Locklear Legacy: Season One
Our story starts with Delilah and Ayden Locklear…
Meet Delilah. She's a stay at home wife mostly concerned about appearances. Delilah is married to Ayden Locklear, a sweet and down-to-earth man who works as an engineer to provide for his family.
Delilah’s sister, Madeleine, recently married Delilah's ex Ronen. The two ended on bad terms but since he became her brother-in-law, she and Ronen have reconnected.
Having a big family is important to Delilah and she quickly becomes pregnant. Ayden is over the moon, being family-oriented himself. Delilah and Ayden have Madeleine and Ronen over for Thanksgiving dinner, and all seems well.
Baby Gia is born, and Delilah and Ayden are both very happy with their little family. However, Delilah is starting to feel nervous… Ayden doesn’t suspect anything but she is doubting who the real father is.
A paternity test confirms the truth. Baby Gia’s real father is Ronen, not Ayden. Delilah introduces the baby to Ronen, hoping he will be happy… but he doesn’t want anything to do with his child.
As Gia gets older, others get suspicious, though Ayden is still blissfully unaware. Delilah realizes she has to tell Ayden the truth anyways.
Delilah finally gets the courage to tell Ayden the truth. Ayden is, of course, heartbroken. But he can’t bear to let Gia go - he realizes that no matter their blood relation, she is his daughter and always will be. Ayden and Delilah decide to separate, but don’t divorce just yet. Ayden wants to stay a part of Gia’s life and still has a lot of love for Delilah. He feels that there is still room to work on the relationship.
Time passes, and Christmas arrives. Delilah and her sister have been on good terms, but haven’t seen each other since Thanksgiving. Out of the blue, Madeleine sends Delilah a text that makes the latter feel angry and, if she’s being honest with herself, a little bit jealous.
D: “How can he have a baby with my sister after he refused to take care of ours?”
Delilah, maybe out of spite, decides to tell Madeleine the truth.
While Delilah is coming to another tough realization, Ayden takes a trip to his in-laws’ house. Initially he just wants to talk, but the sight of Ronen’s face fills him with so much rage. On Christmas day, Delilah invites Madeleine over to the house and finally breaks the news.
D: “Maddy… I know this is tough to hear, but I need to tell you the truth. Gia is not Ayden’s daughter.”
Though Madeleine had her suspicions already, hearing her worst fears confirmed destroys her. The sisters despise each other now, and Madeleine storms out of the house, vowing to never speak to Delilah again. After a few days, the family receives some much needed good news. Delilah is pregnant again, and Ayden is ecstatic. Unfortunately Ronen, who came over to talk to Delilah, witnesses the whole reveal and is unable to hide his anger and jealousy.
This time around, Ayden and Delilah decide to have a proper baby shower. Before the party, Delilah invites her sister and decides to pay her a visit to try and mend things, but she is met with a surprise of her own - Madeleine is pregnant. Knowing Ronen’s thoughts on having a child, namely that he absolutely did not want one, Delilah questions their decision.
D: “Madeleine… you and Ronen decided to have a baby?”
M: “Our family is none of your business.”
Delilah is unable to put the interaction out of her mind, even though her baby shower is that very evening. Though she and Ayden are so excited to meet their new baby, Delilah finds her mind is drifting… to thoughts of Ronen. Even so, she and Ayden cut the cake together and find out the gender of their baby. ITS A BOY!!
That evening, after the party has wrapped up, Delilah and Ayden ring in the New Year by watching the fireworks. Delilah leans in for a kiss, thinking of how a new year can symbolize new beginnings… but Ayden turns his head, and she just kisses his cheek.
Delilah thinks that maybe Ayden just needs some time to warm up to her again after everything they have been through, and promises to herself that she will give him that time. But before she truly has the chance to do so, health problems hit her and the family.
Delilah is rushed to the hospital and unfortunately loses her pregnancy and is diagnosed with anemia shortly thereafter. She takes solace in her home life and spending time with Gia, focusing heavily on teaching her new skills and developing her milestones before her birthday. She quickly develops a strict relationship with her daughter.
Delilah’s struggles are accompanied by her sisters’, though the two are no longer on speaking terms. Home life between Madeleine and Ronen is not good, and Madeleine is having a rough pregnancy with the constant fighting.
Delilah decides to pay the two a visit, wanting to try and mend their relationship, but is met with refusal. She is too embarrassed to really look at Ronen, but before she leaves, invites the two to Gia’s birthday. At the mention of Gia, Delilah notices anger on Madeleine’s face, but it quickly disappears - and the couple agrees to come to the party, but only for the child.
Unfortunately, the presence of Madeleine and Ronen fill the Locklear home with tension. Ayden decides to take Gia away from the group and help her blow out his candles, and they have a beautiful moment, just the two of them.
Gia ages up into a beautiful toddler, and her true father is even more obvious now as she grows up. However, Ayden knows how much he adores Gia, and vice versa - no matter her biological parentage, nobody can take his daughter away from him.
Some time passes, and Ayden is facing trouble at work. He has always wanted to be an engineer… at least he thinks so. It’s been his path for so long, but suddenly he finds that his advancement in this career is being blocked by a rival. With the issues he’d had at home, and now at work too, he is starting to feel disillusioned with his entire life.
Meanwhile, Delilah is still trying hard to rekindle her relationship with her sister (and, to a lesser extent, with her brother-in-law). Their son, Andy, is born and Delilah volunteers to babysit. Unfortunately, this means she is a witness to how rough home life is for the two of them.
Delilah needs a way to take her mind off of her problems. With relationship problems, multiple health problems, issues with her sister… she turns to writing books as a way to cope with all the struggles she has been through.
Ayden, perhaps in a way to cope himself, decides to adopt two puppies. He has always loved the outdoors + animals … he feels that adopting these puppies will help him get out of the office more, and maybe even get out of the house so he can sort out his feelings for Delilah, and decide whether to leave her once and for all.
Of course, a life changing decision like that isn’t so easy for Ayden to make. Through some back and forth, and still feeling love and attraction towards Delilah, he does decide to give their relationship another chance. Delilah becomes pregnant again. The baby girl is named Jordyn, and is born healthy.
Unfortunately, Delilah has an emergency c-section and has to stay at the hospital for in-patient recovery for a few months, leaving Ayden to take care of both children and the house by himself. Ayden uses this time to take a mental break from work - he bonds with both Gia and Jordyn, and focuses on his own interests.
Jordyn ages up into an infant quickly, while Delilah is still at the hospital. Though Ayden is sad that Delilah missed her daughter’s birthday, he doesn’t dwell on it too much. In the back of his mind, though he thinks Jordyn is his, he starts to question this a little bit.
After a few more weeks, Delilah makes it home. She is still in pain from surgery but she is just focused on seeing her family again. Ayden, who is visibly exhausted from taking care of both of the kids alone, keeps her at arms length but greets her with a kiss on the cheek and nothing more. He leaves quickly, citing the fact that he has to head to work after so much time off, but he really just wants to be away from his wife.
Delilah is happy, though - after months of surgery and recovery, she’s finally able to hold Jordyn. While she’s bonding with her daughter, her phone starts to blow up, and she’s surprised to see a text from Ronen asking to come over.
D: “How did you know I would be home from the hospital today?”
R: “Madeleine mentioned something… and I’d really like to see you.”
Delilah can’t help but smile reading that text - she thought Ronen was done with her. In a moment of weakness, she tells him to come over. Delilah is surprised to see how much he loves holding and playing with Jordyn having never held Gia, his own daughter.
Though nothing happens between the two of them, Delilah frowns slightly when she hears that Ronen and Madeleine are still married with no separation in sight. It’s hard for her to place the feeling - she doesn’t want to be with Ronen, so she doesn’t think its jealousy.
As soon as Gia’s bus arrives from preschool, Ronen decides to leave, and Delilah doesn’t try and convince him to stay. But while Delilah and Gia are playing, finally reunited after months, Ronen calls Delilah again… a call which, this time, Delilah rejects.
That evening, the puppies age up. Both Ayden and Delilah aren’t feeling up to having a real celebration, so the family just has a lowkey party at home with some cupcakes. Ayden decides to avoid the topic of their marriage until Delilah is fully recovered from her surgery over the next few days.
Over this time, Delilah continuously receives texts from Ronen that she ignores, wanting to focus on her family… but she does wonder what he could possibly have to say to her that’s so important. So after taking care of Jordyn for the morning, and once Gia and Ayden head off to preschool and work, Delilah pays her sister and Ronen a visit.
She really is there to mend her relationship with Madeleine, and not to spend any time with Ronen - but unfortunately, Madeleine refuses to accept any friendship. The two sisters end up absolutely despising one another. Delilah checks on her nephew, Andy, only to find him crying while Madeleine and Ronen yell at each other.
Delilah is angry, both with her sister and with Ronen - she’s horrified to see her nephew being neglected. In her rage, she sees it fit to tell Madeleine exactly what she thinks - that she is a horrible mother:
D: “Having a baby with Ronen won’t make him stay with you.”
She walks out of their house, ignoring the look of horror and shame on Madeleine’s face. She recognizes that maybe this time, their sibling relationship is too far gone to repair.
The next day is Gia’s birthday, and both Ayden and Delilah wake up early to set up. Ayden still hasn’t made a decision about where he wants their relationship to end up, but he greets Delilah with a kiss in the morning, feeling that they can at least have one more good day as husband and wife even if they don’t stay married. Delilah, for her part, takes the kiss as assurance that Ayden will not be pursuing a divorce.
Ever persistent, Ronen reaches out to Delilah again, asking her to come over - and of course, Delilah ignores it. However, she is a bit preoccupied for the rest of the morning, wondering what he wants to tell her. Ayden notices how she withdraws from him.
The actual party goes very smoothly, and Gia has an amazing time - she meets her real father for the first time, and her aunt… though she doesn’t know the truth about her parentage yet.
