Forbidden Fruit
Avery smiled as she sat out on her parents back deck. It was summertime and she was visiting from Oklahoma City. She was visiting and also watching her older sibilings kids. Today it was Zac and Kate's three kids. Kate was out of town with Natalie doing some mother's retreat thing and Zac had asked if he dropped the kids off on the way to the studio if she would mind watching them. She had agreed because she thought that her mom or sister would be here but no they had decided to go shopping which left her alone with Zac's children.
Hearing a cry come from inside Avery knew that meant Abe was up from his nap. Looking at Junia and Shep who were in the pool she smiled, "You two don't get into any trouble and don't go down to the deep end," she told them before turning to head inside the house.
Getting upstairs to the room where she had put Abe she picked him up from the baby carrier, "Hey buddy," she whispered as she kissed his cheek. "You wanna go sit outside and watch your brother and sister play?" she asked as she carried him down the stairs and outside. As she made it outside she had never been so relieved at finding Shep and Junia not getting into trouble.
Avery sat down in the chair she had been in before, holding Abe in her lap. "You seem so much happier now because someone has you," Avery laughed as she looked down at Abe who just looked up at her talking in baby gibberish. "Yes..I know," she smiled as she kissed his cheek again. Sometimes she wondered if she'd ever get married or have kids. She had always thought she would but now as she got older time just seemed to prove her wrong.
"Daddy!" Shepherd yelled from the pool which got Avery's attention. Turning her head she looked up and smiled when she saw Zac walking over. "Daddy," Shepherd yelled again as he got out of the pool and ran over to where Avery was and where Zac was now bending down. "Can Avery come home with us?" he asked surprising Avery herself. "I need her help with a drawing for mommy."
Zac laughed at Shepherd's question but he turned to look at his sister, "You want to come home with us?" he asked seeing the surprise on her face. Obviously she hadn't been expecting that question either. "I mean I could kind of use your help fixing dinner too. Kate left us boxed dinners but I am afraid I could probably mess those up too."
"I guess I could come to save your house from burning down because you tried to fix a simple boxed dinner," Avery laughed as she stood from the chair and held Abe on her hip though as soon as Zac stood up Abe reached out for him and Zac took him from her, though her hands weren't free long as Junia who had found her towel to dry off with came bounding over to Avery wanting to be picked up. Avery hated to admit it but Zac's kids felt the closest to being her own as her other nieces or nephews.
Zac smiled when Avery agreed and he held Abe closer to him as Shepherd lead the way through his parents house and outside to his waiting truck. "I hope they didn't drive you nuts today," he said knowing that Shep and Junia had been hyper this morning when he dropped them off. "I may have let Shep stay up too long last night and Junia eat too much sugar this morning."
Avery laughed more at Zac's words, "Oh my dear Zac. How do you survive without a woman each time Kate takes off?" she asked him jokingly when they reached his truck and she watched as he opened the back door, helping Shepherd in before putting Abe in his car seat.
"I don't," Zac laughed as he watched Avery put Junia in on the other side after he got the boys in. "I just let people think I do," he smiled before getting in his truck. He waited until Avery was in before starting it up and driving off towards his house. He hated to admit that he felt more comfortable joking with his own sister than he ever did his own wife lately.
Avery just laughed some more at his words. Getting in his truck she buckled up as he started it and drove towards his house. Their conversation seemed to go silent as Zac retreated into his own mind and she found herself listening to Shepherd and Junia talk. Shep was the one doing most of the talking as he made Junia listen. Every time it seemed she wasn't listening Shep would quickly remind her that she needed to be listening to him. Avery found that funny because it reminded her of her brother when he was younger.
The silence that had settled between her and Zac seemed to stay even after Zac pulled into his drive way and they made a team effort getting the kids inside where Zac took over as she made dinner for them. Instead of using a box dinner that Kate left she had found some ingredients and whipped up a chef salad. At least Kate could applaud her for making sure everyone ate healthy.
Finally the silence was broken after dinner when Avery was doing the dishes after helping Shepherd with his drawing. Zac had came back down after getting the kids in bed or at least laying down.
"I swear Shepherd threw a fit tonight," Zac sighed as he sat down at the table. "He didn't want to go to bed yet. Said it wasn't his bed time and yada yada."
Avery laughed again as she finished the dishes, "I wonder why he thought that," she muttered as she dried her hands off before walking to the table and sitting down beside Zac. "Maybe because you let him stay up past his bedtime last night."
Zac smirked, "Maybe," he said as he locked eyes with me. "Don't pretend like you wouldn't do it either if he was your son and he was begging and pleading with you."
"Fine if you put it that way I probably would have," Avery nodded as she blushed some when Zac locked eyes with her. She hated when he looked into her eyes. She was always afraid he would figure out the reason why she hadn't settled down or had kids. She was afraid that he would find out she had, had a crush on him since she was sixteen. That in some sick twisted world her relationships never worked because she was comparing every guy she dated to him.
