All These Things We Do

Humming the tune of Beast and the Harlot, Eloise took her three month old twins from their Moses baskets and placed them into their side-by-side twin stroller. The babies definitely had good taste in music, always calming at the sound of any Avenged Sevenfold song that was playing, being sung or even just the tune being hummed.

“Right, shall we go see Auntie Gena and the other girls?” she asked the babies in a voice that people only ever use when talking to small babies or animals. Both babies just stared back at her.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” She replied to herself before taking hold of the strollers handles and wheeling it around to make her way out of the front door. She’d barely made it to the end of the driveway when she heard her name being called. She turned around, the smile on her face disappearing when she saw who was stood there.

“What do you want? Don’t you think you’ve caused enough trouble for my family?” Eloise spat as Katelyn took a few steps closer to her.

“I’m sorry, but don’t you think Brian’s first son deserves the same as his other children. I’m a single mom, struggling to put food in my child’s stomach and keep a roof over his head while his brother and sister get to live in a huge fancy house, plenty to eat, fancy clothes and more importantly their father. Doesn’t Joseph deserve that too?” she replied. Eloise stared at her for a long moment.

“Why are you telling me all of this? I mean why not Brian?” she asked.

“Because, I guess I thought you’re a mother too, you’d understand that you’d do anything for your children, you don’t want to see them going with out. I was hoping you’d care enough to talk to Brian for me.”

Eloise was silent for another long moment, processing Katelyn’s every word. “Ok, so let me ask you something else. Where is he? Joseph? This is the second time you’ve turned up and there’s been no sign of him.” she asked.

Katelyn was silent for a moment, seemingly contemplating her answer. “A friend’s looking after him. I didn’t want him to see me argue about his father.” She replied confidently.

“You could be just saying that. I want proof.” Eloise spat.

“If you want proof, I’ll give you proof. I’ll give you a DNA test. Would that be enough proof for you?” Katelyn retorted angrily.

Eloise was taken aback by the volume and harshness of Katelyn’s voice. She had remained so calm and collected so far. Slowly she found herself nodding and realised that Katelyn had quite possibly offered her exactly what she needed. Then again, it could also prove to be the one thing that could make sure that she never trusted Brian again.

“Ok. If that what it takes.” Eloise replied shakily. Katelyn’s eyes widened slightly before she nodded.

“Um, ok, thank you.” she replied quietly.

“Don’t thank me.” Eloise growled as Katie gave a small cry from the stroller.

“Sorry, I’ll be in touch.” Katelyn said all too quickly as Eloise crouched to check on Katie, watching as she turned and walked quickly down the street. Eloise watched in slight confusion as Katelyn got into a small silver car and quickly drove away. As she turned to continue her way towards Gena’s house she ran over the confrontation in her mind. Something wasn’t sitting right, but she couldn’t work out what it was exactly.

As the girls sat around talking about weddings and babies, Eloise's mind was elsewhere. She was still going over the confrontation with Katelyn in her mind. She hadn’t told the girls about what had happened yet, instead concentrating on what had been said.

“And I thought maybe khaki green bridesmaid dresses with bright pink sashes and lime green pumps.” Gena’s voice suddenly cut through her thoughts. “What do you think Eloise?”

“Hmm? Oh yeah, sounds good to Me.” she replied half-heartedly as she turned to look at Gena.

As she received a bunch of bemused looks off the girls Eloise furrowed her eyebrows.

“You weren’t listening were you?” Gena asked sounding slightly upset.

Eloise sighed, feeling herself blush. “Sorry guys, my mind was somewhere else.”

“And nowhere too good neither judging by the look on your face.” Leana commented.

“Wanna talk about it?” Val asked hesitantly. Eloise glanced around her friends seeing nothing but care and concern on their faces.

Taking a deep breath first, she began talking. “As I was leaving the house to head over here Katelyn turned up again.”

“The girl who…” Leana began, Eloise nodded and continued.

“She started telling me about how she’s a single mom and she doesn’t think it’s fair that one of Brian’s kids doesn’t get everything it wants while his other two are living a life of luxury.” She continued.

“The cheek…” Gena began with clenched teeth.

“That’s not all, she’s offered to do a DNA test to prove Brian’s the father.” She said quietly watching as the girls eyes widened with shock.

