"I have a son," he said to her. Luke waited for Rebecca's reaction but she didn't seem to have one. She was just as in shock as he was. There was going to be a lot of children in their future.
"You tell me this now?" Rebecca fumed. Shit, Luke thought. This was harder than he thought. He didn't want to drive Rebecca away; he loved her for heaven's sake! As Rebecca heaved, Luke tried to grab her hand but she pulled away.
"Give me some credit," Luke said, "I didn't exactly know until two days ago when his mother told me out of the blue!"
Rebecca grasped one of her wrists and rested her hands on her head as she stood up. She looked overwhelmed. Luke knew stress wasn't good for a pregnant lady nor a developing baby. The last thing he wanted was to be the reason her baby-their baby-had a difficult time growing.
"Why would she not tell you? Did she not have any faith that you would be a great dad? What's that saying about us?" Rebecca asked. She shut her eyes, stopping tears from coming down and Luke took this opportunity to hold her in his arms. She didn't fight it much to his surprise.
"I never loved her the way I love you. Rebecca listen to me," Luke said. He took Rebecca's hands apart and intertwined his fingers with hers. "I love you and I love our baby. I will be here the whole time, I promise you."
"And what about your other son? Gosh Luke, do you even know his name? Do you know anything about him? What kind of monster doesn't know his own son!" Rebecca cried.
"Don't," Luke snapped. The last thing he wanted was Rebecca telling him he was a monster. He knew what a monster was and that wasn't what he was trying to be. For goodness' sake, Luke didn't know he even had a child! How was it possible that Rebecca was making it sound like it was his fault he didn't know.
After a few deep breaths, Luke was calm again. He couldn't lose his temper when his girlfriend was pregnant. He wasn't going to do that. He wasn't like that.
"Enough about that. Tell me, how far along are you?" Luke asked.
"Seven weeks," Rebecca told him softly.
"When's your next check-up?"
"Next month, on the fourteenth."
Luke sighed. Next month was when the world tour was in full swing. He needed to skip out on a show or something to be with Rebecca. He was filled with empty promises now.
"You don't have to go," Rebecca said quickly. Luke was about to speak but she cut him off. "I know how busy you are."
The hardest part about this conversation with the love of his life was that she wasn't wrong. The father never really needed to be there but they were there for support. How would Luke support Rebecca all the way here when she was in Sydney? This was going to take a lot more than Luke had to offer.
"Any break that I have, I'll come see you. I promise you. Don't give up on me yet. I know the whole thing... with my son and stuff is a lot to handle but push that aside. You're the number one thing in my life right now and hell that isn't going to change," Luke said to Rebecca. He would trudge to the end of the world for this girl. Slowly as he thought about it, he was a bit ecstatic that she was bearing his child. Slowly, he was falling in love with the idea of holding a baby boy or girl in his arms as Rebecca sat next to him, tickling the beautiful creature they created. That baby growing in his girlfriend's stomach was Luke's. He couldn't make up for past time with Bryce but he start doing the right thing with Rebecca now.
"I love you Becc," Luke said, almost pleading that she didn't leave him. Was that even an option for her? It wasn't for him.
"I love you too," Rebecca cried. Tears eventually spilled from her eyes and Luke wiped them away, kissing her forehead. He loved her, oh gosh did he love her.
Luke's phone buzzed and he cursed under his breath as Rebecca sniggered. Somehow she must've found Luke's distress amusing. There was going to be a lot of that now that he had a son and another on the way.
It was a text message when Luke unlocked his phone. It was from Carrie. He had saved her number all this time because he didn't think months ago that he would be having a child with Rebecca nor have his ring on her finger.
Carrie B: We're in the lobby. I have to be at work at 1, hurry up will ya?
Luke: On it.
Clearing his throat, Luke locked his phone and then took a deep breath. He looked Rebecca in the eye and she smiled warmly at him.
"Do you want to... head to the spa? It's on the floor above us."
Luke remembered Carrie's words about his first meeting with his son to only be his. Somehow the thought of telling Rebecca that made him uneasy. Instead, he'd keep this from her knowledge. Lying always seemed like the easier idea, never the better one.
"I'd like that, yeah. On your credit card?" Rebecca teased. She grabbed her phone and a key card for the hotel suite.
"Anything you like," Luke assured her. He knew he came off as agitated but he didn't want to be.
"Great. See you in a bit."
"Love you!"
"Love you!"
Once Rebecca left, Luke waited a couple of minutes before sprinting to the elevators and going into one. He punched the lobby button and shuffled on his feet as the stupid calming music played in the three metres by three metres little square. The ridiculous music made this even more unbearable.
