what you're going through I need to distance myself from you. Ava, you know we weren't going to go much further than a little relationship."
"I had hope we would."
Ava pulled on the sweater and zipped it up, as Mike sat next to her again and said "You did?"
Ava nodded and said "I still did, until I found out about Sarah and then you called and left that message."
"I'm sorry about that. I wasn't thinking."
"It's fine Michael."
"So, can we still be friends Armstrong?"
He nudged her shoulder with his and said "Just like old times."
Ava shook her head and said "I can't just be your friend anymore."
"Ava..."
"Please don't Ava me. You don't know what's going on. And you've never asked. Barely anyone knows in fact, and I'm sick of putting on a charade."
"Okay, shoot. Tell me what's up kid."
Ava stood up and took off the sweater. She passed it to Mike and said "You should get off Claudia's car."
Mike stood up and said "Why can't we be friends anymore?"
Ava looked at her feet then said "Because...because I've grown into hoping that we'd be more than friends when I came back to Berkeley. And after your phone call when you called me immature, I've made bigger changes in my life. You can't go back on what you said, and I can't go back on what I've done."
Ava made her way around the the driver's door and Mike said "Okay. I understand that you want to keep things bottled up inside Avs, you always have. Just please tell me what's going on. I need to be friends with you."
"I can't just be friends with you though. Don't you get it?! I love you Michael Ryan Pritchard. I have for a really long time, and now you've moved on. And, I can't."
Getting in Claudia's car, Ava turned in on and drove away before Mike could say anything else. Standing there in front of the pier, where Ava had parked the car, Mike began walking to his truck. He got in and drove home not wanting anything to do with anyone at the moment.
Thirty minutes after leaving the pier, Ava returned to Billie Joe and Adrienne's house. She quickly made her way upstairs and packed her duffel bag with clothes, her make up and other things she would need. She was zipping up the bag when Adrienne walked in the room, closed the door behind herself and said "Where are you going?"
"Can I borrow the Fairlane?"
"Where are you going, Ava?"
"I don't know. Away from Mike for a few days. He'll be around I know it and I can't handle him right now."
"This is ridiculous Ava."
"No, it's not. I almost told him back at the pier about the twins being his. I've already ruined Beej's birthday I need to get away for a little while."
"How long?"
"I don't know. Two maybe three weeks, when do they go back on tour?"
"End of April they start Pop Disaster."
"Then I'll stay away till then."
"You can't go live in an apartment or a hotel by yourself, Ava. Think reasonably. You're almost six months pregnant. You'll be almost eight by then. You probably couldn't even afford to stay away with no job until then."
"I have a lot of money saved up between work in New York and the money Billie Joe always gave me."
"How much do you have exactly?"
"Maybe $20,000."
Adrienne sighed and said "Wait here."
Adrienne left the room and Ava changed into a pair of her maternity jeans and a t-shirt. Five minutes later, Adrienne returned holding a little piece of paper.
"Here."
Adrienne passed Ava the piece of paper and Ava realized it was a check for ten thousand dollars.
"I can't take this Adie."
"Your brother will understand but I think he'd care more anyways if you have enough money."
"Thanks."
"Will you call me when you end up wherever you decide to go?"
"Yeah."
"And you'll take care of yourself?"
"Of course."
"The keys to the Fairlane are down in the kitchen on the hook."
"Here's Claudia's."
Ava passed Adrienne the keys to Claudia's black Camry and picked up her bag. Carrying it downstairs, Ava walked into the kitchen, got the keys to the 'piece of junk' her brother insisted on keeping and made her way out into the driveway. Putting her duffel bag into the backseat, Ava then got in to the driver's seat and turned on the car.
Rolling her eyes at the way the engine sounded, she drove away from her brother's house, not knowing exactly where to go but knowing when she found it, she would.
She drove to her bank in San Francisco, and deposited the check from Adrienne into her account, knowing it wouldn't actually accumulate in it until four days later.
From there she drove two hours, until ten-thirty, when she reached Monterey, California and decided to stay at the Monterey Marriott. Checking into a guest room with a king size bed, Ava didn't even bother to unpack before the change into pajama pants and fell asleep.
The next morning, Ava woke up around nine and ordered breakfast from room service. After eating, she relaxed in her room until twelve, which was check out time. After checking out, Ava drove to the nearest gas station, put gas in the Fairlane and drove for the next four hours, down the coast until she reached Santa Barbara. She checked into the Four Seasons hotel there and decided she would stay for the next three days.
After unpacking her things, Ava picked up the phone and dialed Billie Joe and Adrienne phone number. On the fourth ring, her brother answered.
"Hello?"
"Hey, it's me."
"Oh my god, Ava. Where are you? I don't even see you after you bolt from my party and then, Adie tells me you decided to leave and take a trip. Where are you? Do you have enough money?"
"I'm fine and I'm in Santa Barbara. And, yes. I have plenty of money considering your wife wrote me a check for ten thousand, and I had twenty thousand saved up."
"When are you coming back?"
"When you guys leave for Pop Disaster."
"You have got to be kidding me."
"No, I'm not."
"You know Mike's freaking out because you left town."
"Why would he? You know what, tell him it's because of him."
"Can't you two just make peace?"
"Funny, it's usually him saying that to me about us."
"Ava please, come home. I'm worried something could happen to you or the twins. You don't have to go around Mike, or even Tre. You could even spend all your time in your room and just leave to eat and buy clothes for the twins."
"I'm fine so far."
"But people in California are crazy. They don't care about their driving or anything."
"We're people from California. And, you ain't the best driver yourself."
"Yes, I know, but I'd feel much better if you were still under my roof. The Fairlane doesn't even have air bags."
"I'm a cautious driver."
"Like I said...other people aren't!"
Ava sighed then said "I'll drive back on the twenty-first. I'll get in around nine in the evening. All right?"
"You won't come sooner?"
"I prepaid up until that day. I was planning on going to L.A. to stay."
"But you'll come back then?"
"Yes."
"Okay, I'll see you then."
"Tell Adie I said hi."
"Yeah, and don't hurt my car."
"I won't."
"Bye."
"Bye Beej."
Ava hung up then phone and turned on the television. By the time the next three days passed, Ava had gotten a french tip manicure and pedicure, and had gotten her hair cut from it's long length to just above her shoulders and then dyed a dark brown.
On the twenty-first, Ava left Santa Barbara and drove seven hours straight except stopping for gas and to eat, finally arriving earlier than expected, at eight to her brother's and Adrienne's.
As soon as she slammed the trunk after getting out her bag, it was a minute before Billie Joe was outside and hugging the hood of his car. Ava rolled her eyes at him, began walking to the door and said "I didn't hurt the goddamn car."