Ayden, always doting on his daughter, helps Gia blow out her candles and the family takes a few pictures with the birthday girl.
The next morning, Ayden escapes early for his daily jog. He wants to avoid Delilah as long as possible, but without work to get him out of the house, he knows that a tough conversation needs to happen today. Delilah has no idea what is going through Ayden's head, and thinking everything is okay, she goes through her morning routine as usual, even helping Gia get ready for her first day of elementary school.
After Gia heads off, Ayden puts off the conversation a little bit more after spending some time with Jordyn… but eventually, he has no other excuse and finally confronts Delilah.
Ayden explains his thought process… how unhappy he has been, and how he can never trust Delilah again. In fact, he tells her, he has been doubting that Jordyn is even his child:
A: “I want proof that Jordyn is mine and… I want a divorce.”
Gia comes home from school mid-fight and, hearing the fight, goes straight to her room. She’s somewhat aware of what her parents are talking about, but too young to fully understand, and wants to avoid any sad conversation for as long as possible.
Though the separation is somewhat amicable, Delilah is still angry and hurt. Even she is rational enough to know that she has nobody to blame but herself… and RONEN. She realizes that she’s never given Ronen a piece of her mind, and this whole situation is his fault too. She decides to travel to his home and finally confront him directly.
D: “Ayden decided to leave me and its YOUR fault! You don’t even know your daughter, and you’ve put me through all of this… for what?? You’re a HORRIBLE person!!”
The rain is too heavy, and Ronen pulls Delilah inside, wanting to have a civil discussion - but Madeleine isn’t home, which means Delilah can yell as loudly as she wants. The two continue to argue, shouting at each other, and getting closer and closer - eventually, they end up yelling just inches from the other’s face…
And, perhaps out of the need for comfort, fall back into old habits.
Meanwhile, Ayden is left at home to deal with his emotions by himself following the difficult conversation. He knows Delilah left the house, but tries not to worry about where she went… the whole situation between Delilah and Ronen has caused him to develop insecurities and a jealousy that he never had before. He forces himself to focus on taking care of the kids, helping Gia with her homework and putting Jordyn to bed.
That night, Ayden and Delilah sleep in two single beds instead of a double. They’ve decided to co-parent and continue living together for a while, putting off custody arrangements until the divorce is finalized. Ayden also wants to wait for confirmation that Jordyn is his.
Ayden dreams of how things used to be, and when he wakes up, he realizes that he still has feelings for Delilah. He doesn’t know how he will get over her… or if he even should… and wonders if he maybe made the wrong decision. Even with his doubts, he decides to stick to the plan.
The next morning, Delilah wakes up and resolves to turn over a new leaf. She refuses to continue dealing with her problems the same way she always has (falling into bed with her ex). She hopes that this change can help her deal with how she has been feeling unfulfilled lately. She starts her morning with a jog and decides to work on a new book.
That afternoon, Madeleine agrees to watch Gia after school - Ayden is still at work and Delilah is at the doctor. Though she and Delilah aren't on speaking terms anymore, Madeleine and Ayden still have a friendly relationship. During their time together, Madeleine and Gia grow closer, and Gia begins to see her aunt as a role model. She also finally meets Andy.
The next day is Jordyn’s birthday, and she commemorates the day by completing many milestones. Gia, for her part, spends the day on a playdate with her new friend, Jayden Price. Delilah and Jayden’s mom, Janae, accompany the two children to Thriftea so they can get boba and watch the performances. Feeling inspired, and wanting to push herself outside of her comfort zone, Delilah decides to perform… and loves it.
That evening, before the party, Gia receives a call from Ronen asking if he can come over. She is surprised - she doesn’t really know her uncle, but she agrees. Jordyn’s party is all set up and the party is in full swing by the time Ronen shows up, though.
Ayden is surprised to see Ronen, even though he was sent a courtesy invite. The sight of Ronen still fills Ayden with anger:
A: “I'm surprised you're here for this, Ronen. Did you even show up for Andy's birthday?"
The comment makes Ronen angry, but he stays silent… even though he wants to retaliate, he can’t deny that he is a deadbeat dad.
Baby Jordyn, for her part, loves her party and is enjoying scooting around and wiggling to the music until it is time for her to blow out her candles. Ronen comes over to Delilah at this time, and its clear that he wants to talk about something… but Delilah ignores him, focusing on her daughter aging up.
After the cake is cut, the family escapes to take a few pictures. While Ayden holds Gia’s hand and looks at Jordyn as a toddler, he feels overcome with emotion and turns to look at Delilah… only to find her already looking at him. The moment feels so bittersweet… both of his children are growing up so quickly. He was already having second thoughts, but as he looks at Delilah, he begins to wonder even more... is he making the right decision?
As Ayden is working through his feelings, he and Delilah escape outside to have a moment of peace from the party. He can’t help but feel more connected to Delilah than he has in a while. Taking her hands, he says:
A: “No matter what happens… I will always be there for you.”
Ayden puts Jordyn to sleep that night after the party. As he reads her a story about a princess following her dream, his mind drifts… he and Delilah are still going through with the divorce, even though he still needs to sort through his feelings. The next morning, a gloomy morning very fitting for spooky day, Delilah sends Gia off to school and pulls out her knitting after a very long time. She feels more hopeful than she has in forever, and finds herself praying for Ayden to change his mind.
Meanwhile, Ayden goes on a jog to clear his head. He knows that today he needs to make his final decision… he refuses to drag this out any longer, for the sake of him AND his family. But first, Gia comes to show him the paternity test results for Jordyn. Ayden is relieved to find out that Jordyn IS in fact his biological child, and feels that he can finally breathe again. Delilah once again apologizes for her past transgressions, and he forgives her:
A: “Delilah… its okay. Lets move on from the past; we will always be friends.”
At first, Delilah hears his words and smiles, relieved… until his words sink in. “FRIENDS”…
Ayden and Delilah finalize their divorce that morning.
Ayden has to head off to work as soon as the divorce is finalized, and he is secretly very happy to get some space from the house. Since its a Saturday, and its also spooky day, the rest of the family gets dressed up and Delilah allows the kids to have some friends over… even though she is battling tears the entire afternoon.
Delilah cooks up some mac and cheese, and promises to take the kids out later in the evening for trick-or-treating. The only thing that is bringing her joy right now is the fact that she is so proud of her children… she loves her daughters with her whole heart, and just wants them to succeed. She dreads the day that she will have to tell Gia the truth about her father, and secretly hopes that day will never come.
That evening, as Delilah and the kids are out, Ayden holds down the fort with the trick-or-treaters that show up at the house. However, he finds that though he usually loves spooky day, he is unable to enjoy himself... he feels immensely guilty and just overall SAD. He doesn't want to move out and leave the kids, but he needs to get out of the house.
The kids come home from their adventure with many treats, and Delilah warns them against eating any too late. She specifically tells Gia to go straight to bed… but Gia sneakily pulls some cookies out of her bag and snacks on them before taking off her costume.
Ayden walks in and catches her in the act, but he doesn’t get mad - he just chuckles and gives her a hug before sitting down next to her. After asking her how trick-or-treating went, he and Gia chat about her upcoming transition to high school, and he is surprised to hear her say:
G: “Is it okay if I come on a jog with you sometime? I want to try out for cheerleading in high school and I need to start prepping."
Ayden never realized that Gia enjoyed fitness and the outdoors just like him. She even mentions wanting to ride a horse, and his ears perk up:
A: "How about we go on a vacation, just you and me? we can head over to Chestnut Ridge and learn to ride horses together. What do you say? I’ll take a few days off of work and get you out of school."
Gia loves the idea, and its all planned - the two will set off in the morning.
Ayden wakes up the next morning excited to spend more time with his daughter and get out of the house. He gets dressed and walks out to the living room to find Gia already telling Delilah about their trip plans. Though she is a bit put out that Ayden didn’t discuss the trip with her, they are already packed and about to leave, so Ayden doesn’t bother staying behind to make her feel better. Ayden and Gia hop on the next flight over to Chestnut Ridge. after freshening up, they head to the town center - Gia wants to ride a horse, but unfortunately there are none to be found. Ayden stops the first sim he sees, who turns out to be a horse trainer named Sienna.
When she turns around, Ayden stops in his tracks - he doesn't expect to be hit with the level of attraction he feels towards her!! He asks her where the best place is for a kid to get to know horses, secretly hoping she'll say she can help so he can get to know her better... but she directs him to a mountaintop ranch, and to ask for a sim named Taylor. Ayden and Gia head up to the ranch and find Taylor, as promised. She is more than willing to help Ayden and Gia learn how to care fore horses, and introduces them to her horse Peaches!! It turns out that Taylor also owns and operates the rental unit that they are staying at. They have an amazing afternoon on the ranch, and Ayden finds that conversation with Taylor flows easily… he feels that he can make a really good friend.
After they head back to the rental unit, Ayden heads inside for a nap… the flight and exciting day, filled with a rollercoaster of emotions, knocked him out. Gia decides to enjoy the weather and eat some marshmallows. It turns out that one of her school friends, Jayden, is also on holiday in Chestnut Ridge, and his mom brings him over for the two to play for the rest of the evening. That evening, Ayden puts Gia to bed and decides to head to the local bar. He's felt a bit depressed this whole trip, still gloomy from the divorce. Though he wishes he wouldn't think about it, he is worried about what Delilah might be doing in his absence. He hopes that spending time at the bar will allow him to take his mind off things… or maybe just allow him to drown his sorrows.
While he’s there, Sienna shows up at the bar for a few hours (and he was secretly hoping she would, though he doesn’t want to admit it to himself). They get drinks and chat, and she teaches him the cowpoke dance. Though she has to go before the night is over, he feels happy knowing he's made a new friend... and he starts to feel like he might want to act on this new attraction.
