Seeing Is Believing

***Zak's POV***

"Macy has been sleeping a lot lately," Mason pointed out as the two of us were on the couch watching television on the morning of Thanksgiving. It was nearly ten o'clock and it did seem like every day Macy slept later and later.

"I guess that's what happens when you're pregnant," I shrugged.

"It must be..."

"So I was thinking," I said, realizing I hadn't talked to Mason or Macy about the idea that I had and the guys agreed to. "You make this awesome tech guy and Aaron has kind of become more of an investigator anyway. Why don't you join us and be our go-to tech person?"

"What about school?" he asked.

"Home school, this is only if you want to...If you like going to your school here or whatever, then you can keep going there."

"If I'm working do I get paid?" Mason asked with a smile.

"Of course."

"I'm in. Wait-if I need them, will I get good references."

"Anything you want, kid," I smiled.

"Good morning, boys," Macy greeted, walking down the stairs and into the living room. She slid the back door open and let Gracie out. Gracie had tended to stay at Macy's side lately too. She insisted in sleeping in the bed with us and she would go out when I got up be then she would beg to be let back in to sleep by Macy.

"Morning. Did you sleep okay?" I always asked her that. This house was haunted and whatever haunted it never liked when I had a girlfriend. I was surprised nothing had attacked her yet...

"I slept wonderfully," she replied with a yawn.

"Aunt Macy, Zak offered me a job," Mason called over to her.

"Oh?" she asked, taking a seat between the two of us. "What kind of job."

"He wants me to be the tech for the show...I'd be good at it..."

"What 'bout school?"

"You'll homeschool me."

"Oh, so now I'm gettin' volunteered to do stuff," she replied, leaning against me a bit.

"If you wouldn't mind," I wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Well, if this is what ya want Mason, sure."

"No way, you're the coolest!" he exclaimed. "I'm going to go make you breakfast!" he stood from the couch and hurried into the kitchen.

"Waffles please!" Macy called to him.

"Cravings again?" I asked her with a smirk.

"Nope. I jus' like waffles."

***Macy's POV***

I was so nervous. What if his mother hated me and thought that I was just some slutty girl that was with her son just because he was on a TV show...

"Calm down," Zak murmured, walking into the bathroom where I was getting ready. "She's going to love you just like I do." I whipped around to face him.

"Ya love me?" I noticed his face freeze and I noticed the light pink color on his cheeks.

"Did I say that?"

"Yeah...Ya kinda jus' did..."

"Well then, it must be true," his face turned to a smile and placed his hands on either side of the bathroom counter and leaned in to kiss my lips. "I love you, Macy."

"Is that what ya almos' said to me in the kitchen the other day?" I asked.

"Yeah..."

"I love you too, Zak."

"We need to leave, like now!" Mason's voice came from outside of the bedroom.

"My little time keeper," I rolled my eyes. I was late for everything, all of the time. Mason kept me on track. "But, he's probably righ'," I rubbed my hand up and down his arm and stole a glance at myself in the mirror. I had my hair pulled back in a clip and I put makeup on for the first time in a while. I usually didn't see a point in wearing it. But, tonight, I wanted to make a good impression on Zak's mother.

"Alright," he walked out the bathroom door and I followed him. We went down to the garage and got in the car.

"You always take forever, Aunt Macy," Mason said.

"I do not," I defended myself. "I jus' take longer than you do. Ya don' have to do nothin' but get dressed." We were quiet for a few minutes of the car ride. Zak messed with the radio was we stopped at a red light. He found a station that he liked and reached over to take my hand.

"Breathe," he told me. I must've looked as nervous as I felt. He kissed my hand and continued to drive as the light became green once more. "I told you that she's going to love you."

"I hope so..."

"She will, and if she doesn't that's her problem," his thumb caressed the back of my hand gently as we continued.

***

Zak rang the doorbell to his mom's house. As we stood, waiting, Zak's fingers were laced with mine and Mason was standing behind us. The door opened a moment later a dark haired woman opened the door. But, she didn't look too much older than Zak.

