Two Pieces of a Broken Heart

I couldn't take this any longer. I would know if I had sex that day and I know I didn't. I wanted to smack the smirk off Lisa's face but I would never put my hands on a woman no matter what. I heard Zack yell from behind me, I turned and saw Lena and Rae lunging toward Lisa but the guys held them back.

"We can't get kicked out of the hospital, chill." Jack tried to reason with the girls.

Rae rolled her eyes, "get the trash out of here."

"Lisa get the hell out of here, I don't have time for your shit." I grumbled then walked away. At first I was going to look for a nurse to see if I was a blood match for Aspen but my feet and my mind had another plan, I ended up outside of Lo's hospital room.

The door creaked when I opened it. I thought it was bad when I saw Aspen unconscious and hooked up to monitors, but seeing Lo in the same condition was far worse. Seeing a little girl so fragile is horrible don't get me wrong, but I have been deeply in love with Lo for five years and seeing her lying in a hospital bed for the second time since I met her kills me. The love of my life and my daughter are fighting for their lives and it's all my fault.i thought when I got Lisa the help that she needed that she would stop with all the drama but maybe I should have moved so she wouldn't know where I lived.

I walked over to her bedside and ran my fingers through her hair. Much like Aspen, Lo had cuts and bruises all over her body. I may be upset with Lo right now but she doesn't deserve this. If anyone deserves this it's me. I should have known that her and Zack would never hook up. And I should have seen that Aspen is mine. Like my mom said, she looks so much like me. I was too blinded by my anger to see it.

As I was staring at Lo, something caught my eye, a new tattoo on her wrist. Before I could get a closer look at it I heard the door creak open. I looked up and saw Candice walk in. "Hey." She said, her voice was hoarse.

"Hey." I responded. "Where's your girlfriend?" I tried to make conversation.

"Mercy." She corrected me. "She's in the waiting area with Jason. He was released but Olivia had to go sign some papers so Brie can be released since Drew is out of town. Liam and Savannah took the kids down to the cafeteria to get food. Zack and Lena went on a walk while Jack and Rae went to check on Aspen and your mom is still trying to get Lisa out of here. So I decided I should come be with Lo."

I nodded then put my attention back on Lo. I picked up her hand to get a better look at her tattoo. I was right when I first saw it, it was my initials. AWG. But I know for a fact that she didn't have that tattoo before we broke up so why would she brand herself with those letters if she hates me? Candice giggled, I'm guessing from my confusion. I looked up at her and she was smiling as she shook her head.

"Aspen Whitney Gaskarth. Lo wanted her to have your initials for some strange reason." She explained. "I heard that she had that tattoo before she found out she was pregnant and decided to give Aspen your initials so the tattoo wouldn't be about you. I have no idea how true that is though."

"I would have known if she has that tattoo before we broke up." I shook my head. I knew everything about this girl, and I would never had missed that. At least now I knew Aspen's full name. “Her hair is brown again too. I thought she hated that.”

“She needed a change after Aspen was born.” Candice shrugged. “Plus it wasn’t the fact that she hated her brunette hair. She changed her entire appearance after high school. She kept it blonde to feel sexier, she thought it would attract guys. She actually missed her brown hair and has truly embraced it.”

I nodded, “I’m glad that she finally feels comfortable in her own skin. She’s always been beautiful and I was a fucking idiot to think any other way. I hate myself for what I did to her back in high school.”

"What do you remember?" Candice asked suddenly, catching me off guard. I gave her a confused look because I'm not sure what she means. "You claim you don't remember sleeping with Lisa. But you have no proof. Lisa is out there saying she has proof. And I've been around enough people to know that lapse in memory means drunk or high. So what do you remember?"

I thought for a minute before answering. "We were all at the bar hanging out because we had just got home from Europe a few days prior. Lo wasn't drinking because she had the flu so I had two beers and that was it. I didn't want to get hammered and leave her without someone to take care of her. We went home to her place that night. Her mom was watching Izzy and Faith that night. But around three in the morning Briana called her in a panic. I went back to sleep. Lo wasn't there in the morning when I woke up, I called her and she asked me to pick up Faith. But after I got ready Rae and Jack came in and they had Faith. I’m not sure if Lo didn’t know that Rae had Faith or what happened. I wanted to stay and hang out with Faith but I thought I should go clean up my house and move some things around a bit since Lo was supposed to move in that weekend. I don't remember anything after that until Lo woke me up yelling at me. I swear. I never would have ruined what was happening with me and Lo. We were going to be a family with Faith and I couldn't have been happier."

Candice had a weird look on her face like she was contemplating something. I wasn't sure if she believed me or not which made me nervous. "I know how much you loved or well still love Lo. I've always seen it in your eyes. But I don't get how all this happened." She sighed. "Wait, did Lisa still have a key to your house? Or know where a spare one was?"

