Back at the hotel, all thoughts everything but his children and ex wife were gone from his mind. Colby had physical comfort from his once-upon-a-time lover, granted, but it wasn't the same. He wasn't feeling guilty at being unfaithful to his newest playing, Sarah, he was feeling all the guilt of abandoning Leighla and his children all those years ago.
"What happened, baby?" Zahra Schrieber gently stroked Colby's arm. They were back in the hotel, after a round of intense sleeping together. She knew something wasn't right with him. He wasn't feeling it like he usually was.
"Nothin' babe." He shook her off, laying back against the bed and closed his eyes. She sat up and rested her hand on his perfectly chiselled pecs.
"No, what happened? You seem off."
"Nothin', 'm fine." He mumbled, slightly irritated. The thoughts of his kids and ex wife were flooding his mind and he couldn't stop it. He couldn't forget about them, no matter how hard he tried to.
"Colby. Tell me."
"When i was younger, i f*cked up, okay? I made the worst mistake of my life and i'm facing the consequences now, okay? Drop it."
~~~
"Mom, i couldn't help myself. I just let all of that anger go in front of him, and it felt good."
Leighla sighed, staring at Aiden sadly. "We have to prove that we're better people than he is, by not trying to get revenge. By moving on, with him not in our lives. That's what i learned, and you have to learn it too."
"How can you not be furious at him?! He left you, pregnant with twins, with two kids under two, all by yourself, with no family, friends, money, nothing! He abandoned you! He abandoned us! How are you not angry?!" As Aiden was the eldest of the siblings, and grew up hearing his mother cry for his father almost every single night of his childhood, he was extremely protective and possessive of his mother and siblings. He didn't understand why she wasn't angry at his dad, and showing it.
"I'm furious at him, have been ever since i woke up in that aeroplane, but anger won't solve anything. You have to be mature about this, Aiden."
"I know. I just hate him. For what he did to you, us. He ruined everything."
Leighla sighed again. "I know. I understand your angry, but you have to learn to compress it o you don't scare your sisters. Talia was so scared when you started to shout."
"I know. I'm sorry about that, but i'm not sorry about my feelings. They're justified by his actions."
"I understand. What happened in that locker room? What did he say to you?"
"That we grew, he was sorry and he knows that he hasn't been a father to us."
"That's a understatement." She mumbled.
"I know. That's when i got angry. He just didn't seem to care. He was so cocky and arrogant. God, i hate him so much. I can't believe i ever idolised him."
"Things aren't always as they seem, Aiden. Just, try to keep calm and we'll deal with this in the morning." Leighla didn't know what to say, but knew everybody needed their space and time to digest all of this.
"All right. We'll talk in the morning. What happens then?"
"We'll talk about last night and what are the next steps in resolving this whole thing."
Aiden was about to leave the small living room, but something in Leighla snapped and she realised something. She needed to tell the whole truth.
"Aiden, wait." She lunged forwards, turning him to her.
"What's up, mom?"
"When you guys were little, when you were about six years old, i was served with papers. They were no contact papers. A third party had Colby sign them. They said Colby gave up all of his parental rights, and didn't want contact with you guys or me. Now that you guys have had contact, we'll probably have to go to court, but it's probable that he's gonna try to get his rights back and fight for you guys. To take you away from me."
"What?!" He snapped, twisting quickly to face his mom. "Why didn't you tell us before we went?! We never would've gone! Or, i would when i was old enough for him to have no rights to me! Why didn't you tell us?!"
"I was trying to protect you." Leighla sadly whispered.
"From what?"
"Him. He ruined our lives. He caused us so much pain, and he's doing it again, i know he's gonna wanna try and take you guys away, to help with his image, or he may love you. But i doubt it. I just-i don't get it." She quietly said, bowing her head, tears threatening to spill.
"Don't get what?"
"Why does he keep hurting me? Why won't he stop hurting me?" She whispered, sniffling as the tears starting to flow.
"Come here." Aiden sadly said, pulling his mother into his arms as she cried a little. He pressed a kiss to her head, rubbing her back.
"We're gonna get through this. I promise momma. I promise we'll keep him away, and he's not gonna take us away. I won't let him."
When Colby was home, and his new plaything had finally given him some time to breathe without her in his face or personal space, he was looking though the scrapbook that his children had given-or rather thrown at him.
