New "Trapped Inside Your Eyes" Chapter!

[writefiction]

Title/Chapter: Trapped Inside Your Eyes (02/?)
Author: amanda: jaclyn’s twin sister
Pairing: Zaylor Hanson
Rating: R - for an eff word.
P.O.V.: switches back and forth but is clearly marked.
Word Count: 2,405 - it's a long one!
Previous Chapters
Notes: Sequel to Breaking Free. Starts about two weeks after Breaking Free ends.
Other Notes: Title comes from the song Time for Miracles
Summary: Andy has been keeping a secret. She cut off all ties with her best friend Zac just to keep this secret under wraps. What happens when the cat’s out of the bag? Whose lives will she take down in the process?

 

CHAPTER TWO

ZAC’S POV

“What’s wrong?” JD says firmly.

“Taylor took the girls and left,” I tell her, tears rolling down my face. “He packed them each a bag and went to Mom and Dad’s. He said he doesn’t know how long he’ll be gone.”

“Why’d he leave?” JD asks. “Did you two get in a fight?”

“No. I came home and he was holding a baby. My baby. Andy’s and mine,” I explain. “He had me read the letter she left and the paternity test and then he handed over Jackson and left.”

“Letter? What’d the letter say?” I pick up the crumpled paper from the floor and smooth it out on the coffee table then read it out loud to her. “Whoa,” she says.

“Whoa? That’s all you can say?” I ask, beginning to get frustrated.

“Zac, I had no clue,” she says.

“No clue about what?”

“That she was cutting you out. That she was just going to leave Jackson with you. That she was giving up her parental rights,” she lists. “I had no fucking clue.”

“What’d she tell you she was doing?” I ask.

“She just told me that she finally had gotten the balls to tell you about Jackson but she couldn’t do it over the phone,” JD explains. “She said that she was going to go down to Tulsa and telling you in person and letting you spend some time with him. She never said any of that other stuff.”

“You promise you didn’t know?”

“I swear to god, Zac, I had no clue.”

I look down at the sweet boy in my arms. “What do I do?” I whimper.

“Well, what do you want to do?” JD asks.

“I want Taylor back,” I practically sob. “I just want him here. I want him and my girls here.”

“I know you do, Zac,” JD says sympathetically. “But what are you going to do about Jackson? What do you want to do about him? I mean, he’s your son.”

“I know,” I sniffle. “It’s just… I’m so angry right now and I hate to admit this but… I kind of resent him. I know he doesn’t deserve it, he’s just a baby and he didn’t ask to for this but… he ran my husband off!”

“Zac. Think rationally here. What is the responsible, rational thing you should do?” she asks.

I sigh and look down at the bundle in my arms. “He sucks his thumb just like Jenna,” I murmur. “He’s got her nose too.”

“He’s a doll,” JD tells me.

I sigh again. “I feel like I need to get advice from my mom and dad. Like I need to go see them, but Taylor’s there and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t want me there.”

“Probably not,” JD agrees. “But they’re your parents too, Zac, and if you need to see them, then go see them. Did Taylor even tell you what Andy said to him or anything?”

I shake my head. “No, he didn’t really say anything. He just told me I needed to figure things out and then he left. And he took my girls!”

“Zac,” she sighs.

“I know, I know. I need to calm down. I need to get my head on straight and figure this out.”

“Good. Now what’s the first thing you’re going to do?” JD asks.

“I’m going to pack Jackson in his car seat and go to my parents’ house. I need them, JD,” I tell her.

“Good,” she replies. “But you might want to call them first so they can warn Taylor.”

“Good plan. And, JD?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for being here for me,” I tell her.

“It’s no problem, Zac. You’re family.”

We hang up and I call my parents. I tell them that I really need to see them and that they should warn Taylor that I’m on my way. I also told them to tell him if he doesn’t want to see me that it’s okay and I understand, but I need my parents. Then I put Jackson in his car seat and take him to see his grandparents for the first time.

　

TAYLOR’S POV

Once inside my parents’ house I hand my daughters off to my younger sisters. They’re delighted to see their nieces, but can tell by my expression not to ask why we showed up so unexpectedly. “Ma?” I call out, walking further in to the house.

