Intro:
---Josh and Ashley are now married---
---Less then an hour after Josh proposed too---
---Is this the biggest mistake they ever made?---
---Or the smartest decision of their lives?---
---One things for certain.---
---It isn't going to be easy---
---Join them in sickness and health, good times and bad---
---The arguments, the happy moments---
---Join them for their first summer together!---
Chapter 1:
---Ashley---
"Ashley" I heard Josh whisper "Get up, it's 10pm already" he leaned down and kissed me on the cheek.
"Owch" I said pulling the covers over my head a little "You need a shave"
He rubbed his hand against his cheek "Yeah, I guess I do. Later though. First you've got to get up"
I groaned "Why?" I mumbled burying my head under the pillow.
"Cause I've got a surprise for you" he said with a grin.
I peeped out from under the pillow "Surprise?" I asked excitedly.
He nodded "Now get up"
I shook my head "Can't I just have 5 more minutes?"
He shook his head "They'll turn into an hour" He pulled the blanket off me.
"Cold!" I shrieked scrambling for it.
"Nu-uh!" He said scooping me up "We're going to see your surprise" He carried me through to the lounge of the motel we were staying at.
I rested my head on his shoulder and prepared to go back to sleep, but before I could he'd put me down in a chair at the table. I opened my eyes and glanced around.
"Josh!" I said happily "Wow!"
Spread out before me, with candles and flash silverware was a beautiful breakfast.
Josh smiled and handed me a plate with... well, rather burnt looking bacon and uncooked looking eggs.
So he wasn't the worlds best cook? I still love him.
"Mmm, Yum" I said taking it from him. I took a bite and forced myself not to grimace, I then had to force myself to swallow.
*Sigh* this was gonna be a long breakfast.
---Josh---
Ashley is just so cute. I know that my breakfast was rather hideous, but I really had tried on it, and after all it's the thought that counts.
After Ashley forced herself to swallow her fifth mouthful I couldn't take it anymore "Come on" I said getting up "Lets go to McDonalds"
She smiled with relief then caught herself "It really is a nice breakfast"
I nodded "Thanks Ashley"
She smiled a small smile and went to get dressed, I could tell she was more then happy to get away from the breakfast.
*sigh* New goal in life, become a millionare so I can hire a cook!
Speaking of being a millionare, I really need to get a job, at this rate I'm going to be broke in a month. Best not to mention that to Ashley. I'll worry about it at the end of our honeymoon.
---Mary-Kate---
I opened my eyes, then tiredly went to close them again. But instead of being able to fall asleep again, I found myself leaping out of bed and racing to the bathroom.
Oh the joys of pregnancy.
"Mary-Kate" Zac called, knocking on the door "Are you ok?"
"Fine!" I called sarcastically.
Well this was fun!
Chapter 2:
|
Josh and I were enjoying breakfast at McDonalds when my phone started ringing, I glanced at him and gulped.
"Hello?" I answered.
"Ashley!" Mary-Kate said happily "Where have you been? I've been worried!"
"Oh, I decided to take a little vacation. It was kind of a spur of the moment thing"
"You didn't tell me?" She sounded a little hurt.
"Sorry MK" I said quietly.
"Well, that's ok I guess" she said quietly "It's not like you got married or anything"
I almost choked on my bacon and eggs! "Yeah!" I said laughing.
We talked a little longer then said good-bye. I glanced at Josh. "Oh boy" I said.
---Zac---
Mary-Kate got off the phone and turned to me with a concerned expression.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Somethings up with Ashley" She said walking over and sitting next to me on the sofa.
"Like what?" I asked putting an arm around her shoulder.
"I don't know. Just something. I can tell when she's keeping something from me, and she definitely is now. And she decided to take a vacation"
"Cool. When's she leaving?"
"She already has. A spur of the moment thing!"
"That's strange"
"Yeah" She frowned "What's up with her?" She asked herself more then me.
---Josh---
"So where should we go for our honeymoon?" I asked Ashley as we strolled through Central Park.
"Hmmm" She said getting a dreamy look on her face. "Hawaii" she said.
"I was thinking of France" I said quietly.
"France would be nice" I could tell she had her heart set on Hawaii
I sighed quietly "Hawaii it is!" I said giving up on my dream of going to France.
"Thank-You!" She smiled happily and reached up to hug then kiss me.
I guess it was worth it.
"Come on, lets go back to the motel and book the tickets"
---Ashley---
I rolled over and moved the window aside to look out the window. It was like midnight, Josh was fast asleep, but I couldn't sleep.
