Tempest In A Teacup Chapter Fourteen
A few days after telling River the truth I roll my eyes as I zone out Taylor bitching at me about how I should have waited until he was here to tell River. I should have waited so he could help River through the emotional trauma.
"It wasn't my choice to tell him," I speak up finally taking enough of his senseless rambling. It's all starting to sound the same to me anyway. "I already told you it was Zac's choice which has a right too since he is River's biological father," I remind Taylor before crossing my arms over my chest. "Or did you forget that part?"
Taylor just glares at me after my last words to him. I don't blame him for the glare because that was a low blow towards him but it needed to be made. "I didn't forget Natalie. I just have a say in this too. I did raise him from birth and I signed his birth certificate so I am his legal father or did you forget that part?"
Rolling my eyes at him mocking me I keep my arms crossed over my chest, "You may not be his legal father for long," I remind him. We had both gotten papers today telling us Zac's court ordered DNA test was tomorrow and the court proceedings would begin after the results came back. "Zac is taking us to court and he could very well become River's legal father. Hell he could become River's primary custodial parent."
"Which is your fault in the end," Taylor muttered as he leaned against the sink. "If you had kept your mouth shut on his paternity this wouldn't even be happening. We wouldn't have to lose him and you wouldn't have to lose your unborn baby."
I shake my head wishing Taylor could understand. I had to tell Zac. I should have told him a long time ago but I didn't because of Taylor. To continue that lie was just making me feel horrible. It was making me disgusted with myself.
"And you only told because you wanted to win Zac from Bethany in the end," Taylor sighs finishing his words and obviously taking my silence as the go ahead to do that.
Looking away from him I know there will be no convincing him I told Zac the truth just to tell the truth. "Trust me if I wanted to win Zac back I could have told him something else. I could have told him something that wouldn't make me look bad," I reveal not sure if I should tell him Bethany's secret. I have already told Nikki who has probably told Isaac. Not to mention Austin knows too. I'm sure there are tons of ways this could get back to Zac. Hell Nikki said she'd tell Zac herself if I didn't by his and Bethany's engagement party.
Taylor on the other hand if he knew he'd just run back to Zac right now and tell him. Taylor has that big of a mouth sometimes. Well when he knows he isn't making himself look bad in the process.
"What do you mean by that?" Taylor asks me and I am left contemplating on answering him. "What could you have on Bethany?"
Biting my lip I look down at my hands, "That her miscarriage was really an abortion and the baby wasn't Zac's. It belonged to Austin," I speak keeping my voice low. I am almost afraid one of the kids may overhear this. They'd be worse than Taylor at keeping this a secret.
Taylor gives me a confused look and I can tell he is contemplating on if he believes me or not. On if he wants to take the bait I have given him and run with it. "How do you know this?" he finally asks after awhile of silence. "Please tell me you didn't break the law to find this out? I mean I'd love it if you got arrested because it would be one more thing to prove you aren't a saint but Zac is really going to hate you for sinking this low to get him and as much as I love giving you a hard time because of shit you have done recently like telling Zac the truth about River. I really do want to see you end up with the man."
"I didn't break the law," I tell him before rolling my eyes. I can't even believe he'd think I would break the law. "Austin told me and he showed me her discharge papers. Papers which I still have."
Taylor moves from the sink, walking over to where I am, "How long have you had them?" he asks now clearly curious on this new found information.
"Since before we went to Jamaica," I answer as we lock eyes. "I was going to tell him then but I decided that it wasn't my secret to tell. It wasn't my place to tell," I shrug before looking away from Taylor's gaze. "Nikki knows too. She told me that I have until the engagement party to tell Zac or she is going to tell him."
"She told you about the engagement party?" Taylor asks a smirk forming on his lips. "At least I don't have to worry about being the one Zac kills for telling you."
Forcing a laugh at his amusement I reach out to slap him playfully on the arm, "Asshole," I mutter so he can hear my words. "Of course you'd be amused that someone else let the secret slip and not you"
Taylor just gives me a wink, "Do you plan on going?" he asks as he locks eyes with me again. He shouldn't have to ask that question he should know the answer to it. I am going to show up, especially since I have no intentions of telling on Bethany until then. I want to watch Bethany squirm as the truth comes out. I want to see her end up alone as well.
