Who Needs the World

Taking Leana’s words into much consideration, Zack drove home a few miles under the speed limit, knowing his baby was in the car with him and his nerves were running wild. He was getting angry with himself. Pictures flashed through his mind, memories of Katie and himself together, laughing and splashing around in the ocean.

Her smiling face faded into that of Allison, the women he’d only spoken a few words to. His mind was playing dirty tricks with the racing pictures of Katie’s former self and the new woman. Zack blinked vigorously to clear his head so he could focus on where he wanted to go: home, to an empty house filled to the brim with shattered memories.

Ashlynn cooed in the backseat, pressing the backs on her hands against her mouth, then flailed her arms about with cute giggles in unknown excitement. She was just happy, an extremely happy baby. Zack sighed quietly to himself with a small, half smile at the little noises coming from the back seat.

Zack slowly pulled his BMW into the open garage and put the car into park. He pulled the keys from the ignition and got out, then opened the back door to pull Ashlynn’s seat out. He shut the door after grabbing her bag and held her seat’s handle in his hand. He unlocked the garage door and stepped into the house without a warm greeting. Ashlynn continued to coo and let out little yawns as they went. Zack set Ashlynn and her carrier on the leather recliner and put the handle back when he saw a flashing number one on his answering machine. With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, he went over and pressed the ‘play’ button’.

You have one new message. Message one. Zack man, it’s Syn. Listen, we’re all going out for dinner and drinks tonight. No excuses. Take my little, adorable girlfriend to your parents. I will come by your house to get you at seven. End of message.

Zack sighed and deleted it.

He walked over to the recliner and leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to Ashlynn’s forehead, “I guess you and I don’t really have a choice, now do we?”

Ashlynn looked up at him with her emerald greens and grinned.

***

Ashlynn was safe at her grandparents and Zack sat on the middle cushion of the couch with his half finished beer. He figured he’d start a little early, but didn’t plan on making himself stupid. There came a knock at the door and Brian walked in, his keys jingling on his finger.

Zack looked up from the mouth of the bottle and over to the entrance where Brian stared at him, “You know the rules, Baker. No drinking alone.”

Zack just shook his head and set the half empty bottle on the coffee table and stood up. “Can we just go now and get it over with?”

“Geez, don’t sound so excited to go out with your friends.” Brian had grown increasingly tired of Zack’s lack of wanting to participate in time out with the group. “You need to lighten up and get out more. It makes everyone feel bad that you don’t want to have fun.”

Zack merely rolled his eyes and followed Brian out of the house and locked the door as they went. They both got into the car and headed off to the restaurant and bar.

In the back, the group sat. Jimmy, Leana, Matt, Val, Johnny, and lacy all sat at a round table with a chandelier lighting the area. Zack trailed in behind Brian and took a seat between Leana and Matt while Brian sat next to Johnny and Val.

“Hey man. How’s it going?” Matt asked, taking a drink of his beer.

Zack shrugged in reply as the waitress set a beer in front of him, one Matt had ordered for him. “Same, I guess…”

“Nothing new?” Matt question.

Zack shook his head, “just taking care of Ash.”

“No new friends that we need to know about, either?” Matt questioned again only to make Zack shake his head and take another drink of his beer.

Everyone conversed amongst themselves, laughing and throwing punches at the innocent bassist who was always the butt of their jokes. Zack stuck to his routine and stayed quiet, just sipping away at the fizzing yellow liquid.

“So I met this chick, right? She’s fucking bangin’. T&A all the way.” Brian nodded with his cocky smiled as he told his story. “Mile long legs, light tan and…oh my God, she was sex on legs.”

Zack merely rolled his eyes at Brian’s words. All that man could think about was screwing anything with a pulse and moving onto the next.

“Psh, the chick has a kid.” Johnny snorted and downed the last of his beer.

“Get a name?” Jimmy asked.

“Baby Mama’s name is Allison.” Johnny said and leaned back.

Zack lifted his eyes from the yellow liquid and looked from Johnny, to Brian and just stared. Couldn’t possibly be the same one. Zack thought. Plenty of women are named Allison and are good looking…they may even have kids too.

Brian shrugged. “We have a date here in a few days. She’s gonna pawn the kid off on someone so we can have some fun.” He smirked.

Both Val and Leana shook their heads, “No wonder you can’t keep a steady relationship. You treat them to a fun night then dump them on their ass for the next willing girl.” Val sneered and crossed her arms.

“Oh, please. She was totally into me. Just gotta get rid of the kid and we’re all set.” Brian nodded and took a drink of his beer.

“What the hell is wrong with her having a kid?” Zack snapped. “Being a single parent is some huge no-no to you or something?”

Brian’s expression changed to one of ‘what the fuck’ at Zack’s outburst. “Dude, what’s your issue?”

“What do you mean ‘what’s my issue’? You’re making it sound like no one is supposed to have kids by themselves. I bet your have illegitimate kids all over the world, rockstar.”

“Boys,” Val stood up and held her hands up. “Knock it off. We’re all adults here.”

Zack shook his and stood up. “I’m not listening to his bullshit. Go and fuck any chick you want, but just keep in mind that they may be a single parent who had no choice in the matter like I did.” With a roll of his eyes, he stormed out after throwing a ten on the table for his drink.