Hometown Glory

Twenty Four

"Why do we have to do this? Who cares what they have to say?"

"Because I have a point to prove, Zac. It's been eating me alive that they don't believe me."

"Again, who cares?"

"Just be quiet will you? Jesus!"

Zac folded his arms across his chest and rolled his eyes. Even though he wanted to argue, he knew better than to get Georgia any more riled up than she already was.

They pulled into the Hanson family home, where the kids were out in the front yard playing a game of catch. Georgia got out of her car, the large envelope clutched in her hand. Zac followed suite, but caught her hand before she could go up the steps. 

"Georgia, look, before we go in there-"

"I know. I'll keep my cool."

Zac smiled slightly, knowing there was a large chance she wouldn't keep her cool at all.

"That's not what I was gonna say, but that's a good idea."

"What were you gonna say?"

"I was gonna say, that no matter what happens in there with my parents, I'm still here for you. Their reaction won't sway me."

Georgia smiled and reached up, hugging Zac tightly. "You're the best. I wouldn't be able to do this without you."

Zac took her hand and opened the front door.

"Zachary, is that you? Could you come help me with- oh." Diana stopped dead in her tracks when she looked up from her mixing bowl to see Georgia half hiding behind Zac as they walked into the kitchen. "Hello, Georgia."

Georgia's "mess with me" attitude faltered as soon as she stepped foot in the house she knew she wasn't wanted in. She wanted to turn around and run.

"Mom, we want to talk to you. And dad, of course."

"Do you? Considering what you told us last time, God only knows what it could be now." Diana muttered. Zac tensed up, and Georgia put her hand on his arm to relax him.

She decided to speak up. "Diana, I went and got a DNA test. I have the results with me. We wanted to open the envelope in front of you and Walker, to prove that you had no right to accuse me of sleeping around on Zac."

Diana looked surprised, but silently made her way to the kitchen table. She sat across from her son and Georgia, hands folded on the table. Walker came into the room, looked around and gathered what was happening before sitting next to his wife.

"What's this about?" Walker asked after a long period of awkward silence.

"They had a DNA test done to see if Zac is the father of Georgia's child." Diana told her husband in an annoyed tone.

Georgia pushed the envelope towards Diana. "Go ahead."

"Georgia-" Zac whispered, but Georgia shook her head.

Diana stared at the two young adults for a long time before picking up the envelope and slowly unpeeling the flap. Georgia felt nauseous. Zac's leg bounced under the table. Finally, Diana slid the piece of paper out of the envelope, print side down.

"Georgia, wouldnt you like to read this?" Walker asked gently.

Georgia shook her head and spoke in a sickly sweet voice, that oozed sarcasm. "No. I want Diana to read it, so she can realize I'm not lying to her."

Diana narrowed her eyes, picking up the paper. Her eyes scanned over the words; her expression didn't change. She placed it back down on the table and silently got up, exiting outside to the back yard.

Walker looked back and forth between the two young adults. He gestured at Zac to pick up the paper. With shaking hands, Zac picked it up and read it out loud.

"'Miss Georgia Walters,'" he read in almost a whisper. "'The following results state that, for all intents and purposes...'" he trailed off, tears sprinting to his eyes. Georgia grasped his arm, feeling her heart beat in her ears. He slowly stood up, with her still attached to his arm.

"'...Mr Zachary Walker Hanson is 100% the biological father of Miss Bailee Rose Walters.'"

Georgia burst into tears and hugged Zac, who was also sobbing. He cried and cried into Georgia's neck, relief washing over him.

"Congratulations, you two." Walker smiled gently, getting up from the table to pat his son on the back. He leaned in to whisper, "For the record, Georgia.. I believed you the whole time."

Georgia smiled at him. "Thank you, Walker. I'm glad somebody did."

The front door swung open and in walked Taylor, Isaac, Natalie and Niki. They all looked a little surprised at all the emotions going on at the one time.

"What did we miss?" Taylor laughed, noticing the tears and the smiles.

"Oh nothing.." Zac shrugged, then held up the piece of paper. "Just the fact that I'm officially Bailee's father!"

"Oh my god!" Isaac yelled, jumping on his brother. "Finally!"

"Way to go, you guys. That's awesome news." Natalie grinned. "I'm so happy for you, Zac."

"I told you, you had nothing to worry about." Taylor joked, hugging his brother and then Georgia. "What did Mom say?"

"She didn't say anything. Just got up and went outside."

Taylor nodded. "Would you like me to talk to her?"

Zac shook his head. "No, I'm gonna go talk to her right now."

He walked towards the patio door and slid it open. He saw his mother on the porch swing, gazing off.

"Mom?"

Diana shifted her sight to her son, before scooting over for him to sit down. Zac sat beside his mother, feeling anxious.

"Zachary, I don't know what to say." Diana whispered. "I was so sure..."

"You assumed, Mom. It wasn't right of you to do that. I left her, Mom. To go on tour. She found out the day I left that she was pregnant. And she moved away so she could protect me and my career. She put her own future career at risk. Georgia didn't sleep around, before or after I left. She's had one boyfriend since, because she's been swamped with touring and raising our child."

"I thought we raised you boys to be patient and to wait... we didn't want this for you, honey." Diana told her son, tears brimming her eyes.

"I know. But things happen. And honestly, I wouldn't change them for anything. I finally have Georgia back. I have a family. A family of my own who I'm absolutely in love with s And I'm gonna do everything I can to make sure they never leave me again." Zac told his mother, who could only nod.

"Zac..."

He turned to see Georgia standing in the patio doorway, tears in her eyes and a smile on her lips. Zac reached for her hand and she took his, before taking a seat on his lap.

"Georgia, I need to apologize to you. I am so sorry for the way I acted." Diana said softly, laying her hand on Georgia's bare knee.  "It wasn't easy to hear such shocking news. I didn't know what to think."

Georgia nodded, placing her hand on Diana's. "I know. I just hated the thought of you disliking me. I never meant to hurt anyone, especially you and Walker."

"We could never hate you, Georgia. You've been family to us since we met you."

Georgia smiled and nodded once again. "The feelings mutual."

Nothing else was said, there was just comfortable silence. Georgia was over the moon with emotion. Things were finally looking up.