Fighting Fate

45. Wake Me Up

I smile at him because he was listening to me sing. I've missed it too. 

"I wrote it a couple months ago. I felt like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders because I was juggling so much. The pregnancy, the breakup, Beth's death, my career, Rachel's accident and looking after the kids."

He takes a sip from his coffee mug before nodding his head. "It wasn't easy for you, kid. And the part about them telling you you're too young to understand. Is that part about your mother?"

I laugh at him. "Yeah, Mum telling me that I'm too young to understand and that I'm caught up in the fairytale thinking everything is going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay. It's not going to be easy, but Harry and I can do this."

"You know I'll always be hard on that boy because you're my little girl. Harry will be the same with boys and that little girl in your stomach. But I think if any twenty/twenty-one year olds can raise a baby, it's the two of you."

"Thanks Dad."

Aaron calls me back so I answer my phone. "Hey, sorry I missed your calls. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, you told me to call you after Rach's physio appointment. She did well today. Still working on getting her strength back but the physio said that next week he wants to move her to a tighter resistance band so that's good news."

"That's great news. Is she happy with herself?"

"I mean, she got frustrated and shouted at me a couple of times but she apologised an hour ago so that's progress. She said she wanted to have a self care night. I said to her that I'll keep the kids busy and I'll buy her favourite bath salts and have a coke with her seeing as champagne would mess with her meds. But she told me she wanted to be alone. In the house alone. She actually suggested that I treat you to a dinner to thank you for everything that you have done. That was a nice gesture. You haven't seen the kids in a couple days. "

Oh Rachel, I'm onto you.  

"That's a lovely gesture." The sarcasm is ever so evident in my tone. "Did you tell her that you would rather stay home and have a family movie night after she has a bath? You should be doing things as a family to make up for lost time."

"To be honest, I could do with a night out. I haven't had a nice restaurant meal in months - not including takeout. I've had plenty of that. But I haven't sat at a restaurant with the kids in months."

"Then wouldn't it be nice if you had a restaurant meal just with the kids? I don't need to tag along."

Aaron lets out an offended scoff. "Come on Hay. Our company isn't that bad is it? We all love hanging out with you. Tori has been asking me when she gets to see you next. Unless you're sick of us? I completely understand if you are."

If Rachel hadn't put that stupid idea in my head of Aaron and I being together, and me wanting to take her kids, then I wouldn't think twice about saying yes. But I know exactly what intentions are behind her suggesting this. I'm surprised Aaron hasn't caught on. Then again, she probably hasn't mentioned anything to him. She's taking out her anger on me just like she always did when we were growing up. 

I'm not an idiot. I know the exact reason why Rachel suggested Aaron, the kids and I go out tonight. It's not to thank me. It is to test me. She thinks that I'm trying to take her man and her kids. But she is awfully wrong.

Aaron is a great guy and he is far from ugly. But I'm literally dating Harry Styles. As if I would be interested in somebody else's man when nobody compares to mine. Aaron is like a brother to me. I would never develop feelings for him. I know I fell in love with my best friend, but I would never fall in love with my sisters boyfriend. Rachel is just being naive.