*THAT'S MARLEY to the side or at the top! I know a few people were asking, so that's what he looks like!
Zayn's POV
"Get the fuck out," I tell her as she stands in front of me with this amused smirk. I don't want to be a major dick and that's only because of the little boy standing here.
"I'm not going anywhere," she says coolly and confidently. God, I'd love to smack the smirk right off of her face. But if she keeps pissing Charlie off, I won't have to worry about that. "I've brought our son to spend time with his father."
I pale at this, knowing she's pretty much got me by the balls at this point. I don't know what the fuck I'm going to do. "Why do you think it's okay to do this?" My voice is beyond low at this point.
"Do what? I can't bring your kid to see you? That's not what we agreed on."
"I told you I needed time."
"And you've had plenty. I'm not gonna make him suffer while you go play house with your other brats and-"
She prods her finger into my chest so I grab her arm. "Don't you dare talk about my fucking kids like that."
"Woah, woah. What the hell's going on here? Zayn?" Louis says, standing between us.
"Nothing," both Genevieve and I say at the same time as I let her arm go. "We're just having a friendly chat," she continues.
"Well it doesn't look all-"
"Go away," I tell him a bit more rudely than I should have, but I'm dealing with a fuck load of things right now, and the less info everyone knows about this, the better. Though Louis already knows, I'm sure of it.
Holy shit. It all makes sense; this...this is why he hired her. He fucking knew. This asshole knew, and he didn't think to tell me. Not once.
"You knew, didn't you?" I turn to face him now. He looks taken aback, but his eyes quickly shift to Genevieve. "You knew she had my kid, but you didn't think to tell me about it? The one person this affects the most? What the fuck is wrong with you two?"
Louis ignores my outburst and shoves me to the side, before looking at the little boy, who's now half standing behind Genevieve and staring at the ground. Shit, I've scared him. I'd rather not scare the shit out of him, but I know Louis wants to see if he looks like me- I get it. I mean, I saw him at her house after the party, and I saw a couple of similarities- the dark hair, the brown eyes, pronounced eyebrows.
It just seems like the more I look at him, the more he looks like me.
"Fuck...this...fuck," Louis runs his fingers through his hair. "It's yours?" he bellows. "How the...how old is he?"
"He just turned two in March," Genevieve quips. I could throw up; I've done the math, I know all of this already, but I feel queasy when she actually says it to someone other than me.
"But didn't you just turn-"
"Twenty? Yeah, so what?" She becomes really defensive. "I got pregnant at seventeen, had him at seventeen in March, and turned eighteen that May."
"Holy shit. Holy shit. You..." he turns to me. Why is this surprising? I thought he knew this? "You fucking idiot."
I drop my head because if that's not the truest thing I've ever heard, then I don't know what is anymore.
"This can't get out!" He shouts, but I snap my head and glare at him. "If this gets out, your image is ruined!"
"Fuck my image! What about my God damned fiance?" My heart starts beating faster at the thought of Charlie finding out. I think I hear Genevieve sigh, but I don't entertain that right now. And then I remember the old guy she was talking to (who wasn't even old, but still), and panic starts to wash over me. She knows. She already knows.
"Leave," I tell Genevieve and Louis. "I want everyone out of here, including you two. I don't give a shit how it happens, but make it happen." I turn and start walking towards the house. "Now."
"And what would it look like if I left now? What difference would it make?" Genevieve yells towards my retreating form. "Plus, your BFF already saw me, so it doesn't matter anyway, now does it?"
I tune out whatever else she says. I can't think about Harry right now...there are bigger fish to fry than dealing with my best mate's concerned stare.
Charlie's POV
I cannot believe this. The nerve. The fricking, fucking nerve. I was having such a good time with my babies, with Bryson; I was even improving my beer pong skills as I played with Niall, but then he had to go and ruin it all.
And now that I've told him off, I need a minute...or ten. I don't know what I did in my past life to piss so many people off that warrants this kind of karma, but it's certainly coming back to kick me in the butt now.
I think I'm gonna go see my dad. I know there's people over, but you know...I don't care. I'm just the right amount of pissed off to deal with my mother, but just the right amount of sad to cry on my dad's shoulder. I head up the stairs to get my purse. I should bring-
"H-hey," I hear from behind me. I blink, way too overwhelmed to respond. "Charlie? Where...where are you g-going?"
"To my parents' house."
