True Love

Jimmy jumped into life, and never touched bottom.

Mia read the print on the tombstone for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"I'm so sorry." Mia mumbled, not bothering to wipe the tears, "I'm so sorry I wasn't here...I'm so sorry we drifted apart. I'm so sorry I kept so many secrets, but most of all, I am so sorry you never got to meet Emma and Kenz, you would have loved them and they would have just adored you...Kenz reminds me so much of you, she’s such a free spirit," Mia went silent, finally taking a moment to lay the bunch of deep purple roses just beside the stone, "wish me luck Jim...I think I'm about to go tell Zack he’s a dad..." she took one last breath, glancing around, "I'll see you next week Jim...I love you."

Mia stood up, giving herself a moment to steady, it was still unreal, she was thirty and visiting one of her best friend’s grave. She had never told anyone, but she flew out just a week after Jimmy passed and had made it a habit to visit his grave every time she was in California, she had always driven ridiculously far to find the perfect purple roses to leave with him.

Mia walked slowly back to her large SUV sliding into the driver’s seat, letting out a deep breath she nervously began to trace the chrome lettering in the center of her steering wheel. Her finger ran around the round green and silver emblem before she began to nervously trace the letting under it that read 'Supercharged'.

"Come on Mia..." she chided herself, "just start the fucking car, you have to tell him. Sitting here isn't going to change that..."

But she was pulled from her thoughts as her phone began to ring from its spot in the middle console.

She pulled it out, glancing at the screen, it was Emma.

Sliding her finger across the screen she pressed the phone to her ear, finally deciding to start the car, the engine roaring to life from underneath the hood.

"Mom, aunt Val is here...I thought you were supposed to be home?" Emma was almost scolding her mother, but Mia was caught off guard. Aunt Val? Since when were the girls on an aunt basis with Val? It had only been what...three days?

"I'm sorry sweetheart," Mia grumbled, putting the car into drive, as she carefully began to navigate the narrow paved road of the cemetery, "I had an emergency valve replacement come in, I'm leaving the hospital now so I'll be home soon."

"Can Val ride to the beach with us?" Emma chimed quickly, Mia let out a deep breath.

"Yes, but did you even ask her? Maybe she wants to ride with Matt?" Mia knew this was some sort of ploy on Matt and Val's end to make sure Mia showed up. Mia had made it a point not to tell the girls yet. She knew once they found out the beach was involved there would be no talking them out of it.

"I already asked! She said yes!" but Mia heard what sounded like bickering in the background, "Kenz I'm talking to mom!"

"Mom!" Kenzie's voice played over the speaker.

"Yeah, babe?" Mia asked, looking around as she sat at the traffic light.

"Can you stop at the pharmacy? My inhaler is empty!" Mia rolled her eyes.

"Mackenzie Ava, what did I tell you about letting your inhaler go empty?" Mia lectured, she heard Kenz let out an elaborate sigh, "Besides, what happened to your back up inhaler?"

"I think I left it back home at dads!" she defended.

Mackenzie had endurance induced asthma, it was common in athletes but it didn't generally set on until later in life. Mia had a feeling her outdoor soccer had brought it on during the unseasonable cold, but Kenz wouldn't stop playing. Mia would have had an easier time trying to brush an alligators teeth, it was a useless argument.

"Is it at Walgreens?" Mia asked, deciding to give up. It wasn't worth the effort at this point.

"Yep!" Kenz chimed.

"I'll stop on my way and pick it up..."

"Thanks, mom! You're the best!"

"Alright, I'll be home soon."

Mia had a hell of a time finding the Walgreen's Kenz had texted her directions to, but after almost twenty minutes, she finally found it.

Mia pulled into the driveway, parking quickly. She took a deep breath before opening the door, she grabbed her book bag and her purse from the back seat, before trailing into the house.

"Finally!" Emma groaned as Mia walked in the door.

"Hey!" Val chimed from the couch, "I dropped by thinking you were home, so I just hung out with the girls!" Mia looked around before dropping her book bag at the door.

"Where is your grandmother?" Mia asked, pulling her green scrub top over her head before quickly pulling her name tag and key card from their lanyard that had been clipped to her waistband, tossing it onto the table beside the door.

"Grandma left after Val got here...something about the magazine..." Mackenzie muttered quickly, not once taking her eyes off the television. Mia rolled her eyes, this was why Mia had left to be with her father when she found out she was pregnant, her mother was completely irresponsible.

"Are you going to get dressed?" Emma lectured, putting her hands on her hips.

"Yes, did you guys pack towels?" Mia asked, climbing the stairs, "If so go put everything in the back of the car, my keys are in my purse, and Kenz! Your inhaler is in my purse too!" Mia called over her shoulder before trailing into her bedroom.

She walked into her closet, stripping off her scrubs and her white t-shirt, tossing them into her hamper. She grabbed the first suit she saw, the top was coral colored triangle top that wrapped twice around her midsection before tying at the middle of her back, the triangle cut string bottoms sported an elaborate floral pattern. She slid on a dark washed pair incredibly short and tattered jean shorts and then grabbed a gray long-sleeved shirt, that exposed her left shoulder. Tossing her hair onto the top of her head in what would become a messy bun, she hesitated for a moment, but grabbed a hoodie and took off down the steps.



