Austin's POV
I was silent on the other end of the line, my hand barely finding the strength that it needed to hold the phone to my ear as I stared straight ahead of me into the deep black leather of the Denali that was taking me down to the studio to do some work, Charlotte's sobs pouring through the phone like thick honey as I could do nothing but listen to her cry since I was also at a loss of words to say.
There was no way that Ashlen was pregnant, at least no way that she was pregnant with our child. It had been so long since the time that Charlotte and I fought when I found out about Austy, and knowing Ash there had to be other guys after me. Even though she was desperately trying to get me back, there was no way that she wasn't finding other guys to manipulate and hook up with. She was a club promoter, she was meeting new people every night so there was no way that she was an angel and didn't hook up with anyone.
I tried to calm my nerves and bring myself back together so I could be strong for Charlotte who I was almost certain was beside herself at home. Not only did she start our first day here together by finding a text from Ash telling me that she loved me and wanted to get me back and she would do anything in her power to make that happen, but now this. And I don't know if the fact that Ash showed up at the door-what seemed to be mere minutes after I left-to tell her in person made the situation any better or any worse.
Every part of me wanted to tell Steve to stop, turn the car around and take me home so that her and I could talk about this together, but I also knew that there would be hell to pay if I didn't show up to the studio on time to start laying down tracks for the album that the release date was already being pushed back on. I angrily grabbed at fistfuls of my hair realizing the strain that work was indeed going to have on my personal life as I let out a quiet yell of frustration at my current predicament, Charlotte's small sob coming through the phone reminding me that she was still waiting to hear something, anything from me on the line.
"Charlotte baby" I said, the only two words that I could think of as I felt guilt wash over me, my eyes looking out over the passing buildings as Steve drove quickly down the highway towards the studio while I left her at home to deal with this on her own.
"Austin, this can't be happening" she said, her sobs not seeming to let up as I heard Austy's quiet voice ring through the phone asking her why she was crying. My heart immediately started to break as I imagined his little body standing next to his Mom as he rubbed her back wondering why she was crying, especially after his Dad promised him that his Momma would never cry again.
"I'm okay buddy. Uhm, you go back and play with your toys okay? Momma will be over in a minute. We can get dressed and go for a walk, would you like that?" she asked, the faked enthusiasm in her voice killing me, more because of the fact that it seemed to be perfected reminding me all to well of the reason why... she had a lots of practice.
I took a minute to gather my composure, feeling every emotion from guilt, to sadness and most definitely right down to anger before I thought it was safe to talk with her hoping that I didn't expel the wrong feeling on her and make the situation worse than what it was turning out to be. I threw my head back against the headrest, my hand resting on the top of my head as I closed my eyes more ready than ever to have this conversation.
"Charlotte listen to me baby, she has got to be lying, but if she isn't there is no way that the baby is mine" I said, hoping that my words made sense to her. "She's a very very manipulative person Charlotte and she is still working as a promoter in some of the hottest clubs in LA. She meets new people every single night. She's a super flirtatious girl who will take it as far as she needs" I said to her praying to every power above that those words were going to ease her mind until I heard her let out a breathy sarcastic laugh on the other end of the phone.
"Austin" she chuckled, my thoughts now becoming construed with confusion as I wrinkled my brows together wondering why she would be laughing at a time like this and what may have changed her mind. "She's three months pregnant" she said quietly into the phone.
I felt my heart plummet into my stomach as my mind started to frantically put together a timeline of events. Charlotte and I had had the fight about Austy around the time that Casey was having her bachelorette party. Fear started to race up my body, its grip starting to tighten strongly around my neck as I felt the breath being squeezed out of my by the metaphorical hand that was holding it tightly. There was no way that one night of stupid revenge was enough to make the girl that I had grown to loath be pregnant with my child, thus bringing her back into my life for the next eighteen years.
"Charlotte" my voice coming out in more of a plead than a comforting tone as I heard her laugh sarcastically again into the speaker of the phone, the coldness of it sending a shiver through my spine as I imagined the thoughts that were racing through her brain.
