Superstar *A Jonah Marais Story*

Chapter 23

3 1/2 Years Later

I get off work and drive to the daycare my 2-year-old twin girls spend the day. "Mommy!" Wyatt and Weslee say running up to me. "Hey babies!" I bend down to hug them and then put them in their car seats. I drive us home, and then walk them into our apartment. A few minutes later my mom knocks on the door and walks in with two handfuls of groceries and Mattie was right behind her with two more. "Hannah. Help me unload?" "Coming!" I turn on the living room tv for the girls and walk to the kitchen to help them. "Thanks so much for moving in to help us out." "You know I would always take care of you and my granddaughters."

The last three years have been the craziest of my entire life. Obviously, I had twin girls, but what you don't know is Jonah and I broke up, I quit my job and moved back home. I haven't spoken to Jonah since he broke up with me. He said we were moving too fast, he also told me about 20 seconds before I could tell him I was pregnant. Which means, he doesn't know I had his children.

After we unload the groceries, my mom starts to cook dinner for all of us. While I'm sitting with the girls I get a FaceTime call from Sydney. "Hey! How are you? Long time no see!" "I'm amazing actually. Daniel asked me to marry him." A ping of sadness hits me like a train as I remember my other best friends who I haven't spoken to in years. "Oh Sydney. I'm so happy for you!" "I want you to be my maid of honor and I want Wyatt and Weslee to be my flower girls."

I think about how that would mean having to face Jonah for the first time in years. "We would love to. I have to go help my mom. Talk to you later?" "Oh, ok. I miss you." "I miss you too." I walk back into the kitchen and tell my mom about the call I just received. "I think it's a good idea. Jonah deserves to know." "You're right. I'm just scared to see him." "I know but think of those girls in there."

Another Year Later

Me and my girls walk into the dressing room to see Sydney. "You look so beautiful." Sydney says running up to me and hugging me. "Oh not as beautiful as you! You look absolutely stunning." Wyatt and Weslee hug their Aunt Sydney and then Jack walks in to let us know it's time. I grab my bouquet and hand each of their girls their baskets. We all line up and I take Jack's arm before walking down the aisle.

After the wedding, I'm talking to a few friends from college when there's a tap on my shoulder. I turn around and see him. "Hey." Jonah said shyly. "Hey." I say looking anywhere but him. "Want to dance?" he said offering his hand to me. "Um..." I look over and see Sydney giving me a thumbs up. "Sure. Why not?"

He leads me to the dance floor and we slowly sway to the music. I look over and see my twins dancing together. "They are just the cutest things ever." He says watching them. "Hi mommy!" Wyatt says waving over at me. "They're yours?" I nod slowly and see him look at me confused. "How old are they?" "3...and 3 months" Then I see the realization dawn on his face. "Are t-they mine?" I didn't even realize I was crying until Weslee is tugging at my dress and saying, "Are you ok, mommy?" "Yes, baby. Let's go tell Aunt Sydney and Uncle Daniel bye bye." "Ok mommy."

"Wait, Hannah. Don't go." Jonah says lightly grabbing my hand. "No. I can't do this." Me and my girls walk over and tell Sydney and Daniel bye before walking out to my car. "Hannah wait!" I turn around and see Jonah running out from the wedding and up to me and my girls. "No, Jonah." "I want to meet them. Why didn't you tell me about them?" "Are you seriously blaming me? You're the one who blocked my number. You're the one who didn't reach out for four years. Of course I wanted to tell you about them!"

"Well I want to be in their lives." "I don't. Because when you leave again, I'm the one who will have to pick up the pieces. You can hurt me all you want but I draw the line with my girls." "They're my girls too." "Only biologically. You don't get to pretend to be a stand-up guy now." I buckle them into their car seats and close the door. "Hannah, I didn't want to break up with you that day."

"Then why did you?" I say and turning and snapping at him. "David made me." "Excuse me?" "He thought we were going to alienate fans with us getting married while we were just getting really mainstream." "Well congrats on all your success. I hope it was worth it." Then I get in my car and drive to the hotel we were staying in.

I tuck the girls into the queen bed in our room and right as they were falling asleep there's a soft knock on the door. I look through the peep hole and see Jonah standing there with his hands in his pockets. I open the door and step into the hallway. "How did you find me?" "Sydney told me what room you were in, after I begged for about 20 minutes." "What do you want?"

"Look, I don't expect you to give me a second chance but, I want a first chance with those girls in there." "Look Jonah. I appreciate you trying to make an effort, I really do but I think it's best if you don't. I don't want to confuse them. For the first 3 years of their life they don't have a dad and then suddenly they have one who won't even be there all the time."

"But, I want to be there for them all the time." "We don't even live in the same state Jonah. And even if we did, you leave for year-long tours every few months. These girls need structure and you can't give that to them." "These are my daughters, Hannah. I will do anything to make them and you happy." "I want to give you a chance Jonah, I really do." "Just let me meet them." "They're asleep right now."

Right then, as if on cue we hear a sleepy Weslee say, "Mommy?" "Please Hannah." "Fine." I open the door and pick up my daughter. "Why are you not in bed?" I say tapping her nose. "I not tired." She says goofily. I turn and see Jonah looking at her in awe. I can tell he's already fallen in love with her.

I walk further into the room and see Wyatt also awake. "Who's that mommy?" Wyatt says pointing at Jonah. "This is mommy's old friend Jonah." "Hi Jonah!" Weslee says waving at him. "Hi, what's your name?" "I'm Weslee!" "And I'm Wyatt!" she says from the bed. I place Weslee down next to her sister. "Are you going to be our daddy?" Weslee says looking at Jonah. I look at him wide-eyed and he smirks at me.

"Yes baby. He is your daddy. He's just been busy for a little while." "Daddy!" they scream together and crawl over to hug him. He hugs them both and smiles bigger than I've ever seen him smile. My heart melted just at the sight of them. The girls needed a father, but why did it have to be Jonah?