Zac raised an eyebrow when he noticed Avery blush when they locked eyes. His eyebrow raised higher though when Avery zoned out and just stared at him for the longest time. "You okay?" he asked her seeing her finally snap out of her thoughts. "You left me for a second there."
Avery blushed more once she knew Zac realized she had checked out for a few minutes, "I'm fine," she smiled as she chewed on her lip. "I was just thinking."
"What were you thinking about?" Zac asked deciding to be nosy. It was something Kate hated about him, how he always liked to get in others business sometimes.
Biting her lip when Zac asked what she was thinking about she shrugged, "Things," she sighed knowing that would just cause him to dig deeper. "How that none of my relationships ever work and I wished I could find one that did so I could have those kids I always dream of having."
"Maybe they don't work because the guy you want hasn't came into your life yet," Zac mused knowing he used to think that even after dating Kate. Hell he had thought that some even after getting engaged and married to her though he'd never voice those thoughts.
Avery shook her head no, "He's in my life. I just can't have him," she revealed not even sure what was causing her loose lips. Maybe it was being around Zac. Maybe he had that charm that caused her to just reveal things that she shouldn't.
"Oh?" Zac asked as he raised an eyebrow again. "Do I know him?" he asked another question almost feeling like using his big brother card on her and trying to ignore the weird pang of jealousy that shot through him. He had been trying to ignore that ever since she had came back to Oklahoma after living in New York that he had been oddly attracted to her.
"Yeah you do," Avery confirmed as her voice turned into a whisper. "You know him real well."
When Avery said he knew the guy real well Zac made a face, "Please tell me it's not one of Joe's brothers. I can barely stand them that much. Joe is the only sane one," he said as he shook his head.
Laughing Avery shook her head no, "It's not one of them," she said as she looked away from him. "It's umm...it's actually you," she whispered feeling weird for telling him this much. For being so honest with him.
Before Zac could reply though a cry came from upstairs and Zac who looked like a deer in headlights slowly stood from the table and left without saying anything else. He left Avery alone to go tend to his son. To go tend to Abe. Avery wasn't sure if she was happy or sad that Abe had interrupted this moment but she was sure that she needed to get home so while Zac was busy with her nephew she snuck outside and called a cab which got there quicker than she could have imagined but she was happy for it because she really didn't want to face Zac now.
Avery was scared for what would happen now that Zac knew the truth. Avery was afraid she'd lose her brother and the three kids she thought the world of. She half wished she had kept the secret because then this forbidden fruit thing would be easier for her to bear. Now that he knew thought it was going to be harder.
Avery smiled as she sat out on her parents back deck. It was summertime and she was visiting from Oklahoma City. She was visiting and also watching her older sibilings kids. Today it was Zac and Kate's three kids. Kate was out of town with Natalie doing some mother's retreat thing and Zac had asked if he dropped the kids off on the way to the studio if she would mind watching them. She had agreed because she thought that her mom or sister would be here but no they had decided to go shopping which left her alone with Zac's children.
Hearing a cry come from inside Avery knew that meant Abe was up from his nap. Looking at Junia and Shep who were in the pool she smiled, "You two don't get into any trouble and don't go down to the deep end," she told them before turning to head inside the house.
Getting upstairs to the room where she had put Abe she picked him up from the baby carrier, "Hey buddy," she whispered as she kissed his cheek. "You wanna go sit outside and watch your brother and sister play?" she asked as she carried him down the stairs and outside. As she made it outside she had never been so relieved at finding Shep and Junia not getting into trouble.
Avery sat down in the chair she had been in before, holding Abe in her lap. "You seem so much happier now because someone has you," Avery laughed as she looked down at Abe who just looked up at her talking in baby gibberish. "Yes..I know," she smiled as she kissed his cheek again. Sometimes she wondered if she'd ever get married or have kids. She had always thought she would but now as she got older time just seemed to prove her wrong.
"Daddy!" Shepherd yelled from the pool which got Avery's attention. Turning her head she looked up and smiled when she saw Zac walking over. "Daddy," Shepherd yelled again as he got out of the pool and ran over to where Avery was and where Zac was now bending down. "Can Avery come home with us?" he asked surprising Avery herself. "I need her help with a drawing for mommy."
Zac laughed at Shepherd's question but he turned to look at his sister, "You want to come home with us?" he asked seeing the surprise on her face. Obviously she hadn't been expecting that question either. "I mean I could kind of use your help fixing dinner too. Kate left us boxed dinners but I am afraid I could probably mess those up too."
"I guess I could come to save your house from burning down because you tried to fix a simple boxed dinner," Avery laughed as she stood from the chair and held Abe on her hip though as soon as Zac stood up Abe reached out for him and Zac took him from her, though her hands weren't free long as Junia who had found her towel to dry off with came bounding over to Avery wanting to be picked up. Avery hated to admit it but Zac's kids felt the closest to being her own as her other nieces or nephews.
