But Loving Him Was Red...

Two Months Later

“Can’t believe my little girl is a Mommy!” Trina smiled after I opened up the door and she practically hip checked me out of the way to get to her grandson Landon sleeping in the bassinette. Troy stepped in behind her and stopped at me, pulling me into a giant bear hug.

10 days. 10 long days have gone by since Taylor delivered her little bundle of joy on May the 29th. She went into labor at 3 in the morning, and didn’t deliver him until that afternoon at 2. I dropped Lucia off at Sidney’s on the way to the hospital. She delivered a healthy 8lb, 5 ounce baby boy, whom she named Landon Patrick Crosby.

Sidney’s been over to see him a few times and I doubted he clicked into whose baby it is, but I thought the nose and the face shape, the red hair would’ve been a dead giveaway. It was for me.

“How are you doing?” He asked, pulling away from me and holding me at arms length. “How are my granddaughter and my son?”

“Sidney and I are working out a custody agreement,” I smiled, pulling down the bottom portion of my white bubble puff dress. “So far, so good,” He’s been over at least twice a week to take her, and dropped her off at the agreed upon time; she still won’t call him Daddy, but I knew it was going to come eventually.

I watched Lucia come out of the kitchen. “Poppa!” Lucia yelled, throwing her coloring book and running towards Troy, who picked her up and swung her around, kissing her cheek. “I’m two!” She smiled, holding up two fingers. “Mama say I’m going to school,”

“My goodness, baby, you’re all grown up,” He hugged her tightly, before digging through his jacket pocket. “You aren’t to grown up for M&Ms are you?” He displayed a bag full of them.

“No way,” She smiled, grabbed a hold of them and went running back into the kitchen. Troy stifled a laugh and went to sit beside Trina on the sofa. Trina was going over all the things she should do for Landon and make sure not to do to keep him alive.

I doubted she even considered that I had a baby and was already helping her out, but she was Taylor’s Mom and was doing what my Mom did with me.

“I’ll go make us drinks,” I spoke to no one in particular and walked into the kitchen to begin making cups of coffee.

Taylor drank Cocoa, she refused to take in caffeine, or alcohol of any kind because she was nursing.

Trina didn’t like sugar, Troy didn’t take cream and I was cream and sugar.

A loud knock sounded as I was in midst of pouring the water. “Want me to get that?” Troy asked, peeking his head around the corner. I nodded, only being halfway through making the coffee and cocoa. Once the door opened, the voices erupted into ‘Hey’s’ and ‘How’s it going’s?”

“Ni-ni,” Lucia giggled, running with her bag of animal crackers from earlier into the living room. I saw TK and Sidney standing at the door, now with Sidney holding onto Lucia who was blabbing about being two. I brought the mugs out on a tray and set them down on the coffee table, giving each of them their respective mugs.

“Want some coffee?” I asked, holding up the tray.

Tyler smiled at Taylor and then looked at me. “I’ll go make it, it’s okay,” He waved it off and walked into the kitchen, where I heard him whistling and glasses clinking together.

Taylor stood up and grabbed one of Landon’s bottles. “I need to go get him a fresh bottle,” I knew Taylor was pumping milk for Landon throughout the day, so she didn’t have to breastfeed as often. She pranced into the kitchen and opened up the fridge door. Within seconds Tyler and Taylor started up conversation.

I guess I don’t really need to explain that Tyler’s been seeing Taylor behind Sidney’s back, for the past few weeks. I knew Sidney was confused as to why all of a sudden Tyler wanted to come with him to our house all the time when he himself said that after we broke up, he barely saw him or heard from him.

It didn’t of course take Sidney long to realize it was taking Taylor long to get a freaking bottle of milk and heat it up. She did it the way my Mother taught me, stick the bottle in a pot of water and heat it up that way.

She was laughing and sitting up on the counter, talking to Tyler, who hadn’t even touched the kettle and was close beside her. If he got any closer, he’d be in her lap.

