‹ Prequel: Accidents Happen
Tragic Romance
Fights.
To say the next few hours were awkward would be an understatement. We had all just sat around the living room, cracking jokes and trying to catch our breath from all the laughter that was spewing out of us.
But just like ever other time we sat in the same room, Gena and I completely ignored each other and she sat next to Zack on the couch quietly and everyone from the past knew why.
Gena had never forgiven me for taking away her perfect family. She never got over the fact that Zack's first child wouldn't be with her like she expected all those years that they were together. I knew that Gena would always resent me and I know sometimes she even resents Little Zacky when he comes to visit and steals Zack's attention. Because I know, even though Zacky looks just like his father, that Gena sees me instead of the little boy laughing and smiling, his green eyes; shining. And that's why Zack usually comes to us every other weekend instead of Zacky going to him. Because it's awkward with Gena standing around, thoughts running through her head.
And yet, Zacky goes to his father's every summer for a couple of months to live in the Rockstar's house and sometimes tag along when they tour. And when my son comes back he always mentions everything his father and him did together, but never has Gena's name slip though his lips.
We sat around the living room, the t.v on yet no one paying attention. The room was loud and filled with laughter and happiness. Everything was great for the few hours. That was until I started noticing things between the couple sitting on the couch behind us. Gena would grab Zack's hand and he would slyly pull his calloused fingers away by ruffling Zacky's hair or reaching to shove one of the guys when they made jokes about him.
It was like a game of chase, frustrated and annoyed, Gena would keep reaching for his hand and he kept pulling it away. It went on like that for about an hour, the children oblivious to the silent fight behind them. That was until Gena politely excused herself and leaned into kiss Zack's snakebitten lips, only, she was met with his smooth cheek instead. Zack had turned his head away, looking at the floor as her eyes went wide and Brian stopped mid-sentence, gawking at the not-so-happy couple across from him.
The three kids sitting next to me turned to look at them and Gena growled, unhappy and confused. "Zacky?" She questioned, confusion lacing her tone as she cocked her head.
"What?" He asked, his green eyes not meeting hers.
"Why?"
Zacky sighed and looked to me. My eyes grew wide as she followed his gaze. Her eyes flaring with anger.
"What the fuck Zachary?" Gena questioned, jumping up from the couch and glaring at me.
"Come on, Kids. Upstairs," I ordered and we all shuffled up, Gena growling as I walked past. The ladies followed after me.We scurried into Little Zack's guest room and I told them to stay here as the girls and I dragged Zacky's uncles from the scene.
"Come On," I mouthed to them as they sat on the couch, staring intently at the arguing duo. Johnny rolled his eyes at me and heaved himself from the couch, Matt following suit. But Brian folded his arms and shook his head stubbornly. I sighed and he raised his eyebrows at me, mouthing the words; "My house,"
Michelle glared at him and he seemed to get the point, standing up and stomping his way over to us. When he reached the bottom up the stairs he turned to Zack and Gena, "If you two fucking break anything you are dead," He warned and 'Chelle slapped him. He muttered 'sorry, baby,' and walked past us into his room with Michelle.
Everyone turned to leave and I heard Gena shrilly scream my name,
"This is all because of Maxx? Zacky we've been together 10 years and now you are tossing it all away because of some fucking girl that couldn't stay away from someone elses boyfriend?" She questioned, poking his chest as he stood in front of her.
"She's not just some girl, Gena, She's Zacky's mother," He sighed, tugging his hand through his hair in distraught.
"Yeah well, who's fault is that, Zacky? I should be his mother!" She screamed in his face, the tears welling up in her eyes and she angrily wiped them away.
Zack groaned and turned away from her, "When you're not, Okay? You're not his mother. I know you tried to be when he was little but Gena," He cried, "You aren't,"
Gena hissed and folded her arms over her chest, "That's not the point, Zachary! The point is I thought we were going to be married by now with a couple of kids running around! I'm over 30 with no family of my own! Matt and Val have been married for years and their twins are beautiful. I was releaved when Val told me the girls would be at their grandparents because then I wouldn't have to look at their angelic little faces and wonder what our nonexistent kids would look like! Brian and Michelle are going to have kids any day now! Johnny, well, they will get there, they're married. But us..." Gena shook her head, "You never even proposed. Do you not love me anymore?"