“Kitchen!” my mom calls back. I hurriedly make my way towards her voice.

When I enter the room my mom turns and smiles at me, but then frowns. “What’s wrong?” she asks. My lower lip quivers and I rush to my mom, throwing my arms around her.

“Oh, Mama, it’s awful,” I tell her.

“Shh, baby, it’s okay,” she soothes, stroking my hair. She lets me cry on her shoulder for a moment, then pulls away. “I’ve just made water for tea. Do you want some?” I nod and sit down at the breakfast table. My mom pours the water in to two mugs, dunking tea bags in each of them. The herbal aroma is comforting.

My mom brings the mugs of tea over to the table and sits down across from me. “Now, tell me what’s going on,” she commands gently.

“I heard a baby crying,” I begin. “I found him on the front stoop all by himself. There was no one around so I brought him inside. There was a note for Zac tucked in his seat beside him. I read it and it was from Andy. The baby is theirs, Mama, from their night together after the wedding.”

“Oh,” my mom murmurs. “What did Zac say?”

I shake my head, swallowing my tea. “He wasn’t home. He’d run out to the store,” I tell her. “But when he came back, I don’t think he was too happy. He read the letter and crumpled it up and threw it on the ground. He did the same to the paternity test.”

“Then what happened?” my mother asks.

“I told him he needed to figure things out and that I was bringing the girls here and I didn’t know how long we’d stay,” I answer. “I packed us bags and everything.”

“Oh, Tay,” my mom murmurs reaching across the table to rest her hand on top of mine.

“I just…” I shake my head. “I don’t know what to do, Ma. I’m so mad at him.”

“Why?” she asks.

“Why? Because he had a child with her!” I exclaim.

“He had Jenna with her,” she points out.

“Yeah, but that’s different,” I mutter. “They didn’t have physical contact to make her.”

“Taylor, you gave him permission to sleep with her,” my mother says. “While I think that was definitely not the right thing to do, you did it. You can’t get upset over the consequences of those actions.” I pout looking down in to my cup of tea. “I take it since Andy just left this baby on the doorstep that she doesn’t want him anymore, am I right?”

I nod. “Yeah, the letter said she couldn’t deal with having a reminder of their one night together. She also said she was giving up her parental rights so I could adopt him.”

“Really?” I nod. “Are you going to?”

I shake my head vigorously. “No. Hell no.”

“Why not, Taylor? It’d be just like when you adopted Jenna.”

“No, Ma, it won’t be. It’s nothing like that,” I tell her.

“Taylor,” she says with a stern look.

Just then my dad walks in the room. “Zac just called,” he announces. “He’s coming over.” I grit my teeth. “He wants you to know that he’s not coming to see you,” he tells me. “He says that you don’t have to see him if you don’t want to, but he needs to come see your mother and me.”

I give a short nod. “I’m gonna go lay down,” I say getting up from my seat. Then I head upstairs to my old bedroom.

　

ZAC’S POV

I pull in to my parents’ driveway, parking behind Taylor’s SUV. I get out of the car and reach in to the backseat, undoing Jackson’s buckles and hold him close to my chest as I back out of the car. I make my way inside the house and find my sisters playing with my daughters in the living room. I smile softly, watching them play in silence for a moment. Then Jessie looks up at me. “Hey, Zac,” she says. “Whose baby is that?”

I clear my throat nervously. “He uh, he’s mine,” I answer. She only nods, obviously noting the distressed state I’m in. “Where’s Mom and Dad?” I ask.

“Kitchen,” she tells me. I give her a nod and make my way in to the other room.

Upon entering the kitchen, my parents look up and my mom can’t help the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Is that him?” she asks. I nod.

“Zac?” my dad questions.

I sigh and take a seat across from my parents, taking Jackson’s coat off. “This is Jackson,” I tell them. “He’s my son.”

My dad purses his lips. “Your son?” he asks.

I nod. “How much has Taylor told you?”

“Nothing,” my father answers. I look at him in surprise.