Sidney broke the silence, startling me and Troy, who had been looking over in the direction Sidney and I were. He obviously was watching his little girl. “Is Tyler hitting on my sister?” Sidney growled, setting Lucia on the ground and looked through the doorway.

I briskly touched his shoulder and smiled. “Sweetie, calm down, they are cute, she’ll be fine,” I massaged his bicep under my fingers. He gave me an odd look. “You and I both know TK is such a sweet guy,”

He turned, letting my hand fall back to my side. “Yeah… no,” He argued. “You left for two years, you missed the transformation. That Tyler in there is a belligerent man whore, he’s seen more vagina than a gynecologist, and I don’t want him to fucking play my sister,”

“Wow, gynecologist, hun, that’s a big word,” I patted his shoulder and walked around him to sit in the arm chair. He glared, sitting down in the adjacent arm chair.

So I had been informed that Sidney was seeing a girl named Carly and they did go out on the date, according to Tyler she’s a bitch, and he doesn’t wonder why her boyfriend up and left her.

She’s danced ballet professionally for two years and is a call up for a local ballet troupe, she thinks her shit don’t stink and chooses to boss Sidney around, telling him who he can and cannot see. I have yet to see how she is with Lucia; he dropped her off here that night.

“Sidney,” Troy cut through our awkward silence. “You know in a few years when Lucia starts dating, are you going to embrace that with open arms?”

“Oh fuck me,” He grumbled. “I didn’t even think of that. Well… fuck, I’ll just forbid it. No sex until I’m dead,” He waved his arms out in front of him. I thought he was already such a caring and devoted Dad to Lucia. He yawned, and put his head down on his hands.

“You sad?” Lucia asked, slipping down from Troy’s lap and walking over to where Sidney was, with an animal cracker in her hand. She stopped in front of him and handed him the cracker. “Mama gives these to me when I’m sad,” He sat back, holding the cracker. I watched the smile form on his face when she climbed in his lap and pulled a book off the coffee table. “It’s a frog and a bunny,” She opened the book and Sidney started to read it to her, his voice changing with every character. So adorable.

I hated having to see him all the time, it made me want him back so much. I didn’t want him to see some Carly girl; I wanted him to be with me again. I frowned, letting out a deep sigh as I pulled my knees up to my chest and rested my head on the back of the chair.

I was happy that I told him the truth about his daughter, but I didn’t expect it to be like this…

“I think coffee next week would be great, I’ll check my schedule and give you a call,” Taylor giggled, walking out of the kitchen with the bottle in her hand. Trina hadn’t put Landon down yet, and they’ve been here about two hours.

I watched the look on Sidney’s face, he was not impressed and I also knew he wanted to yell and tell Tyler to keep his hands off his sister, but Lucia’s eyes were drooping and she was slowly falling asleep and he didn’t want to yell and wake her up.

“I’ll be waiting for your call,” Tyler winked, walking back behind Sidney’s chair. I was amazed that they weren’t trying to hide it, and knew them being together would bother Sidney, and it seemed that they didn’t care about his feelings. I was starting to believe Sidney about Tyler, and how much of an asshole he was becoming.

He changed into someone I didn’t even know anymore.

“Hey Sid,” Tyler started. I watched Sid grimace as he faked a smile and looked into Ty’s direction. “We got an early practice, are you almost done here?”

Sid patted Lucia’s hair, when she relaxed against him and dropped the book. It was clear that she was out to lunch. “I’m visiting with my kid, calm down; we’ll go in a few minutes,”

“I’ll put her up to bed if you guys want to leave,” I offered, standing up to take Lucia from Sid. It was clear he didn’t want to leave, but even I knew he wouldn’t let up until he got what he wanted.

He nodded, picking her up and let her lay against him as I followed him up the stairs. I was shocked he was helping me put her to bed.