"Jenna, this is my girlfriend, Macy and her nephew, Mason. Macy, Mason, this is my older sister, Jenna."

"It's nice to meet ya," I smiled, holding my hand out to Jenna. The dark haired woman shook my hand.

"You too."

"Have you seen mom?" Zak asked Jenna.

"She's in the kitchen, finishing up cooking."

Zak led me through the house and into the kitchen.

"Mom, I've got some people I'd like you to meet," he said, his arm wrapping around my shoulders. A dark haired woman turned around from the stove and looked at me with a look that I couldn't quite figure out what she meant by it. She was a little taller than me and had soft brown eyes. I assumed Zak got his blue eyes from his father.

"Hi, I'm Macy," I said, holding out my hand.

"Rebecca," she replied, she gave me a soft smile that I returned.

"This is my nephew, Mason," I introduced. They shook hands.

"I'm surprised, Zak hasn't brought a girl home in years..."

"None of them have been so special to me," Zak replied. I smiled up at him a little.

"I'm glad...Now if you'll excuse me, I have a lot to get done still," she turned back to the stove.

"I could help ya if ya want," I offered.

"You don't have to do that..."

"It would be my pleasure, honestly," I told her.

"Okay, thank you," she agreed.

"Are you going to be okay?" Zak asked me in a whispered tone. He knew that I was nervous to begin with, so I couldn't blame him for asking me.

"I'll be fine," he kissed my forehead lovingly. "C'mon Mason, I'll show you around a bit."

I walked over to the stove. "What do ya need done?"

"Well, I still need to make the fudge, the cherry pie needs the top put on and put in the oven, and the table needs set..."

"We should've kept Zak and Mason in here and had them set the table," I smiled. "I can make the fudge, my grandma taught me her resipe when I was little..."

"Thank you. I'll go get those two and have them do that."

I started by mixing the milk and sugar on the stove and trying to get it to come to a boil. Rebecca returned a moment later and got to work on the cherry pie.

"Where are you from, Macy?"

"Middlefield, Tennessee."

"How did you meet my son, then?" she asked.

"He was traveling for the show and they had a lockdown there...I was helping them out with the history. Honestly, I didn't believe in ghosts before...but I guess I was wrong," I said nervously.

"Are you living out here now?"

Was I? I had a lot of my stuff there, other than furniture and stuff that I didn't really use, my house was empty. Mason was going to school here now. "Yeah."

"With Zak?"

"Well...yes..."

"Hmm..." she said.

We finished cooking in silence. Did I say something wrong? Had she decided that she would forever hate me? I did my best not to let my feelings show...but...it was difficult. I knew that this was important to Zak. The dinner was cooked so everyone gathered at the table. I took a seat between Zak and Mason in the middle of the table. I ate my food quietly because I wasn't quite sure what to say. I would answer questions as they were asked, but that was pretty much it. Every once in a while, Zak would say something to me, in hope that it would get me talking. I met Zak's step father, John at the beginning of the meal, but he seemed quiet too. Once everyone was finished, Zak looked over at me and took my hand. Rebecca had gotten up to bring pie and fudge in, John and Jenna's husband had joined her.

"Are you ready for this?"

"Are you going to tell them...?" I asked. He nodded.

"Is that alright with you, Sweetie?"

"I guess so..." If Rebecca already didn't like me, that was about to get much worse. I squeezed Zak's hand as his mom walked back into the room. Everyone reclaimed their seats and Zak stood with his wine glass. As she stood, I felt the need to also. He wasn't in this alone...

"I have an announcement to make," he said, tapping his spoon against his glass. Everyone looked at us and I felt my heart begin pounding in my chest. I felt dizzy. "This time next year...There will be a little Bagans baby," he moved his arm around me and rested his hand on my stomach.

"So that's what this is about?" Rebecca asked. "You got her pregnant and that's why you brought her here?"

"Mom, I love her," Zak defended. "Whether she was pregnant or not, I would be in love with her."

"Congrads, Zak," Jeff, Jenna's husband said smiling.