When the doors opened and were at the lobby, Luke ran out and slowed to a jog when Carrie's red hair stood out amongst the people. In her arms was a brown-haired little boy. He had Luke eyes, you could see the bright sky blue mixed with a little bit of a sea green. Hesitantly, Luke walked up to the two.
"Hey," he said.
"Hey. Bryce, say hello to Luke," Carrie said. She turned her whole body so that the little boy would turn from his mother to give Luke a look.
When Luke saw how much they looked alike, he knew Carrie wasn't lying. Bryce had taken Luke's eyes, nose and thin lips but his face was rounder from Carrie. The kid was cute nonetheless. Luke couldn't deny that this beautiful little boy was someone he wanted to see grow up. Now that it was right in front of him, he saw it. Luke wanted to watch his soccer games and come to Father's Day teas with him at school. He wanted to help him tie a tie for school or give him advice when he wanted to ask a girl out. Luke wanted to be not only a father but his dad too.
"He's shy," Carrie shrugged when Bryce didn't say anything. The little boy just stared at the tall, blonde older man that he obviously didn't know was his father.
"Momma's going to leave you with Luke, okay? I'll be back tonight. I want you to be on your best behaviour little man," Carrie told her son. Luke bit back a smile. He couldn't wait to spend the day with Bryce. He had plenty of practice with kids since Ben had his daughter Elle. Luke had a wish of getting the two to know each other. They were cousins after all.
Luke watched as Carrie let Bryce down to the floor. On his back was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pack that seemed like it was stuffed to the top. Luke smirked. He liked them too.
"I love you Bryce, be good!" Carrie said. She looked over at Luke who was waiting for Bryce to hop into his arms. He did so reluctantly and shyly. Luke gave him a high five with a free hand once his son was in his arms. Bryce hit it and Luke internally grimaced when his son's hands were cold and sweaty with anxiety.
"You have my number if anything goes wrong. There's some notes in the front pocket of his bag in case anything else happens. He shouldn't be too much trouble; he's allergic to peanuts and strawberries," Carrie said, "The injector's somewhere in there too."
"Injector? Anaphylaxis?" Luke stammered.
"Yes sir. Don't worry, he doesn't need it unless he doesn't have peanuts or strawberries."
Carrie must've seen the fear in Luke's eyes because hesitantly, she walked over to him and cupped his hollow cheek.
"You'll be fine," she assured him.
"What time will you come back?" Luke asked, holding Carrie's wrist to keep her warm hand at his skin. She felt nice and that was one of the reasons he kept her so dear to him.
"I'm hoping to get off at eight but you know how it works," Carrie shrugged. Luke nodded. Carrie's job was demanding. She was a nurse and she worked long, difficult hours. Luke wondered how it was to work so long and then have a little kid back home.
"You can keep him here as long as you like," Luke said. Carrie gave him a thankful smile and pulled her hand away. Then she kissed her son's cheek and looked at Luke before walking out of the lobby.
When Carrie was gone, Luke kept Bryce in his arms as they went back to the elevators. Bryce kicked his feet to be put down and Luke pressed the floor button. He secretly hoped Rebecca was going to be at the spa the whole day. She needed it anyway.
It was quiet between them. Luke didn't like it. He didn't like how he didn't know what to say to his own bloody son. If that wasn't the worst feeling as a parent then Luke didn't know what was. It was like torture; a slow and painful death.
When the elevator dinged and it opened a floor below Luke's, he gasped when he found Calum and Lynn making out.
"Guys, there's a child here," Luke exclaimed. The two pulled away and their eyes widened at the little boy holding Luke's hand. They definitely knew it was his.
"Shit- I mean darn. Is that...?" Calum stared at the little boy as the elevator doors closed behind him and his girlfriend. Lynn didn't have much of an expression. Luke knew it'd be something they'd all have to get used to... including him.
"Bryce, this is Calum and Lynn. They're my friends," Luke said. He pulled Bryce back into his arms who seemed more comfortable than before with him. Luke was glad.
"He's yours?" Lynn exhaled. Luke nodded briefly and bounced Bryce in his arms just before the doors opened to Luke's floor.
"I'll see you guys at dinner," Luke said, not daring to look his mates in their eyes for a true explanation. When the two boys made it to the hotel suite, Luke was happy to know that Rebecca was still at the spa. It had only been twenty minutes. He sent her a text message quickly after settling Bryce on the luxurious bed to get Rebecca's nails done and go full out. Rebecca didn't waste any time with a quick 'okay.'
