Status: New!!
Crimson Day
Chapter Three
As soon as we arrive to the park Indiana and River grab Zoe's hands and leads her to the swings and Brian and I sit on the picnic table.
"She loves you." Brian says watching Zoe, River, and Indiana together.
"Huh?" I ask him confused.
"Zoe. She loves you. She's loved you since the first time she saw you and will now most likely kill me for saying anything." He chuckles.
I chuckle, "She's a Haner. Of course she's going to kill you."
"You got a point," he chuckles. "In all seriousness," he says turning towards me. "She knows how much you struggled with raising the kids since Val's been gone, and Michelle and I were talking the other night, if Zoe adopts them as her own, they're still going to be her niece and nephew. She thinks it's time that the kids have a mother figure in their lives and Michelle said that Zoe would be the perfect one to do it with. Zoe already loves those kids like they're her own."
I feel tears fill my eyes, "I know it's time that my kids have a mother figure in their lives, but how do I move on when I still dream about her?" I say wiping my tears away.
He sighs, "I don't know what it feels like to move on without Addie's mom, but look at the way Zoe is with the kids." He says pointing at Zoe. "She would give the kids the moon and stars to see them smile." He turns to me, "Just the other day, River asked me if Zoe was going to be his new mom. He said that he doesn't really remember Val and wants Zoe to be his mommy."
I sigh, "I know. They ask me everyday if Zoe's coming over, or if Zoe can watch them. They ask about Zoe every single day." I smile.
"Oh man." He laughs. "You have it bad for my sister." He smirks at me.
"I guess there's no denying it huh?" I smile.
He smirks, "Nope, but I have always wondered something. When did you start falling in love with Zoe?" He asks me.
"About a year ago." I blush. "I started noticing things about her that I haven't noticed before. I didn't start anything with her because I know how protective you are of her."
He nods, "You're right. I'm very protective of her and I would kill anybody that fucks her over, but with you, I'd know that she's in great hands. I know that you won't lay a hand in her, cheat on her, or anything because you're loyal as a puppy dog." He smirks at me.
I smile, "Yeah I am." I laugh.
He looks at me with a serious face, "If this ever gets back to Zoe, I'll kill you." He smirks. "I had a talk with her before we came over, and she told me something that disturbed me to no end."
"What did she say?" I ask curiously.
He shakes his head, "I asked her when she was going to tell you that she's in love with you, and she said that why would he love me? He's just going to look at me as his best friend's little sister, and that she could never measure up to what Val was to you." He smiles sadly. "I didn't even know that she felt like this."
I stare at him shocked, "Why would she think that I would never love her?" I ask incredulously.
He shrugs, "I asked her the same thing, and I also asked her if someone said anything to her for her to think that, and she said that he always felt like that, and nobody said anything to her."
I frown, "Somebody had to have said something to her. She's a very beautiful woman and I would be a fucking idiot not to love her. She makes me the happiest man alive and we're not even dating!" I exclaim.
He smirks at me, "I know. I see it on your face whenever she walks into the room or is around."
I narrow my eyes at him, "You're never letting this go are you?"
"Nope. This is too good of an opportunity for me to pass up." He smirks at me.
I flip him off, "Fuck you." I chuckle.
"Do you have any idea on how much I love having you as a brother-in-law?" He smiles at me. "What would really make you my official brother-in-law is if you and Zoe got married." He smirks at me.
I chuckle, "We haven't even started dating yet."
While Brian and I are talking, Indiana and River run up to us, "Daddy, can we spend the night at Zoe's house? She said to ask you?" They smile at me.
I look over at Zoe, "You did huh?" She nods her head, "You know that you don't have to ask me if you can have them. You can have them any day and time. They love spending time with you." I smile, "And to answer your question," I turn back to the kids, "yes you can spend the night at Zoe's house."
"Yay!" They cheer and hug me. "Thank you Daddy. We love you." They grin cheekily.