"Yes I plan on going," I answer before breaking eye contact with him again. "Now go and leave my kitchen before I murder you."
Taylor doesn't say anything else to that, instead he leaves my kitchen and I feel relieved. I feel relieved that I won't go to jail for his murder.
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Days later I chew my lip as I sit at my doctor's office. It is my next ultrasound and Zac is sitting beside me. He is typing away on his cell phone and I glance at him. "Bethany freaking out because you aren't at her side?" I ask him which causes him to glance up at me. He glares which lets me know today is one of those days where he is going to be pissy with me.
"No, she's freaking out because I am with you," Zac finally answers as he puts his phone away in his pocket. "She seems to think you'd be fine coming to your doctor's appointments by yourself and you could give me the details later."
I roll my eyes at his words, "Does she know you religiously attended all of Kate's appointments with every child?" I ask him before chewing my lip again. I'm not surprised by Zac's insistence on being here just because I know how he was with Kate.
"No. We never really talk about Kate," he sighs as his phone vibrates. He doesn't pull it out of his pocket though, he leaves it there. "Before we used to talk about you. Now all we talk about is wedding stuff and that damn engagement party at my parents house that she insists on having," Zac finishes without realizing that he has told me about the engagement party.
"Engagement party?" I ask trying not to sound like I knew. At least now he can't kill Nikki or Isaac for me knowing since he spilled the beans.
Zac makes a face at my question obviously having not meant to reveal it. "Bethany didn't want you knowing. She doesn't want you there," he explains as he runs a hand through his hair. "But you have to be there because I want my son there. I want River there at the party."
I smile when he says he wants River there because I know River would love to be there. "River would like that," I tell him. "He knows that soon he may be living with you full time. Taylor and I sat him down and explained things more. He's taken things better than I thought he would. He knows mommy and da.." I start calling Taylor daddy but stop when Zac gives me a death glare. "He knows Taylor and I made mistakes," I correct myself which gets Zac to stop glaring at me.
Before Zac can say anything though my name is called and I quickly follow a nurse back to a room where my vitals are taken as well as her telling me the doctor should be here soon to see me. I nod watching as she leaves the room.
"We can find out the sex today right?" Zac asks breaking the silence.
I nod again, "If we want too yeah," I answer wondering if he will want to know. Taylor and I have always found out before, mainly because I like thinking of names. I like being able to go over names and finally come up with one. It comes along with being a name nerd.
"I want to find out," Zac says as he smiles some. "I want to find out what our baby is going to be."
I am glad when he says he wants to find out but of course I don't get to tell him because the doctor chooses then to come in. I listen to her as she instructs me to lay back and pull my shirt up which I do, shivering some as she puts gel on my belly. Closing my eyes I wait until she has things set up and ready before opening them again.
When I do open them I smile more as I look at the screen, seeing an image of the baby inside of me. An image of mine and Zac's child. Our second child together. "That's our baby," I say when I feel Zac move closer. "That's our baby in there."
Zac doesn't say anything, instead I just feel him grab my hand. It's a gesture that makes me hopeful that maybe eventually things will work out between us. It makes me hopeful that we can maybe get back together once Bethany is exposed and out of the picture.
"Do you guys want to know the sex of the baby?" the doctor asks bringing me out of my thoughts. "I have a perfect view because obviously your baby likes to show off," she laughs softly.
"We do want to know," I tell her knowing that was what we had decided on just before she had came in here.
"It's a girl," she smiles as she looks at Zac and I. I can't help but look at Zac too seeing a wide grin on his face. He seems happy at the fact that we're having a girl together. I guess it's fitting because now we have one of each. We have a boy and a girl together.
After the gender reveal things go by in a blink and after the doctor wipes off my belly I pull my shirt down and sit up. "Can you hand me my purse?" I ask Zac as I turn to see it sitting on the counter behind him.