Walking inside, Ava dropped her bag by the door, and walked into the kitchen to find Adrienne and Claudia sitting at the table, with Claudia holding her's and Tre's son, Frankito.
"Oh my god. Your hair, Ava...it's-"
"Chocolate brown."
"And short."
Ava smiled and said "I needed a change. The black hair symbolized the Ava who had feelings for Mike. Now, the brunette Ava wants nothing to do with him and has decided to be a yummy mommy as soon as she gives birth. So, I'm going to be working out, until I can't anymore to stabilize the weight I've gained so I can get back to a four as quickly as I can."
"That four day trip really change you."
Ava nodded and she sat down next to Claudia.
"So where's Tre?"
"Gone to Mike's."
"He's not coming over is he?"
Adrienne shook her head before Claudia could reply then she said "It's our little plan so he wouldn't come over tonight. He thinks your brother and I went out and Claudia's watching Joey and Jake. So, Tre went over to hang out with him."
"Oh. I see."
Adrienne and Claudia nodded then Frankito started crying. Claudia shushed him and tried to settle him down. When he still persisted, Ava held out her arms and said "Can I try? I'll have to do it all the time come June."
"Sure."
Claudia passed her son to Ava and Ava stood up with him. Walking around the kitchen and talking to him, it took Ava only five minutes until the little Cool was relaxed again. Ava smiled, walked over to Claudia, gave her Frankito and said "I might turn out to be a good mom."
Adrienne laughed and said "But you'll have to handle two at once."
"I hate Mike."
Ava covered her mouth and Claudia said "Adrienne told me. And, don't worry I won't tell Tre or Mike. If Tre finds out, it'll be two seconds before Mike does."
"Thanks."
Ava got a bottle of water out of the fridge then said "I think I'm gonna head to bed, I've been driving all afternoon."
Ava left the kitchen, got her bag just as Billie Joe came back in the house, then made her way upstairs. For the next month, Adrienne, Billie Joe, Claudia and Tre continued the charade to keep him away from Adrienne's and Billie Joe's as long as Ava wasn't there.
It also helped that Billie Joe, Mike, and Tre were in the studio putting together random b-sides that had accumulated, to put in a minimal release album.
Before long, it was the twenty-fifth of March, and in three days Billie Joe, Tre, and Mike would travel to Japan for a week and a half for several shows there, before returning to the States to do the Pop Disaster tour with Blink-182, Jimmy Eat World, Saves the Day and Kut U Up from mid April to mid June.
On the twenty-eighth, a larger Ava was sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast with Joey and Jakob on either side of her, when the doorbell rang. Adrienne looked up from the sink and said "Shit."
"What?"
"Mike's picking up your brother so all the cars stay here."
Ava shrugged and said "It's been a month and a half, let him see my glowing brunette self."
Ava ran her hands through her hair to untangle her waves and the doorbell rang again. From upstairs, Billie Joe yelled "Somebody answer the fucking door!"
Adrienne made her way to the door and opened it. There standing was Mike, with his arm around Sarah's shoulder.
"Morning you two. I thought just Mike was coming to pick up Billie."
Sarah shook her head then said "I'm going with Mike now, since we're engaged."
"Engaged?"
Sarah held up her left hand to reveal an engagement ring on it. She smiled at Adrienne and said "Mike proposed this morning. We're getting married right after the stops in England in July. So I'll be planning up until then and I'm in need of some bridesmaids, so I was thinking you and Claudia. Sound good? Plus my sister Rachel."
Adrienne nodded slowly, fake smiled and said "Sounds great."
Mike led Sarah into the house and said "Is he ready to go?"
From upstairs, Billie Joe yelled "Almost! Wait in the living room!"
The three walked into the living room and Sarah sat down on the couch, Mike sat next to her on the arm and Adrienne decided to stay standing. A minute of silence passed between the three until the clattering of silverware was heard from the kitchen.
All of a sudden, Ava said as loud as she could "Stop throwing food you two. Adie? Adie?! Your hooligans are out of control with cheerios."
Adrienne rushed into the kitchen, as Mike stood up and said to Sarah "I'll be right back hun."
Sarah nodded and Mike left the room, walking the short distance to the kitchen to find Adrienne ushering her sons out into the backyard and Ava now on her knees wiping up milk and cereal on the floor. As she did, she continuously mumbled "I do not want twins. I can't handle kids. Especially Armstrong ones, they're nuts."
Mike laughed at her mumbling and she sat up straight. Turning around slightly to see him, Ava went back to cleaning. He walked over to her, rolled off some of the paper towel and said "Want some help?"
She took it from him and said "I don't need help. I can take care of this on my own."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"I don't think you can. You're very pregnant Ava. You shouldn't be wiping up spilled milk on your hands and knees."
"Well Beej is upstairs and Adie is now outside with the culprits of this mess. Whose gonna clean it besides me?"
"C'mon get up."
Mike took the paper towel from Ava, stood up, and held out his hand. Resistantly, she grasped it and he helped her to her feet. He got back down on his knees and finished cleaning up the mess.
Within two minutes, the floor was clean, the paper towel was thrown out and the spoons were back on the table. Mike stood in front of Ava who was leaning against the counter and she said "Congratulations on your engagement."
She looked outside where Adrienne was trying to convince her sons to play soccer, and Mike spoke.
"Thanks."
"You guys decide on a date?"
"July 27th. You'll come right?"
Ava shook her head and said "No. I wouldn't want the twins with a babysitter and I'd still be huge."
"You aren't that big now."
"You called me very pregnant like five minutes ago."
"Because you're seven months."
"I'm six. And, I've been doing pregnancy yoga and all this shit."
"And you dyed your hair."
"Last month. It's kind of changing back to black now."
Ava looked at Mike and said "Can we not do small talk because I can't handle it. And, you have a fiancee now. Can you just leave me alone except for the few times were around my family and we have to act civilized?"
"Ava..."
"Please Mike. I don't ask anything of you except for that."
"Fine. You stand on firm ground."
Ava pushed herself away from the counter and said "Enjoy Japan. I'll see you before MTV shows up for Diary."
She left the room and made her way upstairs. Walking to her room, Billie Joe was coming down the hall with his suitcase and said "Did you two talk?"
"Him and the blonde are engaged."
"You okay?"
Ava huffed and walked into her room, slamming her door behind her.
"I'll take that as a no."
Billie Joe made his way downstairs and after saying goodbye to Adrienne and the boys, him, Mike and Sarah left for the airport. Ava watched from the window in her room, as Mike's dark red GMC pulled out of the long driveway and drove down the road. Ava sat beneath the window, something she hadn't done for years, since her siblings had moved out of her mother's house, and cried. Over Mike, his future, and the thought of her children never knowing their true father.