'W-what? No. No." He surprises me by rushing up to me. I turn around and stare at him. "No. Please. I'm...I'm sorry. Please. I swear I didn't-"
What? "What are you talking about Zayn?"
He grabs my hands in his, holding me close to him. "I..." he stops, assessing my face. "You...what?"
"What's going on?" I shake my hands from his and take a step back. I don't know what the heck's wrong with him, but I know I don't need anything else added to my plate.
"I...you're going to your parents?" He shifts his eyes all around and twiddles his thumbs at his sides. "To live...like to stay there?"
"No..." I trail off. "To visit my dad..."
"Oh." He takes a breath. "Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Right now?"
I fold my arms across my chest. "Yes. Now what's wrong?"
"What?" Seriously? You have a mini panic attack and you expect me to just brush it off?
"You were apologizing to me." As if I need to remind him. "What happened?"
"Oh yeah. No it's...do you want me to drive you?"
"No. I want you to tell me what's wrong."
He seems to be struggling with something, as his eyes focus on the window behind me. "Who was that guy?"
"Why were you apologizing? Where are the kids? Did something happen to the kids?" I feel the panic start to build inside of me now. I swear, if my kids got hurt or something, I'll flip the fuck out.
"No, no." He takes a few cautious steps towards me. "It's...I..." he stops, letting his eyes fall shut. Okay, I'm really starting to worry now.
"Zayn..." I feel my voice crack, causing him to open his eyes and stare at me with his own sad ones.
"It's...it's nothing. It's just...Genevieve showed up. Yeah. Yeah, she showed up. and I know you don't like her, and I didn't invite her, I promise. I don't know how she, but I just-"
Oh, of course. Stupid Genewhore. I don't even have space in my brain to think about that right now. Cause somehow I knew she'd show up. She seems to have a knack for appearing places to which she's uninvited.
I walk over to him and place my hands on his face. "Hey, hey. It's okay. I'm...I'm not gonna be her-"
He relaxes into my touch, but he looks so troubled. "No. I'm gonna make her leave, don't worry. I know you don't like her, and I really fucking hate her, so she's not going to be around us anymore. And I shouldn't have forced her around you and-"
"Hey, relax, would you?" I manage a small smile and caress his cheeks. "It's..you know." I take the initiative of placing a soft kiss to his lips, not dragging it out much. But I'm more than thrown off when he doesn't respond to it. "It's..not fine, but it has to be right now, okay? Now I was gonna bring the kids with me, but I don't think I will; they're having fun. You should have seen them. Harry dragged out the pretend grill we bought them and put it next to the real one, so Mar and Li were pretending to cook burgers and stuff-whatever Harry was cooking; it was hilarious. So yeah, I'll bring them tomorrow. Plus, I've gotta warm my mom up, you know? She might pass out if I bring not only myself, but my two more kids that she despises."
He doesn't even crack a smile.
*
I hop out of the cab in front of the oddly familiar small house buried in the suburbs of Queens. For a place I haven't been to in two years, and lived in for three, it's too memorable.
Nothing looks any different. My mom used to care about things such as plants and keeping the grass low enough so the place didn't look abandoned; maybe even throw a decoration or two on the front lawn. But you can tell those days are long gone, probably with the looming death of my father hanging over like a black cloud.
I bring myself up the walkway. The last time I was here, I had Zayn with me. I wish he was here now; he'd handle this like it was no problem at all. He'd defend me against anyone who dared say anything that even remotely pissed him off, he'd hold my hand, even knock on the door like it's nothing at all. I need that right now, but I know I need to do this alone a little bit more.
I knock quickly, but loud enough so that I know that I'm heard. "Who is it?" I hear from the other side.
"It's me," I say, hoping that my mom hasn't completely blocked my voice out of her memory. I hear a lock click before I'm face to face with her. she looks even more run down since the last time I saw her, with heavy, dark circles underneath her eyes and a grimace on her face.
She doesn't say anything, but she does manage to move to the side, I guess so I can walk in. I walk down the tiny hallway with the hideous Persian runner that mom's had forever to the back room; I have a feeling he's been set up here, since it wouldn't make too much sense to put him upstairs in my parents' room.
I nearly lose it at the site of him. He looks at least ten years older than he actually is, and he's lost even more weight than before. There's a slight odor to the room, but I'll do what I have to do to be in here with him. I try not to disturb him as I take a seat on the chair across from the hospital bed that I'm sure my mom spent her last to have installed down here. "Kiddo," he surprises me by saying, though it's a mere whisper.
"How'd you know it was me?" I reply back, equally soft.