"Sure," Zac nods as he stands from his chair. The moment he goes to grab my purse though it falls to the floor and all of the contents go spilling out into the floor. Standing I walk over to where Zac is bent down and I start to help him put things back into my purse not even paying attention to what he or I are grabbing.
"What's this?" Zac asks which makes me look up to see what he has in his hands that he is looking down at. "Why do you have Bethany's hospital discharge papers?" he asks another question but goes silent after reading them over a few times. Obviously he has realized what they say. He has realized that she had an abortion. That she didn't miscarry her baby.
Biting my lip I take the paper from his hands, "I didn't want you to find out this way," I sigh. Putting the paper in my purse again I stand up watching as Zac just stays where he is bent down at. "I wanted Bethany to tell you herself that she had an abortion. That the baby wasn't yours."
"The baby wasn't mine?" Zac asks his voice sounding cold and empty. "Her baby wasn't mine?" he asks again before standing up finally.
I shake my head no, "No, her baby was Austin's," I confirm offering him a smile but I doubt it will do any good. "Austin is how I found out about this. I met up with him on my birthday and he told me everything..showing me those papers. He got them from Leigh who confessed after they had sex."
If my words have any affect on Zac he doesn't say anything at first nor does he show it. Instead he just stands there like he is emotionless. Like he is numb to everything. "You weren't going to tell me?" he asks finally his voice cracking as tears go down his cheek.
"No. It wasn't my secret to tell Zac," I reason with him as I try to step closer but he steps back. "I told Bethany to tell you. I told her that the night she came over venting about you having sex with two women. I told her to tell you but she chose not too."
Zac laughs some and it comes out so bitter, "You should have known she wouldn't," he voices as he moves farther away from me. "You should have told me. I guess I was stupid for thinking we had no more secrets between us," he snaps at me finally which makes me jump. "There will always be secrets between us because you wouldn't know the truth if it bit you on the butt," he finishes before turning his back to me and leaving the room.
After he leaves I just stand there in shock for awhile but I finally I get my senses together long enough to walk out to my car and get inside. Of course Zac is gone and with him any hope that we could maybe ever work out. He'll never want me. He'll never forgive my lies or my tendency to run away.
A few days after telling River the truth I roll my eyes as I zone out Taylor bitching at me about how I should have waited until he was here to tell River. I should have waited so he could help River through the emotional trauma.
"It wasn't my choice to tell him," I speak up finally taking enough of his senseless rambling. It's all starting to sound the same to me anyway. "I already told you it was Zac's choice which has a right too since he is River's biological father," I remind Taylor before crossing my arms over my chest. "Or did you forget that part?"
Taylor just glares at me after my last words to him. I don't blame him for the glare because that was a low blow towards him but it needed to be made. "I didn't forget Natalie. I just have a say in this too. I did raise him from birth and I signed his birth certificate so I am his legal father or did you forget that part?"
Rolling my eyes at him mocking me I keep my arms crossed over my chest, "You may not be his legal father for long," I remind him. We had both gotten papers today telling us Zac's court ordered DNA test was tomorrow and the court proceedings would begin after the results came back. "Zac is taking us to court and he could very well become River's legal father. Hell he could become River's primary custodial parent."
"Which is your fault in the end," Taylor muttered as he leaned against the sink. "If you had kept your mouth shut on his paternity this wouldn't even be happening. We wouldn't have to lose him and you wouldn't have to lose your unborn baby."
I shake my head wishing Taylor could understand. I had to tell Zac. I should have told him a long time ago but I didn't because of Taylor. To continue that lie was just making me feel horrible. It was making me disgusted with myself.
"And you only told because you wanted to win Zac from Bethany in the end," Taylor sighs finishing his words and obviously taking my silence as the go ahead to do that.
Looking away from him I know there will be no convincing him I told Zac the truth just to tell the truth. "Trust me if I wanted to win Zac back I could have told him something else. I could have told him something that wouldn't make me look bad," I reveal not sure if I should tell him Bethany's secret. I have already told Nikki who has probably told Isaac. Not to mention Austin knows too. I'm sure there are tons of ways this could get back to Zac. Hell Nikki said she'd tell Zac herself if I didn't by his and Bethany's engagement party.