The first was when Aiden was just born, and one of his ex's adopted newphews had drawn he and Leighla as a king and queen, with Leighla's belly was big and housed a unborn child that would later be known as the young man who chewed him out for leaving them.
The second Aiden had drawn when Elijah had just been born. Leighla, badly yet adorably drawn in pink crayon, was holding the little purple scribble that was the baby, he was next to her, drawn in blue crayon, whilst their eldest was standing as tall as his knees, drawn in green.
The third was when they were on a little island, Leighla drawn a little better in pink crayon, her belly big, with the two boys holding her hands. They were all smiling, yet Colby hated to notice that he wasn't drawn in that picture.
The fourth was a little journal entry. He read it carefully, barely managing the scribbly words written in dark blue felt pen.
Dear daddy, it's been a really really long time since me, Eli and mommy have seen you. Are you coming home soon? We really, really miss you. Mommy had the best news today, daddy. She's having two babies! How fantabulous is that?! I hope you'll come back and see us, and them, soon. I miss you daddy, but i love with from the tips of my toes to the very top of my head. Mommy misses you too daddy. Why's she sad? Mommy says it's because of the babies, but i don't get why they make her sad. Eli doesn't get it either, but we make mommy feel better, but i know you'll do a way better job when you come back. We've lived on the island for a while now daddy, so, you're gonna have to go on a treasure hunt to find us! I hope you do, cause i miss you, and i wanna see you soon.
Love and kisses,
Aiden.
Good god, what have i done? Colby thought as he looked past the journal entry and went to the next one. It had Leighla drawn in the front, two pink scribbles on her chest, the boys drawn in blue and green next to them. The caption was written in yellow. It said something that broke his heart.
We love you and miss you daddy.
The next picture was of Aiden's first day, followed by a few of him in school, a few dances, before one with the two pink scribbles on their legs, walking. He swallowed down bile as he looked at the next few, which was them feeding the girls solids and the next was drawn way better. It was the back of all of them, walking. Just like a proper family. The next made him sick. It was Leighla looking sad, teardrops drawn on her face, as the others smiled around a Christmas tree. The next made his heart lurch, which was Eli's first day. It was drawn better again, and the next few followed the last schools' order. One was of Leighla opening up a shop where they lived, whilst another was of Leighla's family coming to stay. The next few were the twins' school days, and of Aiden and Eli's individual talents. Aiden's were all different sports and music, whilst Eli's were art and music, with a bit of sports thrown in there. The next were drawn extremely well. It was of a school dance, where Aiden held a pretty blonde's hand. The next was the same for Elijah, holding a red head's hand. The drawings got better and better, until they stopped at one. It was a perfect drawing of Leighla, or what she looked like now, which was helpful to him, Aiden, Elijah and the two girls all smiles. A black figure stood behind them in the doorway, drawn in a head to toe black suit, a large red 'X' over it. He gulped. That was the boys' interpretation of him.
He attempted to put the book down, with trembling hands, before dropping it, seeing two folded pieces of cream paper fall out. He unfolded them and read.
Daddy,
why won't you come home?! It's been ages dad! The girls are almost three! Mom works so hard for us, but she shouldn't have to. Should she, dad? No, she shouldn't. All the other kids have dads, why can't i have mine back? Mom's really sad, and she's always tired because your not there to help. But, i shouldn't get angry at you. Mom told me that, that if you loved us, even for a minute, you'd come back to us. I just hope it's soon. I don't think I can handle the kids speaking about you not being there, nor mom being so tired and sad for much longer.
Love,
Aiden and Elijah.
~~~
To the 'man' we used to call father,
It's been years now. And not a word. Hatred and resentment don't even begin to describe what we feel for you. You broke our mother, the only constant in our entire lives, so, we don't need you any more.
We never needed you. We will never need you again.
And we will never see you agian, and now, that's completley fine. No, it's not only fine, it's preferable. We'll never want to see your face again, just like you never wanted to see ours' again.
Oh, and, by the way, in closing. You have twin daughters. You never had and never will know about them, but that's for their own benefit. They won't go through the pain of being abandoned, not like we did.
Goodbye our sperm doner.
The sons you never knew, nor cared about.
"That's it!" Colby barked to himself, getting up at incredible speed, grabbing his walet and storming out the house.
To the place he never should have left.