“I can’t believe him and my sister,” Sid frowned, stepping behind me as I opened up her room and moved over to her crib. I was getting her a big girl bed within the year; she was starting to get too big for her crib. “I mean, honestly, and they aren’t even trying to hide it, like I am pissed Emily,” He laid her down in the crib, and pulled the blanket over her after I took her sandals off. She was okay to sleep in her shorts and tank top. “I don’t think they are legit seeing each other, but fuck, who really knows anymore,”

I shrugged, knowing full well they are seeing each other, but I knew better than to say anything. He’d blow up and Tyler would get himself killed.

“Would it be so bad if they were?” I casually asked, following Sid to the bedroom door as he stopped and looked over his shoulder. “I know you have that ‘don’t date my sister’ philosophy for the team, but what if they fall in love?”

He raised his eyebrows. “That’s my fucking sister, Emily, god, you don’t… you don’t fucking get it!” He sucked in a deep breath. “How can you not understand? I don’t want my teammates fucking my little sister, I mean, sure Flowers marrying Gemma next summer, Gronks dating some broad from the Hills, but Tyler is a whore. I saw a girl leave his house yesterday morning, which means if he’s seeing my sister, then he’s cheating on my sister and that sure as hell wont be flying,”

Ohmygod. Tyler was seeing girls on top of seeing Taylor, Ohmygod… I let my jaw drop as Sidney turned and walked down the stairs. He was mad.

I quickly went after him as he grabbed his duffel from beside the door and Tyler jumped up from beside Taylor and joined him at the door.

Sidney turned and looked at me. “What day is it? Monday?” I nodded, playing with my thumbs. “Okay, uhm, shit, I can maybe take her Thursday and bring her back Saturday?”

“Sounds good to me, just give me a call,” I smiled as I watched them walk out the door and before long, I heard yelling outside. Taylor and I shared a look before we raced to the window seat and looked outside at Tyler and Sidney yelling in front of Sid’s Rover.

“I know you! I know who you are! That is my baby sister! I swear; you harm a goddamn hair on her head and you will be talking out the other side of your head, do you got me?” Tyler moved to open his mouth and Sid stuck his hand up. “Don’t you dare fucking play my sister!”

“Oh Sid…” Taylor frowned, sitting down on the window seat, leaning her back against the wall. “I didn’t want him to know that we are seeing each other, for that reason alone, I knew he’d flip his shit,”

“Taylor, he’d find out eventually,” I scolded her, sitting down beside her and then I realized, exactly what was going on. I decided to not tell Sidney about his daughter and I decided he wouldn’t find out, but he did and now I have to face the consequences of my actions.

I have to share custody of our daughter and watch him go out with other girls because I am a stupid bitch and chose to do what I did to him. “I understand,” I put my hand on her knee. “But Sidney is right… Tyler is a player; he said yesterday morning he saw a girl leave his house,”

Her cheeks blushed as she looked at the floor. “That was me,” She sighed. “I said I was visiting Sid, but I was actually seeing Tyler,”
I was stunned to hear of this. “How long has this been going on for?”

She huffed. “Since we met at coffee. He called me that night and it’s kind of escalated from there,” She looked at me, taking one of my hands in hers. “I am so sorry I lied to you. I put you in between us and I shouldn’t have. Tyler wanted you to know,”

“It’s okay Taylor, I am not your Mom; you don’t need to tell me anything.” I patted her hands. “Sid seems pretty mad at both of you though,” I knew he’d demand an explanation from both of them not to mention he’d forbid them being together at all.

I doubted this would last, but then I doubted Layla and Geno and look what happened there.

“I know,” She sighed. “I’ll have to tell him eventually,”

“You know, Taylor,” Trina sighed, setting Landon down in the bassinette after his feeding was over and stood before us, resting a hand on her daughters shoulder. “You have a new baby; maybe it isn’t such a good idea for you to be seeing a new guy,” She looked over at me, and I could see the concern in her eyes. Troy was kneeling by the bassinette with the bottle in his hand. “What would Landon’s father think?”