Ava stayed in that spot, almost motionless yet still crying for the next hour, until Adrienne came to find her. Sitting down next to her younger sister-in-law, Adrienne wrapped her arm around Ava's shoulder and said "Relax Avs, everything will be okay."
Ava shook her head and through sniffing and sobbing, she said "But it won't. Now, I can't tell him the twins are his and I can't expect a future with him."
"What happened to the Ava that moved on? The Ava who wanted to be a yummy mommy?"
"I-I don't know. But, I can't get over him."
"It'll be okay."
Ava leaned her head on Adrienne's shoulder and she cried until she couldn't cry anymore. It was close to twelve and lunchtime when Ava stood up, followed by Adrienne. Ava walked over to her bed and got under the blankets. Adrienne made her way over to the door and said "Do you want lunch?"
"No."
"You have to eat Ava..."
"I will when I'm hungry."
"Do you want to go shopping later? I can call Claudia and we can go get baby clothes."
"Can we tomorrow?"
"Sure."
Adrienne left the room, closing the door behind her, and Ava fell asleep. Two hours later at one-thirty, she awoke to one of the twins kicking and her stomach growling. She got out of bed, stretched then said "No more skipping meals."
After eating lunch, Ava sat on the back deck and watched Joey and Jakob toss their football back and forth. Before long, she was joined by Adrienne who sat next to her then said "Feeling better now?"
"A little."
"Are you sure you don't want to go shopping today?"
"Can we go today and tomorrow?"
"Course. Any excuse to get out of the house and have the boys being babysat is fine for me."
"Okay. I'll go get ready. Call Claudia and whoever you're getting to babysit."
An hour later, after Holly arrived to babysit her nephews, Adrienne and Ava drove to Oakland to pick up Claudia and Frankito, then drove to San Francisco to go shopping.
By seven, they had bought a decent amount of stuff for the day so, they went to dinner then Claudia was dropped off at her home and Adrienne and Ava went back to Berkeley. The next morning, they met up at a maternity store and Ava bought a few things, and then they went to a baby clothing boutique.
When Adrienne and Ava got back to the Armstrong residence, Ava brought all the things she had gotten into the nursery and put all the baby clothes away. A week later, the guys and Sarah returned to California.
On the fourteenth of April, nine days after their return from Japan, MTV arrived to begin to film segments for the Pop Disaster diary. With all the chaos going on, Ava stayed in her room, except to eat, and read her parenting books and magazines.
When tour began on the seventeenth in Bakersfield, Ava was joyous that the camera crews were finally gone, as were Adrienne and Claudia. Ten days later, Adrienne took the boys to the show in San Francisco, and from there they'd go on the tour for the next month.
Two days later when they played at the Oakland Arena, although Ava had a ticket, she didn't want to go, so she wouldn't have to see Mike or Sarah.
By the time Adrienne, Joey and Jakob flew back to Berkeley from Orlando on the seventeenth of May, Mike's thirtieth birthday had passed and Ava was into the last month of her pregnancy and she was quite bigger. Another month later, it was the seventeenth of June and Ava was a week overdue by her doctor's calculation.
That night was the last show on the Pop Disaster tour in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Adrienne had flown there they day before since her and Billie Joe had a house there near her parents and although Adrienne didn't want to leave the boys home, Ava said she could handle them.
The next afternoon, Ava was cleaning up from lunch and the boys were out in the swimming pool, when she felt a sharp pain in the lower part of her stomach. Gripping her stomach, she said "Great timing you two. Your aunt and uncle are in Minnesota."
She walked over to the phone and called Tre and Claudia's house, knowing Claudia should be home. But she wasn't. Ava sighed and called Tre's cell phone, in case he had gotten the morning flight back that Billie Joe and Adrienne opted against to stay in Minnesota for an extra day. Cursing when he didn't answer that, and knowing her sisters, mother and other brothers would all be at work, Ava dialed the only number she didn't want to. Mike's.
On the third ring, he answered.
"Your home already? What happened to staying alone with Adie at your other house?"
"It's me."
Ava cringed in pain and Mike said "Avs?"
"Yes, oh Jesus Christ."
"What's wrong?"
"I think I'm in labor."
"You think?"
"Well I've never been through it before I just think I'm having contractions."
"Did your water break?"
"No, not yet."
"How far apart are you contractions?"
"Like five minutes? I guess I wasn't paying attention."
"Do you have a bag packed?"
"Yes. Since the end of May."
"Okay, I'll be there in ten minutes."
"Joey and Jakob..."
"Have them ready to go, and to stay at my house tonight."
"Okay."
"Can you do that?"
"Yes, Mike. It shouldn't be that hard."
"Okay, ten minutes Av."
"Can you drive that fast?"
"For this, yes."
"Okay."
"See ya soon."
Ava hung up and waddled over to the patio door. Sliding it open, she yelled "C'mon guys we gotta go to the hospital."
Joey climbed out of the pool and said "The twins?"
"Yeah c'mon get changed. I gotta pack your stuff for uncle Mike's house tonight too."
The boys cheered and grabbed their towels and ran inside. Fifteen minutes later, the boys were sitting at the bottom of the stairs ready to go, when Mike walked in the house.
"Hey guys, where's your aunt?"
Joey pointed upstairs and said "She keeps cursing water."
"Is your stuff packed?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, go wait in the car. Joey buckle Jake in."
"Kay."
The boys ran out to Mike's BMW and he ran upstairs to Ava. He found her in her bathroom, with a towel on the floor and her moving it around with her foot.
"Okay, leave it for later."
"But-"
"Ava, nows not the time to bother cleaning it up. Where's your's and the boys' stuff?"
"All the bags are on my bed. Joey's is the little red one, Jake's is the blue on, and mine is the black one."
"Okay, leave the towel and go out to the car. At least you're wearing a sun dress."
"It's the only thing that really fits anymore."
"Okay, c'mon. Go get shoes on. I'll get the bags."
"Kay."
Ava made her way downstairs and put on a pair of flip flops, and before she even got to the door, Mike was downstairs with the three bags. Two minutes later, they were on their way to the hospital. Every time Ava felt a contraction, she gripped Mike's hand and followed his breathing.
Twenty minutes after leaving the house, they finally got to the hospital. Mike brought Ava up to the maternity ward since he had called in advance and he instructed the boys to bring their Gameboys into the waiting room and not to talk to anyone.
Ava was brought to her own private room and Mike followed her and the nurse while trying to fill out her paper work. As Ava relaxed in her hospital bed after changing into her gown, Mike sat on the edge of her bed and said "So, I've got your name, birthday, and parents information written in. But, I need your blood type, Ben's information, and a few other things."
