Zac sighed as he paced back and forth in the waiting room of the hospital where Avery had given birth at. He wasn't supposed to be here, he knew that from the start. Avery hadn't been the one to call him, Colby had because something had gone wrong during the birth and Avery had hemorrhaged and been near death and Colby had thought Zac should know.
Looking up when he heard footsteps Zac saw Colby walking towards him and he chewed on his lip, "How is she?" he asked when Colby reached him.
Colby shook her head, "Same as before. She's still in a coma and not waking up though the doctors seemed more hopeful this time."
Zac seemed to relax slightly when he heard that the doctors seemed more hopeful. "I'm just glad you called me," he said as he nodded his head at her. "You didn't have too."
"Zac, you've been in New York since the month after Avery showed up on my doorstep. You've been watching her like a damn hawk from the shadows this entire time which is a bit creepy but kind of sweet too since you know, she's having your child and all but of course I'd call," Colby shrugged as she ran a hand through her hair. "Though Avery may kill me if she finds out since she didn't want you to know about this baby or even that it was yours."
"I'm sure Avery has her reasons for not telling me yet," Zac said though in all honesty he didn't know why Avery hadn't told him. "How is my son?" he asked as his mind went to the baby boy Avery had birthed a mere day ago.
Colby gave Zac a grin as she took out her cell phone, soon holding it up to show off a picture of the child, "He's beautiful and healthy. So healthy with the best set of lungs in the whole nursery," she laughed and Zac took her phone examining the picture.
As he looked at the picture he couldn't help the tears forming in his eyes as he saw the life he had made with Avery. It was then that reality sank in, that he had another child in this world, he had a child with his sister and he knew he was lucky that their child was healthy and had even survived the pregnancy.
Zac wasn't dumb and he knew the odds of a baby created in this type of situation. He knew they weren't good but their baby was a lucky child, a miracle so he had all hopes that Avery would wake up to see it.
"Do you want me to take you back to see him?" Colby asked curiously as she looked up at Zac.
Shaking his head Zac looked at her before looking at his watch, "No, I have to be at your apartment soon."
"My apartment?" Colby questioned as she kept her curious look on Zac.
Zac nodded his head in confirmation, "I know Avery hasn't got a crib yet and her loser boyfriend doesn't have the money to buy one so I kind of sort of ordered one and it's going to be dropped off soon. I should be there to get it and set it up."
Colby sighed at that before pulling Zac into a hug, "Avery's going to wonder about that one. What am I going to tell her since you have sworn me to secrecy on letting her know you are here?" she asked him before pulling away.
"Just let her think you did it," Zac smiled as he turned and left Colby standing in the waiting room. He knew letting Avery think Colby had bought the bed and sat it up would be believable. Colby did have money that her parents had left her after they had died and it would be believable. There was no way Avery would question it.
Finishing off the crib he had just set up in Avery's bedroom, Zac walked to Avery's bed and sat down on the edge as he admired the finished product, right down to the sheet and blankets he had chosen. An airplane theme because airplanes were cool and well they didn't have Lord of the Rings stuff for nurseries but then again he had, had that disappointment with his three other children too.
Laughing slightly though his mind drifted off to Avery who via text updates with Colby he knew still wasn't awake yet and he couldn't help but get worried again even if Colby had said the doctors still felt hopeful she'd wake up soon because her vitals and stats were good.
He just didn't understand how something could go wrong during labor. Her pregnancy had been okay from what he had observed and he had observed most of it just not from the shadows. He would usually meet up with Colby every Friday at a local coffee shop, something that had started after Zac showed up on Colby's doorstep or well apartment door a month after Avery came here to New York.
He had been surprised when Colby had let him in, apparently though Avery had told her everything and Colby had promised she didn't judge them because you couldn't help who you loved but she did worry about Avery given her condition and that comment had confused Zac and let Colby know she had stuck her foot in her mouth but by then it had been too late and Colby had to reveal Avery's pregnancy to a shocked Zac.