"Val just text me," Matt said quickly before shoving his phone back into the pocket of his board shorts, "they're almost here..."

All the men were gathered around the pit they had built, chairs surrounding the ring while Brian and Arin had spent the past thirty minutes setting up a volleyball net.

Zack was sitting back in an old metal and woven lawn chair, he wanted a beer in the worst way, but he didn't want to start drinking before he even started talking to Mia, he didn't need anything to add to his already looming anger. Hell...he may need something a lot strong than a beer after all of this.

But the sound of car door slamming pulled him from his thoughts.

He stood up, shoving his hands in the pockets of his board shorts.

But looking up he stopped in his tracks, there she was.
She looked perfect, she made it so hard to be mad at her.

But he felt his heart jump into his throat.

There they were.
His daughters...

Zack watched as Mia lugged a beach bag over her shoulder, Val too carried one. The girls, however, took off straight for the volleyball net. He needed to sit back down, he wasn't actually sure he would be able to stand if they came too close...

"Who's playing?" Kenzie screamed, Mia watched, her arms crossed softly over her chest, she was smiling. It warmed her heart to see her old friends be so receptive to the girls...in an odd way, the girls needed them. They needed people that would treat them like kids, not like adults who need every moment of their lives to be planned and coordinated.

"Oh! I'll be scorekeeper! The last time I played I got hit in the face..." Lacey said casually as she drug a chair through the sand to the net.

"We're a team!" Emma screamed grabbing onto Kenzie's arm.

"Aunt Val! Come on you're on our team!" Kenzie screamed, Val smiled widely, rushing over to the girls.

"Oh and we take Matt!" Emma screamed, laughing as Matt pumped his fist high in the air in excitement.

"Seriously?" Brian called in complete and total anguish, "You're leaving me short shit and my wife? I mean Arin I can work with, but these two?" Michelle picked up the volleyball tossing it, hitting Brian square in the back of the head but he didn't even budge.

"I'm not that bad!" Michelle defended, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yeah! We're not that bad-" Johnny hissed, but he took a moment to think, taking in what Michelle had said, "Hey! I'm pretty damn good!"

"Oh everybody shut up and take your positions!" Matt chimed, his tone cocky.

Zack took a moment, chewing on the inside of his cheek.

"Mom!" Emma screamed, everyone, turning their attention to Mia, "Are you going to play?" Mia looked carefully at the net and then to Zack, he thought for a moment, shaking his head no at Mia.

"Next game, okay Em?" Emma nodded, tossing the ball to Kenzie, who threw the ball up into the air, her hand serving the ball over the net.

Mia crossed her arms over her chest, she grabbed her pink aviators from the top of her head, pulling them down over her eyes. Mia walked slowly, her bare feet tracking through the white sand.

His heart sunk, this was it.

Zack motioned to the chair beside him.

Mia managed a half smile as she sat gently down on the chair.

Zack watched Mia closely, she kept her gaze to the sky.

"I forgot how beautiful it was here..." she finally spoke softly, "New York is nothing compared to here..." Zack sat forward, his arms resting on his knees. The sound of crashing waves and the laughter being provided from the volleyball game filled the background.

"Then why did you ever leave?" he finally managed to mutter. Mia was silent, but she finally reached up, taking her sunglasses off holding them clasped between her hands. She turned to Zack, her eyes glassy.

"So many reasons..." Mia spoke, reaching up to dab the corner of her eye before she began to nervously play with her sunglasses.

"Don't lie to me Mia, I need the truth." Zack's voice was firm, "The girls...are they why you left?" Mia took a moment, her big blue eyes swelled with tears.

"Zack..." Mia almost whispered.

"They're mine...aren't they?" Zack asked staring at the girls, who ran through the sand screaming through their laughter as Johnny and Brian chased them. Mia could only manage a nod.

"Yeah...I know sorry isn't enough...but I am, you never deserved this," she said, biting at her lip as she wiped the stray tear that dared to run down her cheek, "I can't explain to you why, but at seventeen it just seemed like the right thing to do...you had the band and-" she just shrugged.

"I have two thirteen-year-old daughters..." Zack mumbled in what she could only fathom to be shock.

"We were seventeen and eighteen...I didn't think you were ready," she said simply. He turned to her, fire burning in his emerald eyes.

"Who the hell were you to make that decision for me?" he snapped, and at this moment he began to cry.

"I am so sorry," Mia cried, "It’s been almost fourteen years, and I still can't completely explain why I did what I did, but at the time, it seemed like the right thing to do..." her voice was soft and genuine, "but coming home and seeing you now..." Mia started, finally looking Zack in the eye, "I still think I did the right thing, and if given a second chance, I can't tell you I would do it any differently." Zack glared at her.

"How can you say that?" he spat.