Taylor on the other hand if he knew he'd just run back to Zac right now and tell him. Taylor has that big of a mouth sometimes. Well when he knows he isn't making himself look bad in the process.
"What do you mean by that?" Taylor asks me and I am left contemplating on answering him. "What could you have on Bethany?"
Biting my lip I look down at my hands, "That her miscarriage was really an abortion and the baby wasn't Zac's. It belonged to Austin," I speak keeping my voice low. I am almost afraid one of the kids may overhear this. They'd be worse than Taylor at keeping this a secret.
Taylor gives me a confused look and I can tell he is contemplating on if he believes me or not. On if he wants to take the bait I have given him and run with it. "How do you know this?" he finally asks after awhile of silence. "Please tell me you didn't break the law to find this out? I mean I'd love it if you got arrested because it would be one more thing to prove you aren't a saint but Zac is really going to hate you for sinking this low to get him and as much as I love giving you a hard time because of shit you have done recently like telling Zac the truth about River. I really do want to see you end up with the man."
"I didn't break the law," I tell him before rolling my eyes. I can't even believe he'd think I would break the law. "Austin told me and he showed me her discharge papers. Papers which I still have."
Taylor moves from the sink, walking over to where I am, "How long have you had them?" he asks now clearly curious on this new found information.
"Since before we went to Jamaica," I answer as we lock eyes. "I was going to tell him then but I decided that it wasn't my secret to tell. It wasn't my place to tell," I shrug before looking away from Taylor's gaze. "Nikki knows too. She told me that I have until the engagement party to tell Zac or she is going to tell him."
"She told you about the engagement party?" Taylor asks a smirk forming on his lips. "At least I don't have to worry about being the one Zac kills for telling you."
Forcing a laugh at his amusement I reach out to slap him playfully on the arm, "Asshole," I mutter so he can hear my words. "Of course you'd be amused that someone else let the secret slip and not you"
Taylor just gives me a wink, "Do you plan on going?" he asks as he locks eyes with me again. He shouldn't have to ask that question he should know the answer to it. I am going to show up, especially since I have no intentions of telling on Bethany until then. I want to watch Bethany squirm as the truth comes out. I want to see her end up alone as well.
"Yes I plan on going," I answer before breaking eye contact with him again. "Now go and leave my kitchen before I murder you."
Taylor doesn't say anything else to that, instead he leaves my kitchen and I feel relieved. I feel relieved that I won't go to jail for his murder.
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Days later I chew my lip as I sit at my doctor's office. It is my next ultrasound and Zac is sitting beside me. He is typing away on his cell phone and I glance at him. "Bethany freaking out because you aren't at her side?" I ask him which causes him to glance up at me. He glares which lets me know today is one of those days where he is going to be pissy with me.
"No, she's freaking out because I am with you," Zac finally answers as he puts his phone away in his pocket. "She seems to think you'd be fine coming to your doctor's appointments by yourself and you could give me the details later."
I roll my eyes at his words, "Does she know you religiously attended all of Kate's appointments with every child?" I ask him before chewing my lip again. I'm not surprised by Zac's insistence on being here just because I know how he was with Kate.
"No. We never really talk about Kate," he sighs as his phone vibrates. He doesn't pull it out of his pocket though, he leaves it there. "Before we used to talk about you. Now all we talk about is wedding stuff and that damn engagement party at my parents house that she insists on having," Zac finishes without realizing that he has told me about the engagement party.
"Engagement party?" I ask trying not to sound like I knew. At least now he can't kill Nikki or Isaac for me knowing since he spilled the beans.
Zac makes a face at my question obviously having not meant to reveal it. "Bethany didn't want you knowing. She doesn't want you there," he explains as he runs a hand through his hair. "But you have to be there because I want my son there. I want River there at the party."
I smile when he says he wants River there because I know River would love to be there. "River would like that," I tell him. "He knows that soon he may be living with you full time. Taylor and I sat him down and explained things more. He's taken things better than I thought he would. He knows mommy and da.." I start calling Taylor daddy but stop when Zac gives me a death glare. "He knows Taylor and I made mistakes," I correct myself which gets Zac to stop glaring at me.
