Show My Cards, Gave You My Heart

I sat in the warm June air and I anticipated my name being called so I could walk up, grab my diploma, and leave. It was hard to believe I was graduating. I nervously waited as they moved closer to the Gs. I turned back, finding Alex standing with my mother in the crowd. He smiled at me in support. Gabriel, Galinski, Gaskarth. Bingo.

I stood up from my chair, slowly walking to the front. I stumbled in fear while the whole room clapped for me, making me even more nervous. "Congratulations Mrs. Gaskarth." Mr. Burns' told me, shaking my hand. He handed me my diploma and allowed me to walk back to my seat.

Now I had to sit and wait for the rest of the class to receive their diplomas. I was stoked for the time after this. Spending my time free. High School was finally over for me. But afterwards, spending some time with my mom and Alex. Seemed fine with me.

She was really shocked when she arrived this afternoon. I surprised her with my baby bump. At first she thought I was hiding a basketball under my shirt. Jokingly, I told her I was then lifted my shirt and showed her my stomach, that was covered in little drawings that Alex made on it while I was sleeping.

My thoughts were interrupted by the principle telling the graduates to stand. I stood, throwing my cap in the air with everyone else. Thank fucking God all this was over. Parents flooded the field, making it harder than hell to find anyone. I searched through the crowd for Alex. I found him socializing with a boy who also graduated. I walked next to him, sliding my hand into his.

"Oh hey, Haley." the kid said. To be honest, I had no clue who he was. I think his name was Tyler Miller or something like that.

"Hello." I smiled, looking up at Alex. "Babe, where's my mom?"

"She had to go pee. But, she'll be back."

"Oh? You two are together?" the kid blurted out, making Alex laugh.

"Yes Tyler, Haley's my wife." he shook his head, smirking.

"I had no idea."

"Yep."

"Well, I'm gonna get going. Bye." Tyler said, walking away.

"You know him?" I giggled, pulling him into a hug.

"That's the asshole Lisa cheated on me with." he shook his head. "He started talking to me."

"Oh, well. That's awkward."

"Yes. You've graduated now baby!" he laughed, changing his tone from serious to excited.

"Finally. You're not going to start pressing for college plans, are you?" I looked up at him, hoping he wouldn't say yes.

"I've told you before, baby. If you wanna go, you can go. If you don't, then you don't have to."

"Awesome." I smiled, hugging onto him again. "I'm just so happy to be out of prison."

"Feels good, huh?" he smirked.

"Very."

"Haley, congrats darling!" my mom squealed, attacking me in a hug.

"Thanks." I bit my lip. "Don't squish me please."

"Oh sorry." she laughed. "Forgot about the extra cargo."

"It's okay." I pulled away, looking up at Alex. "Are you guys ready to leave?"

"Mhm." he hummed softly, grabbing my hand.

"Yes, lets go." my mother said, following us as we walked to the exit. Goodbye Malcolm.

We parted into separate cars. Alex and I in ours, and my mother in hers."So.." Alex said, trying to break the silence.

"So."

"Earlier your mom and I had a conversation about something. She was going to ask you herself, but thought I'd get a better breakthrough to you. I'm up to the task for this." he sighed, watching the road. "I do think it may be a good idea, but it's really up to you."

"Well, would you tell me what it is?" I laughed, shaking my head.

"That whenever I leave for the summer tour, you go stay with her in New York?"

"Oh. New York?"

"Yep." he nodded. "I think it'd be a good idea because Jack told me Kay is starting to get suspicious."

"Wait, you told Jack?" I asked, staring daggers into him. "Alex, what the fuck?"

He kept quiet, nodding in response. "It was accidental. I'm sorry, love."

"I can't believe you did that." I sighed angrily.

"It was accidental." he shook his head. "It came out accidentally."

"Yeah, sure."

"Dammit Haley." he raised his voice, tightening his grip on the steering wheel. "Jack isn't going to let it slip to anyone else. The secret is safe!"

I bit the inside of my cheek, trying not to cry. I hated fighting with Alex, but why did he betray me? Accidental or not, I still felt betrayed. He pulled into the driveway, bringing the car to a stop. "Whatever." I said, pushing open the door.

Alex's POV:

"You're being quite hypocritical, you know?" I shook my head, watching her give me the middle finger. "Real mature, Haley."

"Shut the fuck up Alex!" she hissed, slamming the door shut.

