You've Made Your Bed

I walked to the park nearby, I’d turned down numerous roads making sure to lose anyone that was following me in the process. I had come across a park which looked suitable for Zacky to play in for a while, I stepped foot on the tarmac and carefully placed him down on the ground before telling him to be careful. I sat on a bench not far from the climbing frame he was playing on and stared at my phone screen as it lit up. “What’s wrong Alex?” I asked my voice shaking slightly, I heard him sigh from the other end.

“Where are you?”

“I don’t know” I replied, I brought my legs into my chest and hugged them tightly.

“Yes you do. Don’t bullshit me” Alex growled, when Alex got angry you knew shit was going down. Alex always tried to stay calm and think the best of situations and therefore, was a generally loving and peaceful person.

“I’m at a park, don’t ask me which one because I honestly do not know”

“Okay. Wait... I think I can see you” I lifted my chin from my knees and looked around the park to see some guy with crazy blonde hair and a small group crowding around him. I frowned when I realised the small crowd he was with, more than likely contained Josh. “Hey Lauren!” Alex called, I followed the voice to see the guys literally a couple of feet away from me. Leaning against Dan was a pretty red haired girl, her skin was pale which just made her blue eyes stand out more.

“Hey Alex” I replied, however I was looking the girl up and down with a small smile on my face, “So Dan, going to introduce me?”. He raised his eyebrows confused before gasping.

“OH!” I laughed at his stupidity, “Lauren, this is Charlie, my girlfriend. We’ve been together two years” I gasped and looked at him with wide us. “I know, that’s ages for me” He retorted rolling his eyes with a playful smirk, “Charlie, this is Lauren. Josh’s wife” Dan introduced, her lipstick covered mouth fell open when he called me Josh’s wife.

“Well, I’m not really his wife. We split up but never got round to having a divorce” I explained.

“Mummy, mummy, mummy” Zacky called running over, “That man over there says he will give me a lolly if I go with him. Can I go?”. I grabbed Zacky into my arms and held him tightly, each of us turned to look at the man Zacky was pointing at. Josh balled his hands into a fist.

“The one with the sunglasses on?” Josh questioned. Zacky nodded. Josh strolled over to the man leaving us all to watch from a distance, all we could see were Josh’s arms moving around in the air at a fast pace and his mouth opening and closing quickly. Suddenly, his fist flew forward and hit the man in the mouth. My eyes widened, I pulled Zackys head to my chest to ensure he couldn’t see what his dad was doing.

“Oh my gosh, Dan” Charlie gasped, “Shouldn’t we stop him in case he gets hurt? I’m pretty sure he’s broken his hand”. I smiled at her, she seemed perfect for Dan, they were both peaceful people by the looks of things.

“He’ll be fine baby. You know what Josh is like when he’s angry, plus, it’s something he needs to do as a dad” Dan reassured her. That’s when I felt like shit.

Josh was sticking up for his son, making sure to keep his son safe, but I was denying him as the father. Instead telling his son that I took away from him that he wasn’t important and was only an uncle. I squeezed my eyes shut trying my hardest not to let any tears fall. “Are you okay?” Charlie asked, her perfectly done eyebrows furrowing, I nodded quickly and wiped my eyes with the back of my hoodie sleeve.

“I’m fine” I whispered, I was fully aware of everyone staring at me.

“COME NEAR MY SON AGAIN AND I’LL RIP YOUR FUCKING BALLS OFF YOU PEDOPHILE” Josh screamed, he picked something off the ground and threw it in the mans face. He walked towards us his face red with his anger and his eyes nearly black, “You” he growled pointing at me, I shrunk back, “why don’t you tell the truth!”. Although his eyes were nearly black with anger, I could see the hurt and pain. It was crushing him to know I was rejecting him as the dad.

I stared at Josh not knowing what to say. “I’m sorry Josh” I muttered, I ran my fingers through Zackys hair noticing he was nearly asleep, “I don’t know what to do anymore. It’s not my fault”.