"Probably." I shrugged. "I took her key when she moved out. But knowing her she might have had another one made."

"Well maybe she went into your house and drugged you or something. You have the same symptoms as Lo did when she was drugged. But she wanted to remember, you didn't know that there was something to remember. Maybe when all of this is over you see someone. Or see if whatever proof Lisa claims she has is real."

"How can she have proof?" I rolled my eyes.

"It's 2014 how many people have sex tapes? Knowing that stupid whore she taped it." Candice snapped bitterly. I don't blame her though, her best friend is lying in a hospital bed because of me yet again.

I didn't respond because I really didn't know what to say. She may be right, Lisa has a severe devious side to her when it comes to Lo so I wouldn't put it past her to have a tape or some other evidence. The door opened and Doctor Miller walked in, "Mister Gaskarth." He said. I looked over at him, I couldn't stand because I was terrified for what he might say. "You are a match for Aspen."

I nearly started crying again. Tears welled up in my eyes but they didn't fall. "Thank God." I breathes out.

"I'll need you to go and have your blood drawn so we can get Aspen into surgery." Doctor Miller told me.

I looked back at Lo lying in the bed, I didn't want to leave her but I knew I had to. I leaned down and kisses her forehead. "I'm going to go save our little girl, I will be back."

"Don't worry I won't leave her alone." Candice smiled at me.

I nodded then followed Doctor Miller out of the room and back to where I had my blood drawn before. Once the nurse was done taking my blood I asked if I could see Aspen before she went into surgery. She told me that she would take me to her. The nurse said I only had a couple minutes because she had to be prepped.

I took Aspen's small hand in mine and kissed it. I brought my other hand I her head and rubbed it. "You be a strong girl okay? You're going to get all better now. I can't wait to see your big blue eyes that you got from your mum. And know that daddy loves you." I squeezed my eyes shut not wanting to cry. I kissed the top of her head after the nurse said she had to take Aspen.

I was going to go back to Lo's room but thought I would let everyone know that Aspen was going into surgery right now. Much to my dismay Lisa was still here. I ignored her presence and went to update everyone when Faith saw me and ran over to me, "daddy!" She yelled as she jumped into my arms.

Lisa stood up in outrage, "you have another daughter? What the hell? How is that even possible? She looks about five or six, you were with me that many years ago."

"Yes I have another daughter, deal with it. I don't have to answer your questions, nor is this even time. My little girl is going into surgery and that takes president right now."

"So you cheated on me?" Lisa squealed loudly. Faith wrapped her arms around my neck and buried her face in her arm. She was clearly scared which angered me. Faith is scared enough with her mom and sister in the hospital, she doesn't need to be scared of Lisa.

"Lisa, go home. You're scaring my daughter and annoying everyone else. I have already said this isn't the place or time to talk about this." I snapped at her. Then turned my attention to everyone else. "Aspen is on her way into surgery. The doctor said it would be a couple of hours but a nurse will be out to update everyone. But I just want to go be with Lo right now."

Lisa let out a high pitch squeal and left. Hopefully she leaves for good because everyone doesn't need her here aggravating them. "Thanks for being here." Olivia smiled at me.

"No problem." I nodded. "I wouldn't turn my back on my daughters."

I went to walk away, Faith still in my arms, when Rae stopped me. I thought she was going to yell at me some more or take Faith away from me. But instead she burst into tears, "thank you so much for helping Aspen. I know you could have easily walked away and resented her and Lo for this secret. But I want you to know that she went to tell you and Lisa was there and her world spiraled down. We were all afraid she would go backwards and be depressed again, but she fought and now she has that beautiful little girl. And don't for a second think that Aspen doesn't know you because she does. Lo was just terrified to let you know."

"Look I understand that she was hurt and I get why she didn't come to me to hear my side of the story. She was pregnant and scared. But I don't understand why she was scared of me. I would have been there for her and for Aspen." I tried not to yell since I still had Faith in my arms but it was so difficult because I am still so angry.