After Sienna leaves, Ayden gets a drink while he tries to make sense of his jumbled thoughts. While he's sitting at the bar, Taylor - the trainer he met earlier - sits next to him and strikes up a conversation. Again, he’s surprised about how easy she is to talk to, and it really helps him take his mind off the divorce for a bit... she even drags him to the dance floor.
Before Ayden knows it, its 4 am and its time for the night to come to an end. since he and Taylor are heading the same way, he walks her to her door. He's impressed by the life she's made for herself, and tells her so… he's still a bit tipsy, and he's more open with his feelings than usual. Before he leaves, she leans in for a hug... and as he hugs her, he feels a second spark of attraction.
He pulls away quickly and starts to walk home, forcing himself to sober up. He convinces himself that anything he felt for Taylor was a product of the drinks, and not his real feelings... and that their age difference is too much for a real connection. The next morning, Ayden and Gia wake up early to go shopping in the plaza. After they finish, they are decked out in their new cowboy outfits and decide to check out the horse agility competitions going on in town.
At the competition, they meet Sienna again, and Ayden is really happy to see her. As they strike up a conversation, Ayden feels his heart fluttering, even when she is forceful, and even when the conversation is about mundane things - all sure signs of a crush. It becomes easier to push Taylor out of his mind (though he'll deny thinking about their late night conversation in the first place).
Sienna agrees to let Ayden and Gia meet her horse, Flapjacks. Ayden gets his first experience caring for a full grown horse, and it feels AMAZING. He's realizes that he’s never felt this alive. Though he's been an engineer for years, he wonders whether his true calling lies elsewhere...
Gia loves the town, and it boosts his spirits to see her having so much fun. Ayden takes a few pics of her by the lights of the town square. She really loves Chestnut Ridge, and doesn't want to go - in fact, the next day when its time to catch their return flight, she throws a small tantrum. Ayden, always an amazing father, calms her down with a hug and reminds her that it is her birthday. Even though she might want to spend it with the horses in the moment, she would regret not having her friends with her to blow out her candles… and Gia agrees.
As soon as they get back home, Ayden picks up Jordyn and gives her a huge hug - he missed his little girl. He's still in his cowboy outfit, and Delilah definitely notices... she compliments his appearance, suddenly finding him more attractive than she has in a while. But there's no time to linger on hidden feelings - there's cakes and snacks to be made, decorations to be set, and guests to be invited. Delilah sneaks a little bit of frosting when she can - her friend Jayden sees it all - and while she does, she notices an unexpected visitor.
Taylor came to the party, all the way from Chestnut Ridge!! Gia is so excited. She had immediately loved hanging out with Taylor & Peaches, so much so that in her childlike enthusiasm, she invited Taylor to her birthday party. Ayden had no clue this happened. When he sees Taylor, the memories (and feelings) start to resurface... but he pushes them down and greets his new friend with a hug.
Gia blows out the candles on her cake and officially ages up to a teenager, not noticing the conspicuous absence of her aunt and “uncle” - she is happy to be surrounded by her friends and family, and feels the love. She is excited for the years to come, and has a feeling that they will be some of the best of her life.
Soon after Gia ages up, its time for Winterfest! Gia spends the rest of her winter break getting fit and ready for cheerleading tryouts. Meanwhile, Ayden and Delilah finally have a tough conversation - as time has passed, Ayden thinks that any feelings he had left for Delilah have dwindled. Instead of thinking about Delilah, he finds his thoughts occupied by memories of Chestnut Ridge and the amazing horse trainer he met there. He sits down with Delilah one morning and is as honest as he can be:
A: “I need some space from you, and I don’t think its healthy to live together as we co-parent. The kids are growing older too…”
He tells her that as soon as he can figure out new accommodations, he will be moving out. Delilah is hurt, but says she understands… she can feel her heart breaking a second time, as she realizes she truly lost her chance with Ayden. The kids have no idea about this conversation, but they are happy that the family is together for Winterfest. They enjoy exchanging gifts, and everybody is extremely happy… until Delilah notices Ayden smiling at his phone. It confirms the suspicions she had when he talked to her about moving out… he met someone else. She feels angry and jealous - even though she knows she has no right to feel those things, which makes her even more angry. She yells at him, and the family’s happy spell is broken.
Sensing the tension, Gia is happy that she has cheerleading tryouts, because it means she can escape the house. Ayden ends the conversation with Delilah, knowing nothing good can come of engaging with her - and he’s doesn’t feel the need to defend himself, anyways. He busies himself making a treat for Gia, as a small present for after her tryouts. Gia comes home soon, spirits lifted, because she made the cheerleading team! Ayden is so proud of her, welcoming her home with a hug and a warm mug of hot chocolate. Delilah is locked away in the bedroom trying to calm herself down… but Gia doesn’t mind - she’s closer to her dad anyways.
The next day, Madeleine invites Gia out to the gym. The two have grown close over the years - shared interests, and Madeleine has always been extremely welcoming to Gia. She lets her aunt know that she’s been accepted into the cheerleading team:
M: “Gia, honey! Congratulations, I’m so proud of you. I know you’re going to make it to captain, and I’ll help you - come on, lets get a good workout in.”
They enjoy their day out, and Gia enjoys some motherly love - something she hasn’t been getting a lot of recently. Madeleine mentions something about quitting her job to start an agency, but says she’ll tell Gia about it more once she has it set up. Gia goes to her first day of cheerleading practice, and enjoys it immensely - she knows she’ll make a lot of friends.
That evening, in an effort to make up for her behavior, Delilah cooks a big family dinner. For the first time in ages, the Locklears sit down for dinner together… but tension still permeates the air. Gia eats quickly and escapes as soon as she can, taking Muffin on a walk instead.
Gia leaves early the next morning for her first day of high school. Though Ayden is sad to see his little girl grow up, he is so proud of her - the moment is bittersweet, and his daughter’s courage in facing these new challenging moments in her life allows him to gain the courage to have a tough conversation with his ex.
Ayden steps into the main room with a packed suitcase, which immediately catches Delilah’s attention. She tries to stop him, but he refuses:
A: “You need to know the truth - I’ve met someone else. I think I can finally have something real, and I’m going for it… I’m going to visit her now. Don’t wait up.”
Delilah is shocked - this is a new Ayden. Before she can say anything in response, he’s out the door, and she feels her eyes well up - but she knows she did this to herself.
Ayden travels to a park in Chestnut Ridge and asks Sienna to meet him there for a date. She agrees, which makes his heart skip a beat - but unfortunately, she can’t stay long, and soon heads back to her house. While she is there, the two hit it off, and Ayden doesn’t want the day to end so soon. He gives her a call, asking to visit her at her home, and she happily agrees.
At Sienna’s, Ayden meets Flapjack again, and Sienna teaches him to ride. It’s tough - he’s out of his comfort zone - but he really wants to impress Sienna, and he just wants to learn. They end the night by grilling one of Sienna’s favorite recipes. Ayden doesn’t want to leave… but he also wants to take things slow.
Meanwhile, Gia is attending her first cheerleading sports day. She makes a few friends, and a few enemies - and tries out some new routines. She’s absolutely loving high school so far.
That evening, one of Gia’s friends asks her to get to a bonfire - and Gia definitely doesn’t want to miss out. She asks her dad to go, but Ayden feels overprotective - he trusts his daughter, but doesn’t like to see her growing up so fast. She’s disappointed, but agrees… only to sneak out a bit later to hang out with her friends. Ayden spends the evening with Jordyn - seeing Gia grow up is making him miss the toddler days. He knows he will hate to see his younger daughter grow up so fast, and resolves to not rush moving out - he wants to spend as much time with his kids as possible.
The next day is Gia’s first prom! She and her friend Molly decided to go as friends. The house is abuzz with excitement, and Delilah and Ayden spend the morning fawning over Gia, trying to help her pick out a dress, and asking her to invite Molly over. Gia, desperate to escape, calls her aunt and asks her if she can get ready at her house - and Madeleine readily agrees.
Gia is excited to see her aunt, and immediately shows her pictures of her dress. Madeleine is excited too:
M: “Gia, you look gorgeous! Have you ever thought about becoming a model?”
G: “A model? I could never… and my parents probably wouldn’t be okay with it.”
M: “Of course you can! I started a modeling agency, I think you’d be a great addition… but you have to focus on certain things like your looks and popularity. That’ll make you the most successful.”
G: “I don’t know… how would I become popular? It doesn’t feel natural.”
M: “Oh, its easy - just date the most popular boy in school and you’re set.”
Gia is still confused, but trusts her aunt, and definitely is pleased to hear that she’s pretty enough to be a MODEL. All her life, her mother has been strict with her in every area of her life - and when Delilah is strict, she’s blunt. Gia’s confidence has become pretty low, and she feels insecure about most things, including her looks and her intelligence. But now, she feels that even if she’s not smart, at least she’s pretty - and why shouldn’t she focus on that?
G: “Ok Aunt Madeleine - I’ll join your agency! Thank you so much. I hope my parents won’t be mad…”
M: “I don’t know about Delilah, but Ayden supports you in anything, doesn’t he? If only he was your real-”
Gia, who was looking at her phone, snaps her head up to find Madeleine busying herself with something on the stove. Real… what? Gia feels a sinking feeling in her something… something isn’t right.
Unfortunately, she doesn’t have a lot of time to dwell on her aunt’s “slip-up” - its time for prom. She decides to focus on her aunt’s other words - the advice she’s given her about popularity, and its importance. She has no reason to believe Madeleine is wrong… after all, she trusts her aunt with her life.
She has a great time at prom with her friends, and enjoys her time with Molly, but she is very interested in who will be voted prom royalty… that’s her target, so to speak. Soon enough, prom king is announced, and its Hugo Villareal. She’s never really run in the same circles as him, but when she sees him properly, she’s surprised to feel a spark of attraction - butterflies in her stomach. It makes her feel better that the boy she plans to date is someone she actually has a crush on. Before she heads home, Gia talks to Hugo a bit and exchanges numbers with him - he promises to call her, and she leaves with a smile on her face.
