Fate Is Leading The Way

I woke up the next morning with puffy eyes and a stuffed nose, which confused me in my half asleep awareness. I rolled over expecting Nick but found no one. That's when the realization hit of what Nick did. I felt tears spring to life and tried to hold them back.

"Your up?"

I looked over at the bed next to the one I was on and saw Joe laying in it; his glasses were perched on his nose and he was watching me.

"Yes." I said nasally. "I'm going to go take a shower."

I stumbled to the bathroom, I was aware that Joe was watching me the whole time. I shut the door and turned on the shower before undressing.

I let the water wash down my body taking away the tension as it hit the shower floor. I took a deep breath and felt the steam go down my throat easing the knot that was there from kept in tears. I closed my eyes and tried to clear my head but it was impossible. All I could see was the text. A sob escaped me as I slid down the wet shower wall to the floor. I curled my legs into my chest and cried. The scalding hot water mingled with my tears as I let all the pain out. My sobs grew louder as I thought about everything Nick and I had been through. When my thoughts came to Fay I cried louder. I was angry with Nick for ruining Fay's chance at having two parents together. Everything was going to change now, Fay's whole life is about to change.

"Hannah!"

I ignored Joe's persistent pounding on the door and continued to cry. It wasn't until Joe ripped the shower curtain back did I look up from my hands. He was standing there his eyes holding mine as he turned the water off and helped me up. He didn't seem to notice the fact that I was naked and soaking wet because he pulled me to him in a tight hug.

"Hannah." He whispered.

I clung to him like he was my last life line. "Joe, how could he do this?"

"I don't know." Joe said as he pushed my wet hair away from my face.

Joe held out a towel for me as he released me from his tight grip. I walked out of the steam filled bathroom and into the bedroom where I found my suitcase sitting at the foot of the bed. I quickly got dressed and put my damp hair in a pony tail.

“I better go get Fay.” I explained to Joe.

I hugged Joe tightly then left his room with my bags in hand. I turned around when the door was closed and came face to face with Nick. He looked horrible. His hair was going everywhere and he had blood shot eyes.

"Hannah."

I turned away from him and walked down the hall to Denise's room. I knocked on the door loudly.

"Hannah please talk to me." Nick begged as he stood behind me.

Denise opened the door for me and she smiled. "Hello. Come in." She opened the door wider and I stepped in the room. "Nick you look awful."

I placed my bag next to the door then went straight to where Fate was coloring with Frankie. I kissed the top of her head then sat next to her.

"Hi sweetheart." I said smiling at her.

"Mommy!" She hugged me then began talking quickly about her picture. It all blended together into gibberish as she told me her story.

"Nicholas are you feeling alright?" I heard Denise ask Nick.

"Come on let's go get your things packed." I said as I lifted Fay up into my arms.

"We're not leaving for a little while you don't have to do that yet." Denise said to me.

"I think Fate and I should go back to L.A." I said quietly.

I couldn't look at anyone but Fay as I waited for their reactions. It was as I expected they were all confused by my sudden decision.

"Why?" Denise finally asked.

"I just think it would be best for us to leave." I answered.

"You can't take her from me." Nick said with a trace of anger.

"I can if I think its best for her." I retaliated.

"What's going on?" Denise asked confused.

"Nothing." Nick said quickly.

I knew Nick didn’t want his whole family to know about what he did, but he couldn’t keep a secret forever. They had a right to know how he fucked up.

"No go ahead and tell her, Nick." I said furious again. "Tell her what happened."

"Stop Hannah. This is between us." Nick said. “Leave everyone else out of it.”

"Fine if you won't then I will." I turned to Denise. "He's been cheating on me with Miley."

Denise looked at her son. "Is that true?"

Nick looked down at his feet. "Yes, but -"

I left the room then I didn't want to hear what he had to say. I walked to the room I had been sharing with Nick. I set Fay down on one of the beds and turned cartoons on for her. I packed our things as quickly as I could so I didn’t have to face another confrontation from Nick, but of course I can’t always get what I want.

"Hannah we need to talk." Nick said as he burst through the door.

"There's nothing to talk about." I said as I packed Fay's playpen.

"Yes there is. You can't take her away from me." Nick yelled.

"You don't deserve to be around her!" I yelled back. I stood up, the closed playpen in my hand, and faced Nick.

"She's my daughter!"

"You should have thought of her before you went and fucked that whore!" I yelled.

"I never slept with her!" Nick said frustrated.

"Whatever." I said rolling my eyes.

I turned away from Nick to place Fay's playpen against my suit case then flipped open my phone. I dialed Joe's number quickly I needed to be on the next flight out of her to L.A.

"Hi Joe. Could you do me a favor?" I asked. "Could you look up some flights to L.A. For me?"

Suddenly my phone was taken from my grip. "Don't listen to her." Nick said into the phone before he shut it.

"Give me my phone back." I said holding my hand out for it.

"Not until we talk things out." He said as he put my phone in his pocket. "Please let me explain."

"Fine. You have two minutes." I said. I sat down on the bed next to Fay who was watching us curiously.

"I have been seeing her but its not what you think. We have kissed but I didn't sleep with her." Nick said quickly.

"You still cheated Nick." I said shaking my head. "Nothing is going to change that."

"Please don't leave." Nick begged. "I love you."

"If you really loved me this never would have happened." I held my hand out for my phone again. "Give me my phone back."

Nick placed the phone in my hand reluctantly. I picked Fay up and grabbed our bags. I left the room and walked over to Joe's room. This was the end of anything Nick and I could have had in the future, and I could already feel my heart breaking.