"I have to go" she said sadly into the phone, as I rolled my top half of my body towards my legs, my fist connecting with the thigh as I clenched my jaw together tightly, my eyes following suit as they squeezed together the force of them starting to form a headache as I tried with all of my might to hold in every emotion that was coursing through my body. "Have a great day at work Austin" she said.
"Charlotte, I lo-" I started only to be cut off quickly by the three beeps on the other end of the line that let me know she was done talking with me. I threw my phone down on the floor, my actions not going unnoticed as I saw Steve glare back at me through the rearview mirror of the SUV, curiosity brewing across his brow but never toeing the line of wanting to ask what was wrong as he continued along his predetermined path to the studio in downtown LA.
My anger was brewing inside of me for the rest of the ride to the studio. Both anger at myself for letting my stubbornness get the better of me three months ago to the point that thinking getting back at Charlotte by having sex with Ashlen was going to fix everything, and mad at Ash for doing what she did. But out of all of this, what scared me the most was if this was true it was going to be the last straw with Charlotte and I wasn't sure if I was ever going to gain her full trust for me ever again.
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"Bro what the fuck is up with you? This is the fourth time we tried to record this" Dre said to be, his voice not settling right as the sound of it made my blood start to boil. The constant need to remind me that I wasn't doing what I needed to annoying the shit out of me, I didn't need to hear him constantly telling me that I was messing up the lyrics time and time again. I was fully aware of that.
"There's just a lot of stuff going on today alright" I snipped at him, the look on his face letting me know that he didn't expect that tone of voice to come out, especially not at him before it quickly returned to it's normal state.
"Seems like you've got a lot of stuff going on since that girl and your supposed son came to stay with you" he said in a snarky tone, just the way he mentioned Austy to me making my blood boil even more. There was no doubt in my mind that Austy was my son, you could see it written all over him plain as day.
"Let's get one thing straight here first. Do not assume that Charlotte lied to me about Austy being my son. There is no doubt in my mind that he is mine. Second, don't assume that just because they are here with me now that they are the reason why shit is going down. There is other stuff on my plate that you don't know about alright" I said loudly, throwing off my headphones as I quickly walked out of the sound booth, Dre following quickly behind me in an effort to pull me back.
"Where the hell are you going, do you know how much work we have to do!?" he said in a frantic panic as he tried to pull me back by my arm only to have me shrug him off of me.
I grabbed a cigarette and quickly lit it, inhaling far too deeply as more nicotine than I could have ever imagined started to flow through my veins, the stick repeatedly leaving my lips as I blew out cloud after cloud of off white smoke into the air.
"I need a break okay. Everyone needs a fucking break" I said, grabbing the handle to the door as I walked out onto the back patio, leaning myself against the polished black wrought iron railing, my gaze looking out at the hazy and crowded streets as I dropped my head into my hands.
I know that I needed to bite the bullet and call Ashlen, demand that she come here and see me and figure out if everything she was telling me was the truth. Part of me was telling me that there was no way that it was possible. We were together for almost two years and we had unprotected sex countless times and nothing had every happened and now all of a sudden I do one spiteful thing and she's pregnant? Something just didn't seem to add up to me and I needed to get to the bottom of this before it was too late... even though I felt like it already was.
I grabbed my phone out of my back pocket, searching through my recently deleted numbers and messages when I found hers. My fingers immediately started flying across the digital keyboard as I typed out a not so well thought out message that was filled with anger towards her for what she had done.
i don't care where you are or what you are doing but you need to get your ass to the studio now!
I held the phone in my hand knowing that she probably opened the message as soon as she saw my name dance across the screen, most likely a wide smile at her face thinking that she had won this and I was going to be back with her, but I couldn't wait to spill the beans that she was never going to be more wrong. Even if she was pregnant with my child, there was no way that I was going to go back to her even if Charlotte left me.
nice to hear from you too baby. i'm assuming you got the news!? Congrats Daddy! Of course I'll be by we have so much to talk about! see you soon baby I love you!
Reading the words from her text made my mouth go dry. Everything she was saying to me was everything that a normal Dad would love to hear about the person he was with carrying their child, but with her the words made my skin crawl. Not only because there was the possibility that she was pregnant with my child which I never intended to happen, but because it was with her. If Charlotte had sent me these words I would be over the moon with eustasy to welcome another baby into our family, but not with Ash.