Meanwhile, Ayden has reached home again after his day trip to Chestnut Ridge. He greets Delilah with a hug, somewhat regretting his harsh words from that morning -and Delilah reciprocates. She feels so alone right now - no friends, no sister… she hopes that at the very least, she can at least keep her family, even if that means Ayden is just a friend. She resolves to do whatever it takes to keep him in her life.
But then, Gia walks in. Seeing the scene in front of her, she is reminded of Madeleine’s words earlier, and doubt flashes across her mind. Looking at Ayden and Delilah, she’s never noticed before, but it is very plausible that she isn’t biologically related to one or both of them. Gia isn’t one to beat around the bush, so she just asks:
G: “Mom, Dad! I need to talk to you.”
A: “Gia, honey! How was prom? Was there no afterparty? Why are you out of your dress? Where’s -”
G: “Dad, this is important. It’s about you.”
Ayden feels fear overtake his heart. He has an inkling that a very rough conversation is coming… one that he’s expected, but hoped he could put off as long as possible. He feels Delilah tense up next to him, and knows that similar thoughts must be going through her mind.
A: “About… me?”
G: “Aunt Madeleine said something today… and it sounded like she thought that you aren’t my real dad.”
Ayden’s face drops. He feels like he’s been punched in the gut - his hand has been forced, and now he has to tell the truth.
A: “Sweetheart - I know it may be hard to hear, but -”
D: “Ayden, no… I have to tell her.”
Ayden is shocked that Delilah is speaking up - its unlike her to own up to her mistakes like this. Gia turns towards her mother expectantly, an increasingly angry look on her face.
Delilah looks visibly upset, but squares her shoulders and faces her daughter.
D: “Gia… your real father is Ronen. We used to date, way back in the day, and when your aunt married him… we just reconnected, and we made a huge mistake. We -”
G: “WHAT?”
Gia’s face is murderous, her glare fixated on her mother. If looks could kill… Delilah reaches out, trying to calm her down.
D: “Honey, I know its hard to hear, but -”
G: “First you drop a bombshell on me that dad isn’t my dad, and then you call ME a HUGE MISTAKE??”
D: “That’s not what I meant! I just meant that, since I was married to your da- I mean, Ayden-”
G: “That’s another thing! What is wrong with you?? How can you cheat on dad like that? Why did you even marry him, did you ever love him? Or did you just marry him for money, so you could be comfortable and screw around on the side while he does everything for you?”
Delilah feels tears rolling down her face, and her anger rising. To be yelled at and questioned by her daughter is a blow to her ego - even though she knows she’s in the wrong - and her defensiveness comes to the top. Before she knows it, she’s in a screaming match with Gia - insults being hurled, hurtful things that can’t be taken back. Ayden pulls them both apart and takes Gia upstairs, leaving Delilah to curl up on her bed and cry.
Upstairs, Ayden feels Gia’s rage still boiling next to him, and reaches out to her to calm her down. To his surprise, she reciprocates the hug, shoulders heaving as she suppresses sobs.
A: “Gia, you will always be my daughter… you know that, right? I’ve raised you since you were born. You are my child, and I don’t care about blood.”
Gia pulls away, makeup smudged around her eyes, and tears still rolling down her face.
G: “I know, dad… I know. I don’t blame you for any of this - but I’m never speaking to her again.”
A: “Gia, I’ve forgiven her. You can forgive her too-”
G: “Dad, no. I don’t want to be around her right now… maybe one day I’ll come around, but I need time.”
Ayden understands - he hugs her one more time before sending her off to bed. The entire family needs some space from each other.
Unfortunately for them, the very next day is Jordyn’s birthday. She has grown a lot as a toddler, topping almost all of her skills. Delilah spends the day prepping for the party, and Ayden helps out. The two assume that Gia is shut in her room, avoiding talking to them - however, Gia snuck out to meet some new friends she made at prom.
It turns out that Molly knew some people, who also knew some people, who could get them high. Gia had never been super interested in things like that… but with everything that happened, she just wanted to escape from her own mind for a bit, and she heard this was a great way to do that. She spends the morning out, hanging out with her new sketchy friends under a seedy bridge, and learns exactly how to get high - and even secures some stash for later. She also makes it official with Hugo, and gets her first real boyfriend.
She brings some back to her bedroom, and as she hears the guests filtering in, she hears the voices of her aunt and uncle - and pulls out a joint. She hates that she’s in this position. By the time she goes downstairs, she’s smiling happily… finally able to enjoy the party without feeling anything at all.
Unfortunately, Delilah stops her and tries to talk - it almost ruins Gia’s high. She snaps at her, and a simple conversation turns into a full-fledged argument. Ayden steps in to break it apart before it catches the attention of the other guests, and in all the commotion, nobody notices her red eyes and the stink hanging around her body.
Gia keeps to herself for the rest of the party and celebrates her sister when she ages up. When they are taking family pictures, she avoids everyone’s eyes… she’s sobering up, and just wants to get out of the room as soon as possible.
Over the next few days, Gia skips school - her parents don’t notice, as they think she’s leaving early for cheerleading practice, and staying late to study. She chooses to hang out with her new friends and get high, drunk, or a combination of the two instead. Her boyfriend, Hugo, doesn’t partake - but the two end up spending more time together.
After a few weeks of this behavior, Gia asks Hugo to meet her at the pier one morning. They enjoy the early morning weather and watch the sunrise… but as they get up and Hugo grabs her hand so they can walk to school, Gia pulls away and announces that she’s heading to meet her friends. Hugo has never vibed with them, and he gets a bit angry:
H: “Are you serious? You need to stop hanging out with these people and skipping school all the time. It’s not good for you!”
G: “Hugo, I’m fine. Stop acting like I’m doing something crazy… this is normal for teenagers.”
She walks away before he can say anything more, but Hugo feels his frustration rising… he would follow her, but he decides that HE isn’t going to ruin his grades.
Meanwhile, it is Jordyn’s first day of elementary school. She’s excited, and spends the morning doing some reading in preparation, and petting her dogs calmingly. Ayden comes to talk to her and offer some words of encouragement, and is surprised to see that she’s worked through half the week’s readings already. He knows that his daughters are smart, but Jordyn seems to be even more intelligent than he knew.
With that said, she is quiet - though Ayden doesn’t know the reason, Jordyn knows that she prefers to stay quiet in her house. Most of what she remembers is tension, mostly between her parents, but now also involving her sister - and she wants to stay out of it. If she can be alone, she doesn’t have to stress about any fighting, and she’ll be happy.
While Gia is with her friends, she gets a text from her aunt - apparently, she’s set up Gia’s first photoshoot. Madeleine tells her to come over after school, but since Gia’s not at school, she goes to the shoot location immediately. Madeleine sets her up in hair and makeup, and between snapping photos, asks Gia how things are going:
M: “Are you popular yet, Gia? Remember what we discussed - its really good for our brand.”
G: “Yes, Aunt Madeleine - I’m dating the most popular boy in school, and we’re really happy. I’m going to parties almost every night, and I have almost 6,000 followers on Instagram.”
Madeleine smirks to herself, but its mostly hidden by the camera.
M: “That’s great, honey! Turn a bit to your left, now. That’s it! You look GORGEOUS.”
Gia decides she loves photoshoots if it means that she’ll be called pretty all the time. After a few hours, her photos are done, and she heads home. Delilah is home and tries to stop her to talk, but again, Gia refusing to reciprocate causes Delilah to start yelling again. Ayden tries to stop the fight - again - but is getting tired of this repeatedly happening. Completely over trying to converse with her mother, Gia walks straight to her room and locks the doors immediately. Grabbing her backpack - which is devoid of books, and only has her “party supplies” - she calls up her friends, Hugo and Molly, to meet her under the bridge.
While they are there, Gia and Molly share a joint. Hugo, still a bit put out from the morning, refuses - but he does really like Gia. When she tries to pull out a second one, he grabs her hand and pulls her away:
H: “I’m just worried about you, babe. Promise me you’re taking care of yourself?”
Gia assures him, and pulls him in for a kiss… but Hugo cringes at the smell of weed on her breath. Before he can comment on it, Molly calls out to them again - apparently, there’s another party, over in Moonwood Mills. Its a bit of a trek, but the group makes it over there.
As soon as they are there, Gia pulls out another joint - her third of the night - and Hugo can’t stand it anymore.
While Gia is dealing with the consequences of her actions, Ayden is withdrawing from his family. Though he loves them all - even Delilah, though its only platonic now - he can’t stand the constant fighting, and wants to pursue his own interests. Namely, he wants to see more of Sienna, and see if this will turn into something real.
The next day, Ayden visits Chestnut Ridge again - he’s had trouble getting ahold of Sienna, but immediately sees her when he goes to spectate the horse competitions in town. He invites her out for a bite to eat, and she readily agrees. However, as soon as they reach the pub in Henford on Bagley - she says she has to head home again. He tries not to think too much of it, as it seems like she likes him… but he starts to overthink.
He picks up a few gifts while he is in Henford - a book for Sienna, and a bottle of milk for his rancher friend Taylor - and decides to visit Sienna’s house again. He hopes he isn’t being too forward, but doesn’t want to have any regrets. Before heading there, he makes a stop at Taylor’s ranch, and spends some time with her and Peaches. He can’t deny that he really does enjoy her company, even though he knows he won’t see her as anything more than a friend - even a best friend.
He feels butterflies in his stomach as he travels over to Sienna’s house - he’s scared that he’s misread the signs, and is reading too much into genuine friendly actions. However, luckily, he is right - Sienna does have feelings for him, and loves the book he picked up for her. The two take major steps in their relationship, and Ayden even plucks up the courage to ask Sienna to be his girlfriend. Its been a long time since he and Delilah split up, and it feels so good to have love in his life again.
