Tempest in a Teacup Chapter Seven
After the confrontation with Zac, I again start to live life in a blur and before I know it, it is Christmas. It is Christmas which also means that it's time for the damn annual Christmas party that is thrown by the Hanson Family every year. This year though the party is being held at Taylor's house and I wasn't even sure I wanted to go but the kids or well Ezra had insisted last night that he had wanted me to come. That even though I wasn't with his father it would be weird not having me there.
Now I am sitting on Taylor's couch trying to ignore the way my stomach is churning at the smell of all the food. It's the first time my morning sickness has gotten this bad but then again it's also the first time I have been around this much food not counting Thanksgiving.
"Are you alright Natalie?" Diana asks breaking me out of my thoughts. I'm surprised Diana is talking to me since Kate exposed my affair with Zac to her. Kate is her favorite daughter-in-law and I ruined her marriage in a way. She still seems to be clueless that Abe is Taylor's which means Kate hasn't told her yet.
Not even able to answer Diana I stand from the couch, running to the nearest bathroom. Shutting the door I bend down and lose the contents on my stomach which make me feel a little better. When I am sure that I won't be getting sick again I flush the toilet then stand up walking over to the sink.
As I am washing my face off the door opens and shuts. I figure it's just Diana coming to check on me.
"Pregnancy not agreeing with all this food?" a voice asks me. A voice that makes my blood run cold. Turning around I glare when I come face to face with Bethany. That little brunette imp better be glad I am not feeling like hurling again because I would deliberately get sick on her if I was.
"It's none of your damn business," I snap starting towards the door but glaring more when Bethany deliberately blocks my way.
Bethany crosses his arms with a smirk on her lips. "It is my business. I mean after all you are carrying a baby that will one day be my step-child," she says as if she is so sure Zac is going to marry her. "I could even be her main mother if Zac wins custody of her. Wouldn't that be lovely Natalie? Me raising her as mine..or him but I feel like we are having a girl."
"We are not having anything," I shake my head as I lean against the sink. "Zac and I our having a baby..a baby that you won't be raising and Zac won't have to win custody. We'll just share custody of the baby."
Bethany laughs at my last comment, "Share custody? That was why he was talking to a lawyer earlier this week. That's why he wants to know what he has to do to ensure he has rights...and that you can't run off with that kid whenever you please?"
When she mentions that he was talking to a lawyer I stand there in shock. I never expected Zac to have to go to a lawyer. He should know he wouldn't have to do that. He should know I wouldn't just run off with his baby. But then again I have already ran off with his baby once when I went to Atlanta. Of course he doesn't trust that I won't do it again. He doesn't trust me not to leave.
"He's talking to a lawyer?" I ask my anger with her subsiding some. If I try to be nice then maybe she will be civil too. If I just try with her maybe she will give me the answer I want.
Bethany nods as she smirks more, "Started it earlier in the week. Like I said he doesn't want you running off to another state with his kid. Though...between you and I, I wouldn't mind if you ran off with our baby. Though I know Zac would...so maybe you can give us the baby and just run off."
"It's not our baby," I snap before walking to the door and pushing her aside. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to go," I force a smile before opening the door and walking down the hall towards where everyone else is. I don't even get half way down the hall though before I feel someone grab my arm, pulling me into what looks like a bedroom. From the pink walls I am guessing it's the room Penny sleeps in when she is here.
Turning around I look at Zac before crossing my arms. He better have a damn good reason for pulling me in here.
"I'm sorry Bethany cornered you in the bathroom," he apologizes looking down. "I..I should have been the one to tell you about the engagement ring...about me asking her to marry me last night."
Hearing about the engagement ring I want to get sick again. I want to go in the bathroom and hurl...or hurling on Zac sounds just as good as hurling on Bethany. I'm shocked that he would ask her to marry him.
"Y..you're engaged?" I ask my voice rising a bit as I lock eyes with him. "You asked that crazy lunatic to marry you?!"
Zac's face falls some and he sighs, "And she didn't mention that did she?"
"Nope," I tell him popping my p. "She didn't. You're not even divorced from Kate yet. I mean it's not final. Bethany's crazy you know that. I mean she could murder you in your sleep. You really think she is safe to have around Junia and Shep? That she is safe to have around our baby when it gets here?" I ask before shaking my head. For once I am thankful that Taylor is pretending to be River's dad now. "Have you gone fucking crazy?"
