When Hope Begins to Fade

I woke up to the bright sunlight coming through the window. Ali was still asleep so I decided to wake her up. I then realized that Ali was next to me in Zacky’s bed. Zacky wasn’t even in the room. I was wondering how Ali got in here. Did she wake up and Zacky told her where I was? I shook her and said her name until she woke up.

“What Maddy?” she groaned.

“Wake up.” I told her.

Ali rubbed her eyes before sitting up in bed. “Where am I?”

“Zacky’s room.” I told her.

“How did I get in here?” Ali asked me.

“I don’t know. I woke up and you were beside me.”

“Oh. Why did you wake me up for?” Ali asked as she frowned.

“Well last time you went searching for me and got yelled at. I thought I’d wake you up so we could go eat breakfast.” I told Ali.

Ali sighed before stretching. We both got off the bed and we began walking down the stairs to the kitchen. We entered to find Brian and Michelle. Ali grabbed my hand and stayed close by me. I thought about asking them to get us cereal but didn’t want yelled at. Michelle noticed us and I pulled Ali with me out of the kitchen. Instead we went into the living room where we found Jimmy, Val and Matt.

“Good morning.” Jimmy said to us cheerfully.

“Morning.” Ali and I said in unison.

“I’m hungry.” I told the tree of them.

“What do you want to eat?” Val asked us.

“Cereal.” I told her.

“Are you sure you don’t want pancakes, eggs, bacon, or anything? I’ll cook it for you.” Val said smiling at us.

“Um pancakes I guess.” I told her.

“You want pancakes also?” Val asked Ali. Ali shook her head yes.

Val got off the couch and went towards the kitchen. Ali let go off my hand and went over to a chair and sat down. I went over by Matt and sat down. Matt smiled at me. Matt turned on cartoons for us and started talking to Jimmy. I noticed that Ali had fallen back to sleep in the chair. Brian and Michelle soon came into the living room. I didn’t want to be around them so I got off the couch and went into the kitchen where Val was. I sat down in a chair and watched her.

“Hey Val.” I said when she hadn’t noticed me.

She jumped and turned to face me. I laughed.

“Jeez girl. You scared me.” Val told me.

“Sorry.” I told her.

“What are you doing in here?” Val asked as she went back to making pancakes.

“Sitting. Brian and Michelle came into the living room.” I told her.

I heard her sigh. “Where is your sister?” she asked when she glanced at me.

“In the living room, asleep in a chair.” I answered.

“Hey Maddy, will you do me a favor?” Val asked me. I told her yes. “Will you go tell everyone it’s almost time to eat.” I told her I would as I got up from the chair and walked towards the living room.

I entered the living room and told them it was time to eat. I went over to Ali and woke her up telling her it was time to eat. She got up faster than earlier and walked to the kitchen. I could tell she was hungry. I followed her into the kitchen since the other four had already went. I went into the kitchen and went over to Val.

“Thank you sweetheart.” Val told me.

“I don’t know where Johnny and daddy are.” I told her quietly. I then realized that I had just called Zacky daddy. Val just smiled at me.

“They are probably asleep. They can eat later.” Val told me.

I smiled at her as I walked over to the table where the rest were sitting. I sat by Jimmy. Ali was sitting on the other side of him. Matt was sitting at one end of the table. Across from Jimmy was Michelle and Brian was next to her. Val brought the pancakes to the table and sat down by Michelle and Matt. Jimmy got me and Ali both pancakes and put syrup on them. Ali and I both ate while the rest talked. Well mainly Jimmy, Matt, and Val talking to each other and Michelle and Brian talking to each other while sending me and Ali glares every now and then. Ali and I finished eating first followed by Jimmy.

“You should probably go wake the other three that are still sleeping.” Val said.

Jimmy mumbles something under his breath. We went with Jimmy upstairs.

“Who else is here?” I asked since Val said ‘three.’

Jimmy glanced at me.

“Nobody. The only ones sleeping still are Zack, Johnny and - oh you mean Lacey. She is still here.” Jimmy told me.