Zack sucked in a breath, clearly taken by surprise at Gena's blunt reasoning. He shook off the words and looked straight into her eyes, "I don't want to hurt you Gena, I'll always love you,"
"But?" Gena added quietly, wringing her hands in front of her. I held my breath from where I sat all alone on the top stair of Brian's stair case, listening in on a very private conversation that could change my life and theirs forever.
I could see Zacky gulp from where I sat, "But," He continued, "I'm not in love with you... anymore,"
I could see her heart breaking in her eyes and I clenched mine shut knowing that I was the one who caused this innocent woman so much pain. And when Gena collapsed to the floor I felt no resentment as Zacky rushed forward to catch her before she hit the floor. I could see the tears leaking from his beautiful green eyes and my breathing became shuttered as he let her go... for good.
"Zack?" Gena stuttered, but it came out as a strangled whisper.
"Yes?" He questioned, not looking at her distraught figure.
"Please tell Maxx that's she's lucky and I forgive her. Because it's not her fault that she fell in love with you, because I am guilty of the same sin," She whispered boldly, her voice strong over all the tears.
Zack nodded once and turned away from her as she got to her feet, "I will," He looked up to the stairs where I was hidden and I ducked away, but he still smiled a sad smile at where he knew I was and turned to Gena for a final hug.
"I'm sorry," He murmured, and cupped her cheek. She leaned against his warm hand before withdrawing from him completely,
"I know," She said, sullenly.
Gena walked right out the front door after placing a sulk kiss on Zack's freshly shaved cheek. Her head down the whole time. And even though all that had happened in the last half an hour a relieved smile still came to Zack's pierced lips and he ran up the stairs and tackled me onto the floor, kissing every inch of my face and murmuring, 'I love you' against my lips as my son came racing out of his bedroom at the sound of my laughter. Our son jumped on top of his father and giggles erupted from him as Zacky pulled James down into our 'Love Fest.' as the other came out of the rooms. Jacoby leaning against the wall with a rare grin on her face.
But just like ever other time we sat in the same room, Gena and I completely ignored each other and she sat next to Zack on the couch quietly and everyone from the past knew why.
Gena had never forgiven me for taking away her perfect family. She never got over the fact that Zack's first child wouldn't be with her like she expected all those years that they were together. I knew that Gena would always resent me and I know sometimes she even resents Little Zacky when he comes to visit and steals Zack's attention. Because I know, even though Zacky looks just like his father, that Gena sees me instead of the little boy laughing and smiling, his green eyes; shining. And that's why Zack usually comes to us every other weekend instead of Zacky going to him. Because it's awkward with Gena standing around, thoughts running through her head.
And yet, Zacky goes to his father's every summer for a couple of months to live in the Rockstar's house and sometimes tag along when they tour. And when my son comes back he always mentions everything his father and him did together, but never has Gena's name slip though his lips.
We sat around the living room, the t.v on yet no one paying attention. The room was loud and filled with laughter and happiness. Everything was great for the few hours. That was until I started noticing things between the couple sitting on the couch behind us. Gena would grab Zack's hand and he would slyly pull his calloused fingers away by ruffling Zacky's hair or reaching to shove one of the guys when they made jokes about him.
It was like a game of chase, frustrated and annoyed, Gena would keep reaching for his hand and he kept pulling it away. It went on like that for about an hour, the children oblivious to the silent fight behind them. That was until Gena politely excused herself and leaned into kiss Zack's snakebitten lips, only, she was met with his smooth cheek instead. Zack had turned his head away, looking at the floor as her eyes went wide and Brian stopped mid-sentence, gawking at the not-so-happy couple across from him.
The three kids sitting next to me turned to look at them and Gena growled, unhappy and confused. "Zacky?" She questioned, confusion lacing her tone as she cocked her head.
"What?" He asked, his green eyes not meeting hers.
"Why?"
Zacky sighed and looked to me. My eyes grew wide as she followed his gaze. Her eyes flaring with anger.