"She won't murder me in my sleep," Zac reasons as he laughs like I am crazy for even saying that. "And maybe I have gone crazy for asking the woman I love to marry me. At least I learned being crazy from you Natalie Anne. As for the safety of my kids I know she won't hurt them. She loves me and she knows not to hurt anything I love...except maybe you but you know maybe I love her more than you," he finishes before making a face when he realizes the last thing he said. "I...fuck."
Moving away from him I shake my head feeling as if Zac had literally pulled my heart out and stepped on it. He..he loved her more than me..he loved Bethany more than me.
"You love her more than me?" I ask my voice coming out choked as I felt tears going down my cheek. I hadn't even known I was close to tears. "I should go," I whisper turning to leave the room.
Before I can leave though Zac's hand is on my wrist. His grip is too tight for me to pull away from him and leave the room. So I stay silent waiting for him to speak. Waiting for him to try to make this right but I wasn't sure if he could. "I...I don't love her more," he finally spoke as he pulled me into him. "I was just mad," he whispers kissing the top of my head.
Closing my eyes when he kisses the top of my head I fight back more tears that won't to come out. "What does it matter if you love her more?" I ask sadly before feeling his grip on my wrist loosen allowing me to move away. "You've already admitted you won't be with me because I leave when things get bad."
Zac shakes his head as sits down on the bed in the room. "I'm sorry," he tells me as he grabs my wrist again, pulling me down on his lap. "I'm sorry I said I loved her more or implied that I did."
Looking into his eyes I chew my lip, "You're engaged to her. You should love her more."
"I should but I don't," Zac whispers before leaning his head up to peck my lips. "I love you more than I do her."
Smiling sadly I peck his lips back, "I love you too," I tell him before leaning my forehead against his. "I understand your not being able to trust me not leaving again. I understand that enough to realize why you went to the lawyer. That was what Bethany told me in the bathroom. She thinks you'll win custody then you guys raise my baby with you as your and her baby."
"I don't want full custody," Zac explains as he locks eyes with me. "I just want to know what I can do legally if you ever try leaving with my child. Kate always threatened it sometimes during our fights. How she'd just take off and go to Georgia and that I'd never see Shepherd or Junia again. You just leave with no warning and I don't want to lose my child because of that. I do actually want this baby. I'd want any baby no matter the circumstances of how or when it was conceived."
Biting my lip I can't help but feel guilty because of River. His child that he doesn't even know about. A baby that he may have wanted if I had let him know about him. "I..I have to tell you something," I start but am interrupted by the door opening and Taylor stepping into the room.
Taylor puts on his best fake smile, "It's time to eat," he nods. "And I think Bethany is going to murder Zac if he doesn't get out there to her."
Nodding I move off Zac watching as he leaves the room but Taylor stays behind. Once Zac is out of earshot I look at Taylor. "How much of that did you hear?"
"Enough to know what you were going to tell him. I can't let you do that Nat," he mutters as he looks at me. "I can't have you tell Zac that River is his son. Anyway didn't you listen to Kate the day we had our fight over it. Zac would be too mad to ever consider taking you back."
"I did hear her but that doesn't mean I can't feel bad for lying to Zac about being River's father," I snap before pushing past him out of the room.
Walking down the hall I get into the kitchen right as I hear Zac announce to everyone that he is engaged to Bethany. I just force a smile as I can tell just about everyone else is doing though they all seem to be congratulating them none the less.
"You know I would have felt better if he was marrying you," Diana whispers from beside me and I turn my head not realizing she had been close to me. "I mean you at least are having his baby. That girl over there isn't even pregnant with his child and she's already ruined his image with those pictures."
Going silent I look at her, "He told you about the baby?"
Diana nods smiling some, "First time I've seen him happy since he announced his engagement to Kate. I could swear he seemed to be so in love with you with the way he said it."
"Said it?" I ask confused not sure how else he could have said I was having his baby.
"It was just the look in his eyes," she shrugs before walking away from me.
After Diana is gone I swallow before heading to fix a plate for myself. I'm not sure what to think of what Diana said. I know Zac loves me but I also know he doesn't trust me to stick around. I know I said I want to fight for him but how can I fight when I know how he feels and it seems nothing will change that.