"Um, just leave it on the table. I'll get it later. Can you get Joey and Jake, I'd feel better if they were here. And, I um really want my bag cause my iPod is in it. And, can you call Beej and Adie?"
"Yeah of course Avs. Did you need anything else?"
"Something to read would be nice...I forgot to grab my books at the house."
"Okay."
Mike left the room and Ava grabbed the clipboard. Filling in her blood type, Mike's information, and the rest she gave it to the nurse who came in, just as the boys ran in the room. The boys sat on either side of her and the nurse said "Are these your children as well?"
"Oh, no. They're my nephews. I was watching them for my brother and sister-in-law."
Ava brushed Jakob's hair away from his face and said "You and your brother must be awfully alike."
"Yeah. Molded just like our parents."
"Would you like anything, um..."
The nurse looked at the clipboard then said "Miss Armstrong."
"Epiderol."
"Well, as soon as your doctor arrives and checks you, you can have that."
"Okay."
The nurse left the room and Ava watched the boys play their games. A half an hour later, Mike returned with Ava's bag and a few magazines.
"I got a hold of Adie and they're gonna fly back as soon as they can."
"Okay."
Mike put the bag on the floor, put the magazines on Ava's lap and said "Where's your iPod?"
"Right on top in the big part."
Mike unzipped the duffel bag and got the white iPod for Ava. He sat down then said "Guys, why don't you give your aunt some space?"
"They're fine Mike."
"You sure?"
"At least until I'm getting checked."
Five minutes later, Ava's doctor walked in and said "Ava, how are you feeling?"
"Painful."
"It's to be expected. How far apart are your contractions?"
"I don't know...Mike?"
"Two and a half to three minutes."
"Okay, then I should check you now."
Mike stood up then said "Joey, Jake c'mon give aunt Ava some space."
"Okay."
The boys got off the bed and left the room ahead of Mike who closed the door behind himself. Dr. Ramirez checked Ava then told her she was dilated eight centimeters. Giving her a shot of epiderol then leaving, it was less than a minute before Joey, Jakob and Mike were back the room.
An hour later, Ava was at ten centimeters and was ready to push, when Mike stood up to take the boys out to the waiting room, Ava said "Will you come in the room with me?"
Mike turned around and said "What?"
"The delivery room. You've been through this before with Anastasia having Stella...and this is my first time. Please?"
"Are you sure?"
Ava nodded and Mike said "Okay you two, go wait in the waiting room. No talking to strangers. Keep to yourselves."
"Okay."
"All right."
Joey and Jakob left the room and the nurse brought Mike a set of blue scrubs to wear in the delivery room. Within a minute, he pulled the pants over his jeans and the shirt over his t-shirt and Ava was brought into the delivery room. With Mike coaching her the best he could, Ava gave birth to Ryan Andrew Armstrong at 4:41 pm, and Audrina Rose Armstrong was born five minutes later at 4:46.
A little over an hour later, it was six, and Ava was comfortably resting in her room holding the twins, with Mike sitting on the edge of her bed, watching her, when there was a knock on the door and Joey, Jakob, Tre, Claudia, Adrienne and Billie Joe walked in. Adrienne walked over and said "Finally a new little girl in the Armstrong family."
Taking Audrina, wrapped in a pink blanket and wearing a little pink hat, Adrienne said "Oh you're gonna be spoiled by me little girl."
Ava laughed and tucked her hair behind her ears. Billie Joe sat in a chair and said "Sorry we couldn't make it here quick enough."
"It's okay. Mike was a good coach."
"What?"
Everyone looked at Mike and he said "What? It's not that hard...course it's been five years since Estelle."
Mike looked at Ava and said "Can I hold him?"
"Really? Shouldn't you like go home with Sarah or something?"
"She's in Connecticut at her parents'."
"Okay."
Ava passed Ryan to Mike and smiled at her son and his father. Knowing that she shouldn't wait forever to tell him, Ava leaned over his shoulder to see Ryan better and said "Can we talk alone soon?"
Mike nodded and said "Sure kiddo."
"He just called my cell. Him and Sarah are in the city, they'll be here by six, she had to go to her apartment after moving some stuff during the day."
Nodding, Billie Joe stood up straight and said "Well, I'm going out for a smoke then."
Billie held up his pack of cigarettes in Adie's direction and as she looked at him, he pointed at them then himself and then to the door that led out to the balcony. Nodding, she went back to her conversation with Claudia and Ava and he made his way outside.
A few minutes later, Billie Joe was taking a drag from his cigarette when he heard the door open and looked over his shoulder. Seeing Ava, he faced back in the direction he was looking and said "You shouldn't be around the cigarette."
"A few minutes won't hurt Drina and Ry."
"Already have easier names for them, eh?"
"Shut up."
Ava leaned next to him and said "I still don't have the option to skip dinner, do I?"
"Did you order something to drink?"
"A virgin appletini."
"Then you're staying."
Ava sighed then said "This is gonna be bad."
"I'll keep him in line."
Laughing, Ava finally could get the words out to say "Like you could do that."
"I'm plenty tough."
"Against Joey and Jake maybe. I could even probably take you. And Mike has muscles, think of his advantage."
"Then I'll get him and the girlfriend to leave if I have to."
"Really?"
"Just for you."
Ava side hugged Billie Joe and said "You're a good big brother."
"Thanks."
He kissed her temple and said "I'm glad you decided to move back, even though what happened."
"Hey, you win some and you lose some."
Ava shrugged and they both heard the door to the balcony open. Billie turned around and Ava heard Mike say "Hey thirty year old. Come on in so we can order. I'm starving, we've barely stopped moving Sarah's stuff all day."
Ava sighed and took Billie Joe's cigarette out of his hand. She took a long drag and he whipped around and said "Ava Grace, give me that cigarette."
Passing the cigarette back to her brother, she said "Jesus, you sound like mom."
"You're pregnant."
"So? One smoke puff isn't gonna hurt."
Ava and Mike looked straight at each other and he opened his mouth to speak. Before he could, Ava pushed passed him and made her way across the room to Adrienne, who was still talking to Claudia, but now they were joined by a blonde.
"Adie, can I get your keys?"
"Oh, Ava, this is Sarah. Sarah, this is Billie Joe's little sister Ava."
Ava fake smiled and said "Adie, do you have keys to the Beemer with you?"
"No squirt, why?"
From outside they heard Mike yell "You told me she was staying in New York! How am I supposed to handle myself around her and Sarah?! She won't even talk to me because of the call and you don't tell me she moved in with you!"
Ava pointed outside and said "That's why."