“Nothing,” Taylor growled, startling her Mother and myself. “Because he’s a low down, dirty… jerk. He doesn’t care about me or Landon, he got what he wanted from me and it was goodbye, I’ll never see him again,”

“Taylor,” I cut Trina off as she was about to say something, I was trying to avert her anger away from Taylor. “You can’t blame Claude for this. Yes, he is a jerk, but don’t do what I did. He deserves to see his son,”

Taylor harshly narrowed her eyes. “You think that I haven’t tried to get him involved. I’ve brought Landon to meet with him and he’s more interested in when our next hook up is going to be. Like I said before, he got what he wanted and now he’s done,”

“Wait,” Troy cut in, setting the bottle on the coffee table. “So, the guy who fathered Landon; is he the same Claude…” He stopped to point at me. “…That you were dating?” I frowned, feeling very unsure as to what I should say here. Do I tell the truth? Do I pretend it’s not legit?

I huffed; deciding on no more lies. “Yes, he hooked up with Taylor when we were dating, he had an exhibition in Minnesota and didn’t say anything to me,” I laced my fingers together on my knees. “I found out through Taylor after we broke up,”

Troy and Trina both shared a displeased look, and it was aimed at Taylor. No one was looking at me. Troy broke the silence, after he crossed his arms over his chest. “Taylor, what is going on here? You told us you would stop sleeping around if we sent you to SSM,”

“Dad,” Taylor stood up and frowned, as tears filled her eyes. “I’m sorry,” She huffed, unsure what to say as of right now. I felt bad, really bad; horrible even because I opened my big mouth.

“Taylor,” Trina cut in. I casually stood up and moved out of the circle. I sat down by the bassinette and watched Landon, lay sleeping. He was so cute. “Your father and I worked our asses off so you could attend SSM and you sleep around, it seems like it’s just a joke to you,”

“Please Mom, you know Sidney paid for it,” Taylor rolled her eyes. “He pays for everything now; you like to take advantage of him, don’t you,”

“That is not true, he wanted to help you with school,” She huffed, reaching down to grab her purse. “I would never take advantage of my son,” Taylor simply rolled her eyes and walked around them as she stomped up the stairs. I sat there in the awkward silence before Troy sighed and turned towards me.

“We’ll come back and see you guys,” He smiled, escorting Trina out and shutting the door quietly behind him. I remained seated as I heard their truck backing out of the driveway and I frowned, scooping Landon out of the bassinette and hurried up the stairs.

Taylor was sitting in her room, looking at a picture sitting on her bed. I sat Landon down in the crib beside her bed. My room was first off the stairs and Taylors was down the hall, beside the bathroom that was in between our rooms. I was at the doorway when Taylor sighed. “I feel like such a disappointment,” I looked to see her, staring in my direction.

“Everyone feels like that sometimes,” I gave her the advice I’d want to hear. “Taylor, look, I felt like that for the longest time after I had Lucia. I had to give up school; who I was, I had to change everything about myself. I lost friends, I lost my boyfriend. I felt like a disappointment to my family because I wasn’t who they wanted me to be, or so I thought. Your parents are just upset that you probably now have to do this alone,”

“I just don’t know what to do,” She sighed. “I want to make my parents proud, like Sidney does,”

“Maybe try and find a lasting relationship, better yourself, go sign up for classes, get ready for school. Show your parents you are determined to do this on your own and you will succeed no matter what they say,”

So, apparently Troy is going to try and work things out, hopefully getting her registered for high school in Pittsburgh, but I wasn’t sure that would work. Taylor is going to head home in June when her Visa expires and stay there until August, when everything is hopefully cleared up and she can start attending high school again.

Her parents think she should stay in Cole Harbour and attend the high school there, so they can watch Landon for her, but she wants to be out on her own, and I didn’t blame her. I hated living with my Mom when I had Lucia.

“Thanks Emily,” She gave me a hug, and I felt better for helping her out.