I reached out and drew a smiley face on the condensation on the window. I smiled and watched it. Soon the water began to run so I reached out and wiped the smiley face away.
Now replacing the symbol of happiness there was just a blank space.
I shuddered and pulled the blanket up around my chin.
---Mary-Kate---
I lay in bed staring out the window. Outside there was a slight breeze, which was blowing through the small tree in our back yard, the sound was nice and peaceful.
But peaceful as it was I couldn't stop worrying about Ashley. Was she sick? Had something happened at the graduation ceremony?
And when should I tell her I'm pregnant again?
---Josh---
"Ashley" I whispered to her for like the fifth time, wonder why she was so tired. "Ashley! I'm going down to the store to get some stuff ok?"
She didn't respond, and I gave up. I figured I'd be back before she woke up anyway.
---Ashley---
"Josh!" I woke up and looked around, he was nowhere to be seen. I did a full search of the Motel, only to find he wasn't there.
I found myself feeling a little insecure. Stupid huh? He'd probably just gone to the store and here I was worrying he'd left me. Oh boy.
I wondered back into the bedroom and climbed up on the set of draws (It looked more comfortable then the seat)
---Josh---
I arrived back at the motel and dumped the groceries on the table "Ashley!" I called. I wondered into the bedroom, she wasn't there. I glanced under the bed then behind the door. Then screamed (A lot like a girl embarassingly)
"Ashley what are you doing up there?" I asked in surprise.
"Nothing" she sniffled.
"Have you been crying?" I asked moving over to her.
"No" she said wiping her eyes.
"Come here" I picked her up and walked over to a chair. I sat down and set her on my lap "What's the matter?"
"Nothing" She sniffled. I just looked at her "I was afraid you'd left" She finally admitted in a tiny voice.
"I just went to get some stuff for lunch" I told her gently.
"Oh" she said quietly.
I tenderly kissed her "I wouldn't ever leave you. So don't worry. ok?"
She nodded. After a few more kisses we went to eat a quick lunch. We had to get to the airport at one, to leave for... Hawaii!
Chapter 3:
|
"Anna Banana" I sat down on the floor in front of Anna and held my arms out to her. She crawled over to me, cooing happily.
"Hey my little banana" I said happily as I picked her up "I love you so much, you know that right?"
Of course she didn't answer. She's barely 1! I just felt the need to say it...
---Ashley---
"RUN! We're going to be late!" Josh dragged me through the airport as we heard the last announcement for our flight being called over the speakers.
"It's not my fault lunch burnt" I grumbled "OW!"
"What?" He asked stopping and turning to me.
"You were squeezing my hand to tight" I sulkled, gently rubbing it to make it stop hurting.
"Sorry. Now come on" he said taking it again and pulling me along to the boarding gate.
A couple of minutes later we were safely aboard the plane. I leaned my head against the window as the plane lifted off, bit by bit New York city slowly disappeared as the plane flew up above the clouds. I felt a strong sense of worry for some reason.
---Zac---
"So hows Mary-Kate doing?" Isaac asked as we walked through the grocery store (Yup, our wives had forced us to do the grocery shopping. Never thought it would come to this!)
"Ok, I guess" I shrugged and picked up a head of broccoli "She's sick quite a bit, but then she was with Anna too"
Isaac nodded "I can't believe you're a father before I am" He gently punched me in the arm "My baby bro's a daddy"
I laughed "Maybe the babies just waiting till you grow up, to be born"
"Ha ha! You are such a comedian!" He said sarcastically.
I just laughed and picked up a bag of apples "I know, I know"
---Josh---
Something was up with Ashley. I knew it but didn't know what to do about it. We barely spoke two words the entire flight. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that kind of odd for newlyweds?
After depositing our bags at the Motel we decided to go for a walk on the beach. The sun was just setting and everything about the setting was romantic and beautiful.
Ashley shivered and hugged herself.
"You cold babe?" I asked.
She nodded a little, her teech chattering.
"Here" I said taking my jacket off and wrapping it around her "I told you you should of worn something warmer"
"Sorry Dad" She said sarcastically, but with a smile.
I smiled too and wrapped an arm around her shoulder hugging her to me. I gently kissed her on the forehead. "You wanna stop for a while?" I suggested with a wink.
She smiled coyly and nodded.
We took a seat on the sand and Ashley snuggled close to me. "I love you" She whispered gently stroking my cheek.
I leanded down to kiss her and the next few minutes were near pefect.
Until...
A huge crash of Thunder gave us a split second warning before we were drenched by a sudden downpour of rain.
We got up and raced back to the motel as fast as we could.