Claudia pulled a set of keys out of her pocket and said "I came here from work so my Toyota is out front. Tre has our other car, we'll pick up my Camry later."
"Thank you so much Claudia."
"It's black."
"Okay. Thanks."
Ava got her purse from Anna and left the private room. She made her way outside to the parking lot and pressed the panic alarm button on the car key. It started going off and she shut it right back off, knowing where exactly Claudia's car was.
She began walking to it and started crying. She pressed the automatic unlock button just as she heard Mike yell "Ava, come back!"
Wiping tears off her cheeks, Ava looked across the parking lot and saw Mike on the top of the restaurant's stairs. She got in the car, turned on the ignition and drove off. Driving around for the next hour, she ignored the ringing cell phone in her purse, that was resting on the passenger seat.
Finally, getting sick of driving and growing hungry, she got McDonald's then went to the Oakland pier. Eating her french fries while sitting on the car's hood, she walked couples walk by hand-in-hand and thought of a time when she hoped her and Mike would be that lucky. Now, she just wished he forgive her for the secret she was keeping.
She looked at the cell phone in her hand, which hadn't rang in nearly twenty minutes, and saw the time was seven-thirty. She tucked it in her cleavage and finished her milkshake.
Ten minutes later, Ava was still sitting on the hood when she heard the gravel crunching under someone's feet and when she turned around to see who it was, she found it was Mike, he said "You thought I wouldn't find you here?"
"I was hoping."
"You've been coming to this same spot since you were fourteen to get away. I know all your hiding spots."
"Can you please go back to my brother's birthday dinner?"
"Everybody's out looking for you. Well, not everybody. Your mom went home in case you went there. Anna, Marci, and Holly all went home in case you showed up at one of their places. Adie went home in case you went there, and Sarah and me got in a fight and she went back to her apartment."
"I'm sorry I caused you two to fight."
"What?"
"Well, if it hadn't been for me Beej's birthday wouldn't be ruined, you wouldn't have fought with your girlfriend, and the people I love would actually be enjoying themselves tonight."
"Shit happens. We'll celebrate some other night."
"Can you at least go? Tell them you couldn't find me. I'll go home soon."
"I don't believe you."
Mike sat next to Ava on the hood and said "I'm not leaving unless you leave."
"Mike I said leave."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Asshole."
Ava shivered at the breeze suddenly coming off the water and Mike said "Wait here."
He got off the car and walked away, returning about three minutes later, carrying a grey sweater.
"Put this on. You shouldn't get sick while you're pregnant."
"Why do you care? You haven't wanted anything to do with me since you found out."
"Because you're having Ben's baby-"
"Babies...I'm having twins."
"Oh, well then, but yeah. Because of what you're going through I need to distance myself from you. Ava, you know we weren't going to go much further than a little relationship."
"I had hope we would."
Ava pulled on the sweater and zipped it up, as Mike sat next to her again and said "You did?"
Ava nodded and said "I still did, until I found out about Sarah and then you called and left that message."
"I'm sorry about that. I wasn't thinking."
"It's fine Michael."
"So, can we still be friends Armstrong?"
He nudged her shoulder with his and said "Just like old times."
Ava shook her head and said "I can't just be your friend anymore."
"Ava..."
"Please don't Ava me. You don't know what's going on. And you've never asked. Barely anyone knows in fact, and I'm sick of putting on a charade."
"Okay, shoot. Tell me what's up kid."
Ava stood up and took off the sweater. She passed it to Mike and said "You should get off Claudia's car."
Mike stood up and said "Why can't we be friends anymore?"
Ava looked at her feet then said "Because...because I've grown into hoping that we'd be more than friends when I came back to Berkeley. And after your phone call when you called me immature, I've made bigger changes in my life. You can't go back on what you said, and I can't go back on what I've done."
Ava made her way around the the driver's door and Mike said "Okay. I understand that you want to keep things bottled up inside Avs, you always have. Just please tell me what's going on. I need to be friends with you."
"I can't just be friends with you though. Don't you get it?! I love you Michael Ryan Pritchard. I have for a really long time, and now you've moved on. And, I can't."
Getting in Claudia's car, Ava turned in on and drove away before Mike could say anything else. Standing there in front of the pier, where Ava had parked the car, Mike began walking to his truck. He got in and drove home not wanting anything to do with anyone at the moment.
Thirty minutes after leaving the pier, Ava returned to Billie Joe and Adrienne's house. She quickly made her way upstairs and packed her duffel bag with clothes, her make up and other things she would need. She was zipping up the bag when Adrienne walked in the room, closed the door behind herself and said "Where are you going?"
"Can I borrow the Fairlane?"
"Where are you going, Ava?"
"I don't know. Away from Mike for a few days. He'll be around I know it and I can't handle him right now."
"This is ridiculous Ava."
"No, it's not. I almost told him back at the pier about the twins being his. I've already ruined Beej's birthday I need to get away for a little while."
"How long?"
"I don't know. Two maybe three weeks, when do they go back on tour?"
"End of April they start Pop Disaster."
"Then I'll stay away till then."
"You can't go live in an apartment or a hotel by yourself, Ava. Think reasonably. You're almost six months pregnant. You'll be almost eight by then. You probably couldn't even afford to stay away with no job until then."
"I have a lot of money saved up between work in New York and the money Billie Joe always gave me."
"How much do you have exactly?"
"Maybe $20,000."
Adrienne sighed and said "Wait here."
Adrienne left the room and Ava changed into a pair of her maternity jeans and a t-shirt. Five minutes later, Adrienne returned holding a little piece of paper.
"Here."
Adrienne passed Ava the piece of paper and Ava realized it was a check for ten thousand dollars.
"I can't take this Adie."
"Your brother will understand but I think he'd care more anyways if you have enough money."
"Thanks."
"Will you call me when you end up wherever you decide to go?"
"Yeah."
"And you'll take care of yourself?"
"Of course."
"The keys to the Fairlane are down in the kitchen on the hook."
"Here's Claudia's."
Ava passed Adrienne the keys to Claudia's black Camry and picked up her bag. Carrying it downstairs, Ava walked into the kitchen, got the keys to the 'piece of junk' her brother insisted on keeping and made her way out into the driveway. Putting her duffel bag into the backseat, Ava then got in to the driver's seat and turned on the car.
Rolling her eyes at the way the engine sounded, she drove away from her brother's house, not knowing exactly where to go but knowing when she found it, she would.
She drove to her bank in San Francisco, and deposited the check from Adrienne into her account, knowing it wouldn't actually accumulate in it until four days later.
From there she drove two hours, until ten-thirty, when she reached Monterey, California and decided to stay at the Monterey Marriott. Checking into a guest room with a king size bed, Ava didn't even bother to unpack before the change into pajama pants and fell asleep.