I laugh, "I love you too, now go play some more and then we can get your stuff ready so that you both can spend the night at Zoe's."
They take off running and I turn to Zoe, "So what do you have planned for them tonight?" I ask her.
She shrugs, "The usual. Movie, pizza, snacks, and Pinkly." She smirks at Brian.
"Am I ever going to get my dog back?" He chimes in.
She shakes her head, "Nope." She smirks. "You know never to leave her with me when you tour. You've been off tour for 3 weeks and you still have yet to pick her up. Not my fault she loves me more."
"I've been busy." He says nonchalantly.
I speak up, "Sure you were. Trying for baby number 2 is the reason you won't go pick up your dog?" I ask cocking an eyebrow.
Zoe shudders, "What Brian and Michelle do is their business, but I don't even want to hear about it. I'm outta here." She says taking off to play with the kids again.
I chuckle, "That's one way to get her."
He chuckles, "Yup." He turns to me, "Larry called me yesterday."
"What did he want?"
He shrugs, "Wants to know if we want to do 3 summer festivals."
I nod, "I don't have a problem with that. The kids can stay with Zoe like they normally do or everyone can go with us." I shrug.
He nods, "Yeah. This is also something we have to talk about with Johnny and Zacky."
"No shit." I deadpan.
"Since the kids are going to Zoe's, what are you going to do?" He asks.
I shrug, "I don't know." I chuckle. "It's been awhile since I've been kid free."
He nods, "True. Chelle is dropping Addison off with Zoe tomorrow so the kids will have her to play with also." He shrugs.
I smirk, "You just love dropping her off with Zoe don't you." I chuckle.
He smirks, "That kid loves Zoe more then me." He exclaims. "And I'm her daddy."
"That's because you're an asshole to her." I chuckle.
He smirks, "True story." He chuckles. "You ready to go?" He looks at his iPhone. "I got to meet Chelle at her parents and feed Addison. You going to be okay?" He asks me with concern.
I nod, "I'll be fine." I chuckle. "I got to get the kids home and get their stuff ready so they can go to Zoe's." I tell him nonchalantly. "How you getting home?" I laugh. "You walking?"
"No asshole. I came with you remember." He smirks. "My car's in your driveway." He chuckles.
"No shit." I chuckle. "Look at her." I say pointing to Zoe. "That's how it should be." I smile.
He nods, " Then get on it." He smirks.
I smile, "In time I will."
He stands up and stretches, "Well, let's go then."
I nod, "Yeah." I stand up and stretch, "Indiana and River, you ready to go?" I ask them.
"Yeah!" They yell and run up to me.
We get in the car and arrive home 5 minutes later and I get their stuff ready and they're ready to leave.
"Bye Daddy. I love you." Indiana says giving me a hug and kiss.
"Bye Baby Girl. I love you too and be good for Zoe." I say giving her a hug and kiss.
"Bye Daddy. I love you." River says giving me a hug and kiss.
"Bye little man. I love you too, and be good for Zoe." I say giving him a hug and kiss.
"Always." He says smirking.
I narrow my eyes, "This is your fault." I say to Brian. "You taught him that."
He smirks, "Yup." He turns to River, "Nice job." He high fives River.
I roll my eyes, "Get out of here." I chuckle and turn to Zoe, "You good?" I ask her.
She nods, "Yeah. I might take them to see the new Disney movie that just came out. I don't know yet." She shrugs. "We might just wing it." She smirks.
I chuckle, "Well have fun." I say rubbing the back of my neck.
She smiles, "You look nervous. You okay?" She asks me with concern.
I chuckle, "I'm fine. Have fun with them." I smile.
"Always." She smiles. "You can hug me you know."
I laugh, "Alright." I say wrapping my arms around her and god I never want to let her go.
"Bye Matt." She says kissing my cheek and walking out the door.