It was after finding that out, that Zac opted to stay in New York in the old apartment he and his brothers still owned from years ago. He had called and told Kate an excuse, the best excuse he could come up with on why he'd be absent from his children's lives for awhile and surprisingly she had bought it without threatening to take custody of his children away from him and then after that everything had been a blur with Zac and Colby arranging weekly meetings so Colby could inform him of Avery's pregnancy updates, hell she had even snuck him the ultrasound picture from when Avery had found out the sex of their baby and now he kept that picture in his wallet with pictures of his other three children.
Zac wasn't sure if Avery planned to tell him about this child or if one day she planned to lie and say the boy she had only began dating a few months back was the father but at least Zac knew the truth and for now that was good enough he supposed, it would have to be because he knew soon he'd have to go back to Tulsa and just go on with life without admitting to anyone that Avery had a child, a child that was his and it was a painful thought, one made worse with his earlier thought of her lying about the paternity of the baby.
Zac could handle a lot of things but someone else claiming what was his was something he didn't take well and it was already taking all his courage not to confront Avery's new guy some loser she had met at an art gallery. He wasn't good for Avery and Zac was sure he couldn't provide for her or the baby either especially since he was still in college and just worked part time at the same record store where Colby worked.
Rolling his eyes at that thought he moved from the bed and left Avery's room, deciding to go back to the hospital for the night until visiting hours were up.
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Sitting in Avery's room two hours later Zac sighed as he looked at the baby he held in his arms before turning his attention to Avery. A nurse had walked in on him in here thirty minutes ago and off the top of his head he had made up some lie that he was her husband and he hadn't been questioned about it. She had just asked if Zac had wanted to see his son and when he had said yes, she had eventually wheeled the baby in, in his clear bassinet.
"He's beautiful Avery," Zac spoke as he kept his gaze on her. "Our son is so beautiful and healthy. You did an amazing job with him," he continued as he felt tears coming to his eyes again. "I don't know when you will ever tell me about him but I love him already" he sighed as he shook his head. "I love him more than he ever knows just like I love you."
After he said that he went silent as he looked back down at the baby in his arms and when the baby opened his eyes to look at Zac, he brought the baby up to him and he kissed his forehead softly, "I'm going to have to go back home soon. I have a family and a life there but hopefully your mom doesn't keep you from me for long," he said as he did his best to smile though inside he could feel his heartbreaking.
Hearing the door open Zac was almost scared that it was Avery's boyfriend Remi coming in, but instead he saw Colby and he calmed slightly.
"I didn't expect to see you when they said Avery had a visitor," Colby laughed as she walked a bit closer to Zac.
"I decided to come back after getting done with the crib," Zac explained as he looked away from Colby. "I leave tomorrow morning and I just want to spend what time I can here with Avery and my son.."
Colby sat down in the empty seat next to Zac, "You're really leaving?"
Zac nodded his head sadly, "I have too. My other kids need me and the band.." he explained as his voice caught in his throat because leaving his child behind was going to kill him.
Colby didn't say anything else to that and instead they just sat there in a comfortable silence until they were informed visiting hours were getting close to ending and when Zac stood up as he put his son back in the bassinet he looked at Colby as he chewed on his lip.
"When she wakes up can you...can you ask her to give the baby a part of my name?" he asked as he raised an eyebrow. "Just tell her since he can't be mine that he can have a part of me that way."
"I can try," Colby said as she gave Zac what he thought was a genuine smile. "We all know how stubborn Avery is."
"Don't we," Zac laughed as he agreed with Colby.
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Sitting in the airport the next morning Zac couldn't help the smile on his face as he looked at the text from Colby. It was a text informing him that Avery had woken up and she had also sent him a picture of Avery holding their child with a caption that said meet your son: Samuel Walker Hanson.