"What the fuck Zachary?" Gena questioned, jumping up from the couch and glaring at me.
"Come on, Kids. Upstairs," I ordered and we all shuffled up, Gena growling as I walked past. The ladies followed after me.We scurried into Little Zack's guest room and I told them to stay here as the girls and I dragged Zacky's uncles from the scene.
"Come On," I mouthed to them as they sat on the couch, staring intently at the arguing duo. Johnny rolled his eyes at me and heaved himself from the couch, Matt following suit. But Brian folded his arms and shook his head stubbornly. I sighed and he raised his eyebrows at me, mouthing the words; "My house,"
Michelle glared at him and he seemed to get the point, standing up and stomping his way over to us. When he reached the bottom up the stairs he turned to Zack and Gena, "If you two fucking break anything you are dead," He warned and 'Chelle slapped him. He muttered 'sorry, baby,' and walked past us into his room with Michelle.
Everyone turned to leave and I heard Gena shrilly scream my name,
"This is all because of Maxx? Zacky we've been together 10 years and now you are tossing it all away because of some fucking girl that couldn't stay away from someone elses boyfriend?" She questioned, poking his chest as he stood in front of her.
"She's not just some girl, Gena, She's Zacky's mother," He sighed, tugging his hand through his hair in distraught.
"Yeah well, who's fault is that, Zacky? I should be his mother!" She screamed in his face, the tears welling up in her eyes and she angrily wiped them away.
Zack groaned and turned away from her, "When you're not, Okay? You're not his mother. I know you tried to be when he was little but Gena," He cried, "You aren't,"
Gena hissed and folded her arms over her chest, "That's not the point, Zachary! The point is I thought we were going to be married by now with a couple of kids running around! I'm over 30 with no family of my own! Matt and Val have been married for years and their twins are beautiful. I was releaved when Val told me the girls would be at their grandparents because then I wouldn't have to look at their angelic little faces and wonder what our nonexistent kids would look like! Brian and Michelle are going to have kids any day now! Johnny, well, they will get there, they're married. But us..." Gena shook her head, "You never even proposed. Do you not love me anymore?"
Zack sucked in a breath, clearly taken by surprise at Gena's blunt reasoning. He shook off the words and looked straight into her eyes, "I don't want to hurt you Gena, I'll always love you,"
"But?" Gena added quietly, wringing her hands in front of her. I held my breath from where I sat all alone on the top stair of Brian's stair case, listening in on a very private conversation that could change my life and theirs forever.
I could see Zacky gulp from where I sat, "But," He continued, "I'm not in love with you... anymore,"
I could see her heart breaking in her eyes and I clenched mine shut knowing that I was the one who caused this innocent woman so much pain. And when Gena collapsed to the floor I felt no resentment as Zacky rushed forward to catch her before she hit the floor. I could see the tears leaking from his beautiful green eyes and my breathing became shuttered as he let her go... for good.
"Zack?" Gena stuttered, but it came out as a strangled whisper.
"Yes?" He questioned, not looking at her distraught figure.
"Please tell Maxx that's she's lucky and I forgive her. Because it's not her fault that she fell in love with you, because I am guilty of the same sin," She whispered boldly, her voice strong over all the tears.
Zack nodded once and turned away from her as she got to her feet, "I will," He looked up to the stairs where I was hidden and I ducked away, but he still smiled a sad smile at where he knew I was and turned to Gena for a final hug.
"I'm sorry," He murmured, and cupped her cheek. She leaned against his warm hand before withdrawing from him completely,
"I know," She said, sullenly.
Gena walked right out the front door after placing a sulk kiss on Zack's freshly shaved cheek. Her head down the whole time. And even though all that had happened in the last half an hour a relieved smile still came to Zack's pierced lips and he ran up the stairs and tackled me onto the floor, kissing every inch of my face and murmuring, 'I love you' against my lips as my son came racing out of his bedroom at the sound of my laughter. Our son jumped on top of his father and giggles erupted from him as Zacky pulled James down into our 'Love Fest.' as the other came out of the rooms. Jacoby leaning against the wall with a rare grin on her face.