“He talked to me,” my mom explains. “I know what’s going on, but why don’t you let your father in on it.” I nod slowly. Then I take a deep breath and begin.

When I’m finished, I hold my breath, waiting for my parents’ response. “I don’t know what to say,” my father says.

“Me either,” I murmur, my eyes tearing up. I squeeze them shut, trying not to cry, but a few tears roll down my cheeks.

“Hey now, don’t cry,” my mom says soothingly, reaching out to rub my arm.

“I just… I don’t know what to do,” I tell them. “Taylor hates me and that hurts so much. I wish he could just… I wish he could accept Jackson in to our family the way he did with Jenna. It’s the same. I mean, I know they were conceived differently, but it’s the same.” I look up at my parents hoping they understand. My mom is nodding at me in agreement and my dad is just sitting there, a grim look on his face, his arms crossed over his chest. “Dad?” I ask.

“I don’t know what to say, Zachary,” he says quietly. “You’ve got yourself in quite a predicament.” I look down at the baby in my arms. He’s cuddled in to my chest, his thumb in his mouth, watching the exchange between my parents and myself. I lean my head down, resting my cheek against his soft blond baby curls. He’s got that powdery baby smell, it’s like aroma therapy, calming my frayed nerves.

“I love him,” I murmur. “He’s my son and he hasn’t been here long, but I love him.”

“Of course you do,” my mom coos. “How could you not?”

“Exactly,” I whisper, cuddling the little boy closer. He sighs happily, snuggling in to me.

There’s a moment of silence where no one says anything. But then I speak up. “I’m going to keep him,” I say.

“Good,” my mother states. “You should. He’s your son, he’s your responsibility.” I nod in agreement.

“And what if Taylor doesn’t want you to keep him?” my dad asks.

I sigh. “That’s something we’ll have to figure out together,” I answer. “But Andy doesn’t want him and I’m not giving him over to foster care. His mother threw him away like a piece of trash and I’m not going to do the same. He doesn’t deserve it. He’s just a baby and did nothing wrong.”

My mother smiles proudly at me. “You’re a good man, Zachary.” I feel myself blush lightly. Then I look over at my dad, wanting his reassurances.

“If that’s what you want,” he says.

I sit up straighter and look my father in the eye. “Dad, I really need you to support me in this decision,” I tell him. “I need my parents’ support. This is extremely hard for me. I may lose my husband in the process. I need to know that you’ll stand by me.”

“Of course we will, honey,” my mother says reaching over to squeeze my arm.

“I know you will, Ma,” I tell her. “I just need to know if Dad will do the same.” I look over at my father once again. He gives me a short nod.

“You’re my son,” he states. “You’re trying to do the responsible thing. I’ll stand behind you on this. But it’s going to be hard. I have to support Taylor also. He’s my son too.”

I nod. “I know. I’m not asking you to choose sides. I’m just asking you to give me some support. Give us both some support through this. Is that okay?”

My father nods again. “I will support both of you,” he tells me. “I don’t want to see either of you get hurt, but I know that you’re both hurting at this very moment and there’s nothing I can do.”

“You can give us your support,” I reply.

& & & & &

I enter the room Taylor and I had shared before moving to New York. Taylor’s curled up on his side on the bed we shared our first kiss in. “Hey,” I murmur.

“Go away,” Taylor replies, turning his back to me. I quietly shut the door and walk over to the bed, kneeling down beside it.

“I need to talk to you,” I tell him quietly.

“I don’t want to talk,” Taylor says.

“Then just listen.” I take a breath and begin. “I know Jackson pisses you off. But he’s my son and I’m not going to just throw him away like his mother did. I want us to raise him. I want you to adopt him and be his father. I want the five of us to be a family. But if that’s not what you want, and you make me choose between you and Jackson, I will choose him over you in a heart beat. I don’t want to choose, I really don’t want to. But if you make me do it, it won’t be you. I’m sorry.”

Then I stand and lean over Taylor, whispering in his ear. “I love you. Please come back to me.” I kiss his cheek and leave.


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Stay Tuned for Chapter Three!

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