"Thanks man," nobody else said anything though. Slowly, we sat back down and I looked at Zak sadly.

"I don't think that went so well..." I whispered.

"They'll come around," he promised, kissing my head.

"I hope you're right," I murmured.

***

We left a short while later. I said that I was tired and I think that Zak was kind of grateful. His mom kept giving us odd looks. We weren't in his Bentley very long. As much as I thought that I wouldn't love muscle cars...this thing was awesome. I liked the sound of the engine rumbling.

"I'm sorry, Macy, Mason," Zak said. "I know that was probably really awkward...It was for me..."

"It wasn't you're fault," I assured him.

"Yeah..." Mason agreed.

"I know how to make it up to you, how about I let you drive the rest of the way back?" It was only two miles on mostly straight road, but I knew that had to be a big step for Zak to let Mason drive his car. My nephew had gotten his temps recently and would be able to get his license in time for his birthday.

"No way," Mason said in awe. "You'd let me?"

"Sure, you don't mind, do you, Macy?" I shook my head and he pulled the car over. "But, I swear if you wreck it, I don't know what I'll do."

Mason was a good driver, he'd been driving for a very long time and I had confidence that he wouldn't wreck Zak's car. We pulled over and I moved to the back seat, Zak moved to the passenger seat, and Mason got in the driver seat. I listen to Zak as he gave my nephew tips as we went down the road.

"The bad thing about living around here is, there's always people on the road. You won't really have to worry about rain or snow, but people are your biggest problems. There's cabs and drunk drivers...it can be dangerous."

We pulled into the driveway and then into the garage. "How'd I do?" Mason asked, referring to his driving.

"Good, kid. Really good." We walked inside and we all retired to our rooms to get changed. "I cleaned out part of the closet for you," Zak said while I dug through my bag.

"You did?" I asked.

"Yeah, I meant to tell you...There's spare hangers and everything."

"Wow, tryin' to move me in, then?"

"That wouldn't be so bad. We rent a U-Haul and go get the rest of your stuff, you live with me."

"I don't have enough stuff to fit a U-Haul," I replied. I pulled a T-shirt from my bag and a pair of shorts. I changed at the same time he did. He put on a pair of sweat pants and a T-shirt also. It wasn't even eight o'clock and we couldn't just go to bed right now. So we went back downstairs, leaving the topic of me moving in alone for now.

"I've got some stuff to do in the dungeon..."

"Okay, have fun," I said. I hadn't gone into the dungeon yet. I didn't really want to because Zak spoke about the oppressive feeling people would get down there at times. I went to the couch where Mason was watching television. "What's up, kid?" I asked.

"Just watching TV," he replied.

"Whatcha watchin'?" it was on commercial so I wasn't sure. I knew that he was watching AMC though.

"The Walking Dead." That was his favorite show. "They're having a marathon for Thanksgiving..." It had just started this year and there were only six episodes and I had watched them all. I liked it too, but I wasn't a huge fan like Mason was. I swore that boy could act it out by himself! He had all of the episodes on our DVR at home and I was sure that they were on Zak's by now.

"So whatcha think 'bout movin' in here permanently?" I asked him, just trying to see what he thought.

He shrugged. "I don't see how we're going to be able to live in Middlefield anymore. If I'm going to be working with the guys, I don't think you'll like to have to get on a plane every time there's a lockdown..."

"I guess not."

"Plus, you're having his baby...How can Zak be a part of the baby's life if you're like a thousand miles away?"

"You make a lota sense...Do you like Zak, honestly?"

"I don't have a problem with him, if that's what you're asking. He clearly loves you and...he's nice to me. If you're asking me if I approve, I do, Aunt Macy, I really do," he smiled at me. I hugged him tightly.

"Ya don' know how much that means to me..." It made me incredibly happy for Zak and Mason to get along. I loved Mason like he was my son and he had to approve of Zak. That was a must because I didn't want to stick Mason with some dude that he hated. I wouldn't do that to my own kid.

"Plus, he let me drive his cool car," he grinned.