“What did you say?” Lacey asked cautiously.

“I was shocked, but I told her that it was a good idea. I hope it’s a good idea.” She replied with a small sigh. “What if…what if the results come back saying Brian is the father?”

She glanced around her friends, watching each of their expressions carefully, hoping that one of them would be able to tell her truthfully that she had nothing to worry about, that Brian couldn’t be the father. She was disappointed though, with not one of them with a positive look on their face.

“I mean it doesn’t look good does it? Why would she offer a DNA test if she wasn’t telling the truth? She wouldn’t would she?” she said with tears coming to her eyes.

“Honey I’m sorry…” Val began, moving so that she was sat next to her, her arm wrapping around her shoulder as she held her in a sideways hug.

“She might be calling your bluff…” Leana offered quietly. “I mean think about it this way…what if she’s some crazed nutcase fan who’s obsessed with Brian? Maybe she’s delusional and thinks she slept with him. Maybe…no…that wouldn’t happen… that just wouldn’t be right would it?” she said shaking her head with a look of disgust at whatever was in her mind.

“What? Leana tell me…if it’s a possibility.” Eloise pleaded, willing to hear anything that meant that Brian hadn’t got some other girl pregnant.

“Well, she would have to be delusional but…what if…maybe, do you think she’s got the wrong Brain Haner?” she asked nervously.

“What? You mean…? Senior?” Val asked screwing up her face in disgust.

“It might explain why the baby looks so much like Brian…I mean that would make them brothers right?” Leana replied.

“Ok, crazy pregnant lady needs to go take her vitamins I think.” Gena said slowly with wide eyes.

“I’m just saying it’s a possibility…” Leana retorted.

“No, guys, Papa Gates wouldn’t cheat on Suzy.” Eloise replied shaking her head.

“But you’re willing to believe Brian would cheat on you?” Lacey whispered quietly. Eloise's eyes were quickly on Lacey, her words turning over and over quickly in her head.

“She kinda has a point Hun.” Val said quietly causing her to break her gaze.

“I know, I know…shit, what am I doing?” Eloise said loudly to herself more that anyone else. “Do I really believe that Brian could cheat on me but Brian senior couldn’t cheat on Suzy? Girls be honest with me…do you honestly believe that this girl could be delusional? I’m not saying that she’s got the wrong Brian Haner necessarily but could she be crazy and lying about everything? Calling my bluff with the DNA tests?” Eloise asked pleadingly.

They were all silent for a moment, neither of them wanting to be the first to speak. Finally it was Leana who spoke up. “Honey, I think I can speak for all of us when I say that there’s not one of us in this room has ever truly believed that Brian is capable of cheating on you, and that’s what we’ll believe until ever proven otherwise.” She said as the other girls nodded.

“But what about Katelyn?” Eloise asked. Again it was Leana who spoke up after a deep sigh.

“Sweetie I won’t lie to you, there is a possibility that she’s telling the truth, just like there’s a small possibility that she’s got the wrong guy. There’s loads of possibilities and you may never know the entire truth, but maybe the best way to get some answers would be to get the DNA tests done.” She concluded.

Eloise sat silently as she processed Leana’s words. Slowly she began to nod.

“It’s the only way isn’t it?” she whispered quietly.

“El if there was any other way that I could think of to help you put your mind at rest I’d tell you, but at the moment this is the only way. And I know you, you won’t be able to put any of this behind you, deal with it or forget about it until you know for sure either way.” Val said as she placed a supportive hand on her knee.

“And what happens if I don’t get the answer I want?” she asked, again in an almost inaudible whisper.

“Sweetie, I promise that what ever the outcome, we will be here for you to support you in what ever way you need and want.” Gena said with a warm smile.

“Yeah, and I know that either way, you and Brian will be able to work things out, put this behind you and move on…be happy together.” Val assured her.

“Thanks girls…I guess I need to talk this all over with Brian don’t I?” she replied as she brushed the silent tears away from her cheeks.

“You have to at least tell him that she came up to you again.” Leana said.

“Thanks girls.” She whispered with a faint smile.

She raised from the sofa and placed the twins back in their stroller and said her thank you’s and good byes to all the girls before slowly making her way back to her house, her stomach in knots every inch of the way there as she ran through what she was going to say to Brian when he got home from the studio.