Take Your Hand And Walk Away

We sat in the car, both of us silent as we drove back to Zacky’s house. I had to admit I still wanted to be with him, but I doubted I could ever forgive him. It’s crazy how you can love someone and hate them at the same time.

I could tell he wanted to say something he just didn’t really know what to say. There wasn’t really much to say though. We pulled up to his house and I sighed seeing an all to familiar car sitting in the driveway.

I groaned wanting to go back to Bobby’s.

“I’ll make her leave I promise,” Zacky insisted from beside me.

“Whatever,” I mumbled not really believing that she would willingly go. We walked up to the front of the house, but stopped at the front door. I wondered whether I really wanted to go inside.

“At least now you can meet Casey,” he said happily, but I wasn’t so happy. I didn’t want to meet her. I know it wasn’t her fault, but I couldn’t help resenting her, plus I doubted she would like me.

“Yeah,” I said nervously. Zacky could tell and he grabbed my hand giving it a small squeeze before opening the door.

“Daddy,” was squealed as Casey ran into her fathers arms. I had to admit she was cute, but I felt out of place, like I didn’t belong, and I doubted we could make this work.

“Hey baby I want to you to meet someone,” he said picking her up. “This is Jas,” he said motioning towards me.

“Hi,” I said shakily.

“Hi,” she said shyly.

“This is………..” Zacky started, but I cut him off.

“I’m your daddy’s friend,” I said not really wanting her to know the truth, plus I wasn’t sure what I was to Zacky anymore.

“”Your more than that,” he said to me, but I shook my head. He opened his mouth to respond, but stopped when “Zacky,” was angrily screamed through the house. He sighed putting Casey down and groaning. “I’ll be back,” he muttered taking off towards the kitchen leaving Casey with me.

An awkward silence fell over us and I didn’t know what to say or do. Fighting erupted from the kitchen as Zacky and Kayla started yelling and swearing at each other. I wanted to run away, but stopped as I looked down at the little girl holding her small hands to her ears trying to muffle the sound, as tears began welling up in her eyes.

I instantly felt sorry for her and I sighed bending down to look at her more closely. I had to admit she looked a lot like Zacky. She looked at me not knowing what to do.

“You want to go out for ice cream?” I asked deciding getting her away from the yelling would be the best thing to do. She nodded slowly and I stood up writing a quick note before grabbing her coat and the keys and walking out the door with her right in front of me.

The car ride was silent for the most part. I asked her a few questions just to get her talking, but I stayed away from topics that had to do with her parents.

We got to the ice cream place and ordered quickly sitting outside at a small table. She seemed to open up to me a little more after that. She could actually be very talkative and sweet.

“Thanks for taking me out for ice cream,” she said after she had finished explaining to me about her pre school. I smiled at how she was nothing like her mom.

“No problem,” I said taking a bite out of my cone. “ Do you see your dad a lot?” I asked causally though I had been dieing to ask that question since I first found out about her. How often did Zacky see her?

“No,” she said after a few moments. “Not a lot and when I do he is usually with mommy and they are always fighting.” My heart went out to here realizing how hard it must be. I couldn’t help but like this little girl. She reminded me so much of Zacky.

“I’m sorry,” I said sympathetically. She nodded bobbing her head, causing her hair to fly everywhere.

“I don’t think they like each other,” she said.

“Some people like each other more than others,” I answered.

“Do you like my daddy?” she asked cutely. I smiled down at her.

“Sometimes,” I mumbled. She laughed.

“Ya he can be a meany sometimes,” she said making me laugh.

“Girl you got that right,” I said finishing my ice cream.

“But so can my mommy.”

“I don’t doubt that,” I said slowly.

I waited as she finished hers and together we walked back to Zacky’s car. The drive home was silent, but not awkward.

“Where do you live?” I asked realizing I didn’t know.

“A little while’s away from here,” she answered. ‘You should come visit me sometimes.” I laughed realizing her mom would hate that idea.

“Maybe you should come visit me,” I suggested. “Here we are,” I said pulling into the driveway praying they weren’t still fighting.

“Do you make my daddy happy?” she asked from the back seat. I sat shocked for a moment before I unbuckled my seat thinking carefully about what to say. “Because I don’t think my mommy does.”

“I don’t know,” I answered truthfully. “But he makes me happy.” I stepped out of the car and helped her get out too. We walked up to the door and I smiled as she grabbed my hand with her little one.

“I think you make my daddy very happy,” she said smiling up at me. I smiled back down at her, realizing she was probably right.

I wanted to hate this little girl because of the situation, I really did, but I couldn’t, she was to adorable.

We opened the door slowly. I listened, but didn’t hear any sounds. I opened it more and walked inside.

“Finally your home, we have to go,” Kayla rushed in quickly grabbing Casey hand and yanking it away from mine before glaring at me.

“Did I tell you that you could take my daughter out?” she asked meanly.

“Well I just didn’t think it was fair to have to make your daughter listen to you fighting,” I answered back.

I watched Zacky walk in with a concerned look on his face.

“She can take my daughter out if she wants she’s just as much my daughter as she is yours,” Zacky jumped in defending me quickly which I appreciated.

“Fine,” she huffed pushing Casey out the door. I waved a quick goodbye to her, and she quickly waved back smiling before yelling “Bye Daddy.”

“Bye sweetheart,” he yelled back. She started walking towards their car, Kayla took a step to follow her, but stopped whispering in my ear. “Stay away from her and Zack.” With that she left leaving me and Zacky alone.

“What did she say?” Zacky asked annoyed. I looked at him sympathetically.

“It doesn’t matter,” I whispered before walking into the living room and sitting down on the couch slowly.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Zacky said walking into the living room with me.

“What?” I asked putting my hand on my stomach before looking up at him.

“Take Casey out it was really nice of you,” he said eyeing me. I could tell he wanted to come sit next to me, but he stood where he was.

“Well,” I said motioning for him to come sit next to me, which he quickly did. “If this is ever going to work out I had to.” He smiled a toothy smile at this.

“I love you,” he whispered leaning closer to kiss me on the side of my head.

“I know,” I said looking down at my stomach. I just wasn’t ready to say it back. He smiled as if he didn’t expect me to say it. He put his hand right above my stomach as if waiting for me to protest which I didn’t. He laid his hand gently on my slightly larger stomach smiling again.

“I hope our baby is as great as Casey,’ I finally said causing him to look up at me confused.

“It will be, you know why?” he asked causing me to shake my head. “Because it’s our baby, it’s you and me.”