New "Trapped Inside Your Eyes" Chapter!

[writefiction]

Title/Chapter: Trapped Inside Your Eyes (04/?)
Author: amanda: jaclyn’s twin sister
Pairing: Zaylor Hanson
Rating: R - strong language
P.O.V.: switches back and forth but is clearly marked.
Word Count: 1,492
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 FOUR

ZAC’S POV

A week later I awake to shouts of a little baby. “Dada! Up! Dada!”

I groan rubbing my face in to my pillow. “Please, Jackson, five more minutes.” When my words fall on deaf ears, I roll on to my back and rub my eyes with my fists. Then I sit up and swing my legs over the side of the bed. Jackson grins at me from the pack ‘n play set up a few feet away. It’s contagious, a smile turning up the corners of my mouth. “Hey, baby,” I greet him as I take the few steps over to him.

“Dada!” he exclaims making grabby hands at me. I reach down and pull him up from his crib, setting him against my hip.

“How did you sleep, huh?” I ask him. He just makes little cooing sounds at me. “That good, huh? Daddy didn’t sleep too well… again,” I tell him, bringing him across the room to the nursery. I lay him down on the changing table. “I miss your Pop and your sisters,” I say quietly. “I wish they’d come home.” Jackson reaches up and gently strokes my cheek. The expression on his face is that of sadness, like he feels my pain. “Hey, it’ll be okay,” I tell him. “We’ll be okay. I promise.” This time Jackson smiles at me and, for the time being, it erases my misery.

Later that day I feed Jackson a tiny jar of pears, then heat up a bottle for him. I take him in to the living room and sit in my recliner, putting the foot-rest up. I cradle my son in my arms and offer him the bottle of formula. He happily accepts it, sucking away. I lean my head back against the chair and close my eyes, listening to the little sucking and slurping sounds that are coming from Jackson.

After a little while my ears perk up. I swear I had heard a car in the driveway. I shake my head and look down at my son. I’d been doing that a lot, thinking I hear Taylor pull in. But this time it’s accompanied by the sound of a car door slamming. Then another. Next is the sound of foot steps crunching on the gravel driveway. I sit frozen in my chair, paralyzed with hope. I watch as the front door opens and in walks my estranged husband. “Tay?” I murmur.

He puts a finger to his lips. “They’re sleeping,” he whispers. Then he heads upstairs, presumably to put the girls in their beds. When he comes back down, I just stare at him as he stands in the doorway. He just stands there looking at me as if he’s afraid to come any closer.

“What… What are you doing here?” I ask, sitting up and putting the footrest down on the recliner.

Taylor slowly walks over and sits down on the edge of the coffee table. “I love you, Zac,” he says. “I love you and I don’t want to be apart anymore.”

My eyes tear up at his words. “Really?” I ask.

Taylor nods. “But I think it would be in our best interest if you gave the baby up for adoption.”

“What?!” I screech, startling Jackson a little. I look down at him and kiss him on the head. “It’s okay, big boy,” I tell him. Once he’s happily sucking on his bottle again, I lift my gaze to my husband staring daggers at him. “You want me to do what?”

“I think you really need to give this baby up for adoption,” Taylor repeats. “I was able to forget about your night with Andy. But having him here will only make it real; will only serve as a reminder of you guys touching and kissing and being so completely intimate. I just… I can’t live with that.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I growl. Taylor just shakes his head. “Get out,” I grind out through clenched teeth.

“What?” Taylor asks with surprise.

“Get. Out.”

“Why?”

“I already told you, Taylor,” I hiss. “If it came down to it, I was picking my son over you. If you can’t accept him, then you’re out.”

“Fine, but if I’m leaving so are my daughters,” Taylor replies.

“Don’t you dare take them,” I state. “You’ve had them for an entire week and I haven’t seen them at all. They can stay here this week and then you can have them back. I miss them and they need to get to know their brother.”

Taylor sneers. “He’s not their brother,” he states. “Maybe he’s Jenna’s brother, but not Penny’s. If you want Jenna to get to know her brother, fine. But I’m taking Penny with me. You are not keeping my daughter.” He turns on his heel and stomps up the stairs.

I hear him stomping around upstairs and I can hear both girls crying. I know he’s scared them awake with his loud noises. Then he comes stomping down the stairs again and heads straight for the front door. He doesn’t even glance at Jenna as she runs after him, calling out his name, sobbing. He’s out the door within seconds, slamming it as hard as he can, making the pictures rattle on the walls. Jenna stands there crying for her Poppa, trying to twist the doorknob, banging her little fist against the door when her efforts fail.

I immediately jump up and place Jackson in his swing, turning it on low. Then I rush over to my oldest daughter and have to pry her away from the door. I pick her up, cuddling her to my chest and sit back down in my favorite chair. “Dada,” she sobs. “Poppa gone!”

“Shh, baby, I know,” I murmur quietly. I rock her gently as she cries, whispering soothingly to her, trying to get her to calm down. It’s a hard thing to do when all I want to do is scream and cry for my daughter for being ignored by her own father. I feel so awful. This is all because a little innocent baby was brought in to this world. None of my kids deserve this.

It doesn’t take long for Jenna to tire herself out and fall in to a deep sleep. I sigh quietly when I’m sure she’s out, finally relaxing back in my chair. But then the phone rings and she whimpers. I snatch it up off the table and put it to my ear. “Hello?”

“Zac, what’s going on?” Jessie asks. “Where’s Jenna?”

I sigh. “Jenna’s here,” I answer. “No need to worry.”

“Taylor just came storming in the house and up to his room,” she says. “What’s going on? I thought he was going over there to work things out?”

I sigh again. “He came over to work things out alright,” I mutter. “But he wants me to give Jackson up for adoption!”

“He what?!” Jessie exclaims.

“You heard me,” I tell her. “He doesn’t want to be with me if I have him.”

“He’s such a fucking moron!”

“Jessica!” I scold. I’ve never heard her curse before.

“I’m sorry, Zac, but he’s beyond stupid right now,” she says. “He’s a complete and utter idiot. When it comes to this situation, Zac, I’m on your side. I think Taylor is just being stubborn and rotten. You’d never make him choose between you and his baby.”

“I know,” I whisper. I can’t believe Jessica is taking my side. When we were growing up, she always took Taylor’s side in everything. He was always her favorite brother. But I guess things change. “Thanks,” I murmur. “This really means a lot to me, to have your support.”

“It’s no problem, Zac,” she tells me. “I don’t agree with what Taylor is doing at all. It’s not fair to you or my nieces and nephew.”

“Your nephew?” I ask surprised.

“Of course, Zac,” Jessie says in a gentle tone. “He’s your son. He’s a Hanson. He’s my nephew. He’s a part of you and I love you. Although I can’t say the same about Taylor right now.”

Tears form in my eyes, my heart swelling at her words of love. “Thanks, kid,” I murmur. “That means a lot.”

“I love you, Zac,” she tells me. “And I’m behind you one hundred percent. Anything you need, I’m here. If you need some alone time, I can come get the kids. Hell, if you just want a shower, I can come and watch them while you do that. Anything you need, anything at all, I’m here for you. I can’t imagine how hard it is for you right now, raising your kids on your own.”

I sigh. “It’s hard, but I’ll manage. And ya know, hopefully Taylor will come around.”

“He better,” Jessie states. We talk a little while longer before we say I love you and goodbye then hang up. I’m so grateful for my little sister.


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Stay Tuned for Chapter Five!

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