Imagine Me and You

“Mommy watch me!” A small boy called out to Ali and she only smiled, tucking her shoulder length purple hair behind one ear. Her son, Mason, was currently playing on the swing set with some other kids and it was actually giving her a chance to study.

“I see!” She called out to him, smiling as her snakebites shined in the gleaming sun. They came to this park-only a mile from their small house-every other day so that four year old Mason could play with kids his own age.

Ali Dickson had never thought about being a mother before and she had been more than shocked when she had gone to the doctor, complaining about having the flu and then come to find out that she was in fact pregnant. She thought back-who had she been with? At the time it had been a rolodex of names-wild child that she was, but after thinking about it and especially after Mason had been born…she knew exactly who his father was. He was just like him-loud and yet shy around new people. He had dark chocolate brown eyes and a winning smile-just like his father.

She looked up and noticed that Mason was playing with a little girl-blonde hair and it seemed like she had blue eyes. Ali just smiled and turned back down to looking at her book and she could hear the faint sounds of child laughter. They had moved to this small area in Virginia to get away from the craziness of LA and all it didn’t have to offer. Ali was now in her second year at a local community college-studying to be an RN so that she and Mason could have a better life. He was everything to her-one of the only things she had to remind her of Mason’s father.

A one night stand. That’s all it was supposed to have been, but not thinking things through enough and not being adult enough at the time-it had turned into a now four year old boy. The father had no idea-Ali didn’t want to bother him with something like this because he was busy enough with the band he was in. Black Veil Brides-a band that Ali had loved and when she had gotten a chance opportunity to meet them-well she couldn’t just give that up. Then he had walked over to her after the show, his chocolate brown eyes and winning smile making her knees weak and Ali knew she was done for. They had drank-too much-and then they had ended up in his bunk on that huge ass bus parked behind the club.

Two months later and Ali had found out about Mason and that’s when the wrestling started. Should she call him? He had given her his number for whenever he was in the area again. Should she just keep this to herself? He was busy enough and it would probably never work out anyways. Ali decided to keep quiet-she would raise their child alone and that way it wouldn’t seem like she was just after his money. When Mason had been born, Ali had cried when she looked down in to his small angelic face-so much like his father. Now that he was four and coming into his personality, Ali could see that Mason was going to be just as loud, charming and talented as his father was.

A mini Ashley Purdy was on the loose.

“Ow! Mommy!” Ali’s head shot straight up, just in time to see three people coming over to her. Mason, followed by the little blonde girl who was then being followed by a man she could hardly make out due to his baseball cap and sunglasses.

“What happened?” Ali asked as she marked the page in her book and set it down on top of her bag. Looking over her son, Ali could see that he had fallen and scratched his elbow-nothing serious.

“These two had a tumble-sorry about that. Sometimes little Aria doesn’t know her strength.” The guy standing behind the children smirked at her and Ali felt her knees grow weak for some reason. He looked so familiar.

“Oh. Oh that’s alright-Mason’s pretty scrappy himself.” Ali smiled and then looked down at her son. She noticed something in the moment-her son and the man behind him were standing in an identical pose. One hip cocked to the side, arms crossed over their chests and a smirk on those perfect lips.

No-no it couldn’t be…could it?

“I’m sorry-I always forget to introduce myself! I’m Ashley Purdy…” He was holding out a hand to her and Ali only sat there and looked at it. What should she do? What should she say? He obviously didn’t recognize her and what about Mason?

“Hi-I’m Ali Dickson.” She shook his hand, keeping an eye on his face for a reaction and there was a small one. Recognition flashed in those brown eyes and Ali took in a deep breath and just continued to smile.

“Wait. Ali? Ali Dickson? I remember you! About five years ago-LA after a small show. How have you been?” Ashley laughed as he sat down and they both watched as the kids ran off to play.

How had she been? Well obviously she had been busy-running around after a child and all. But it seemed like he had been busy as well with his own kid-she hadn’t even heard anything about him getting married. Ali just sat there, a fake smile plastered on her face as she looked at the one person in the entire world who had completely ruined everything for her. That perfect smile. Those perfect teeth and of course that winning personality. It had all come crashing down that night when Ali had given in to him and now she had been left alone. It was okay though-she had the most precious thing in the world and she wasn’t about to give that up.

“I-uh-good. We’ve been good.” Ali smiled at him and they both looked off towards where the two kids were still playing with one another. The summer sun was shining brightly, giving everything a warm glow and Ali was happy that they had been able to get outside today.

“That’s awesome and you have a kid! I remember you being kind of wild…almost too wild to have a kid.” Ashley said as he looked down at her and noticed that Ali refused to meet his eyes. Mason-her son-looked really familiar to him, but Ashley couldn’t really think as to why.

“Yeah well sometimes you don’t get to choose what happens.” She said and Ashley noticed that her voice sounded kind of strange.

“What about you? I see you have a kid as well-finally decided to settle down I see.” Ali ribbed him and Ashley only laughed nervously. Nope, no kids for him, but he did have a wonderful niece and a near perfect nephew-who was home with a tummy ache.

“Kids? Oh-you mean Aria? She’s not mine-she’s actually Andy’s. He and his wife Dess got married and then started popping them out, but I love them just the same.” Ashley smiled at her and Ali could only blush. Well this kind of changed things…she would have to tell him about Mason. It was so blatantly obvious that Mason was Ash’s son.

“So…you like kids?” Ali asked and then she felt stupid. Ashley only smiled at her and looked around. At one time he would have said not really, but after meeting little Aria and then Oliver-he absolutely loved being around kids.

“Yeah, yeah I guess I do.” He said and then he noticed that Ali was looking at him kind of strangely. Her eyes would wander from him over towards where her son and Aria were playing and then she would look back at him.

“Well that’s good, I guess. Ashley I-um…we need to talk. Mason?!” Ali called out towards her son and Ashley looked over his shoulder to see the small boy coming towards him. What was going on? As the boy ran, Ashley noticed that he carried himself in a certain and overly familiar way.

“O-okay.” He said stupidly and Ashley Purdy just watched as Mason came to his mother, stopped and allowed her to turn him so that he was facing Ashley. Those brown eyes-Ali had light colored eyes and naturally light hair. Oh shit-what was about to happen?

“Ashley-I would like for you to meet someone. This is Mason Alexander Dickson…Purdy. This is your son.” She said the very last part so softly that Ashley was almost sure he hadn’t heard her right. Mason only stared at him and now Ashley didn’t know what to do.

“I-um…hi?” He said dumbly and Ali only smirked at him.

“I think maybe we need to talk…” Ali said, her smile dropping and Ashley only nodded his head silently.

The kids had run back off to play and the two of them sat there, talking to one another softly about everything that had happened. Ali had gotten pregnant after their wild night together, but she hadn’t wanted to bother him and so she moved out to Virginia-not even knowing that this is where Ashley spent his summers-and raised Mason herself. It was a lot to take in, but something inside Ashley couldn’t keep him from feeling happy.

He was a father and he was going to be a father to little Mason-for better or for worse.

Notes