Zac smiled when Avery agreed and he held Abe closer to him as Shepherd lead the way through his parents house and outside to his waiting truck. "I hope they didn't drive you nuts today," he said knowing that Shep and Junia had been hyper this morning when he dropped them off. "I may have let Shep stay up too long last night and Junia eat too much sugar this morning."
Avery laughed more at Zac's words, "Oh my dear Zac. How do you survive without a woman each time Kate takes off?" she asked him jokingly when they reached his truck and she watched as he opened the back door, helping Shepherd in before putting Abe in his car seat.
"I don't," Zac laughed as he watched Avery put Junia in on the other side after he got the boys in. "I just let people think I do," he smiled before getting in his truck. He waited until Avery was in before starting it up and driving off towards his house. He hated to admit that he felt more comfortable joking with his own sister than he ever did his own wife lately.
Avery just laughed some more at his words. Getting in his truck she buckled up as he started it and drove towards his house. Their conversation seemed to go silent as Zac retreated into his own mind and she found herself listening to Shepherd and Junia talk. Shep was the one doing most of the talking as he made Junia listen. Every time it seemed she wasn't listening Shep would quickly remind her that she needed to be listening to him. Avery found that funny because it reminded her of her brother when he was younger.
The silence that had settled between her and Zac seemed to stay even after Zac pulled into his drive way and they made a team effort getting the kids inside where Zac took over as she made dinner for them. Instead of using a box dinner that Kate left she had found some ingredients and whipped up a chef salad. At least Kate could applaud her for making sure everyone ate healthy.
Finally the silence was broken after dinner when Avery was doing the dishes after helping Shepherd with his drawing. Zac had came back down after getting the kids in bed or at least laying down.
"I swear Shepherd threw a fit tonight," Zac sighed as he sat down at the table. "He didn't want to go to bed yet. Said it wasn't his bed time and yada yada."
Avery laughed again as she finished the dishes, "I wonder why he thought that," she muttered as she dried her hands off before walking to the table and sitting down beside Zac. "Maybe because you let him stay up past his bedtime last night."
Zac smirked, "Maybe," he said as he locked eyes with me. "Don't pretend like you wouldn't do it either if he was your son and he was begging and pleading with you."
"Fine if you put it that way I probably would have," Avery nodded as she blushed some when Zac locked eyes with her. She hated when he looked into her eyes. She was always afraid he would figure out the reason why she hadn't settled down or had kids. She was afraid that he would find out she had, had a crush on him since she was sixteen. That in some sick twisted world her relationships never worked because she was comparing every guy she dated to him.
Zac raised an eyebrow when he noticed Avery blush when they locked eyes. His eyebrow raised higher though when Avery zoned out and just stared at him for the longest time. "You okay?" he asked her seeing her finally snap out of her thoughts. "You left me for a second there."
Avery blushed more once she knew Zac realized she had checked out for a few minutes, "I'm fine," she smiled as she chewed on her lip. "I was just thinking."
"What were you thinking about?" Zac asked deciding to be nosy. It was something Kate hated about him, how he always liked to get in others business sometimes.
Biting her lip when Zac asked what she was thinking about she shrugged, "Things," she sighed knowing that would just cause him to dig deeper. "How that none of my relationships ever work and I wished I could find one that did so I could have those kids I always dream of having."
"Maybe they don't work because the guy you want hasn't came into your life yet," Zac mused knowing he used to think that even after dating Kate. Hell he had thought that some even after getting engaged and married to her though he'd never voice those thoughts.
Avery shook her head no, "He's in my life. I just can't have him," she revealed not even sure what was causing her loose lips. Maybe it was being around Zac. Maybe he had that charm that caused her to just reveal things that she shouldn't.
"Oh?" Zac asked as he raised an eyebrow again. "Do I know him?" he asked another question almost feeling like using his big brother card on her and trying to ignore the weird pang of jealousy that shot through him. He had been trying to ignore that ever since she had came back to Oklahoma after living in New York that he had been oddly attracted to her.
"Yeah you do," Avery confirmed as her voice turned into a whisper. "You know him real well."
When Avery said he knew the guy real well Zac made a face, "Please tell me it's not one of Joe's brothers. I can barely stand them that much. Joe is the only sane one," he said as he shook his head.
Laughing Avery shook her head no, "It's not one of them," she said as she looked away from him. "It's umm...it's actually you," she whispered feeling weird for telling him this much. For being so honest with him.
Before Zac could reply though a cry came from upstairs and Zac who looked like a deer in headlights slowly stood from the table and left without saying anything else. He left Avery alone to go tend to his son. To go tend to Abe. Avery wasn't sure if she was happy or sad that Abe had interrupted this moment but she was sure that she needed to get home so while Zac was busy with her nephew she snuck outside and called a cab which got there quicker than she could have imagined but she was happy for it because she really didn't want to face Zac now.
Avery was scared for what would happen now that Zac knew the truth. Avery was afraid she'd lose her brother and the three kids she thought the world of. She half wished she had kept the secret because then this forbidden fruit thing would be easier for her to bear. Now that he knew thought it was going to be harder.