He heads home for the night, but feels a bit empty as he walks into his house. Copperdale doesn’t seem to hold much for him anymore. He decides to book a day out at the ranch and see how many vacation days he wants to use up before coming home. He breaks the news to Delilah that he will be gone - more gently than last time - and though she is sad, she understands. He tries to say goodbye to both Gia and Jordyn, but Gia is still locked up in her room - and he doesn’t want to push her more than he already has.
On this trip, he also decides to take the pups to introduce them to his animal-loving friends. Taylor brings some pet items to the rental home, and the dogs love spending time with her and Peaches. Sienna and Flapjack meet the dogs separately, and Ayden loves it - he doesn’t want to get ahead of himself, but he feels like he has a family. He spends that evening at Sienna’s after taking a ride on Flapjack - he’s getting better at riding - and cooks them both a dinner, a love day special.
He hopes to take Sienna out for a romantic date, but she declines… she feels a bit tired and prefers to eat at home. Ayden has noticed a few things - her constant tiredness, a bit of discomfort, even some nausea - he hopes that she is okay, but trusts she would tell him if something was wrong. And anyways, he is more focused on their budding love - they spend the entire day together as a couple, and she presents him with a rose at the end of the evening. He hasn’t felt this loved in years… and realizes he never felt this way with Delilah… it feels so much more real.
That evening, Ayden heads back to the ranch but decides to extend his vacation a bit. He’s in no rush to head home - in fact, its his birthday. Not a major one, and he prefers to spend it alone. After taking Muffin out on a jog (the dogs love Chestnut Ridge as much as he does), Taylor comes to check on him. They end up celebrating his birthday together and share a slice of chocolate cake.
Over the next few days, Ayden spends time with both Sienna, Flapjack, and new best friend, Taylor, and even meets other ranchers around town. He finds himself getting acclimated to Chestnut Ridge and looking at it as… home? The thought that he feels more comfortable out here, so far away from his family, makes him feel guilty - and strangely, a little bit homesick even though he doesn’t want to leave.
He decides to take Sienna on a date somewhere outside of Chestnut Ridge, just for a change of scenery, and the two head to San Sequoia to catch the new horror movie in theaters. Ayden loves horror - and an excuse to cuddle up to Sienna in the dark. After the movie, he hopes to spend some time just walking around the city and taking in the sights - but Sienna, again, leaves abruptly, telling him she has to get back home. He feels a bit worried, seeing that she does look a bit sickly - but she leaves before he can say anything else.
Before he heads back to Chestnut Ridge, he spends a few hours alone in the city - he realizes that he’s never really had alone time since being married to Delilah. Though he doesn’t regret his relationship with Sienna, he knows they moved really fast, and he thinks alone time will help him clear his head. As the sun sets, he calls Delilah and sends Gia a text - just checking in with both of them. He doesn’t hear back from Gia… and he makes a mental note to check in with her as soon as he gets home. Its still a bit awkward between the two of them, and he is scared to push her.
Ayden ends up spending about a week in Chestnut Ridge, using up his remaining vacation from work. He and Sienna get closer and closer each day - he’s even seriously considering proposing to her - but before that, he wants to take the step of finally woohooing. He had taken it slow, not wanting to rush into it, but he definitely wants to make the most of his final day in Chestnut Ridge.
Ayden spends the morning shopping while Sienna gets some work done, and even buys a new cowboy outfit! He feels its justified, since he’s spending a lot of time learning to ride horses and getting much better at riding Flapjack around town. That evening, he sets up a romantic and special evening - even baking horseshoe themed cupcakes to commemorate their relationship - before he and Sienna finally take the next step.
Gia is still struggling to make sense of what she’s going through - over the past month she’s been able to hide the pregnancy by staying in her room and wearing baggy clothes. Her parents have left her alone, both still feeling either angry (Delilah) or awkward (Ayden), and not wanting to push her. As such, she’s been dealing with the physical and mental toll of the pregnancy completely alone. One morning she comes downstairs to find a bunch of boxes and suitcases piled in the entryway. She has an inkling about what’s going on - her dad is finally moving out - and this fear is confirmed when he sees her and greets her with a hug.
A: “Gia! I haven’t seen you in a while honey, how are you?”
G: “I’m okay, dad… what are the boxes for?”
A: “I… honestly, it’s hard for me and your mom to live here together. I found a new place… don’t worry, I’ll still see you all the time, it’ll be like nothings changed!”
But, Gia thinks, everything’s already changed. She can’t bring herself to tell her dad what’s happened when he’s so happy about moving out. He tells her that he’ll be leaving at the end of the week, and she wonders if she’ll work up the courage to tell the truth by then.
Ayden gives Jordyn the news as well. Jordyn, quiet as usual, just smiles and hugs her dad - not wanting to cause any drama. Delilah, perhaps also hoping to end the drama in the house, makes her first real attempt to reach out to her daughter:
D: “Gia, I’ve seen this restaurant on simstagram - it looks great and I need someone to try it with. Want to go?”
Gia is still angry with her mother, but out of the corner of her eye sees Ayden looking at the pair hopefully. She can’t bear to be the one to crush that hope, so she agrees. After all, she does need to eat.
But at the restaurant, with no Ayden present to mediate, Gia can’t hold in her emotions. Every time her mother tries to speak to her, she rolls her eyes. Everything that she says just seems so… shallow. She kind of wishes her mom would just stop speaking. At least the food is good… they lived up to the simstagram reviews. And, while they are eating, Delilah has to be quiet. But when they finish and she opens her mouth again, Gia can’t help it:
G: “Do we have to keep talking? Let’s just go home.”
D: “Gia! You are being so ungrateful. What is your problem, why do you have this attitude?”
G: “Seriously? YOU are the problem! You’ve caused every problem in my LIFE.”
Gia storms off, and Delilah sits in shock for a moment, hurt - but just like with their last fight, as she’s paying the bill, the hurt turns to anger. Reconciliation between the two will not be happening tonight, as Delilah takes her frustration out on Gia too.
The two head home, and Gia ignores her dad and sister when they walk in, opting to head straight for her room and slam the door. She hears muffled voices from downstairs - Ayden asking what happened, Jordyn asking if she’s alright - but she doesn’t bother going to answer the questions herself. She just changes into sweats and cries herself to sleep. The next morning, she wakes up to a fresh breakout - horrible news considering she has her second shoot that afternoon (that she’s obviously going to skip school for - she doesn’t want to go to school and face everyone).
She does her best to conceal the zits, and pauses to look at her bump in the mirror. It’s barely noticeable still - she honestly can’t believe a baby is even inside her. She gets ready and heads to the shoot location, seeing her aunt and another model from the agency - Christy - already there.
M: “Hi sweetheart! You look great, let’s get some solo shots and group ones.”
Gia is a little bit put off by Christy - she’s not the easiest to talk to, even though Gia really makes an effort to be friendly. She resigns herself to knowing they probably will never really get along.
Madeleine seems pleased with the photos, and lets the two of them go after a few hours. Gia resolves to get in contact with Winter - he blocked her, but she knows he can track him down. She calls from a fake number, posing as a dealer, and lures him to a spot well-traveled by some of high schoolers. When he shows up, he’s clearly angry and surprised, but she doesn’t let him get away.
G: “Winter, we need to talk and you need to stop ignoring me.”
W: “Fine. What is it?”
G: “I’m pregnant - and it’s yours.”
Winter is furious - though he already knew, he thought he had avoided the responsibility by blocking Gia. Before he storms off, he threatens her - he wants nothing to do with her OR the baby, and if she contacts him again, she will regret it.
Gia has no interest in seeing anyone else after that interaction, so heads straight home and attempts to calm herself down with a bath. She’s heard of stress causing pregnancy complications, and she wants to make sure to avoid that. The next morning, it’s Aydens move out day - she wakes up early because of morning sickness, but decides to make breakfast for the family and resolves to keep her anger at Delilah in check.
As she eats with her dad, and he praises her for the crepes she made, she wonders - maybe it’s time to be honest with him? But she just can’t bring herself to do it. Soon enough, it’s time for Ayden to leave, and he loads his suitcases in the truck.
The minute Ayden is out of the house, she starts to feel suffocated again. She just needs to get out and find someone else to talk to, and that’s what she tries to do - she heads over to thriftea and convinces her ex, Hugo, to come over. When she gets there, she’s still feeling sick, and Hugo notices - though they haven’t spoken in a long time and he’s still angry at her, he cares enough to ask what’s going on. For the first time, she tells the truth to someone other than Winter.
Perhaps she should’ve expected the negative reaction, but it still hurts her. Hugo tells her that it’s her own fault, and that he tried to prevent her from going down this path but she still did - basically saying he told her so. After he storms off, Gia tries to call another one of her old friends, Jayden - another person she lost touch with. Unfortunately, though he’s a bit more sympathetic to her news, he still refuses to help her and walks away. After all, they are barely friends anymore … Gia pushed everyone away and now is reaping the consequences.
Gia doesn’t know what to do - she doesn’t want to go home, for sure. It feels like she’s hit a new low, especially when she spies an abandoned boba drink on the floor and actually drinks it. Afterwards, still craving some greasy food, she walks all the way to the school and buys some churros at the cheerleading day. Even though she isn’t showing much, she still feels like everyone is watching and judging her … she needs to get out of there. In a spur of the moment decision, she googles parenthood classes on her phone and decides to go to one.
It’s very late - but she figures it’s time to start trying to deal with this, especially since nobody is coming to her rescue. She feels a bit better after the class, and the teacher encourages her to go to the hospital and get herself checked out, so she does so. Gia doesn’t expect to be hit with so much emotion when she is getting her ultrasound done. Seeing her baby on the screen, in her belly - it’s so overwhelming, but she can’t help but fall in love a little bit.
Gia gets home very late, but she doesn’t care - her dad is gone and it’s not like her mom notices or cares. At least, that’s how it feels. She spends the morning getting a nap in, but for some reason she’s not tired - she’s still nervous and a bit overwhelmed, but now she’s starting to feel excited too. Then, she gets a call from the doctor - according to the blood test, she has HPV.