We followed Jimmy to the room at the very end of the hall which I guess was Johnny’s. Jimmy opened the door and looked in.

“Johnny! Lacey! Wake the fuck up.” Jimmy yelled into the room. “There is pancakes downstairs you two.” Jimmy said in a normal tone.

Jimmy left the door opened and then walked to Zacky’s room. He glanced in and then seemed onfused since Zacky wasn’t in there. Then it dawned on him.

“You two were sleeping in Zack’s room sleeping.” Jimmy stated. We both shook our heads yes even though he didn’t ask.

We then walked to where our room was. Jimmy opened the door to see Zacky sprawled across the bed asleep. Jimmy smirked down at us.

“I’ve got an idea to wake him up.” Jimmy whispered to us.

Jimmy told us the plan. We all walked quietly into the room. I got on one side of the bed with Ali on the other side. Jimmy was at the foot of the bed. We each climbed onto the bed and stood. Jimmy shook his head yes and we all started jumping up and down. It didn’t take Zacky long to wake up.

“What the hell?” he mumbled into the pillows.

Jimmy jumped off the bed while Ali jumped down onto the bed so that now she was sitting my Zacky. I continued jumping. Zacky turned his head so that he could see me.

“Maddy, what are you doing?” he asked.

“Jumping.” I giggled.

Zacky turned onto his side before grabbing my legs and making fall down onto the bed. He then began tickling me.

“Zack there is pancakes downstairs.” Jimmy spoke.

Zacky stopped tickling me to look at Jimmy.

“Alright man. I’ll be down in a minute.” Zacky told Jimmy.

Zacky then noticed Ali by his other side.

“You are really quiet.” Zacky told her. Ali just smiled.

“She’s not the quiet once you get to know her.” I told Zacky.

“True.” Jimmy said agreeing with me.

“You girls ready to eat?” Zacky asked us.

I giggled before answering him. “We already ate.”

“Oh so you ate without me?” Zacky asked and I shook my head yes. “I see how it is.” Zacky said before tickling me again.

“Stop it daddy.” I said.

Zacky stopped to look at me and smiled.

“Maddy!” Ali groaned.

“Sorry Ali. I had to tell him.” I told my sister.

“Wait, what?” Jimmy asked.

“I’m their dad.” Zacky said.

“How the fuck do you know?” Jimmy asked angrily.

Zacky told Jimmy exactly what I had told him.

“Whatever man. Jimmy said as he left the room.

Ali and I were shocked at how Jimmy acted. Zacky sighed and rubbed his hands down his face. He then looked at me and Ali and smiled. He pulled us close to him and kissed both of our heads.

“You girls know I love you right?” Zacky asked.

We both shook our heads yes. He smiled at us before speaking again.

“Well I’m hungry. Let’s go to the kitchen.”

We all got off the bed. Zacky was carrying Ali and had a hold of my hand as we made our way to the kitchen. Johnny and Lacey were the only ones in the kitchen now. I sat down in a chair while Ali sat in one next to me. Zacky was sitting by me.

“Aren’t you two going to eat?” Johnny asked after a few minutes.

“We already ate.” I told him.

He nodded his head and kept eating.

X

I stood there staring at the twins and Zack. Maddy had just called him daddy. Last I knew no one knew who their dad was but apparently it was Zacky.

“Wait, what?” I asked when I could finally speak.

Zacky told me how he was their dad and when I asked how he knew he told me how he knew.

I was angry and depressed at the same time. I was wanting the girls to be mine. I loved them both as my own. I guess they weren’t mine though.

“Whatever man.” I said to Zacky as I left the room.

I went to my room and grabbed a jacket. I then slipped on a pair of shoes before grabbing my cigarettes and walking downstairs. I saw Matt but ignored him as I walked towards the door.

“What’s wrong man?” Matt asked with concern.

“Fuckin’ nothing is wrong.” I growled at him before opening the door and closing it. Well more like slamming it.

I began walking down the sidewalk to nowhere in particular. I took out a cigarette from the box and lit it. I took a small drag out of my cigarette tasting the sweet nicotine. I sighed to myself and thought of what I was going to do.