After the confrontation with Zac, I again start to live life in a blur and before I know it, it is Christmas. It is Christmas which also means that it's time for the damn annual Christmas party that is thrown by the Hanson Family every year. This year though the party is being held at Taylor's house and I wasn't even sure I wanted to go but the kids or well Ezra had insisted last night that he had wanted me to come. That even though I wasn't with his father it would be weird not having me there.
Now I am sitting on Taylor's couch trying to ignore the way my stomach is churning at the smell of all the food. It's the first time my morning sickness has gotten this bad but then again it's also the first time I have been around this much food not counting Thanksgiving.
"Are you alright Natalie?" Diana asks breaking me out of my thoughts. I'm surprised Diana is talking to me since Kate exposed my affair with Zac to her. Kate is her favorite daughter-in-law and I ruined her marriage in a way. She still seems to be clueless that Abe is Taylor's which means Kate hasn't told her yet.
Not even able to answer Diana I stand from the couch, running to the nearest bathroom. Shutting the door I bend down and lose the contents on my stomach which make me feel a little better. When I am sure that I won't be getting sick again I flush the toilet then stand up walking over to the sink.
As I am washing my face off the door opens and shuts. I figure it's just Diana coming to check on me.
"Pregnancy not agreeing with all this food?" a voice asks me. A voice that makes my blood run cold. Turning around I glare when I come face to face with Bethany. That little brunette imp better be glad I am not feeling like hurling again because I would deliberately get sick on her if I was.
"It's none of your damn business," I snap starting towards the door but glaring more when Bethany deliberately blocks my way.
Bethany crosses his arms with a smirk on her lips. "It is my business. I mean after all you are carrying a baby that will one day be my step-child," she says as if she is so sure Zac is going to marry her. "I could even be her main mother if Zac wins custody of her. Wouldn't that be lovely Natalie? Me raising her as mine..or him but I feel like we are having a girl."
"We are not having anything," I shake my head as I lean against the sink. "Zac and I our having a baby..a baby that you won't be raising and Zac won't have to win custody. We'll just share custody of the baby."
Bethany laughs at my last comment, "Share custody? That was why he was talking to a lawyer earlier this week. That's why he wants to know what he has to do to ensure he has rights...and that you can't run off with that kid whenever you please?"
When she mentions that he was talking to a lawyer I stand there in shock. I never expected Zac to have to go to a lawyer. He should know he wouldn't have to do that. He should know I wouldn't just run off with his baby. But then again I have already ran off with his baby once when I went to Atlanta. Of course he doesn't trust that I won't do it again. He doesn't trust me not to leave.
"He's talking to a lawyer?" I ask my anger with her subsiding some. If I try to be nice then maybe she will be civil too. If I just try with her maybe she will give me the answer I want.
Bethany nods as she smirks more, "Started it earlier in the week. Like I said he doesn't want you running off to another state with his kid. Though...between you and I, I wouldn't mind if you ran off with our baby. Though I know Zac would...so maybe you can give us the baby and just run off."
"It's not our baby," I snap before walking to the door and pushing her aside. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to go," I force a smile before opening the door and walking down the hall towards where everyone else is. I don't even get half way down the hall though before I feel someone grab my arm, pulling me into what looks like a bedroom. From the pink walls I am guessing it's the room Penny sleeps in when she is here.
Turning around I look at Zac before crossing my arms. He better have a damn good reason for pulling me in here.
"I'm sorry Bethany cornered you in the bathroom," he apologizes looking down. "I..I should have been the one to tell you about the engagement ring...about me asking her to marry me last night."
Hearing about the engagement ring I want to get sick again. I want to go in the bathroom and hurl...or hurling on Zac sounds just as good as hurling on Bethany. I'm shocked that he would ask her to marry him.
"Y..you're engaged?" I ask my voice rising a bit as I lock eyes with him. "You asked that crazy lunatic to marry you?!"
Zac's face falls some and he sighs, "And she didn't mention that did she?"
"Nope," I tell him popping my p. "She didn't. You're not even divorced from Kate yet. I mean it's not final. Bethany's crazy you know that. I mean she could murder you in your sleep. You really think she is safe to have around Junia and Shep? That she is safe to have around our baby when it gets here?" I ask before shaking my head. For once I am thankful that Taylor is pretending to be River's dad now. "Have you gone fucking crazy?"