The doctor assures her that it’s common and not a big deal, but she freaks out - what if she does something wrong? Gia is starting to feel alone again, and wishes she had someone to talk to about this diagnosis. Suddenly, it hits her - her aunt Madeleine has always been there, and would definitely be willing to ease her worries if she’s honest with her. She heads over to her aunts house, starting to feel better already.
It turns out that Gia’s mystery visitor is Taylor, who came by to check on her rental property and get it ready for the next guests. She recognizes Gia - after all, the two had become close during Gia's last trip to Chestnut Ridge - and immediately asks why she is there and if everything is okay. Gia is terrified to trust someone again the way she trusted her aunt, but she’s been through so much, and she can’t help but just let it out.
Taylor is understandably shocked by the news, but her first concern is whether Gia is okay, and why she ran away. Gia breaks down - with Ayden’s absence at home, not wanting to speak to her mother about the situation, and not wanting to burden her sister with her problems, she's had absolutely nobody to talk to… and when she tried to speak to her friends and her aunt, maybe the only people she still trusted, she was pushed away. Its such a relief that she’s finally able to get everything off her chest - her true parentage, the bad influences in her life, and the choices she’s made… as well as the consequences of these choices. Taylor, of course, accepts her as she is.
T: “You’ve been through so much, and I understand why you don’t want to go home… but you need support right now. Your dad is right down the street in the main town, did he not tell y’all? I’m sure he’d be happy to take you in-”
G: “NO! Taylor, he’s finally happy… without us. I don’t want to bother him with my problems, he’s had to deal with enough from me.”
T: “Gia, don’t talk like that - he loves you more than anything, you’re his daughter no matter what blood says.”
G: “I know, I just… I can’t. PLEASE don’t tell him - I’m trusting you with this.”
T: “Alright, but you have to come stay with me at least. That way I can make sure you’re doing okay.”
Gia agrees, hesitant to be a burden, but Taylor insists that she moves in. It ends up being a really good thing that she does, because she soon experiences some complications - probably due to stress of the entire situation - and Taylor is able to take her to the hospital and get her checked out. It ends up being nothing too serious, but the doctor decides to draw some blood work, just to be sure.
Meanwhile, Delilah has no clue that Gia has run away. Her daughter has been so withdrawn lately that life just seems normal… or, whatever her new normal has become, where she sends Jordyn off to school and gets to work every day. Delilah’s writing, though it began as an outlet for her to write about her life, has taken off as a career and she’s started to earn a pretty penny from book royalties. She’s surprised, but very happy, that people enjoy her books.
One day, she receives an interesting email from a name she doesn’t recognize - domain name TLSIMS studios. She definitely knows about that network; she loves watching their reality shows like Keeping Up With The Kardashisims and Sim Island. The representative - Martina - is asking Delilah to discuss a TV adaptation of one of her books! Remembering the thrill that she got from her brief stint with a comedy show years ago, Delilah gets excited and accepts.
During her first meeting with Martina, Delilah is struck by her beauty. She hasn’t felt like this about anyone other than Ayden (and Ronen), and definitely never a woman - but she can recognize the butterflies of a crush starting to form. It shocks her, but Delilah’s never been one to shy away from her feelings - she just shelves them to deal with at a later date. After all, right now she has a reality TV show to plan, and after a brief discussion over coffee, contracts are signed and the show is underway.
That evening, Delilah goes to sleep in her single bed just like she has been for months now… but it feels more empty than usual. She finds her thoughts before sleeping, and her dreams after she drifts off, are consumed by thoughts of Martina. When she wakes up, she’s completely disoriented - but she has to pull it together as its Jordyn’s birthday, and she wants to make it as special as can be, even though the circumstances are less than ideal.
Delilah spends the morning cooking, decorating, and prepping, not allowing herself to stop and think about Martina, Gia, Ayden, or anybody else for that matter. She only allows herself to indulge in sending a quick text to Martina inviting her to the birthday party. After all, once the cake is cut, she figures it’ll be a great opportunity to discuss the show… or even to just get to know her a bit better. With a smile on her face, Delilah finishes the rest of the prep and freshens up for the party.
That evening, the house is packed - full enough that Delilah doesn’t bother knocking on Gia’s door, figuring she’ll come down if she wants. She has guests to take care of, after all - and Delilah is nothing if not a good host. Jordyn, forever an amenable child, loves her party. Ayden travels all the way from Chestnut Ridge for the party, and Jordyn is thrilled about that as well - she hasn’t seen her dad in a few months, and facetime doesn’t measure up to a real hug. He asks her where Gia is, and Jordyn just offers a sad look in reply. Not wanting to ruin her celebration, Ayden doesn’t press any further, assuming - like the rest of the family - she’s locked in her room.
Delilah keeps her distance and spends time with Martina - even though she’s accepted that Ayden is moving on, the sight of him still stings. Towards the end of the evening, as everybody is sitting on the porch chatting and eating dinner, Delilah has the chance to introduce her daughter and her new agent.
J: “It’s nice to meet you. I’m sure the show will be great, I’m excited to watch.”
M: “You’ll be doing more than watching the show… we’ll have cameras set up in your house, filming everything that goes on. Isn’t that exciting??”
J: “What?? I didn’t agree to that. Mom, what is she talking about?”
D: “Don’t worry, sweetie - it’s normal. You’ll barely notice the cameras after a bit!”
J: “No, I don’t want that! I don’t want to be on TV, mom - I won’t do it.”
Delilah is shocked - Jordyn barely ever refused her before, and definitely never done so in public. Before she can say anything, though, Martina interjects, raising her voice - she calls Jordyn selfish and ungrateful for not seeing how good this is for Delilah’s life and career. Jordyn’s face falls and she goes silent, which Delilah hates to see, but she doesn’t want to go against her agent and new friend…
Luckily for her, the problem is solved right there. Ayden, who has been listening the whole time, invites Jordyn to stay with him. Though the house won’t be ready for a few months, it’ll take a bit for the show to be set up, and he says that once the show starts filming she can move in at any time. Jordyn loves this idea, and though Delilah doesn’t want to see her daughter move out so soon, she doesn’t protest… Martina knows what’s best for the show, and after all, it is high time she had the chance to focus on her career.
Gia is still totally isolated from her family, but right now she’s okay with that. In fact, she’s felt more at peace than she has in a while, and has gotten into a routine in her simple life with Taylor and Peaches. As time moves on, and she moves into her second trimester, Gia starts to feel better and better - she begins to use any spare time she has to take pregnancy classes, and even goes to therapy. It’s rough at first, but the classes, therapy, and of course Taylor’s continuous support help change her mindset. Soon enough, Gia feels well enough to fully come to terms with her pregnancy - a huge milestone, and one that both she and Taylor are delighted to see her achieve.
She starts showing even more, and with her new positive outlook, Gia decides to change up her look. Gone are the oversized clothes she resorted to when she was trying to hide it - she starts putting on makeup again, and with Taylor’s help, buys a few new outfits. For the first time in ages, Gia feels confident about herself again, and Taylor notices the change. However, Gia also makes a huge decision to officially drop out of high school as well. She hasn’t been to school in ages, but making that choice is a step beyond just bunking class, and Taylor is worried that it was the wrong choice. Though it’s against Gia’s wishes, Taylor starts to think that it’s time she tells Ayden about the situation… she sees him almost every day in town, and its eating at her to keep such a huge secret. As Gia is nearing her third trimester, she feels that she can’t hide the truth from him anymore.
Taylor invites Ayden over for dinner, sounding as nonchalant as she can manage, and doesn’t tell Gia about him coming over. It may not be the most delicate way of handling the situation, but it’s definitely effective, as the moment Ayden walks in the door he stops in his tracks - and Gia does the same seeing him.
G: “DAD? What are you doing here??”
A: “What am I doing here??? Gia, what are YOU doing at Taylor’s house?? Isn’t it a school day?! Why aren’t you at your mom’s? I’m so -”
T: “Alright, enough - both of you needed to talk. Before you get mad at me, Gia, this needs to happen. You need to tell your dad the truth.”
A: “What truth? Gia, what on earth is going on?”
Gia glares at Taylor, but deep down, she knows she’s right… and she does recognize the tough spot Taylor was put in because of her. She’s also not surprised Ayden can’t tell what’s going on yet - she may be showing, but maybe he just thinks she put on some weight. She takes a deep breath and finally blurts it out:
G: “Dad… I’m pregnant.”
She’s met with complete silence and a shocked look on Ayden’s face. Nervous, Gia rambles on, explaining how she went to Madeleine, running away, Taylor taking her in, her health… everything. Eventually, Ayden puts up a hand and she stops, terrified that he’ll hate her too - but he doesn’t. In fact, when he looks at her, its with tears in his eyes and apologizing for not being there enough for her. She tries to stop him, but he pushes on, explaining what has been happening in his life - meeting Sienna, losing her, and moving away - but ends by saying its no excuse for not being there for her.
A: “After we told you who your biological father is, I pushed you away because I was nervous. Honey, I regret that so much. Can you forgive me? Can you let me be there for you?”
Gia sobs, and runs to her dad for a hug - she’s missed him so much and it means the world that he’s accepting her. She turns to see Taylor wiping her own tears away, and hugs her too. Gia feels she can never thank Taylor enough for being there for her at her lowest point. That evening, Ayden helps Gia pack a bag and drives her down to his new house. It’s a bittersweet moment - though Gia has come to terms with her pregnancy, she feels overwhelmed again by the daunting task ahead of her - but Ayden is there to soothe and support her. The two spend the evening bonding, and Gia is so glad to be with her father again.
Meanwhile, Delilah’s reality TV show is in full swing - so much filming is going on that Martina has even moved into her house. Jordyn is keeping to herself, packing up her room and getting ready to move, so Martina is basically Delilah’s only interaction nowadays. Well, that and her therapist - Delilah started therapy, and it’s really helping her mental state. She’s also been making more trips to the doctor, though, as after her last pregnancy and the complications, there have been some long-lasting health problems to deal with.
