Stuck With You :||: Sequel to Sting

Now I'm feeling guilty for it

Michael's POV

Five years ago, I left Australia and started a life in California. I don't think about my past that often, but when I do, I think of the happy times. I do think about Carly every now and then, but it's not as much as I though it would be.

The band thing has really taken off and we just finished our second album Sounds Good Feels Good. We're currently living in the same rental house because it's just easier and we know that this year is going to get crazy.

Calum and I regained our friendship after we left which makes me happy since I've known him for so long.

As I sit on the couch with the guys, I hear our doorbell ring. I stand up.

"I'll get it, it's probably the pizza we ordered." They nod and I make my way to the door. When I open it, I see a familiar face staring back at me. "Carly?" I say shocked. 

I look down and see a little boy holding her hand. I look back up and see a small smile on her lips. I quickly shut walk out and shut the door. "What are you doing here and who is that?"

"Michael this is Jaxson, your son." My heart drops in my chest.

"M-my son?" I say shocked.

"I know that-"

"Why didn't you tell me? How old is he?"

"I'm five." He says while holding up all five of his fingers. I look in his eyes and see that they're a hazel color, almost like a mix of my green eyes and Carly's brown eyes. I look back up at her.

"Can we go somewhere to talk?" She asks.

"What are we going to do with him?" I ask.

"I can leave him at a daycare for a few hours." She suggests. I nod my head and we get into her car.

She drops him off at a daycare and we go to a nearby cafe. We order what we want, and nothing changed. She ordered the same thing she always does. We sit down and begin to talk.

"What made you decide to come here now after five years?" I ask.

"Well, Jaxson started kindergarten and they did this father son thing and he came to me and asked about you. I told him all about you and he was the one to convince me."

"And you didn't think that maybe I wanted to be in his life?" I question.

"No I just- by the time I found out I was pregnant, you had packed up everything and you were gone." 

"So why didn't you think to call me?"

"Because if I had, you wouldn't be here right now and neither would I. We would both be in Australia and I didn't want you to give up the one thing you dreamed about having for me."

"It would have been for our kid, not for you."

"I want you to be in his life and I want him in yours. He's a really good kid and he's been dying to meet you."

"That wouldn't be an issue if you had told me about him in the first place."

"I know that."

"When did you find out?" 

"They day after you left my house. As soon as I found out, the first thing I did was go to your house, but everything was already gone, including you, by the time I got there."

"I just wish you would've told me because I could've gotten to raise him."

"You can still do that."

"He's five Carly. He already knows what he likes and doesn't-"

"Mike, you're acting like he's fifteen. He's a kid and he just wants his dad around." I take in a deep breath to try and stop myself from yelling. 

"So let me get this straight. You had our kid then five years later, that's when you decide it's a good time to tell me about him."

"Look, I know I fucked up really badly, but he's still your kid weather you want him to be or not."

"My problem isn't him, it's you. You kept my kid from me for five years."

"But I'm here now. You can either keep your life the way it is now, or have him in it."

"I want him to be in my life I just wish I knew about him sooner and not to have this massive bomb blow up in my face."

"If I had told you then you wouldn't be the person you are today. You would've been miserable and so would I. I had the best five years of my life with that little boy. He kept me sane and he gave me a reason to keep going. Ever since he could walk, he would come into my room very morning and wake me up."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I need you to see the kind of kid he is."

"Carly, for the hundredth time, my issue isn't with him. My issue is that you kept him from me. What were you going to do if he never started asking about me? Where you just going to keep hiding him from me?"

"No. I was going to tell you and I tried telling you, but-"

"You could've talked to my mom or my dad or the guys or anybody who knows me, but instead you chose to stay silent." 

"Because I didn't want you to drop your whole life and come back. I wanted you to be happy and to do the things you loved doing. I know that you would have been absolutely miserable if I had told you about him." 

"So why now? There has to be some other reason that you decided to fly out here and tell me about him."

"I've been in LA for a few months now."

"You've what? So you're telling me that you two have been in the same town as me and you didn't think to reach out until now?" 

"Just be happy I did. I could've just not let you know, but I did because he deserves to know his father. Do you know how much I'd kill to remember my dad? He was there for the first two years of my life and then he left to start a new family and probably abandoned them too. The more time that passed, the more I realized that he needs you. He needs a father Mike and that's what you are, you're his dad." 

"You have to let me spend the day with him, just me and him. You can pick him up later tonight, but I want to get to know him."

"That's fine. I'm sor-"

"Don't apologize because no amount of that is going to erase the five years I wasn't there for him."

"Okay fine. Let's just go get him so you can spend time with him." I nod my head in agreement. It's still shocking that she kept this huge secret for so long and no one decided to tell me.