They wave at me from the car and I shut the door. I really need to make that woman my wife and soon. She's the missing piece of my life and she felt great when I had her in my arms.
"She loves you." Brian says watching Zoe, River, and Indiana together.
"Huh?" I ask him confused.
"Zoe. She loves you. She's loved you since the first time she saw you and will now most likely kill me for saying anything." He chuckles.
I chuckle, "She's a Haner. Of course she's going to kill you."
"You got a point," he chuckles. "In all seriousness," he says turning towards me. "She knows how much you struggled with raising the kids since Val's been gone, and Michelle and I were talking the other night, if Zoe adopts them as her own, they're still going to be her niece and nephew. She thinks it's time that the kids have a mother figure in their lives and Michelle said that Zoe would be the perfect one to do it with. Zoe already loves those kids like they're her own."
I feel tears fill my eyes, "I know it's time that my kids have a mother figure in their lives, but how do I move on when I still dream about her?" I say wiping my tears away.
He sighs, "I don't know what it feels like to move on without Addie's mom, but look at the way Zoe is with the kids." He says pointing at Zoe. "She would give the kids the moon and stars to see them smile." He turns to me, "Just the other day, River asked me if Zoe was going to be his new mom. He said that he doesn't really remember Val and wants Zoe to be his mommy."
I sigh, "I know. They ask me everyday if Zoe's coming over, or if Zoe can watch them. They ask about Zoe every single day." I smile.
"Oh man." He laughs. "You have it bad for my sister." He smirks at me.
"I guess there's no denying it huh?" I smile.
He smirks, "Nope, but I have always wondered something. When did you start falling in love with Zoe?" He asks me.
"About a year ago." I blush. "I started noticing things about her that I haven't noticed before. I didn't start anything with her because I know how protective you are of her."
He nods, "You're right. I'm very protective of her and I would kill anybody that fucks her over, but with you, I'd know that she's in great hands. I know that you won't lay a hand in her, cheat on her, or anything because you're loyal as a puppy dog." He smirks at me.
I smile, "Yeah I am." I laugh.
He looks at me with a serious face, "If this ever gets back to Zoe, I'll kill you." He smirks. "I had a talk with her before we came over, and she told me something that disturbed me to no end."
"What did she say?" I ask curiously.
He shakes his head, "I asked her when she was going to tell you that she's in love with you, and she said that why would he love me? He's just going to look at me as his best friend's little sister, and that she could never measure up to what Val was to you." He smiles sadly. "I didn't even know that she felt like this."
I stare at him shocked, "Why would she think that I would never love her?" I ask incredulously.
He shrugs, "I asked her the same thing, and I also asked her if someone said anything to her for her to think that, and she said that he always felt like that, and nobody said anything to her."
I frown, "Somebody had to have said something to her. She's a very beautiful woman and I would be a fucking idiot not to love her. She makes me the happiest man alive and we're not even dating!" I exclaim.
He smirks at me, "I know. I see it on your face whenever she walks into the room or is around."
I narrow my eyes at him, "You're never letting this go are you?"
"Nope. This is too good of an opportunity for me to pass up." He smirks at me.
I flip him off, "Fuck you." I chuckle.
"Do you have any idea on how much I love having you as a brother-in-law?" He smiles at me. "What would really make you my official brother-in-law is if you and Zoe got married." He smirks at me.
I chuckle, "We haven't even started dating yet."
While Brian and I are talking, Indiana and River run up to us, "Daddy, can we spend the night at Zoe's house? She said to ask you?" They smile at me.
I look over at Zoe, "You did huh?" She nods her head, "You know that you don't have to ask me if you can have them. You can have them any day and time. They love spending time with you." I smile, "And to answer your question," I turn back to the kids, "yes you can spend the night at Zoe's house."
"Yay!" They cheer and hug me. "Thank you Daddy. We love you." They grin cheekily.
I laugh, "I love you too, now go play some more and then we can get your stuff ready so that you both can spend the night at Zoe's."