I quickly closed out Ash's text, my stomach starting to feel nauseas as I looked over the words more and more as I pulled up my text chain with Charlotte. I had to let her know that despite the fact she didn't want to talk to me right now that this wasn't something we were going to pretend wasn't happening and that we needed to talk about it.
charlotte baby girl please. i know that you are upset with me and u have every right to be but we don't even kno if this is the complete truth yet. please just relax and i promise u that we will talk about this
when? at 1am. i'll just see you tomorrow.
The absence of an I love you or any form of endearment from her had the tears washing out of my eyes quicker than when someone turned on the nozzle of a hose. I slid down on the floor my heart feeling like it was broken in a million pieces as it started to register with me that the girl that I have always wanted to be with for the rest of my life was most likely thinking of a way she could get out of it as fast as she could as I tried to push the thought of her not being there with our son when I got home out of my mind.
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"Uhm, Ash is here to see you" a very confused Smitty said as he pointed over his shoulder with his thumb, his eyebrows scrunched together and his eyes wide as he looked at me in shock. Everyone knew that Ash and I had called it quits months ago so I was almost certain that everyone's suspicions were running high when they saw her waiting for me.
I walked out to see her, my mouth dropping low as I noticed a small bump where her once flat stomach used to be. I did everything I could to try to fight the urge to run to the bathroom and throw up everything that was sloshing around in my stomach. I brought my hand up behind my neck, starting to rub it nervously as she smiled at me.
I watched as she walked over to me, her arms wrapping around my midsection as she brought me in close to her, my hands not even attempting to touch her as she looked up at me. She connected her gaze with mine for just a split second before she stood up on her tiptoes and placed her plump lips against mine, the feeling that once used to course through my body when they touched mine no longer there, the only thing present was resentment and guilt for hurting the girl I loved the most.
"Daddy say hi to your precious little nugget" she said as she stepped back from me, her bottom lip between her teeth as her face beamed with excitement as she gently placed both of her hands on her tiny bump that was showing through her tight shirt.
I shook my head no, both of my hands resting against the back of my head as I turned away from her letting out a stifled laugh. This couldn't be happening. Here I thought she was joking the whole time and now I see for myself that she is indeed pregnant, but now the question lied with is it my child or not.
"No Ash I'm sorry but this baby is not mine" I said to her, my eyebrows raising high and my head shaking back and forth as I threw my hands into my pocket giving her a stare.
"I'm sorry baby but I'm afraid that it is. We hooked up that night that you came back from Dallas when you were all mad and spiteful at your precious Charlie. The sex was fucking heavenly and when we were done that night I just had this feeling" she said, a happy laugh leaving her mouth as she ran her hands over her stomach.
I stopped pacing in my tracks as I looked at her, something coming over me that I wish had come into my mind hours ago. I let the news of her telling me that she was pregnant cloud out all parts of my logical train of thought as I spun back around to face her, a wide smile coming across my face that she clearly must have mistaken for happiness since the same wide one filled her face.
"You're a fucking liar" I said smiling around the words as I looked at her.
"Excuse me?" she said with a laugh, her head tilting to the side as she studied me closely.
"You heard me. You're a fucking liar. We didn't hook up that night I came home from Dallas. I called you over and I remember telling you that I wanted you to get out of my house" I said, feeling like a huge weight was being lifted from my shoulders as the pieces of this horrible puzzle were finally fitting together in all of the right ways.
"Y-you were wasted. You have no idea what happened" she said, her tone starting to falter letting me know that she was getting nervous that she was getting caught in her own trap.
"Wrong Ash, you've never been more wrong. I left the bar early that night after drinking only a few beers. You came over and thought that you were going to get lucky and I told you to leave and I distinctly remember you telling me that I was going to regret it" I said feeling the power of the conversation come back to me in waves.