"Are you hungry?" Luke asked Bryce. The two year old shook his head, slowly taking his pack off of his shoulders and swinging it to his front to open the first pocket. Out came a yellow and blue pen. It was the injector. Luke watched Bryce slowly take it out and gesture it to his father. Luke walked up and took it from Bryce, examining it.
"Let's hope you won't need that," Luke said, walking over to the tiny desk that the suite provided them with. He placed the injector next to Luke's laptop and then Luke went over to Bryce to see him playing with four green action figures.
"Those are cool," Luke said, pointing to the green turtles that kept his son occupied. "Do you have a favourite?"
Hesitantly, Bryce picked up the turtle with the blue eyepiece. He was tangled in a fight with the the one with the violet eyepiece. The little boy's chubby fingers grasped onto the turtle known to Luke and many others as Leonardo. Luke smirked which turned into a big smile.
"He's my favourite too," Luke chuckled. For the longest time, Luke watched Bryce as he just fiddled with the action figures, completely at awe with the mere pieces of plastic. How could something so simple take all of a human's attention span?
Luke's phone rang about twenty minutes later, startling Bryce. He tried to comfort his own son who just pulled away. Luke frowned but answered his phone, standing from the bed to walk around the suite.
"Hello?" Luke asked.
"Hey."
"Mum, hi. How are you?"
"I'm good, and yourself?"
"I'm pretty good. What's up?"
"I think Bryce is a wonderful name Luke."
Busted.
"I was going to tell you," Luke lied. The thought of him telling his mother that he had gotten one of his little fuck-buddies pregnant wasn't exactly comforting. The thought never actually crossed his mind. What kind of son was he?
"What stopped you? Does Rebecca know? I assume she knows; it's all over the internet," Liz said.
"Seriously? I don't think she knows. She doesn't look herself up or me; at least I really don't think she does or should," Luke told his mum.
"I'd like to meet this son of yours Luke."
"You're not disappointed?"
"Goodness, just a little bit. I expect you to do whatever you can to make that boy's life as comfortable as it can be. You can't make up for past time with him but you can start trying to be there for him now."
"I know."
"Hey, don't be upset with yourself. I'm assuming you didn't know prior this week."
"No, I didn't."
"Then do whatever you can to make it right. There are photos all over with his mother and you fairly intimate at the hotel. Is he with you right now?"
"Yeah, he's with me."
Shit, Luke mentally cursed. He had to make things right before another issue of whatever-magazine showed him with a woman who wasn't Rebecca Richards.
"All right, I suppose I should let you get to him. I love you Luke," his mother told him. Luke's heart swelled. He loved his mother so much that words could never suffice the feelings in his heart. His mother was never one to get angry at things like this. She understood how it felt to be trapped. She was a wise woman and being there for her son was probably her number one thing right now.
"I love you too. I'll see you soon," Luke dismissed. Liz hung up in a couple of seconds and Luke put his phone back in his pocket.
When Luke went to walk back to Bryce, he stopped playing. Luke wondered if everything was all right.
"You okay Bryce?" Luke asked. A part of him wanted to touch him, just to make sure he was okay.
"Daddy," Bryce called. Luke furrowed his eyebrows. He didn't know if Bryce was asking if Luke was his father or not. What was he supposed to say? Did Carrie want Bryce to know that Luke was his father now or was she going to wait?
"Daddy," Bryce repeated, as if asking for a confirmation.
"Yeah," Luke exhaled with a smile, "I'm your daddy."
Bryce seemed a lot more comfortable with Luke in the hours to come. Luke was enjoying himself because Bryce was fun to be around. He was full of life and Luke loved it. Maybe he got that trait from Carrie. Luke then wondered what Bryce inherited from his genes.
When Luke heard the door jingle, he panicked. He stood from his spot on the couch and just stared at the door until Rebecca came in with a smile on her face. As soon as she spotted Bryce, it faded.
"He needed a babysitter," Luke blurted out. He didn't want to lose Rebecca. He didn't want to lose her like this. When she smiled once again, he finally felt at ease. Maybe things were going to be okay.
"Well I'm not going to stand here and pretend that he's not there," Rebecca said. The pregnancy seemed to have given her a big boost of confidence. She walked right up to Bryce and gave him a big smile.
"Hi Darling," Luke heard Rebecca say. He watched her whisper something to him that he couldn't hear and immediately Bryce giggled. Just maybe things would be just fine.
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I feel like this is going nowhere. *sigh*