All Chapters of Closer To You: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Five months had passed since Ava found out that she was pregnant. She was not sure what she felt about her life at the moment except the fact that she'd become a mother in less than nine weeks, and she was ecstatic. No matter what life has for her in the future, she knew that it'd be beautiful because of her little girl that was due in September.Ava admitted that there wasn't an ounce of regret about her pregnancy. None at all. She was grateful, and she was happy – she just wished that her daughter would understand the lack of a father in her life. Ava wouldn't tell her his identity nor how he looks. Gale was something that only happened in her past. No one in her family and close friends except Josh and Jo knows who he was, and Ava likes to keep it that way.She was content even after the school board decided that she needed to quit because she was pregnant without having a partner – a bad influence for the students, they said. She faile

Ava and her whole family were gathering in Denise's living room. Alex was talking animatedly about how cool Gale was and how brave Julia was. Ava half-listened to everything. She was deep in thought.Of all the people in Golden, Gale was the one that found her daughter and her nephew inside the woods. He didn't even live in Golden.Was this fate?Did God send him back to her through this unfortunate event that befalls Alex?She was so confused, but she was scared more about this. What if this encounter leads to another heartbreak? She didn't think she'd survive it if he only came back in her life to break her heart again.She felt her phone vibrating inside her pocket, and it broke her train of thoughts. She looked at her phone screen and saw Josh texted her: "?". When she looked up to see him, he was already looking at her and raised one of his eyebrows questioningly. He must've sensed something or already guessed.She

When dinner was over and everyone moved back to the living room. Ava offers Molly to put Dani to bed in her room, and she accepts. They talked casually about their daughters, but somehow the way Molly looked at her was like she knew something. Ava was anxiously guessing whether Molly really knew something. When Ava went back into the living room, she found Julia already sitting on Gale's lap. She felt a lump in her throat but held herself together. To make things harder, Julia wants her to sit next to her – that means she needs to sit next to Gale as well. She didn't have any energy to make an excuse and wordlessly took a seat next to him. They were not touching, but the familiar feeling of him was emerging from deep within her heart. The feelings that were once buried and forgotten entirely. The yearning to be as close as possible. Ava wondered whether he felt the same way as he did in the past whenever he was near her – the urge to reach o

Finding Ava Shelley was like watching a sunrise. That beautiful feeling of happiness and contentment of a new day, a new start full of opportunities – a promise of a bright day waiting ahead. But then the storm came – bringing chaos to everything that it touches, clouding the world with its greyness. That storm was the moment when Gale answered her last question. When he saw the bead of tears as she was crying like she was in immense pain. Gale was scared. He got trapped in a storm, and it seems like he will forever live in it.Ben and Molly didn't try to interrogate him for details. He appreciates their understanding and heads to his room as soon as he was out of the car. Gale was too spent to change his clothes. He was only able to slip off from his shoes and crawled underneath the cover of his bed. He lay and stared at the ceiling - wondering about events that probably occurred in the past. He was so scared that he had hurt her. Why else she was crying then? An

The first few minutes of the walk were spent in silence. Gale was trying hard not to glance at Ava every few seconds. She was so beautiful under the sunshine. Brilliantly vibrant compared to the rest of the world. And Ava, well, she didn't dare to take her eyes off the pavement under her feet. Her heart was somersaulting. Spending time only with Gale brought back many memories of their past. She was blushing, and she tried not to. "How's Julia?" Gale began, breaking the silence. Ava flinched a little but then smiled to herself. "She's fine - a little upset that she wasn't allowed to come with me. She's home with Alex now."  "Does she know that you're meeting me?" "No," Ava shook her head. "If she knows, Alex would know too. And if they know, I'll have to take them with me. They're crazy about you." "Where did you tell her where you are going then?"  "I told her I'm going to the Kicking Horse bridge before I take my mo