As we were going up to our floor in the elevator I thought I heard Ashley say "Maybe it's a sign"
"Sorry hon?" I asked, not sure I'd heard her.
"Oh! Nothing" she said shaking her head and looking away.
Must have been my imagination.
---Ashley---
Why didn't I drown my cellphone? I wondered as I stumbled through the motel room, a couple of days later, to where my Cellphone was. Where that was I didn't know. I was just following that annoying bleeping.
"Ashley!" I heard Josh grumble from the bedroom "Turn that thing off"
"I'm trying!" I called as I dug around my suitcase "But I have to find it first!"
There were some more grumblings Then I guess he must have covered his head with the pillow cause I couldn't hear him anymore.
I finished searching the suitcase. Though I couldn't see in the dark the floor must have been littered with clothes and I still hadn't found the phone. Suddenly in a flash of brilliance I realized I'd left it in the kitchen. I made my way there, stubbing my toe once and just holding back a rather unhappy statement. I finally got ahold on the phone, dropped it (unfortunately it didn't kill it), picked it up again and answered it.
"Hello?" I grumbled.
"Mary-Kate's it's 4am" I grumbled
"No, it's not it's 10am" she argued.
"Oh, I'm on Hawaii time" I felt around for the chair then sat down. I ended up landing hard on the linoleum floor. "Ouch!" I whispered under my breath.
"You ok?" Mary-Kate asked concerned.
"Fine" I said through gritted teeth. I clambed back onto the chair.
"Did you say you were in Hawaii?"
"Uh-huh" I stifled a yawn.
Josh stumbled his way into the room "Ashley come on, It's 4 am. I can't sleep with you making this much noise. If you don't come willingly I'm gonna drag you back into that room"
"Did I hear someone?" Mary-Kate asked sounding curious.
"Um.. no" I said my eyes widening.
"Come on!" Josh bossed.
I made a slashing motion at my thoat and he finally got the point to shut up. "Look MK I gotta ring you back in a couple of hours K?"
"Ok" she said sounding worried "I got news"
"Great talk to you then, bye" and with that I hung up.
"Finally" Josh walked the rest of the way into the room, scooped me up and carried me back to the bedroom. "Now I can get some sleep"
"Poor Baby" I said with a laugh.
Chapter 4:
---Mary-Kate---
I glanced at the phone as if it were some alien creature, then hung up.
Ok, so this WASN'T my imagination, something was definitely up with Ashley. She'd never have ended a conversation before finding out what my news is. At least the Ashley I know wouldn't have...
---Ashley---
"Wake up Ashley!" Josh whispered into my ear. He seemed to enjoy waking me up early in the mornings. Ok, so 10am isn't that early. But hey I'm on vacation!
"What?!" I grumbled.
"You're really not a morning person are you?"
"No!"
"Come on, I hired the yacht again!" He said sounding like a happy young boy "Lets go!"
I grumbled some more but forced myself to climb out of bed and wake up.
Today would be Josh and I's first time on the yacht alone (He'd been taking lessons in yachting) and though the thought was scary it was also kind of exciting.
~*~
"Plan on entering the next America's cup?" Ashley asked me with a grin. She carefully made her way up the cabin steps and joined me at the yachts helm. In a space of less then a week I'd absolutely fallen in love with yachting. And I was a natural, even if I do say so myself!
"Hmm" I pretended to seriously ponder the idea.
"Oh no!" Ashley put her hand to her head "What have I started?!"
I smiled and hugged her to my side "Don't you just love all this?" I kissed her forehead then waved my arm at the beautiful Ocean around us. "We should move here" I suggested, only half serious. Like I could afford that. But then I don't want to think about money, or lack of it, at the moment.
"Yeah, but don't go too far out" She glanced at the shore nervously. I hadn't expected her to take me seriously..
"Trust me babe. I wouldn't let anything happen to you" I said acting all macho and protective.
She smiled sweetly "I'm sure" suddenly remembering something she glanced at her watch "Oh man! I forgot to call Mary-Kate!"
She ran into the cabin and I heard her searching for her cellphone. She seemed to be losing it a lot lately..
"Argh! Where is it?" There were some noises as she moved things aside in her search, then finally "Found it!" which was soon followed by "Dam! No reception!"
I tried to hold back a smile. It wasn't funny! Nope, not at all!
"Shut up!" Ashley said frustratedly as she climbed the cabin steps again.
I turned to face her "I didn't say anything!" I said innocently.
She pointed her finger at me "I know you!" She said simply.
She then continued to walk around the yacht trying to get a reception on her cell.
"Ashley! I don't think you should do that!" I said with concern a few moments later.