The next morning, Ava woke up around nine and ordered breakfast from room service. After eating, she relaxed in her room until twelve, which was check out time. After checking out, Ava drove to the nearest gas station, put gas in the Fairlane and drove for the next four hours, down the coast until she reached Santa Barbara. She checked into the Four Seasons hotel there and decided she would stay for the next three days.
After unpacking her things, Ava picked up the phone and dialed Billie Joe and Adrienne phone number. On the fourth ring, her brother answered.
"Hello?"
"Hey, it's me."
"Oh my god, Ava. Where are you? I don't even see you after you bolt from my party and then, Adie tells me you decided to leave and take a trip. Where are you? Do you have enough money?"
"I'm fine and I'm in Santa Barbara. And, yes. I have plenty of money considering your wife wrote me a check for ten thousand, and I had twenty thousand saved up."
"When are you coming back?"
"When you guys leave for Pop Disaster."
"You have got to be kidding me."
"No, I'm not."
"You know Mike's freaking out because you left town."
"Why would he? You know what, tell him it's because of him."
"Can't you two just make peace?"
"Funny, it's usually him saying that to me about us."
"Ava please, come home. I'm worried something could happen to you or the twins. You don't have to go around Mike, or even Tre. You could even spend all your time in your room and just leave to eat and buy clothes for the twins."
"I'm fine so far."
"But people in California are crazy. They don't care about their driving or anything."
"We're people from California. And, you ain't the best driver yourself."
"Yes, I know, but I'd feel much better if you were still under my roof. The Fairlane doesn't even have air bags."
"I'm a cautious driver."
"Like I said...other people aren't!"
Ava sighed then said "I'll drive back on the twenty-first. I'll get in around nine in the evening. All right?"
"You won't come sooner?"
"I prepaid up until that day. I was planning on going to L.A. to stay."
"But you'll come back then?"
"Yes."
"Okay, I'll see you then."
"Tell Adie I said hi."
"Yeah, and don't hurt my car."
"I won't."
"Bye."
"Bye Beej."
Ava hung up then phone and turned on the television. By the time the next three days passed, Ava had gotten a french tip manicure and pedicure, and had gotten her hair cut from it's long length to just above her shoulders and then dyed a dark brown.
On the twenty-first, Ava left Santa Barbara and drove seven hours straight except stopping for gas and to eat, finally arriving earlier than expected, at eight to her brother's and Adrienne's.
As soon as she slammed the trunk after getting out her bag, it was a minute before Billie Joe was outside and hugging the hood of his car. Ava rolled her eyes at him, began walking to the door and said "I didn't hurt the goddamn car."
Walking inside, Ava dropped her bag by the door, and walked into the kitchen to find Adrienne and Claudia sitting at the table, with Claudia holding her's and Tre's son, Frankito.
"Oh my god. Your hair, Ava...it's-"
"Chocolate brown."
"And short."
Ava smiled and said "I needed a change. The black hair symbolized the Ava who had feelings for Mike. Now, the brunette Ava wants nothing to do with him and has decided to be a yummy mommy as soon as she gives birth. So, I'm going to be working out, until I can't anymore to stabilize the weight I've gained so I can get back to a four as quickly as I can."
"That four day trip really change you."
Ava nodded and she sat down next to Claudia.
"So where's Tre?"
"Gone to Mike's."
"He's not coming over is he?"
Adrienne shook her head before Claudia could reply then she said "It's our little plan so he wouldn't come over tonight. He thinks your brother and I went out and Claudia's watching Joey and Jake. So, Tre went over to hang out with him."
"Oh. I see."
Adrienne and Claudia nodded then Frankito started crying. Claudia shushed him and tried to settle him down. When he still persisted, Ava held out her arms and said "Can I try? I'll have to do it all the time come June."
"Sure."
Claudia passed her son to Ava and Ava stood up with him. Walking around the kitchen and talking to him, it took Ava only five minutes until the little Cool was relaxed again. Ava smiled, walked over to Claudia, gave her Frankito and said "I might turn out to be a good mom."
Adrienne laughed and said "But you'll have to handle two at once."
"I hate Mike."
Ava covered her mouth and Claudia said "Adrienne told me. And, don't worry I won't tell Tre or Mike. If Tre finds out, it'll be two seconds before Mike does."
"Thanks."
Ava got a bottle of water out of the fridge then said "I think I'm gonna head to bed, I've been driving all afternoon."
Ava left the kitchen, got her bag just as Billie Joe came back in the house, then made her way upstairs. For the next month, Adrienne, Billie Joe, Claudia and Tre continued the charade to keep him away from Adrienne's and Billie Joe's as long as Ava wasn't there.
It also helped that Billie Joe, Mike, and Tre were in the studio putting together random b-sides that had accumulated, to put in a minimal release album.
Before long, it was the twenty-fifth of March, and in three days Billie Joe, Tre, and Mike would travel to Japan for a week and a half for several shows there, before returning to the States to do the Pop Disaster tour with Blink-182, Jimmy Eat World, Saves the Day and Kut U Up from mid April to mid June.
On the twenty-eighth, a larger Ava was sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast with Joey and Jakob on either side of her, when the doorbell rang. Adrienne looked up from the sink and said "Shit."
"What?"
"Mike's picking up your brother so all the cars stay here."
Ava shrugged and said "It's been a month and a half, let him see my glowing brunette self."
Ava ran her hands through her hair to untangle her waves and the doorbell rang again. From upstairs, Billie Joe yelled "Somebody answer the fucking door!"
Adrienne made her way to the door and opened it. There standing was Mike, with his arm around Sarah's shoulder.
"Morning you two. I thought just Mike was coming to pick up Billie."
Sarah shook her head then said "I'm going with Mike now, since we're engaged."
"Engaged?"
Sarah held up her left hand to reveal an engagement ring on it. She smiled at Adrienne and said "Mike proposed this morning. We're getting married right after the stops in England in July. So I'll be planning up until then and I'm in need of some bridesmaids, so I was thinking you and Claudia. Sound good? Plus my sister Rachel."
Adrienne nodded slowly, fake smiled and said "Sounds great."
Mike led Sarah into the house and said "Is he ready to go?"
From upstairs, Billie Joe yelled "Almost! Wait in the living room!"
The three walked into the living room and Sarah sat down on the couch, Mike sat next to her on the arm and Adrienne decided to stay standing. A minute of silence passed between the three until the clattering of silverware was heard from the kitchen.
All of a sudden, Ava said as loud as she could "Stop throwing food you two. Adie? Adie?! Your hooligans are out of control with cheerios."
Adrienne rushed into the kitchen, as Mike stood up and said to Sarah "I'll be right back hun."