Rae sighed and picked at her nails. I know this is difficult for her. Her best friend is unconscious, her god daughter is in surgery and I'm the guy who ruined it all because I had to have a psycho ex. "She never stopped loving you and it wasn't that she was scared of you. She saw how amazing you were and still are with Faith. She was scared of getting hurt again. She didn't plan on getting pregnant and was scared you would be mad at her. She gave you her heart so quickly and everything terrified her. Lisa had her convinced that you chose her and with what she saw that day she didn’t question it any further. So all her concern just went into trying to stay strong and not lose another child." She paused and looked over at Jack, it was like she was contemplating something. "Look, Lo will kill me for saying this but when she told you to just be with Lisa it was a test. She wanted you to fight for her, she wanted you to see through her and Zack's lie. But you didn't, you let Lisa back into your life and into your bed. That's why she wouldn't let Aspen in your life, she didn't want her daughter to get hurt. I know that sounds wacky but that was her thought process. You failed her test and it broke her more than she already was. But like me and Zack said, she wanted to tell you that Aspen was yours. The day Aspen was born she wanted to but Zack convinced her not to. Because you moved Lisa back in your house. He didn’t want her to get hurt anymore. Then she saw pictures of you with Aspen as a baby the few times you saw her, Lo wanted you to develop a bond with your daughter and she went to tell you. When she got to your place, Lisa answered the door and hand on one of your shirts and a pair of short ass shorts and it was a flashback to her and she couldn’t do it. That’s why she wouldn’t let anyone bring Aspen around you anymore.”

I will regret believing that her and Zack had sex for the rest of my life. I don’t know how I will ever make it up to Lo. How stupid could I be to believe such an idiotic lie? I should have fought for Lo. And I should have known the second Aspen was put into my arms that she was mine. No doubt I fell in love with that precious baby the moment I saw her. At least now I know why Lo had banned anyone to bring Aspen near me after she was a year old. I hadn’t figured out she was mine nor did I fight for her so she just gave up hope. I shattered her trust, her heart and her hope on true love. I am the biggest dick to walk on this planet. “Do you think she can ever forgive me?”

“That’s not the right question.” Rae shook her head. “She forgave you long ago.”

I nodded and asked what I thought was the correct question. “Do you think she can ever trust me again?”

Rae laughed and shook her head again, “she trusts you. If she didn’t then she wouldn’t let you take Faith. The question you need to be asking is if she will let you back into her heart.”

“Well do you?”

“That I can’t answer.” she shrugged. “But I will say that there’s hope. She still loves you. She doesn’t know that I know but she still has that ratty Ravens jersey she stole from you and she wears it every single night to bed. And she even has went to a few of your concerts. Zack doesn’t even know that. She stays in the back and tries not to be seen, but she goes. I told her that she’s only hurting herself by doing that but according to her it helps.”

“You hate me so why are you telling me this?” I asked confused. I get that I’ve been asking questions but none of them had to answer. I know they all hate me and blame me for Lo being hurt.

“I don’t hate you, I am disappointed in you. And in my book that’s way worse than hate. Plus I love Lo, she’s my family and I’ve had to watch her be hurt for the past three years. No one can help her but you. If you hadn’t been here for Lo and been taking care of both Aspen and Faith then I wouldn’t be telling you shit. I see you still love her so please just forgive her and heal her heart.” tears trickled down Rae’s face.

“I will always be there for Lo and the girls. Faith is my life and Lo still owns my heart.” I kissed Faith’s head and gave her a gentle squeeze. “I hope to now be apart of Aspen’s life like I should have been. But what am I supposed to do about Lisa? She’s ruthless! I should have taken Landon’s comment at Jack’s party that one year seriously. I never thought she would be this vindictive.”

“You just take care of the girls and let us take care of Lisa.” Rae said as she rubbed Faith’s back. “I know you tried to get Lisa out of your life but we both know that you’re not strong enough to be evil to her, no matter how much she hurts you. So just let me do this, for you and for Lo.”

“I’m not even going to ask what you’re going to do. You have a very devious mind and it scares me sometimes. I just need her gone.” I sighed.

“Are you sure about that?” Rae questioned. Is this really what I want? Lo lied and kept Aspen away from me for years. Lisa was there for me, she let me cry on her shoulder. She picked up the pieces of my broken heart and put them back together. I was ready to marry her today.

“No.” I confessed. “But what else am I supposed to do?”

“Lo wasn’t expecting anything when she was ready to tell you about Aspen. She won’t keep you away from your daughter if that’s what you’re thinking.” Rae raised her eyebrows.

“That’s part of it. But I was about to marry Lisa today. Yes I kicked her out of here and yes my heart is breaking because Lo is here, but my heart never stopped loving her no matter how mad I am at her. What do I do with that?” I said as I re-positioned Faith in my arms.

“I’m just going to put it this way, It’s taken you three years to get Lisa to the altar, even after years of you guys being on and off. You were ready to be at the altar with Lo just a few months into your relationship.” Rae pointed out.

Rae was right, I wanted to marry Lo the minute she let me in her house that night I saved her from Blake. I’ve been with Lisa on and off since high school and I never thought I would marry her. Even now it has taken a lot of begging from Lisa to take this step. I love her, yes, but I will always be in love with Lo. “Do what you have to do.” I told Rae then walked away.