"Yeah well it's your fucking word against mine" she said breaking down easier than I had thought she would at my words. "And I've already got your precious Charlie right where I want her. Who do you think she's going to believe Austin huh? The guy that broke her heart for years? Or the girl that stopped at her doorstep with legitimate proof of a baby?" she paused in her words as she looked at me with a wicked smile. "If I had to guess I think I know exactly who it will be" she said giving me a hard glare before she turned on her heel and walked out the door.
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I couldn't wait to get back home after the dinky club performance that Dre had me scheduled for, my foot was shaking against the floor the whole ride as I wished Steve would drive faster to get me home so I could hold Charlotte and tell her that it was all a fucking game. That Ashlen wasn't pregnant with my baby, that I hadn't been thinking straight when I heard the news and finally everything came together. I had tried to text her several times throughout the day, but each time there was no response. I'm sure the fact that I wasn't able to come home for my hour break due to the set back I had with Ash didn't help much.
I let out a relieved sigh as the car pulled up to the house, the door flinging open before the car even came to a full stop as I hopped out and did a light jog towards the front gates, pushing through them easily before they slammed behind me with a thud as I walked through the door.
"Charlotte, Charlotte baby where are you?" I said loudly, completely forgetting that Austy was probably asleep in the house somewhere since it was already after 1.
I walked into the kitchen to see balloons tied to a small teddy bear that said congratulations on it. A pair of blue and pink hearts clutched between its stuffed brown hands with the ultrasound pictures laying open underneath it. Next to all of it was a plate of dinner that she had promised to cook me since I had told her I would be back before my show and mixed in with it all a note that was written in delicate script, several letters widened and faded from the drops of tears. I picked it up with shaking hands as I started to read it quietly to myself.
Austin,
Congratulations on your bundle of joy baby I am so happy for you. I know that you will be just a good of a Dad to this baby as you are to Austy. I'm sorry that I had to open your private things but I had to see for myself if it were true and it is. He or she looks like they will be beautiful and healthy, and she was right... at least this one wasn't kept a secret from you and you will get to enjoy every moment of your baby's life from beginning to end. I don't know what I have decided to do yet Austin, but it's clear that you can't have two girls and two baby's in your life. I'm sorry that I wasn't awake to give you my congratulations when you got home, I just didn't have the energy to stay up. I hope you enjoy dinner, it's chicken parm you're favorite. I'll be in with Austy tonight if you're looking for me. Congratulations again Austin and despite everything I still love you to the moon and back.
Forever your girl,
Charlotte
Her letter sent a fresh wave of tears down my eyes as I quickly wiped at them. If she had just answered me she would know that this was all a lie, that the baby that was growing inside of Ash was indeed real but was not mine. I had to fix this, I had to stop her from making any impulsive decision she was thinking of making before it was too late and she was out of my life forever. I walked out of the kitchen completely ignoring my favorite meal that was lying in front of me as I headed towards Austy's room. I pushed through the door as I walked over to see Austy and Charlotte curled together in his bed. I walked up closer to them to notice that Charlotte's face was stained heavily with tears, her makeup smudged across her face and our sons arms wrapped around her neck tightly with his head buried into the crook of her neck.
I wanted to cry myself looking at her as she lay so innocent and broken in front of me, our son being her only source of comfort as my promise to everyone was broken with one small statement that was a lie. I leaned down and gave them both a quick kiss on the head scooting both of their bodies to the middle of the bed as I climbed in behind Charlotte, my arms wrapping around her immediately as I peppered her neck with soft sweet kisses, the tears falling from my eyes slowly making their way down her skin.
"I promise Charlotte, I promise that the baby isn't mine and it isn't a false promise baby. Ash isn't pregnant with my baby and I will prove it to you tomorrow, I just hope you give me a chance to explain. I love you Charlotte, please don't give up on us just yet."
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A/N: Well that was a rollercoaster to say the least! Who do you think she's going to believe in the end? As always thanks for reading, commenting and liking it doesn't go unappreciated!
~Updates~
5-31-21: I Know You're Scared of the Unknown
6-1-21: What Happens In Vegas
6-2-21: I'm No Good at Goodbyes
6-3-21: Chance Encounters
6-4-21: Changed Since Texas
6-5-21: I Know You're Scared of the Unknown and Drinking Alone
6-6-21: What Happens In Vegas