Sarah nodded and Mike left the room, walking the short distance to the kitchen to find Adrienne ushering her sons out into the backyard and Ava now on her knees wiping up milk and cereal on the floor. As she did, she continuously mumbled "I do not want twins. I can't handle kids. Especially Armstrong ones, they're nuts."
Mike laughed at her mumbling and she sat up straight. Turning around slightly to see him, Ava went back to cleaning. He walked over to her, rolled off some of the paper towel and said "Want some help?"
She took it from him and said "I don't need help. I can take care of this on my own."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"I don't think you can. You're very pregnant Ava. You shouldn't be wiping up spilled milk on your hands and knees."
"Well Beej is upstairs and Adie is now outside with the culprits of this mess. Whose gonna clean it besides me?"
"C'mon get up."
Mike took the paper towel from Ava, stood up, and held out his hand. Resistantly, she grasped it and he helped her to her feet. He got back down on his knees and finished cleaning up the mess.
Within two minutes, the floor was clean, the paper towel was thrown out and the spoons were back on the table. Mike stood in front of Ava who was leaning against the counter and she said "Congratulations on your engagement."
She looked outside where Adrienne was trying to convince her sons to play soccer, and Mike spoke.
"Thanks."
"You guys decide on a date?"
"July 27th. You'll come right?"
Ava shook her head and said "No. I wouldn't want the twins with a babysitter and I'd still be huge."
"You aren't that big now."
"You called me very pregnant like five minutes ago."
"Because you're seven months."
"I'm six. And, I've been doing pregnancy yoga and all this shit."
"And you dyed your hair."
"Last month. It's kind of changing back to black now."
Ava looked at Mike and said "Can we not do small talk because I can't handle it. And, you have a fiancee now. Can you just leave me alone except for the few times were around my family and we have to act civilized?"
"Ava..."
"Please Mike. I don't ask anything of you except for that."
"Fine. You stand on firm ground."
Ava pushed herself away from the counter and said "Enjoy Japan. I'll see you before MTV shows up for Diary."
She left the room and made her way upstairs. Walking to her room, Billie Joe was coming down the hall with his suitcase and said "Did you two talk?"
"Him and the blonde are engaged."
"You okay?"
Ava huffed and walked into her room, slamming her door behind her.
"I'll take that as a no."
Billie Joe made his way downstairs and after saying goodbye to Adrienne and the boys, him, Mike and Sarah left for the airport. Ava watched from the window in her room, as Mike's dark red GMC pulled out of the long driveway and drove down the road. Ava sat beneath the window, something she hadn't done for years, since her siblings had moved out of her mother's house, and cried. Over Mike, his future, and the thought of her children never knowing their true father.
Ava stayed in that spot, almost motionless yet still crying for the next hour, until Adrienne came to find her. Sitting down next to her younger sister-in-law, Adrienne wrapped her arm around Ava's shoulder and said "Relax Avs, everything will be okay."
Ava shook her head and through sniffing and sobbing, she said "But it won't. Now, I can't tell him the twins are his and I can't expect a future with him."
"What happened to the Ava that moved on? The Ava who wanted to be a yummy mommy?"
"I-I don't know. But, I can't get over him."
"It'll be okay."
Ava leaned her head on Adrienne's shoulder and she cried until she couldn't cry anymore. It was close to twelve and lunchtime when Ava stood up, followed by Adrienne. Ava walked over to her bed and got under the blankets. Adrienne made her way over to the door and said "Do you want lunch?"
"No."
"You have to eat Ava..."
"I will when I'm hungry."
"Do you want to go shopping later? I can call Claudia and we can go get baby clothes."
"Can we tomorrow?"
"Sure."
Adrienne left the room, closing the door behind her, and Ava fell asleep. Two hours later at one-thirty, she awoke to one of the twins kicking and her stomach growling. She got out of bed, stretched then said "No more skipping meals."
After eating lunch, Ava sat on the back deck and watched Joey and Jakob toss their football back and forth. Before long, she was joined by Adrienne who sat next to her then said "Feeling better now?"
"A little."
"Are you sure you don't want to go shopping today?"
"Can we go today and tomorrow?"
"Course. Any excuse to get out of the house and have the boys being babysat is fine for me."
"Okay. I'll go get ready. Call Claudia and whoever you're getting to babysit."
An hour later, after Holly arrived to babysit her nephews, Adrienne and Ava drove to Oakland to pick up Claudia and Frankito, then drove to San Francisco to go shopping.
By seven, they had bought a decent amount of stuff for the day so, they went to dinner then Claudia was dropped off at her home and Adrienne and Ava went back to Berkeley. The next morning, they met up at a maternity store and Ava bought a few things, and then they went to a baby clothing boutique.
When Adrienne and Ava got back to the Armstrong residence, Ava brought all the things she had gotten into the nursery and put all the baby clothes away. A week later, the guys and Sarah returned to California.
On the fourteenth of April, nine days after their return from Japan, MTV arrived to begin to film segments for the Pop Disaster diary. With all the chaos going on, Ava stayed in her room, except to eat, and read her parenting books and magazines.
When tour began on the seventeenth in Bakersfield, Ava was joyous that the camera crews were finally gone, as were Adrienne and Claudia. Ten days later, Adrienne took the boys to the show in San Francisco, and from there they'd go on the tour for the next month.
Two days later when they played at the Oakland Arena, although Ava had a ticket, she didn't want to go, so she wouldn't have to see Mike or Sarah.
By the time Adrienne, Joey and Jakob flew back to Berkeley from Orlando on the seventeenth of May, Mike's thirtieth birthday had passed and Ava was into the last month of her pregnancy and she was quite bigger. Another month later, it was the seventeenth of June and Ava was a week overdue by her doctor's calculation.
That night was the last show on the Pop Disaster tour in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Adrienne had flown there they day before since her and Billie Joe had a house there near her parents and although Adrienne didn't want to leave the boys home, Ava said she could handle them.
The next afternoon, Ava was cleaning up from lunch and the boys were out in the swimming pool, when she felt a sharp pain in the lower part of her stomach. Gripping her stomach, she said "Great timing you two. Your aunt and uncle are in Minnesota."
She walked over to the phone and called Tre and Claudia's house, knowing Claudia should be home. But she wasn't. Ava sighed and called Tre's cell phone, in case he had gotten the morning flight back that Billie Joe and Adrienne opted against to stay in Minnesota for an extra day. Cursing when he didn't answer that, and knowing her sisters, mother and other brothers would all be at work, Ava dialed the only number she didn't want to. Mike's.
On the third ring, he answered.
"Your home already? What happened to staying alone with Adie at your other house?"