It was a nice name and at least it seemed Colby had won the argument on Avery giving the baby a part of Zac's name. Like his son Abraham, Samuel now also carried the name Walker.
Looking up when he heard footsteps Zac saw Colby walking towards him and he chewed on his lip, "How is she?" he asked when Colby reached him.
Colby shook her head, "Same as before. She's still in a coma and not waking up though the doctors seemed more hopeful this time."
Zac seemed to relax slightly when he heard that the doctors seemed more hopeful. "I'm just glad you called me," he said as he nodded his head at her. "You didn't have too."
"Zac, you've been in New York since the month after Avery showed up on my doorstep. You've been watching her like a damn hawk from the shadows this entire time which is a bit creepy but kind of sweet too since you know, she's having your child and all but of course I'd call," Colby shrugged as she ran a hand through her hair. "Though Avery may kill me if she finds out since she didn't want you to know about this baby or even that it was yours."
"I'm sure Avery has her reasons for not telling me yet," Zac said though in all honesty he didn't know why Avery hadn't told him. "How is my son?" he asked as his mind went to the baby boy Avery had birthed a mere day ago.
Colby gave Zac a grin as she took out her cell phone, soon holding it up to show off a picture of the child, "He's beautiful and healthy. So healthy with the best set of lungs in the whole nursery," she laughed and Zac took her phone examining the picture.
As he looked at the picture he couldn't help the tears forming in his eyes as he saw the life he had made with Avery. It was then that reality sank in, that he had another child in this world, he had a child with his sister and he knew he was lucky that their child was healthy and had even survived the pregnancy.
Zac wasn't dumb and he knew the odds of a baby created in this type of situation. He knew they weren't good but their baby was a lucky child, a miracle so he had all hopes that Avery would wake up to see it.
"Do you want me to take you back to see him?" Colby asked curiously as she looked up at Zac.
Shaking his head Zac looked at her before looking at his watch, "No, I have to be at your apartment soon."
"My apartment?" Colby questioned as she kept her curious look on Zac.
Zac nodded his head in confirmation, "I know Avery hasn't got a crib yet and her loser boyfriend doesn't have the money to buy one so I kind of sort of ordered one and it's going to be dropped off soon. I should be there to get it and set it up."
Colby sighed at that before pulling Zac into a hug, "Avery's going to wonder about that one. What am I going to tell her since you have sworn me to secrecy on letting her know you are here?" she asked him before pulling away.
"Just let her think you did it," Zac smiled as he turned and left Colby standing in the waiting room. He knew letting Avery think Colby had bought the bed and sat it up would be believable. Colby did have money that her parents had left her after they had died and it would be believable. There was no way Avery would question it.
Finishing off the crib he had just set up in Avery's bedroom, Zac walked to Avery's bed and sat down on the edge as he admired the finished product, right down to the sheet and blankets he had chosen. An airplane theme because airplanes were cool and well they didn't have Lord of the Rings stuff for nurseries but then again he had, had that disappointment with his three other children too.
Laughing slightly though his mind drifted off to Avery who via text updates with Colby he knew still wasn't awake yet and he couldn't help but get worried again even if Colby had said the doctors still felt hopeful she'd wake up soon because her vitals and stats were good.
He just didn't understand how something could go wrong during labor. Her pregnancy had been okay from what he had observed and he had observed most of it just not from the shadows. He would usually meet up with Colby every Friday at a local coffee shop, something that had started after Zac showed up on Colby's doorstep or well apartment door a month after Avery came here to New York.
He had been surprised when Colby had let him in, apparently though Avery had told her everything and Colby had promised she didn't judge them because you couldn't help who you loved but she did worry about Avery given her condition and that comment had confused Zac and let Colby know she had stuck her foot in her mouth but by then it had been too late and Colby had to reveal Avery's pregnancy to a shocked Zac.