I bit my lip. She was so frustrating. I know she has major mood swings since she's six months pregnant, but shit. Over that? I thought of it as Jack helping us by keeping others away, but in her eyes it was a sin. I started the car back up, slowly backing out.

I went the the first place I thought about. Jack's. Maybe I could find some distraction for awhile for myself, then apologize to her later. I pulled into their driveway and got out, walking up the sidewalk and entered the house, knowing Jack wouldn't give a fuck if I did.

Kay scurried to the front door to see who I was entering her house. "Oh, hi Alex."

"Hi Kay." I exhaled, walking around her. "Where's Jack?"

"Living room."

I walked in, seeing Jack and Dylan holding Hayden and Breydon. "I have to go." Dylan said, handing Kay Breydon. I heard him mumble something as he ran into me as he passed.

"Alex could you do me a favor?" Kay asked.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Could you feed Breydon while I get their bath ready?" she smiled.

“Of course.” I nodded as Kay handed him the bottle, then Brey.

“Thanks so much.” she smiled, walking out of the room.

"What's up with you, bro?" Jack asked, sticking the bottle into Hayden's mouth.

"Haley and I got into a fight." I sighed, starting to feed Breydon.

"Damn, over what?"

"She's pissed off because I told you about Madalynn." I shook my head. "She's being really fucking hypocritical about it."

"So, I'm guessing she's really mad and kicked you out of the house?" he asked, burping his son.

"Extremely. No, I left on my own. I don't want the fight to escalate over something stupid, so I left without saying anything. She's with her mom so she'll be fine for the time being. I'm gonna call her and apologize in a minute."

"Pregnant women are very hard to handle." he shook his head. "I suggest you think of something besides a sorry."

"Like what the fuck am I supposed to do, Jack?"

"Watch it bro! My kids are present."

"Like they really understand us." I sighed, setting down. "I wish September would get here already so she could have Madi."

"Four more months bro." he laughed, setting down next to me.

"Are they done feeding?" Kay asked, coming down the stairs.

"Yes babe." Jack told her. He stood up, handing her Hayden, then taking Breydon from me. "I'm gonna help her bathe them. I'll be back, alright?"

"Okay." I nodded, pulling out my phone. I found Haley's name in my contacts and hit the call button, listening to it ring and go to voice mail.

I sighed, trying to make a sincere apology on the spot. "Haley, baby, I know you probably hate my guts right now but I'm really sorry for being a asshole and leaving without saying anything. I, I'll be home soon and I really love you. I'm really sorry too. God dammit, I can't express how much." I sighed into the phone. "I love you." I said as my closing statement. I hung up, throwing the phone across the room. "Fuck!"

Now what could I possibly do to pull myself out of this rut I was in? She's pissed apparently. I looked across the room, seeing one of Jack's guitars laying against the wall. I'll write her a song. I mean, every girl loves it when their musician husband writes them songs, right?

I walked over to it, picking it up and retrieved my phone. I found a pencil and scratch paper to begin work.

After of hours of work, it was finally finished. I ignored Jack and Kay the whole time, who were sitting in the living room watching television together. My phone rang once, but it was only my mom. I let that one go to voice mail. "Finally finished!" I said in excitement, looking over at Jack and Kay with tired eyes.

"Alex, it's after one. Do you wanna stay?" Kay yawned, standing up. "The guest room is available."

"Okay." I nodded, taking my song and phone in my hand. I walked down the hallway that led to the bedroom downstairs and shut the door behind me. I picked up my phone and tried to call again, my heart stopping when she answered.

"Hi.." she quietly said. Her voice was groggy from crying. Fuck..

"Hey, baby are you alright?" I asked, getting nervous.

"Yeah." she sighed. "Alex, I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm the asshole here, I'm sorry."

"No. Don't be. I freaked out over nothing." she said, beginning to sob.

"Baby, don't cry please." I bit my lip, wishing I was now at home.

"Alex, I'm scared."

"What?!" I said, now on the verge of freaking out. "Baby, why?!"

"I don't know. I want you to come home." she sniffled. "Please Alex?"

"Yeah, I'm on my way now."

"Alex, I'm scared."

"Scared of what?" I asked, walking through the living room, waving goodbye to Kay and Jack.

"I'm scared something bad is about to happen." she whispered.

"Like what?" I stopped, hanging onto her words that came slow.