Ashley was leaning over the side of the yacht. She was holding onto a rope and extending her cell as far as she could. She didn't seem to have heard me. "Got it!" She said happily.
She was about to dial, when for some reason she lost her balance.
For a split second she seemed to float in the air, then began to fall overboard.
"ASHLEY!" I screamed as I ran to the side of the boat.
Chapter 5:
|
"Mary-Kate!" I called walking into the house. It had been a long hard day at the studio, but I was happy with what I'd achieved and happy with what I'd planned "Mary-Kate!" I walked into the lounge and found her sitting on the sofa, looking a little green. "You ok?" I asked
She nodded "Yeah, I'm fine" She stood up and gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek "How was work?"
"Great" I said happily. "And guessed what I planned?"
"Uh-oh!"
"That is not a guess!" I scolded, but then couldn't wait any longer "Isaac and Kristen are baby-sitting tonight and we're going out for dinner. How does that sound?"
She looked a little surprised then smiled "That sounds.. great" She said.
---Ashley---
The water hit me hard and cold. I quickly swam to the surface just in time to see Josh dive into the water.
"You idiot!" I called when he resurfaced.
"I was saving you" He said shaking his head away from his face.
"Yeah, well I'm fine, just wet, and now you are too!" I scolded. I made my way to the boat and climbed in.
"Well next time you're drowning I'll just leave you then?" He asked as he climbed in too.
I smiled angelicly and went to find a towel.
"Girls" he muttered, or at least thats what I think he said, hard to tell. Maybe I should arrange for speech lessons for him.
---Mary-Kate---
I feel like the worlds biggest jerk.
"Zac I'm sorry" I said sadly.
"Don't worry about it" He said gently. He led me into the bedroom and pulled the blankets back "You just get some rest"
Our dinner had been cut short cause I had suddenly felt really sick. We'd come home straight away. And Zac had been such a sweetheart planning it all. I really do feel horrible.
---Josh---
The sailing trip was cut short, Ashley insisted we go back to the motel to get dry clothes and so she could ring her twin. *sigh* I'll survive, I guess.
I sailed the yacht into the harbour as Ashley sung 'Sk8ter boi' by Avril Lavigne, (Honestly she is addicted to that song lately!) down in the cabin "He wanted her, she'd never tell.The secret that she wanted him as well. But all of her friends stuck up their nose. They had a problem with his baggy clothes. He was a Sk8er boi, she said to ya later boy, he wasn't good enough for her, she had a pretty face, but her head was up in space, she needed to come back down to earth"
"Ashley we're here!" I called to her.
---Ashley---
"Hey Zac" I said into the phone "How's things?"
"Good" He answered, he sounded a little tired and preoccupied.
"Can I speak to MK please?"
"Sure... I'll go give her the phone" He put down the phone and a few minutes later Mary-Kate came on "Hi Ashley" She sounded tired too "Hows the holiday going"
"Good. What's this news you had to share?"
"Hmmm? Oh, yeah. I'm pregnant again"
"REALLY?!?" I squealed "Mary-Kate that's great!" I wished I was there in person, I really wanted to reach out and hug her, but alas I couldn't.
"Yeah, it's hard though. Anna was ok, but this pregnancy.. it's really hard" She sighed.
"Ok, MK. I'm sorry"
"Hey Ashley! Have you seen my purple shirt?" Josh asked walking into the room.
"Hold on a second Mary-Kate" I said into the receiver then covered it with my hand "It's in the top drawer I said to Josh before returning to the phone.
"Did I hear someones voice?" Mary-Kate asked sounding suspicious.
"Uh...I dunno" I said nervously.
"Ashley! What's going on?" She said sounding a little upset.
"Promise you won't get mad?"
"Why should I be mad?" Now she sounded worried.
"Well, Josh and I... we, kinda, uh.."
"You and Josh what?" She asked, her voice raising a little.
"We eloped" I finally said.
Silence.
"You didn't tell me" She finally whispered.
"Mary-Kate I'm sorry. We didn't tell anyone. One minute we made up the next we were married" I exagerated.
"I don't believe this" She said quietly. The next moment her voice was replaced by the sound of the dial tone. I stared at the receiver in shock. Mary-Kate had hung up on me! She'd NEVER done that before!
"You told her?" Josh asked as he walked into the room. He was now wearing the purple shirt.
I nodded as tears began to spill over "She didn't take it too well"
"Oh Ashley" Josh said walking over and wrapping his arms around me "Just give her time"
"I should have told her! She's my twin! We tell each other EVERYTHING!" I felt terrible. Utterly terrible!