“It’s not your fault that you’re denying me my child?” he gave a fake laugh, “let’s all feel bad for you then because you’re confused”

“I never said you had to feel bad for me Josh. I don’t want your sympathy” I frowned, he clapped his hands sarcastically.

“Nice act. You’re the most pathetic woman I’ve ever come across Lauren! You say you’ll always love me and then you tell me you hate me? Make your mind up, you can’t hate me for making one mistake” Josh cried.

“You know what Josh? I lied alright. I do love you” I handed Zacky over to Alex and walked over to Josh, “Wanna know how much I love you?”

“Go on then, enlighten me” Josh glared, I pulled the top of my trousers down slightly to reveal his name neatly written on my hip with the day we were married underneath. “Wow...” He gasped.

“Think it’s all an act now do you Joshua?” I said, I marched over to Alex and brought Zacky back into my arms. I shook Zacky gently in my arms to wake him up, “Baby” I cooed while rocking him in my arms.

“Mummy” Zacky whined rubbing his eyes sleepily.

“Josh is your daddy” I informed him, he stared at me and then at Josh.

“DADDY!” He squealed, he held his arms out to be held. Josh took him carefully and grinned down at the little boy.

“I want custody” Josh suddenly said, I looked at him and had to fight the urge to laugh. When I saw his face I froze, he was being completely serious. My eyes widened and I went to snatch back Zacky but he wouldn’t let me; all the others looked at Josh like he was insane. Apart from Chris of course. “Don’t look at me like that, I’ve heard about you Lauren. I know you used to be a junkie” he snapped. You’ve got to be joking.

“So you’re going to take my son away from me for a mistake I made before I even met you?” I asked, this time I did let out a laugh. A really cold bitter laugh. I couldn’t believe Josh would even consider the idea, I’d happily brought Zacky up for 2 years without any help from him or the other guys, and now he was insisting I was an unfit mother because of something that happened years ago.

“I’m keeping hold of my son until I get round to bringing the matter to court” Josh explained, he turned around and went to walk off with Zacky in his arms. I ran towards him and grabbed hold of his hair yanking him back towards me.

“How dare you think you have the rights to my son!” I screamed, “You have no right to come here and literally say you’re taking me to court and then walk off with my son!”.

“He’s my son too!” Josh yelled, “AND I WANT WHAT’S BEST FOR HIM WHICH MEANS KEEPING HIM AWAY FROM A PSYCHOPATH LIKE YOU!”

“HOW AM I IN THE SLIGHTEST A PSYCHOPATH JOSHUA?!”

“You broke Matt’s nose you crazy bitch!” Josh roared, Zacky started to cry uncontrollably in Josh’s arms. Josh held him close to his body and started to calm him down.

“HE DESERVED IT! HE WAS THE ONE INSULTING ME AND TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT DIDN’T CONCERN HIM IN THE SLIGHTEST. YOU CAN ASK MAX, DAN OR CHRIS. MATT LITERALLY WALKED STRAIGHT INTO MY FIST WITH HIS COMMENTS”

“Just give it up” Josh sighed, “Zacky is coming with me, unless of course you want to break my nose trying to get your son back”

“Josh” Charlie started but was cut off by Dan giving her a stern look, “No Dan”. She put her hands on her hips and gave him a stern look back, “she said you were there! You can’t just stand back and let someone lose their kid right in front of you, that’s not cool”

Dan sighed, “Matt was talking about things he shouldn’t have been. He was saying the reason her best friend and dad killed themselves was because she was so annoying or something, I wasn’t really paying attention. But, he did deserve it”. Matt glared at him.

“Give me my son back”

“No”

“JOSHUA!”

“No”

“Give her son back” Alex started. Josh shook his head muttering another no, “I swear to god Josh, I know you’re my friend but you better give Zacky back to her or you’re going to have me and Jack on your arse”. Jack nodded and crossed his arms over his chest trying to look intimidated.

“Well, you either let me take Zacky or I’ll phone the police and get them here to assess the situation” Josh suggested, I stared at him with tears in my eyes, my hand came down to my hip and started to scratch harshly trying to rid of his name.

That’s when I knew, I’d lost all respect I ever had for Joshua Franceschi.