"Alex, I'm having contractions. They've been going on for the past thirty minutes and I'm freaking scared, okay? Please, just get home and be with me."

"Are you fucking serious?!" I panicked, hearing Jack walk to the door where I was.

"Alex, bro, shh." he said.

I ignored him and ran out to my car, jumping inside as quick as I could. "I'm on my way, baby."

"Please be careful Alex." she whimpered into the phone, hanging up on me.

I threw the car in reverse, pulling out of their driveway in a hurry. I drove unsafely, totally making a bad decision here. I slowed down whenever I got back onto our side of Baltimore, finding the road we lived on. I pulled into our driveway and parked, running into the house. "Haley?!" I yelled, running up the stairs. I found her setting on the top step, sobbing into her hands.

"Alex," she cried. "it hurts."

"Deep breaths baby." I told her, taking a seat on the step with her. She gripped onto me, sobbing into my t-shirt. "Baby, please quit crying."

"It's so painful."

"Breathe." I said, pushing the hair out of her face.

We were quiet for a moment while she breathed. "Oh my God." she groaned, pushing herself into my lap. "Hold me please."

I nodded and caressed her in my lap, rocking her back and forth. I felt a wet feeling soak my jeans, causing me to laugh. "Babe, did you just pee yourself?"

"Alex, I didn't pee myself.. my water just broke." she said, looking me dead in the eye. I felt like I stopped breathing for a moment. "Alex!"

"Holy fuck." I whispered, feeling my heart start to race. Adrenaline kicked in and I rushed us down the stairs and out the door. I got her in the car then rushed to the driver's side, frantically buckling my seat belt. "Fucking fuck." I cursed, pulling out of the driveway.

"Fuck why'd you do this to me?!"she yelled at me as I rushed her to the hospital, helping her to the front desk.

"My wife's water broke and she's only 26 and a half weeks." I panicked while telling the nurse. They got Haley a wheelchair and rolled her down the hallway towards the delivery room.

"It's going to be okay sir." a nurse told me.

I nodded, taking a deep breath to prepare myself for the fate about to unroll. Okay Alex, control yourself. I told myself, then followed them into the delivery room.

There, I watched ultrasound after ultrasound, contraction after contraction. I sat in the bed with her while she cried in pain. I knew this was going to be a tricky process since the day I found out. Now all I could do at this point was pray to God that Madalynn came out healthy.

But I couldn't describe how worried I was. A couple hours had passed and she was dilated to five centimeters, so they gave her epidural for her pain. She finally eased off to sleep for a while, resting until doctors came in now and then to check her dilation and Madalynn's heartbeat.

She stayed relaxed until she was told she was dilated enough to start pushing. They set her up for the labor process. She stared me straight in the eye, letting me know she was absolutely terrified. "It's gonna be okay, love." I told her, hoping to ease her fear, when really, I had no idea myself. She took another deep breath as she pushed the first time. According to the doctors, it was a good push and she was now crowning. Then there was no reply from Haley. I looked at her, seeing that she had fainted. "Oh my God.."

"We lost her." the doctor said, making my heart jump.

"What?!"

"Not the baby, we lost Haley. She fainted." Dr. Greene laughed. "We're still able to deliver your baby, Mr. Gaskarth."

After a few moments of silence, I heard a relieving sound. The cry of my daughter. She was taken out of the room. "Sir, they're going to examine your daughter's health." a nurse smiled at me. "If all is healthy, she'll be returned. And Haley will wake soon. She's not the first mommy to faint during birth." she exited the room, leaving me alone with Haley.

"We did it baby." I mumbled, even though she couldn't hear me. Now my thoughts centered on my newborn daughter. What did she look like? Was she like Haley or me?

I sat in silence for a long forty-five minutes thinking about it. The door opened and a nurse walked in, holding my bundle of joy in her arms. I was taken by surprise. "She's three months early, but very healthy. Her lungs are fully developed, but she may have to stay a few days in the NICU until she gains a little more weight." she said, handing me the tiny child wrapped in a blanket.

"Thank you." I nodded, watching her walk out of the room. I stared down at Madalynn in awe. She looked exactly like me. The eyes, the nose, the lips, and the head full of thick brown hair. Everything. And she was quiet for the time being, reminding me so much of Haley. "You're beautiful baby." I told her, rocking her back and forth in my arms.