She had to talk Riley into going back to work, writing, recording and touring. He kept telling her that he didn't want to miss a single thing in his kids' lives. Lina told him that she will be fine while he's on tour but that's a big fat lie.
Gracie and Jack have been running her up the wall. Two kids under three, she's practically tearing her hair out.
Caleigh has been a godsend.
Her and her husband, Michael been named the godparents of those kids and they're truly honored.
Currently, Caleigh is hanging out with Lina at the house, trying to keep the babies busy so Lina can take a long, relaxing shower.
There's a tiny voice that makes Lina jump. She peeks out from behind the shower curtain and sees her baby boy sitting on the floor with a couple matchbox cars Riley got him.
She quickly finishes up and dries off before picking her son up.
Lina heads to the kitchen to start dinner but it's taken off guard when she sees Caleigh already cooking. "Hey!" She beams. "How was your shower? You feel better?"
"Yeah, I do. Thank you so much for watching the kids." Lina replies, sitting her son in a chair at the table.
"It's no problem! I love these babies so much." She laughs, passing Gracie off to her mother. "When's Riley supposed to be back?"
"Uh, tour's going until the last Wednesday of next month." She sighs. "Y'know I thought that this would be like any other tour but I miss him so much."
"I totally get that. I can't imagine what it's like to not have him around right now."
"I'm managin'. Thank you again for helpin' out, seriously. I really appreciate it."
"It's really no problem."
Lina looks down at Gracie who is playing with the string of the hoodie she stole from Riley's side of the closet. "I'm gonna put her down." She heads upstairs and tucks her daughter into her pink sheets.
+++
Riley picks at his lips as he paces around backstage of a hometown show.
A fucking hometown show.
He's back in Alabama and he's without Lina Shay, his love, his life.
He doesn't want to be here but there was no way out of it. Some of this show's profits go to a couple schools in Alabama, including his Alma Mater.
"Yo, Riley. You okay? I've been tryna talk to you for like five minutes."
He looks up with dark, tired eyes at the stage manger. "What? Sorry, just- just a lot on my mind." He shakes his head slightly then takes a drink from the water bottle in his clammy hand.
"I said that we got everything set up and we're doing soundcheck in about ten minutes."
"Okay." He nods and heads back stage to grab another bottle of water.
When he returns to the stage, he hears a tiny, little voice echoing around the venue.
His head shoots up and his eyes land on a little boy with the stage manger crouched next to him, holding the mic as he-
Wait.
Wait a second.
That's no ordinary kid, no.
That's his boy.
The manager spins Jack around to see his dad and both of their faces light up as they rush toward each other.
Riley scoops him up and laughs, hugging him tightly to his chest. "Jack!" He kisses his head, making him giggle."Where's your mama?"
He points to the opposite side of the stage and the two make their way towards her.
"Lina Shay?"
"Hey Ri." She smiles, their daughter on her hip.
Tears form in his chest at the sight.
She's here- his family is here with him in Alabama.
This makes it all worth it.
+++
"Riley?"
He looks up from the girl on his lap at the sound of a familier voice calling his name.
"Karen." He replies sourly, glaring at the women who gave him life. "What do you want."
"I wanted to see my son." She replies, looking at the girl he's holding. "Who's that?"
He runs his tongue across his teeth, debating on if he should tell her the truth or not.
Yeah, the truth will kill her.
"My daughter." He says, running his fingers through his baby girls soft blonde hair.
"Daug- Daughter? I have a granddaughter?"
"No." He scoffs then rolls his lips into his mouth. "I have a daughter."
"Daddy!" Jack comes running up to him, climbing up on the chair next to Riley with the biggest grin.
"You have a son, too?"
"Yep."
Karen has glossy eyes but she looks down and nods. She wants nothing more than to patch things up with her baby but Riley won't let that happen.
"Babe, you ready?" Lina asks, handing Riley a bottle of lukewarm water. "Oh, Karen, hey."
"Lina, my goodness." She sighs, looking her son's wife over. "You look great. That little girl is as beautiful as you."
"Oh, thanks." She forces a fake smile. "What brings you out?"
"I just wanted to see y'all, my son, again."
Riley shakes his head to himself as he stands with Gracie on his hip and Jack's hand in his, walking his children off to a place where he won't lose his temper in front of them or his wife.
"I miss him so much, Lina. I missed so much of his life because of what happened all those years ago." Karen brushes away a fallen tear. "I just want to apologize to him but he won't let me."
"I mean he's done so much without you so why would he let you back into his life now? if anything, it'd make you look bad. He's built his life from the ground up without any help from you or your husband. He didn't need you then, he doesn't need you now." She knows she shouldn't be sticking her nose where it doesn't belong and yes, she's aware she sounds like a Class A bitch but Karen needed to hear this.
Karen is speechless that this girl she's known for years is talking to her like this.
"Maybe try again when he's older but right now would make you seem greedy." Lina takes a few steps back. "He's doing great without you." She says then walks away to join her family.
+++
Ever since that conversation Lina had with Karen, Riley has barely left his family's side.
He's been way more involved with his kids and has been spending less time at work. He doesn't want to miss a thing in their lives.
His family is the most important thing to him and it always will be.
Lina's birthday has rolled around again and she has a huge surprise. It was a shocker for her too.
Nancy agreed to take the kids out for some ice cream while Lina talks to Riley about this secret.
"Riley?" She calls, quietly shutting the front door behind her. "Ri?"
"I'm in the bedroom." He calls back.
Lina picks up the small box from under the couch- she hid it there so Riley wouldn't find it.
"Oh my." She gasps when she sees Riley lounging back on the bed in the clothes that she's always found so attractive on him- a pair of Carhartt jeans and a Wrangler button up. "What're you doin'?" She smiles, shutting the bedroom door behind her.
"Happy birthday." He grins. "You wanna unwrap your present?"
"I will but before that, here." Lina sits next to him, handing him the small box.
"It's your birthday. You shouldn't be givin' me anything."
"Just open it." She smiles.
It's a Roll Tide onesie, a pregnancy test and a sonogram.
"No way." He says then laughs. "Are you kidding?" She shakes her head with a big smile. "Oh my god." He leans over and kisses her, hugging her tightly. "Do you know what it is?"
"It's a boy."
-end-