They take off running and I turn to Zoe, "So what do you have planned for them tonight?" I ask her.
She shrugs, "The usual. Movie, pizza, snacks, and Pinkly." She smirks at Brian.
"Am I ever going to get my dog back?" He chimes in.
She shakes her head, "Nope." She smirks. "You know never to leave her with me when you tour. You've been off tour for 3 weeks and you still have yet to pick her up. Not my fault she loves me more."
"I've been busy." He says nonchalantly.
I speak up, "Sure you were. Trying for baby number 2 is the reason you won't go pick up your dog?" I ask cocking an eyebrow.
Zoe shudders, "What Brian and Michelle do is their business, but I don't even want to hear about it. I'm outta here." She says taking off to play with the kids again.
I chuckle, "That's one way to get her."
He chuckles, "Yup." He turns to me, "Larry called me yesterday."
"What did he want?"
He shrugs, "Wants to know if we want to do 3 summer festivals."
I nod, "I don't have a problem with that. The kids can stay with Zoe like they normally do or everyone can go with us." I shrug.
He nods, "Yeah. This is also something we have to talk about with Johnny and Zacky."
"No shit." I deadpan.
"Since the kids are going to Zoe's, what are you going to do?" He asks.
I shrug, "I don't know." I chuckle. "It's been awhile since I've been kid free."
He nods, "True. Chelle is dropping Addison off with Zoe tomorrow so the kids will have her to play with also." He shrugs.
I smirk, "You just love dropping her off with Zoe don't you." I chuckle.
He smirks, "That kid loves Zoe more then me." He exclaims. "And I'm her daddy."
"That's because you're an asshole to her." I chuckle.
He smirks, "True story." He chuckles. "You ready to go?" He looks at his iPhone. "I got to meet Chelle at her parents and feed Addison. You going to be okay?" He asks me with concern.
I nod, "I'll be fine." I chuckle. "I got to get the kids home and get their stuff ready so they can go to Zoe's." I tell him nonchalantly. "How you getting home?" I laugh. "You walking?"
"No asshole. I came with you remember." He smirks. "My car's in your driveway." He chuckles.
"No shit." I chuckle. "Look at her." I say pointing to Zoe. "That's how it should be." I smile.
He nods, " Then get on it." He smirks.
I smile, "In time I will."
He stands up and stretches, "Well, let's go then."
I nod, "Yeah." I stand up and stretch, "Indiana and River, you ready to go?" I ask them.
"Yeah!" They yell and run up to me.
We get in the car and arrive home 5 minutes later and I get their stuff ready and they're ready to leave.
"Bye Daddy. I love you." Indiana says giving me a hug and kiss.
"Bye Baby Girl. I love you too and be good for Zoe." I say giving her a hug and kiss.
"Bye Daddy. I love you." River says giving me a hug and kiss.
"Bye little man. I love you too, and be good for Zoe." I say giving him a hug and kiss.
"Always." He says smirking.
I narrow my eyes, "This is your fault." I say to Brian. "You taught him that."
He smirks, "Yup." He turns to River, "Nice job." He high fives River.
I roll my eyes, "Get out of here." I chuckle and turn to Zoe, "You good?" I ask her.
She nods, "Yeah. I might take them to see the new Disney movie that just came out. I don't know yet." She shrugs. "We might just wing it." She smirks.
I chuckle, "Well have fun." I say rubbing the back of my neck.
She smiles, "You look nervous. You okay?" She asks me with concern.
I chuckle, "I'm fine. Have fun with them." I smile.
"Always." She smiles. "You can hug me you know."
I laugh, "Alright." I say wrapping my arms around her and god I never want to let her go.
"Bye Matt." She says kissing my cheek and walking out the door.
They wave at me from the car and I shut the door. I really need to make that woman my wife and soon. She's the missing piece of my life and she felt great when I had her in my arms.