"She won't murder me in my sleep," Zac reasons as he laughs like I am crazy for even saying that. "And maybe I have gone crazy for asking the woman I love to marry me. At least I learned being crazy from you Natalie Anne. As for the safety of my kids I know she won't hurt them. She loves me and she knows not to hurt anything I love...except maybe you but you know maybe I love her more than you," he finishes before making a face when he realizes the last thing he said. "I...fuck."
Moving away from him I shake my head feeling as if Zac had literally pulled my heart out and stepped on it. He..he loved her more than me..he loved Bethany more than me.
"You love her more than me?" I ask my voice coming out choked as I felt tears going down my cheek. I hadn't even known I was close to tears. "I should go," I whisper turning to leave the room.
Before I can leave though Zac's hand is on my wrist. His grip is too tight for me to pull away from him and leave the room. So I stay silent waiting for him to speak. Waiting for him to try to make this right but I wasn't sure if he could. "I...I don't love her more," he finally spoke as he pulled me into him. "I was just mad," he whispers kissing the top of my head.
Closing my eyes when he kisses the top of my head I fight back more tears that won't to come out. "What does it matter if you love her more?" I ask sadly before feeling his grip on my wrist loosen allowing me to move away. "You've already admitted you won't be with me because I leave when things get bad."
Zac shakes his head as sits down on the bed in the room. "I'm sorry," he tells me as he grabs my wrist again, pulling me down on his lap. "I'm sorry I said I loved her more or implied that I did."
Looking into his eyes I chew my lip, "You're engaged to her. You should love her more."
"I should but I don't," Zac whispers before leaning his head up to peck my lips. "I love you more than I do her."
Smiling sadly I peck his lips back, "I love you too," I tell him before leaning my forehead against his. "I understand your not being able to trust me not leaving again. I understand that enough to realize why you went to the lawyer. That was what Bethany told me in the bathroom. She thinks you'll win custody then you guys raise my baby with you as your and her baby."
"I don't want full custody," Zac explains as he locks eyes with me. "I just want to know what I can do legally if you ever try leaving with my child. Kate always threatened it sometimes during our fights. How she'd just take off and go to Georgia and that I'd never see Shepherd or Junia again. You just leave with no warning and I don't want to lose my child because of that. I do actually want this baby. I'd want any baby no matter the circumstances of how or when it was conceived."
Biting my lip I can't help but feel guilty because of River. His child that he doesn't even know about. A baby that he may have wanted if I had let him know about him. "I..I have to tell you something," I start but am interrupted by the door opening and Taylor stepping into the room.
Taylor puts on his best fake smile, "It's time to eat," he nods. "And I think Bethany is going to murder Zac if he doesn't get out there to her."
Nodding I move off Zac watching as he leaves the room but Taylor stays behind. Once Zac is out of earshot I look at Taylor. "How much of that did you hear?"
"Enough to know what you were going to tell him. I can't let you do that Nat," he mutters as he looks at me. "I can't have you tell Zac that River is his son. Anyway didn't you listen to Kate the day we had our fight over it. Zac would be too mad to ever consider taking you back."
"I did hear her but that doesn't mean I can't feel bad for lying to Zac about being River's father," I snap before pushing past him out of the room.
Walking down the hall I get into the kitchen right as I hear Zac announce to everyone that he is engaged to Bethany. I just force a smile as I can tell just about everyone else is doing though they all seem to be congratulating them none the less.
"You know I would have felt better if he was marrying you," Diana whispers from beside me and I turn my head not realizing she had been close to me. "I mean you at least are having his baby. That girl over there isn't even pregnant with his child and she's already ruined his image with those pictures."
Going silent I look at her, "He told you about the baby?"
Diana nods smiling some, "First time I've seen him happy since he announced his engagement to Kate. I could swear he seemed to be so in love with you with the way he said it."
"Said it?" I ask confused not sure how else he could have said I was having his baby.
"It was just the look in his eyes," she shrugs before walking away from me.
After Diana is gone I swallow before heading to fix a plate for myself. I'm not sure what to think of what Diana said. I know Zac loves me but I also know he doesn't trust me to stick around. I know I said I want to fight for him but how can I fight when I know how he feels and it seems nothing will change that.