With everything going on, and the strides she is taking to better herself, Delilah finds herself missing her old life that wasn’t filled with cameras, but doesn’t dare text Ayden - if he thinks she’s trying to be with him again, he might push her away even more, and she can’t bear that. She also doesn’t want to bother Jordyn and force her out of her room, knowing her feelings about being on TV. So, she settles for sending a quick text to Gia, asking her to come out of her room because she’s like to talk.
But the show keeps her busy, and even though Gia doesn’t reply, Delilah doesn’t notice. Even so, one night at dinner with Martina, Delilah mentions how she’s been missing her family lately. It’s just an offhand comment, but Martina seems to perk up.
M: “Wait… whatever happened to your sister? Madeleine her name was, right? You wrote about her in one of your books, but we haven’t seen her on the show yet.”
D: “Right, well - we aren’t really on speaking terms anymore, to be honest.”
M: “Is that so? Well if you’re missing your family, how about we visit her tomorrow? I bet she’ll appreciate you reaching out.”
Delilah is surprised to hear this suggestion from her agent, who has never seemed particularly empathetic, but she loves the idea - it’ll be really nice for her to see family again, and she thinks that maybe enough time has passed for them to repair their relationship.
The next morning, Delilah is preparing to leave with just Martina, only for a camera man to get in the car toting his equipment.
D: “What is this? I thought we were going to Madeleine’s, are we making a stop first?”
M: “No, we’re going to Madeleine’s. We’re obviously going to film it - it’ll be great TV no matter what happens.”
The comment derails Delilah - no matter what happens? She thought Martina only wanted her to make up with her sister… but she pulls herself together. Her heart is racing as she knocks on her sister’s door, secretly hoping that Ronen will not be there - she knows it’ll make for great TV, but she really can’t stand the drama, and she knows it won’t be good for her heart. Unfortunately, even though Ronen is not there, drama is what she gets. Madeleine, who looks a bit worse for wear than she remembers, brutally rejects Delilah’s attempts at an olive branch, and their visit ends in a shouting match just like their last one. Martina is smiling as they leave, raving about upcoming ratings, but Delilah can’t be happy - she’s starting to feel that she’s lost every family member she has. As they drive home, she has to slow her breathing so she won’t pass out.
The last few months of Gia’s pregnancy pass quickly and with a full house, as Jordyn moves in as soon as she can. When Gia tells her the news, Jordyn, much like Ayden, is extremely sad that Gia didn’t trust her enough to tell her the news. After a heart-to-heart filled with tears, the sisters end up closer than ever. Jordyn is extremely happy to be reunited with her father, sister, and of course, the puppies - she missed them a lot while living in Copperdale.
Taylor comes over almost every day during Gia’s third trimester to help out, as Ayden has his hands full with work, Flapjack, and the girls. Her presence is invaluable, and Ayden appreciates her immensely - not just for her help around the house, but for her company as well. The two spend many late nights talking long after the girls have gone to sleep. They spill their deepest secrets and desires to one another, with Taylor opening up about her past - how she left her entire family behind to pursue her dreams and doesn’t speak to any of them anymore… something Ayden feels he can relate to, at least a little bit. Over time, Ayden starts to feel old sparks reigniting, but he refuses to give in to them - he still feels Taylor is too young for him, and even though Sienna passed almost a year ago, having any romantic thoughts about someone else makes him feel extremely guilty.
There isn’t a lot of time to dwell on these feelings, though, as soon enough, the baby is coming. Ayden and Jordyn rush to Gia as soon as her water breaks, supporting her to the car, and even though she’s in pain, Gia smiles at her family - her heart feels so full, knowing they have been fully accepting of her, and will be there for her every step of the way. Ayden refuses to leave her side in the hospital, waiting right outside the door while Gia is in labor, wanting to ensure that she is completely safe - and Gia does great. The birth progresses with minimal complications, and after 3 hours and 23 minutes of labor, little Noah Locklear is born.
Ayden, Jordyn, and Taylor are allowed into the room to meet Gia and the baby. As the little group is convening and fawning over Noah, Ayden slips away - much like Taylor kept Gia’s secret for the first part of her pregnancy, he’s kept it til the end, but he feels it’s high time Delilah is notified. The fact that she hasn’t seemed concerned at all about Gia angers him, but he keeps his cool and calls her.
Delilah is rushed to the hospital, and luckily, she’s stabilized - but when she is able to contact her family again, she feels like a changed woman. Having a near death experience completely changes her outlook, and she begs Ayden for a chance to come over and explain herself as soon as she is discharged. He agrees, ready for the wounds in their family to heal and everyone to forgive. He plans to break the news that Delilah is coming over to Gia gently, but unfortunately, she is rushed away to the hospital after a few days too - post-birth complications. Luckily, before she leaves, she is able to spend a little bit of time bonding with her baby.
The whole family is worried in Gia’s absence, and while Jordyn is able to bury herself in schoolwork and college applications, Ayden doesn’t find the same respite in work. In fact, he ends up using PTO almost every day, spending time at home taking care of Noah. Taylor, just like before, comes over daily bearing food and gifts for the baby. As time goes by, Ayden loosens up around Taylor and allows himself to seek even more comfort in her presence than before. The two text every single day, from “good morning” to “goodnight,” and spend hours talking. They have ended up almost cuddling, with their faces just inches from one another more times than they can count… but Ayden doesn’t want to take the next step and kiss her, feeling that would be a betrayal to Sienna’s memory.
Delilah is eventually discharged and rushes to Chestnut Ridge. She glances at her phone, which Martina has been blowing up with texts and calls asking her about her status and her return to work - Delilah finally sees that Martina has been a horrible influence, and blames her for losing her entire family. Refusing to entertain it any further, Delilah blocks Martina and focuses on meeting her grandchild. She’s always loved babies, and her heart feels fit to burst when Ayden hands her Noah for the first time - she only wishes that Gia was here too so she could apologize for everything.
The family is soon notified that Gia’s surgery went well, and she is being discharged soon. Ayden releases a breath that he didn’t realize he was holding - Gia being at the hospital has taken more of a toll than he realized, and he asks Jordyn if he wouldn’t mind babysitting for one night.
A: “I know it’s a weekend, and I don’t want to derail your plans, but -”
J: “Don’t even worry, dad. You deserve a night off!! Mom is here, and Andy was going to come over and work on a project anyways.”
That evening, Jordyn, Andy, and Delilah push Ayden out the door with assurances and promises that they’ll be okay. Even though Ayden needs to relax, it’s hard for him to actually leave, but he takes a deep breath and walks down the street to the town saloon.
He takes a seat at the bar, not feeling up for dancing - he decides to just have a few drinks. As he’s ordering, he looks to his right and spies a flash of red hair.
A: “Taylor?”
Taylor startles and turns to him, immediately smiling brightly at the sight of her friend. Ayden’s heart flutters at the sight, which is immediately followed by a stab of guilt. He turns back to the bar and orders two strong drinks - he’ll need it to keep his feelings in check. As the night progresses, though, he questions his logic because as the drinks keep flowing, his inhibitions seem to be loosening. He knows he has way less control over himself, which is further evidenced by him agreeing to dance when Taylor asks him to.
T: “Just one dance, Aydie - for me?”
How can he say no to her? He lets Taylor pull him onto the dance floor for a slow dance, and even though he tries to keep himself in check, there’s only so much he can do when he is staring into her eyes. The flame between them burns bright and hot, and Ayden pulls Taylor closer and closer, desperate to drink in her warmth. When the slow dance ends and fast-paced music blares over the speakers again, the two can’t pull away… and Ayden wonders if Taylor is feeling what he is. She says something, but he can’t hear her over the music. Still holding her hand, he pulls her closer so she can hear him, and the proximity allows her to smell her - he almost loses his train of thought, but he focuses just enough to tell her to step outside so they can talk properly.
The cold air outside is a stark contrast to the warmth of the bar, and Ayden struggles to look Taylor in the eye out here, feeling embarrassed of his actions. He forces himself to act normal, though - as normal as he can be when drunk - and thanks her profusely for all her help over the past year.
T: “You don’t need to thank me. I’m always here for you.”
A: “Just for me?”
Ayden asks the question in an attempt to tease her, but Taylor takes it seriously. Embarrassed that she might’ve given away her feelings, she blushes and shakes her head.
T: “You know what I mean… I’m here for y’all. You never have to thank me.”
A: “Of course I have to thank you!! There’s no way I could ever show how much I appreciate you, Taylor - you mean the world to me.”
Without realizing it, in an effort to emphasize his point, Ayden turns to Taylor and takes her shoulders to pull her closer until their faces are just a hairsbreadth apart. When he realizes the position they are in, Taylor is already staring up at him wide-eyed - they have been in this position before during their late-night conversations, but always sober, and never completely alone. Maybe its the change in atmosphere, maybe the alcohol running through his veins, or maybe just because he’s too tired of fighting what he wants… Ayden finally pulls Taylor close and kisses her.
When he pulls away, Taylor looks shocked, and lightly touches her lips as if she can’t believe what just happened. Ayden fights to keep his expression neutral, but feels bile rising in his throat - the kiss was good, so good, and he thinks he’s in love… which just makes the guilt so much worse. He can’t bear to be around her any longer, so he offers a curt goodbye and walks away. Taylor notices the change in Ayden’s demeanor but she tries not to overthink it. While Ayden has a rough night and fitful sleep, Taylor falls asleep with a smile on her face, replaying the kiss in her mind and expecting to wake up to her usual text from Ayden.
However, she is surprised and a bit worried to see nothing from him the next day… or the next. It continues like this for a week, and Taylor can’t believe she is being ghosted. Every time she makes a trip over to his house, he isn’t there - or he just refuses to see her. The girls can tell something is wrong, but don’t pry - Gia just gently invites Taylor to her birthday party, noting that Ayden will definitely be there.