"Because your mom's never that quiet when she enters a room." His eyes open then-not much, but enough, as he musters a smile. "I'm glad you came."
"Me too, dad," I say, feeling myself become emotional already. I discretely (or so I hope) wipe my tears away as I take a look around the room. "You know I can't stay away from my favorite guy."
"Oh please," he chokes. "Zeus is your favorite guy now."
"You mean Zayn?" I laugh.
"Yeah, whatever. Same thing."
"Though I think there's one guy that's got everyone beat," I tell him, pulling my chair closer. "Marley."
"You got me there," he whispers, coughing. "How is the little guy? And Li?"
"They're good. I would have brought them, but..." I trail off, not sure how to finish that.
"You don't want them to see me like this," he finishes for me. It's true; I don't think I'm quite ready to explain to them that their grandpa is leaving even sooner than he appeared in their lives. Sometimes I think I made a mistake by introducing them in the first place. But it was my dad's last wish, and who am I to deny him of that?
"Listen, Charlie," he sighs. "I don't know how long I've got left, but...you've," he coughs. "You've been the best daughter I could have ever asked for. Y-you grew up to become a beautif-beautiful young lady despite what your wacky mom says."
I can't do this. "Dad."
"No. Listen to me. You've done nothing but make me proud since I came into both you and your mom's lives. I remember when Nor first introduced us, and you didn't like me, I could tell." He's right. "You were so u-used to it being you and your mom, and I didn't know if I'd ever be able to build that relationship with you. But low and behold, we clicked, kiddo. And you became the daughter I never coulda had."
I'm not sobbing, I'm not. But I feel the wetness on my cheeks. And this time, he doesn't try to stop me.
"And now you've got two of your own to make you proud." He fights to turn his head and look at me. "I want you to take care of them. No matter what happens, no matter what you're going through, I want you to take care of those babies. They're beautiful and smart and they're g-good kids," he begins wheezing a bit. "And I know...I know they'll make you proud, like you made me."
I close my eyes, feeling my shoulders slouch. "I love you kiddo. I know we're not lovey dovey, which I think is why your mom and I work so well, but that's beside the point. I just want you to know before it's too late."
"I love you too, dad."
Zayn's POV
"Daddy! No!" Li squeals as I splash her once again with some water. She begins to cry as the shampoo starts to run down her face.
"Daddy, I think she gotted it in her eyes," Mar says, trying to look into her face. "Hold on Li, daddy's gonna get it out of dere."
I roll up the sleeves of my sweatshirt and quickly rinse out her hair, and splash some water into her eyes-against her better wishes. But I have to make sure the shampoo is out. I pluck her out of the tub and go to the closet to get a towel. "You just about finished bud?" I ask Marley as I start off drying Li. She's tired; I can see it all over her face.
And now my sweatshirt's soaked. "Yes, I be done in one minute. I wanna play with dis boat."
I smile, sitting down on the toilet and begin to dress my daughter. Everyone left a number of hours ago, and Charlie's not back yet, so it's just the kids and I. And Harry, who-being the gentleman that he is- decided to stay and help clean up. And maybe I told him I wasn't doing shit since this wasn't my barbecue in the first place.
It's been a day for the books. And after I argued with Genevieve some more and she stormed off, I myself am exhausted. But I can't bring myself to go to sleep until my babe comes home.
I couldn't tell her about Gen and me and the kid. I know she doesn't need that right now, and call me selfish, but I also know that when she does find out, there's a huge chance she's gone. And probably for good this time. And I can't handle that, even though I know I deserve it.
"I'm done, daddy," Mar says, standing up and going to step out of the tub. I toss him a towel since he likes to dry himself off and get himself dressed. Pretty independent, that one.
He dresses himself in his little boxer briefs and white t shirt. "Now I can be like you. You sleep in dese too," he smiles, pointing to the Batman undergarment. I ruffle his hair, and bring him close to me before pecking the top of his head.
"That's right, buddy."
"We can read a story now?" I nod, standing up and cleaning up a little, even though Liyana's sleeping. Fuck it, whatever I don't get to, I'll clean in the morning.
We walk up to Li's bedroom first; might as well drop her off and tuck her in. I plug in the Disney Princess nightlight-a gift from Charlie, of course- and pull the covers over her before giving her a quick peck to the forehead and exiting the room.
"Now for you," I tell Mar as he grabs my hand and swings it. "What do you wanna hear?" He runs over to his racecar bed and hops in, before pulling the covers up to his chin.