It was after finding that out, that Zac opted to stay in New York in the old apartment he and his brothers still owned from years ago. He had called and told Kate an excuse, the best excuse he could come up with on why he'd be absent from his children's lives for awhile and surprisingly she had bought it without threatening to take custody of his children away from him and then after that everything had been a blur with Zac and Colby arranging weekly meetings so Colby could inform him of Avery's pregnancy updates, hell she had even snuck him the ultrasound picture from when Avery had found out the sex of their baby and now he kept that picture in his wallet with pictures of his other three children.
Zac wasn't sure if Avery planned to tell him about this child or if one day she planned to lie and say the boy she had only began dating a few months back was the father but at least Zac knew the truth and for now that was good enough he supposed, it would have to be because he knew soon he'd have to go back to Tulsa and just go on with life without admitting to anyone that Avery had a child, a child that was his and it was a painful thought, one made worse with his earlier thought of her lying about the paternity of the baby.
Zac could handle a lot of things but someone else claiming what was his was something he didn't take well and it was already taking all his courage not to confront Avery's new guy some loser she had met at an art gallery. He wasn't good for Avery and Zac was sure he couldn't provide for her or the baby either especially since he was still in college and just worked part time at the same record store where Colby worked.
Rolling his eyes at that thought he moved from the bed and left Avery's room, deciding to go back to the hospital for the night until visiting hours were up.
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Sitting in Avery's room two hours later Zac sighed as he looked at the baby he held in his arms before turning his attention to Avery. A nurse had walked in on him in here thirty minutes ago and off the top of his head he had made up some lie that he was her husband and he hadn't been questioned about it. She had just asked if Zac had wanted to see his son and when he had said yes, she had eventually wheeled the baby in, in his clear bassinet.
"He's beautiful Avery," Zac spoke as he kept his gaze on her. "Our son is so beautiful and healthy. You did an amazing job with him," he continued as he felt tears coming to his eyes again. "I don't know when you will ever tell me about him but I love him already" he sighed as he shook his head. "I love him more than he ever knows just like I love you."
After he said that he went silent as he looked back down at the baby in his arms and when the baby opened his eyes to look at Zac, he brought the baby up to him and he kissed his forehead softly, "I'm going to have to go back home soon. I have a family and a life there but hopefully your mom doesn't keep you from me for long," he said as he did his best to smile though inside he could feel his heartbreaking.
Hearing the door open Zac was almost scared that it was Avery's boyfriend Remi coming in, but instead he saw Colby and he calmed slightly.
"I didn't expect to see you when they said Avery had a visitor," Colby laughed as she walked a bit closer to Zac.
"I decided to come back after getting done with the crib," Zac explained as he looked away from Colby. "I leave tomorrow morning and I just want to spend what time I can here with Avery and my son.."
Colby sat down in the empty seat next to Zac, "You're really leaving?"
Zac nodded his head sadly, "I have too. My other kids need me and the band.." he explained as his voice caught in his throat because leaving his child behind was going to kill him.
Colby didn't say anything else to that and instead they just sat there in a comfortable silence until they were informed visiting hours were getting close to ending and when Zac stood up as he put his son back in the bassinet he looked at Colby as he chewed on his lip.
"When she wakes up can you...can you ask her to give the baby a part of my name?" he asked as he raised an eyebrow. "Just tell her since he can't be mine that he can have a part of me that way."
"I can try," Colby said as she gave Zac what he thought was a genuine smile. "We all know how stubborn Avery is."
"Don't we," Zac laughed as he agreed with Colby.
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Sitting in the airport the next morning Zac couldn't help the smile on his face as he looked at the text from Colby. It was a text informing him that Avery had woken up and she had also sent him a picture of Avery holding their child with a caption that said meet your son: Samuel Walker Hanson.
It was a nice name and at least it seemed Colby had won the argument on Avery giving the baby a part of Zac's name. Like his son Abraham, Samuel now also carried the name Walker.