"It's me."
Ava cringed in pain and Mike said "Avs?"
"Yes, oh Jesus Christ."
"What's wrong?"
"I think I'm in labor."
"You think?"
"Well I've never been through it before I just think I'm having contractions."
"Did your water break?"
"No, not yet."
"How far apart are you contractions?"
"Like five minutes? I guess I wasn't paying attention."
"Do you have a bag packed?"
"Yes. Since the end of May."
"Okay, I'll be there in ten minutes."
"Joey and Jakob..."
"Have them ready to go, and to stay at my house tonight."
"Okay."
"Can you do that?"
"Yes, Mike. It shouldn't be that hard."
"Okay, ten minutes Av."
"Can you drive that fast?"
"For this, yes."
"Okay."
"See ya soon."
Ava hung up and waddled over to the patio door. Sliding it open, she yelled "C'mon guys we gotta go to the hospital."
Joey climbed out of the pool and said "The twins?"
"Yeah c'mon get changed. I gotta pack your stuff for uncle Mike's house tonight too."
The boys cheered and grabbed their towels and ran inside. Fifteen minutes later, the boys were sitting at the bottom of the stairs ready to go, when Mike walked in the house.
"Hey guys, where's your aunt?"
Joey pointed upstairs and said "She keeps cursing water."
"Is your stuff packed?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, go wait in the car. Joey buckle Jake in."
"Kay."
The boys ran out to Mike's BMW and he ran upstairs to Ava. He found her in her bathroom, with a towel on the floor and her moving it around with her foot.
"Okay, leave it for later."
"But-"
"Ava, nows not the time to bother cleaning it up. Where's your's and the boys' stuff?"
"All the bags are on my bed. Joey's is the little red one, Jake's is the blue on, and mine is the black one."
"Okay, leave the towel and go out to the car. At least you're wearing a sun dress."
"It's the only thing that really fits anymore."
"Okay, c'mon. Go get shoes on. I'll get the bags."
"Kay."
Ava made her way downstairs and put on a pair of flip flops, and before she even got to the door, Mike was downstairs with the three bags. Two minutes later, they were on their way to the hospital. Every time Ava felt a contraction, she gripped Mike's hand and followed his breathing.
Twenty minutes after leaving the house, they finally got to the hospital. Mike brought Ava up to the maternity ward since he had called in advance and he instructed the boys to bring their Gameboys into the waiting room and not to talk to anyone.
Ava was brought to her own private room and Mike followed her and the nurse while trying to fill out her paper work. As Ava relaxed in her hospital bed after changing into her gown, Mike sat on the edge of her bed and said "So, I've got your name, birthday, and parents information written in. But, I need your blood type, Ben's information, and a few other things."
"Um, just leave it on the table. I'll get it later. Can you get Joey and Jake, I'd feel better if they were here. And, I um really want my bag cause my iPod is in it. And, can you call Beej and Adie?"
"Yeah of course Avs. Did you need anything else?"
"Something to read would be nice...I forgot to grab my books at the house."
"Okay."
Mike left the room and Ava grabbed the clipboard. Filling in her blood type, Mike's information, and the rest she gave it to the nurse who came in, just as the boys ran in the room. The boys sat on either side of her and the nurse said "Are these your children as well?"
"Oh, no. They're my nephews. I was watching them for my brother and sister-in-law."
Ava brushed Jakob's hair away from his face and said "You and your brother must be awfully alike."
"Yeah. Molded just like our parents."
"Would you like anything, um..."
The nurse looked at the clipboard then said "Miss Armstrong."
"Epiderol."
"Well, as soon as your doctor arrives and checks you, you can have that."
"Okay."
The nurse left the room and Ava watched the boys play their games. A half an hour later, Mike returned with Ava's bag and a few magazines.
"I got a hold of Adie and they're gonna fly back as soon as they can."
"Okay."
Mike put the bag on the floor, put the magazines on Ava's lap and said "Where's your iPod?"
"Right on top in the big part."
Mike unzipped the duffel bag and got the white iPod for Ava. He sat down then said "Guys, why don't you give your aunt some space?"
"They're fine Mike."
"You sure?"
"At least until I'm getting checked."
Five minutes later, Ava's doctor walked in and said "Ava, how are you feeling?"
"Painful."
"It's to be expected. How far apart are your contractions?"
"I don't know...Mike?"
"Two and a half to three minutes."
"Okay, then I should check you now."
Mike stood up then said "Joey, Jake c'mon give aunt Ava some space."
"Okay."
The boys got off the bed and left the room ahead of Mike who closed the door behind himself. Dr. Ramirez checked Ava then told her she was dilated eight centimeters. Giving her a shot of epiderol then leaving, it was less than a minute before Joey, Jakob and Mike were back the room.
An hour later, Ava was at ten centimeters and was ready to push, when Mike stood up to take the boys out to the waiting room, Ava said "Will you come in the room with me?"
Mike turned around and said "What?"
"The delivery room. You've been through this before with Anastasia having Stella...and this is my first time. Please?"
"Are you sure?"
Ava nodded and Mike said "Okay you two, go wait in the waiting room. No talking to strangers. Keep to yourselves."
"Okay."
"All right."
Joey and Jakob left the room and the nurse brought Mike a set of blue scrubs to wear in the delivery room. Within a minute, he pulled the pants over his jeans and the shirt over his t-shirt and Ava was brought into the delivery room. With Mike coaching her the best he could, Ava gave birth to Ryan Andrew Armstrong at 4:41 pm, and Audrina Rose Armstrong was born five minutes later at 4:46.
A little over an hour later, it was six, and Ava was comfortably resting in her room holding the twins, with Mike sitting on the edge of her bed, watching her, when there was a knock on the door and Joey, Jakob, Tre, Claudia, Adrienne and Billie Joe walked in. Adrienne walked over and said "Finally a new little girl in the Armstrong family."
Taking Audrina, wrapped in a pink blanket and wearing a little pink hat, Adrienne said "Oh you're gonna be spoiled by me little girl."
Ava laughed and tucked her hair behind her ears. Billie Joe sat in a chair and said "Sorry we couldn't make it here quick enough."
"It's okay. Mike was a good coach."
"What?"
Everyone looked at Mike and he said "What? It's not that hard...course it's been five years since Estelle."
Mike looked at Ava and said "Can I hold him?"
"Really? Shouldn't you like go home with Sarah or something?"
"She's in Connecticut at her parents'."
"Okay."
Ava passed Ryan to Mike and smiled at her son and his father. Knowing that she shouldn't wait forever to tell him, Ava leaned over his shoulder to see Ryan better and said "Can we talk alone soon?"
Mike nodded and said "Sure kiddo."