Gia has been recovering well from surgery and spending lots of time with baby Noah before his birthday as well. Gia knows that Delilah visited the family while she was still in the hospital, but she didn’t get the chance to see her - she’s somewhat relieved to have avoided confrontation, but also sad that she missed seeing her mom… just like her dad, she wants to forgive and forget. Hoping for a chance to apologize, she texts Delilah a personal invitation to her birthday party.
The day of the party rolls around, and the Locklears have a full house. Unfortunately, the crowd isn’t enough to run interference between Ayden and Taylor, and the tension is clear when Taylor tries to talk to him only to be given the cold shoulder. Taylor, usually not one to be sad, struggles to hide her emotions which Jordyn notices.
J: “What exactly happened between you and my dad?”
T: “I don’t know if I should tell you, but… I think I’m in love with him.
Jordyn smiles big at this confession - she’s perceptive enough to know that Ayden feels the same way, but Taylor’s expression makes her frown again.
T: “We had a moment, but now he’s ignoring me, and I don’t know what I did wrong.”
Jordyn tries her best to comfort her, but feels the wheels in her head turning… she knows she needs to have a talk with her dad.
Meanwhile, Gia is enjoying her party. She is able to reconnect with high school friends that she hasn’t seen in a long time, but came all the way to Chestnut Ridge to celebrate her - even Jayden, who turned her away at her lowest, came to apologize. It feels good to find friendship again, and she’s past holding grudges… a sentiment she extends to her mother, who speaks to her privately. To Gia’s shock, Delilah apologizes first.
D: “Gia, I was horrible. A horrible person, mother, wife, everything… I should’ve been there for you, for all of you, and I wasn’t. I am so sorry… please let me be a part of your life. Let me support you now.”
Gia is stunned by the change in her mother. The selfish woman she once knew is gone, replaced with a caring and apologetic woman, seemingly determined to right her wrongs. She agrees, and tells Delilah to stop by any time she wants. They are going to take it slow, but Gia is sure that they can repair their relationship - after all, this is her mother.
Gia blows out the candles on her cake, feeling hopeful about the future, and especially about her relationship with her mother. Delilah seems to be making a real effort, and spends the party bonding with the family and doting on her grandson. Jordyn feels hopeful, too - she’s been so focused on her grades that she’s able to graduate early and start applying to colleges. She’s never had many friends in high school, always preferring to stick close to her cousin Andy, and though she’s never felt lonely, she is excited to start over in college… maybe it’s her turn to meet someone and find a real connection.
Before she turns her attention to her own love life, though, Jordyn wants to help her dad and Taylor. She doesn’t know why Ayden is pushing his best friend away, but she knows there has to be a deeper reason, and intends to find out. After most of the guests have cleared out of the party, she grabs Taylor’s arm and pulls her to sit next to Ayden and make conversation - but she’s too nervous to even look in his direction. Ayden basically ignores Taylor as well, choosing to only talk to Jordyn before he gets up and announces that he is going to sleep. After he leaves the room, Taylor feels that it’s a lost cause.
T: “I don’t know what I did, but I think I really hurt him… I won’t come around here anymore.”
J: “He’s just being stubborn. Don’t pay attention to him right now! I’ll talk to him and he’ll come around.”
T: “Please don’t talk to him about this! I’m embarrassed I’ve even bothered you with it… don’t worry sweetie, I’ll be fine. Tell you what, how about I take you and Gia to the spa tomorrow? Just us girls, as a birthday gift.”
Gia, walking back into the room after putting Noah to bed, hears this and agrees, excited to get a relaxing day out.
The next morning, Taylor picks the girls up early for their spa date. It’s a great way to take their mind off things; Jordyn does some yoga, Taylor gets a workout in, and Gia just sunbathes to work on her tan. It’s been a while since Gia’s been able to relax and focus on her appearance without worrying about anybody else, and she loves it… and beyond that, she loves being single. Though it’s been a while since she has dated someone, it scares her a bit to even think about pursuing love again based on what happened last time she did. She resolves to not rush into anything again, and for the time being, to focus on herself and her little family.
The girls head home after a relaxing day out, still feeling pretty exhausted from the travel. Taylor tries to drop the girls off and run, but they insist that she stay for dinner and a movie. Ayden comes outside and immediately stops in his tracks when he sees Taylor - struck still by her beauty, but Taylor takes this to mean he doesn’t want her there. The awkwardness is clear - Taylor averts her eyes and doesn’t speak as she tries to sit on the edge of the couch, as far away from Ayden as she can. Jordyn and Gia share a meaningful glance at this, then strategically maneuver so the only place Ayden can sit is right next to Taylor before putting the movie on.
Though Taylor doesn’t speak to Ayden, she can’t help but glance at him while the movie plays. It was so easy to fall in love with him, she thinks, as she watches how he interacts with his daughters and grandson… she has no idea how she’ll be able to get over him. Exhaustion from the day, her thoughts, and the situation in general hits her, and the next moment she is passed out. Her head falls on Ayden’s shoulder, which startles him. He looks over at her and, again, is struck by how much he loves her. Since she’s asleep, he’s free to stare… something he hasn’t allowed himself to do for a while now. Slowly, he puts his arm behind her and pulls her close so that she is lying on his lap… he wants her to be comfortable, after all. The position allows him to dip his head slightly and lay a small kiss on her head, which of course doesn’t escape his daughters’ notice.
Though the movie lasts another hour, it feels like just minutes to Ayden who is enjoying the position and comfort Taylor brings him immensely. But as the ending score of the movie blares, Taylor jumps, waking up in a daze. Ayden makes no attempt to move, but the minute Taylor realizes she’s lying on his lap, she jumps up.
T: “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry y’all - I have to go.”
A: “What? You don’t have to -”
T: “Peaches needs me, I don’t - I have to go!!”
She’s out the door like a whirlwind, leaving the Locklears staring after her in shock. Ayden glances at his daughters, only to find them already staring at him.
J: “Well, aren’t you going to go after her?”
A: “What are you talking about??”
G: “Dad, don’t be dense… we all see what’s going on here.”
Ayden blushes, but still denies it, much to his daughters’ annoyance.
G: “If you both love each other, what’s stopping you?”
After a brief pause and a deep sigh, Ayden finally opens up about what’s really bothering him - that every time he thinks about his feelings for Taylor, he thinks about Sienna too, and how he is betraying her. He can’t bear to do that to her… how can he move on with his best friend that he’s known for years? The girls listen intently - but when he’s done, they set him straight, explaining that he’s being irrational.
J: “Your love for Sienna and your love for Taylor have nothing to do with one another… you’re at a completely different point in your life, and you’ve been through so much since she passed away.”
G: “And she would WANT you to be happy. Dad, you deserve to be happy. Don’t torture yourself - go tell her how you feel!!”
It’s like he’s been doused by a bucket of cool water - Ayden feels like he is waking up from a bad nightmare, and everything is suddenly clear. He LOVES Taylor… she’s been there for him through some of the roughest times in his life, a constant beacon of light even in periods of darkness, and he can’t let her go. He’s done holding himself back from happiness. He jumps off the couch and races to Taylor’s house, determined to stop her from pulling away from him even more. He bangs on her door and she whips it open, shocked.
T: “Aydie-Ayden? What are you doing here? What’s the commotion?”
He can barely get a word out, breathless both from his run to Taylor’s house and from her beauty. In lieu of words, he just places a hand on her cheek and looks at her… and her face softens. Neither of them need to speak to be in perfect sync, and he is sure that she is on the same page as him - that she is in love with him too. His suspicions are confirmed when he pulls her closer and kisses her deeply and she responds in kind.
When they come apart, Ayden decides that he doesn’t want to wait another moment. He’s known for a while now that Taylor is the one for him… if only he hadn’t been so stubborn, they could’ve spent that time together. Now, he wants to enjoy his favorite person’s company for the rest of his life… and he hopes she feels the same. He drops to his knee and finally says:
A: “Taylor… will you marry me?”
She says yes, of course, almost bursting into tears from happiness… and they take two more big steps that evening, with their first woohoo and deciding to move in together.
Time moves fast after that. Taylor moves in with Ayden and the rest of the family down at the ranch, though she still owns her two properties. Ayden decides to finally pursue his passions and quits his engineering job - something that hasn’t brought him enjoyment in years - and decides to lean into the Chestnut Ridge lifestyle. He starts to make wine and trains Flapjack and Peaches to get ready for competitions. The two horses also become friends, and then become more - and a new foal named Dominoes is welcomed to the Locklear stables.
The wedding day arrives before they know it. It’s a small intimate affair in Chestnut Ridge, a place that holds so much meaning for Ayden, Taylor, and the entire family. The two girls are bridesmaids, of course. Delilah shows her support, and she really is so happy for Ayden - though she will always have love for him, she just wants to see him happy. Andy comes to the wedding as well… but his parents are not invited.
It is a beautiful ceremony, but after it is over and everyone is having refreshments, Gia starts to think about the situation back at the house - the very very full house - and she feels bad. Her dad is starting a new life, and she doesn’t want to overstay her welcome - he deserves space to spend time with his new wife, and to work on his new business. She expresses these feelings to her mom, and tells her she is thinking about moving out, but is scared of taking care of Noah alone - she’s always had support. Delilah, wanting to be there for her daughter and spend more time with her grandson, offers to move in with her… and Gia accepts. After all, what could go wrong? Taylor overhears this and mentions her extra property… something that she’s more than willing to offer to Gia free of charge.
Jordyn and Andy are withdrawn from the group, keeping to themselves as usual and discussing some important letters they received that day.
J: “My letter came in this morning. I haven’t had the chance to read it yet… what about you?”
A: “I got into Britechester!! You have to text me as soon as you read it - we’re gonna room together.”
J: “I really hope I get in!!”
That evening, the family disbands… and after a few weeks, everyone goes their separate ways.