"Because Zack, look at all you've done...if you had given up your dream to be a parent, you may not have all of this...your band...your career." Mia sobbed softly, laying a hand on Zack's leg.

"Do they even know?" Zack spat, not daring to take his eyes off the girls who were innocently laughing and playing with the people he loved the most, they were so happy.

"Know what?" Mia asked, sniffing softly.

"That I'm their dad...do they know who I am?" Mia let out a deep breath, she shook her head from side to side gently.

"No, honestly I've never even told them your name..." Mia spoke, but Zack felt an ache deep in his chest as his stomach turned, "they're not angry, they don't resent you...we've talked about it before and I have promised them that when the time was right, I would tell them everything. They know we were young..."

"When can we tell them?" Zack asked, Mia just let out a deep breath.

"Honestly...Zack, I think...I think now isn't the time. I think maybe you should get to know them first...things are still in transition and tossing their biological father into the mix just...it seems like too much..." Mia reached out, grabbing for Zack's hand, she had expected him to pull away, but instead, he held on tightly, "and if you need to take some time I understand...you have a lot to take in. And I think you should probably warm up to the idea before we bring them into it...but," Mia hesitated, “I also understand if you don't want anything to do with them-"

Zack thought for a moment, nodding hesitantly.

"No," Zack was firm, "I want to be there, I want them in my life and I want to be in theirs..."

"I would really love that..." Mia spoke, Zack finally managed to tear his gaze from the girls, looking into Mia's bright blue eyes, "and I know you'll probably never forgive me....and I don't expect you to."

Zack was quiet.
This was all so much.
He had kind of put all this together in his head, but this, her sitting in front of him, confirming his every fear...in this moment his world was completely different.

How was he even supposed to approach all of this?

Zack took a deep breath.

"Tell me everything..." he spoke slowly.

"Well...they were born on Valentine’s day..." Mia smiled softly, "I see bits and pieces of you in them every day. They both love sports, especially Kenz, and they love music when they would cry Oingo Boingo never failed to make them stop. And they have your sick sense of humor." Mia said softly, letting out a small laugh, "When they had learned to talk, they would walk me to the door as I would go to leave for work," Mia said, her smile beaming even wider, "I was still in my residency...they would kiss me goodbye and say 'have a good day momma, don't kill anybody!'"

Zack couldn't help but laugh, almost hysterically.

Zack couldn't explain what he felt.
It was completely new.
He had never felt it before.
For every moment he wanted to hate Mia, it seemed his heart swelled.
He didn't even know these two girls, these immaculate creatures he had helped to create but he was madly, totally, deeply in love with them.

He had always heard being a parent changes you.
He had thought his life had meaning before, but now...

"Who's hungry?" Brian's voice called, Zack and Mia went quiet, they watched as everyone bounded over from the volleyball net.

Zack watched as the girls collapsed in the sand in front of him and Mia, "Starving!" Emma groaned.

"Did you bring pickles?" Kenzie asked quickly.

"We're having hot dogs?" Johnny grimaced, "Why do you need pickles?"

"They eat them on their hot dogs, both of them...and relish won’t cut it."

"Nasty," Arin said laughing as he pointed at Zack, "Hey Zack, you're not alone now. Somebody else eats pickles on their hot dogs!"

"It’s so good!" Kenz defended.

"Hey," Mia said, tapping on the girls shoulders, they spun around in the sand, facing Mia, "I don't know if you guys met the other night," Mia looked at Zack, who was clearly nervous, "but this is Zack..." both the girls smiled, extending their hand, Zack managed a half smile as he extended his arm, shaking both of their hands, Zack these are my daughters Kenzie and Emma..." Kenzie, however, kept a hold of Zack's hand, carefully examining his tattoos.

"Your tattoos are awesome," Zack smiled, turning his arm so she could admire the work.

"You like'em?" he asked, a smile taking over his round face. She could only manage an excited nod.

"Look, Em! Mickey!" the other girl began to examine as well.

Zack was nervous, hell...he was terrified.
But he was excited, he couldn't wait for what was to come.
He knew his life had just gotten infinitely better.

"Bye!" Emma and Kenzie hummed in unison as the hugged everyone quickly. Dark had fallen upon the small town and it was well after midnight.

"Hey," Mia chimed, holding out the keys to her Range Rover, "go start the car?" Kenzie quickly grabbed the keys as both girls bolted for the car, Emma quickly creamed 'shotgun!'

"Thanks for the invite..." Mia began softly, "I'm sure I'll see you guys-"

"Tomorrow!" Val excitedly cut her off, Mia could only smile. Mia offered a quick wave. But Zack walked up, shoving his hands deep into his pockets.

"Hey..." Mia smiled, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Bye," Mia mumbled, extending her arms.

"Bye," Zack mumbled, pulling her into a hug, "hey...you want to do lunch tomorrow?" Mia smiled.

"Lunch sounds great...text me and let me know where?" Zack just nodded, watching as Mia walked off, getting into the large SUV.

He couldn't explain why, but in this moment, it was the happiest he had ever been.