Before Zac can say anything though my name is called and I quickly follow a nurse back to a room where my vitals are taken as well as her telling me the doctor should be here soon to see me. I nod watching as she leaves the room.
"We can find out the sex today right?" Zac asks breaking the silence.
I nod again, "If we want too yeah," I answer wondering if he will want to know. Taylor and I have always found out before, mainly because I like thinking of names. I like being able to go over names and finally come up with one. It comes along with being a name nerd.
"I want to find out," Zac says as he smiles some. "I want to find out what our baby is going to be."
I am glad when he says he wants to find out but of course I don't get to tell him because the doctor chooses then to come in. I listen to her as she instructs me to lay back and pull my shirt up which I do, shivering some as she puts gel on my belly. Closing my eyes I wait until she has things set up and ready before opening them again.
When I do open them I smile more as I look at the screen, seeing an image of the baby inside of me. An image of mine and Zac's child. Our second child together. "That's our baby," I say when I feel Zac move closer. "That's our baby in there."
Zac doesn't say anything, instead I just feel him grab my hand. It's a gesture that makes me hopeful that maybe eventually things will work out between us. It makes me hopeful that we can maybe get back together once Bethany is exposed and out of the picture.
"Do you guys want to know the sex of the baby?" the doctor asks bringing me out of my thoughts. "I have a perfect view because obviously your baby likes to show off," she laughs softly.
"We do want to know," I tell her knowing that was what we had decided on just before she had came in here.
"It's a girl," she smiles as she looks at Zac and I. I can't help but look at Zac too seeing a wide grin on his face. He seems happy at the fact that we're having a girl together. I guess it's fitting because now we have one of each. We have a boy and a girl together.
After the gender reveal things go by in a blink and after the doctor wipes off my belly I pull my shirt down and sit up. "Can you hand me my purse?" I ask Zac as I turn to see it sitting on the counter behind him.
"Sure," Zac nods as he stands from his chair. The moment he goes to grab my purse though it falls to the floor and all of the contents go spilling out into the floor. Standing I walk over to where Zac is bent down and I start to help him put things back into my purse not even paying attention to what he or I are grabbing.
"What's this?" Zac asks which makes me look up to see what he has in his hands that he is looking down at. "Why do you have Bethany's hospital discharge papers?" he asks another question but goes silent after reading them over a few times. Obviously he has realized what they say. He has realized that she had an abortion. That she didn't miscarry her baby.
Biting my lip I take the paper from his hands, "I didn't want you to find out this way," I sigh. Putting the paper in my purse again I stand up watching as Zac just stays where he is bent down at. "I wanted Bethany to tell you herself that she had an abortion. That the baby wasn't yours."
"The baby wasn't mine?" Zac asks his voice sounding cold and empty. "Her baby wasn't mine?" he asks again before standing up finally.
I shake my head no, "No, her baby was Austin's," I confirm offering him a smile but I doubt it will do any good. "Austin is how I found out about this. I met up with him on my birthday and he told me everything..showing me those papers. He got them from Leigh who confessed after they had sex."
If my words have any affect on Zac he doesn't say anything at first nor does he show it. Instead he just stands there like he is emotionless. Like he is numb to everything. "You weren't going to tell me?" he asks finally his voice cracking as tears go down his cheek.
"No. It wasn't my secret to tell Zac," I reason with him as I try to step closer but he steps back. "I told Bethany to tell you. I told her that the night she came over venting about you having sex with two women. I told her to tell you but she chose not too."
Zac laughs some and it comes out so bitter, "You should have known she wouldn't," he voices as he moves farther away from me. "You should have told me. I guess I was stupid for thinking we had no more secrets between us," he snaps at me finally which makes me jump. "There will always be secrets between us because you wouldn't know the truth if it bit you on the butt," he finishes before turning his back to me and leaving the room.
After he leaves I just stand there in shock for awhile but I finally I get my senses together long enough to walk out to my car and get inside. Of course Zac is gone and with him any hope that we could maybe ever work out. He'll never want me. He'll never forgive my lies or my tendency to run away.