"Can you make a story to tell to me?"
Oh? Damn, now I've got to get creative. "Alright. Let me think." He scoots over and makes space for me in his bed, which I'm much too big for, but whatever; we'll live.
"How about..." I think. "How about-" Oh wait. The story of how Charlie and I met probably isn't the best one to tell him...not exactly kid friendly, if you catch my drift. But she's all I can seem to think about, so.
"How about da one where Harry losted me at da house when I was a baby?"
I can't with this kid. "You wanna hear that one again?"
"Yeah," he cuddles up to me. "It's my favorite one cause everyone was looking for me and dey founded me."
"Well, alright then. We'll tell that one, yeah?"
He nods, so I begin. "So this one time, daddy was sitting at the table playing chess with his two girl...with two people-"
"Was mummy one of dem?"
"Nope." Unfortunately. She was with Luke in the fucking broom closet if I'm recalling correctly. "So then Uncle Harry wanted to show you off to all of his friends because you were the best baby ever. So he took you all around the house, yeah?" I can already see him dozing. "And Liam and Sophia really wanted to hang out with you, so Uncle Harry let you hang out with them while he went to get a drink of...water. And then when he came back to get yo-"
"Now why don't you tell it like it is, Zaynie?" Harry appears in the doorway, interrupting. "You were bein' a hoe and Charlie was chasing Luke and you weren't watching your kid and he got lost."
"Really, you dick?" I turn to Marley, who lightly snores. I quietly slip out of the bed, before turning the light off and heading down the stairs towards the living room, Harry in tow.
"So everything's clean." He sits down across from me as I begin to roll myself a blunt. "Now speaking of hoes...what was Genevieve doing here?"
Christ. I know I said I didn't want to tell anyone, but I feel like I need to get this off my chest. I lean back into the couch and cover my eyes with my hands. "And more importantly, who the fuck's kid is that?"
I tense at the mention of a child; a child I can't even bring myself to know. What a fucked up situation. "Zayn. Spill it."
The seriousness in his voice makes me look up. I take a deep breath and begin the tale. "So apparently, I...when...fuck."
"Oh yeah, real descriptive," Harry snorts. I get up and go to the balcony to smoke, and he follows.
"So apparently when I was flying back and forth between New York and Bradford for those few weeks leading up to and after Charlie's delivery Freshman year, I uh, I slept with a number of people-while I was in New York. Which- I mean, I knew I you know, acknowledge that I fooled around with some randoms, but, I guess..." I can already tell Harry doesn't like the direction in which this is going. "I guess one of those randoms was Genevieve."
"Oh, for fuck's sake. Are you-"
"Let me finish." I inhale on my blunt and blow the smoke out. "And so, I guess we didn't use protection and...fuck. Fuck me. Fuck her."
"Oh you fucked her alright. And now what? Are you telling me that kid is yours?"
"I...yes. He's two, a few months younger than Marley. She was seventeen, and I was eighteen, I guess, I don't remember. But I wasn't with Charlie at the time, so that's good right? That will help my case? Like, I didn't cheat on her."
He shakes his head. He wants to punch the shit out of me, I can tell. "And how do you know it's yours?"
"Because. I mean, she broke down that night, man. Like, majorly. And I like, tried to console her and whatnot. The night of her birthday? And then when I went inside and he was there, and fuck, Harry. He looks like me and everything."
"You better get a DNA test."
"I believe her."
"I don't believe you. You've done a lot of shit, but really Zayn? Really?" He's fucking pissed. "Of all the sluts in the sea, you had to screw that one? Without a condom? Jesus, I can't believe you. Give me that." He takes the blunt from my hands and inhales. "You're...fuck, you're so dumb."
"I know."
"No, I don't think you know. If Charlie-"
"She won't. Because I'm not going to tell her. Not yet, anyway. And neither are you." I look at him with enough seriousness so he gets that I'm not playing. But he's looking down at the balcony.
But then he looks at me and shakes his head. "Oh no. Nuh uh. I've kept a secret from her for you before, and it fucked everything up. I'm not lying to her again."
"Harry, please. I'm going to handle it." I pinch the bridge of my nose. "Please, I'm begging you. Don't say a word."
"No, don't give me that shit. You better tell her and soon, or I will, I promise you that."
A/N: There you go! I know a few people were confused with the timeline, so hopefully that cleared it up! Thoughts on this one?
Please vote and tell me what you think! I love reading the comments<3
: )