When Tragedy Strikes

Lucy sat at the barkeep waiting for Zack to arrive. She became anxious knowing that he went home after the funeral instead of directly meeting her where they promised to meet. Hours seemed to pass even though it was only minutes. What was she thinking having Zack meet her at a bar right after a funeral? She should have never asked that of him., but it was the only time that Lucy wasn’t going to have Gracie.

Lucy was dead set on setting things straight with Zack. She would be leaving tomorrow night, she knew there wasn’t much time left. She wanted to apologize for everything she’d ever done to him and all the things he had to feel after discovering he was a father.

“Rough day?” The bartender asked her.

Lucy let out a sarcastic laugh and said, “You have no idea.”

“Wanna tell me about it?” He flirtatiously asks.

“No thanks. I just want a nice cold beer.”

The bartender took one more glance at Lucy and said, “Comin right up, doll.”
Lucy cringed at the bartender calling her ‘Doll’ not that he wasn’t attractive. He had bright blue eyes and a smirk that any girl would die for. If Lucy was normal she would probably fall right under his spell. She wasn’t normal though and besides she was waiting for Zack.

The bartender set Lucy’s beer in front of her and said, “So what’s a pretty lady like you doing all alone at the bar?” He asked.

Lucy blushed and said, “I’m not interested in a conversation. I can tell you didn’t get it the first time. I will let you know I am meeting a friend here and he’s very handsome, he might even put your gorgeous smirk to shame.” She shot back with a sneaky grin.

“Well, I see. You’re playing hard to get huh? Making up some cute little story to make me chase you?” He jokingly said.

Lucy felt a hand on her shoulder, looking up she saw Zack. “Look dude, she said she wasn’t interested.”

The bartender quickly backed away from the situation, realizing her ‘date’ was the guitarist from Avenged Sevenfold. He often saw the gang around this bar. Lucy hopped out of her seat and said,

“It’s about time.”

Zack guided Lucy to the closest table. “I like to be fashionably late.” He paused for a second, looking at the barkeep. “I don’t really know how to start this.”

Lucy nodded. “Me either. Do I ask you how you’ve been? Do we talk about life?” Lucy took a swig of her drink; she needed something to calm her nerves and something to make her heart stop beating within her chest. The two started for a nearby table.

Zack took his seat across from Lucy at the outside table, “Look, thanks for being there for me today, but, that doesn’t exactly change anything.” He reminded, a small smile formed on his face. “Well, you look terrified.”

“I’m not.” She quickly said.

Zack smirked and said, “Really? Because the last time I saw that look on your face you were leaving me five years ago.”

Lucy felt like all the air had been taken out of her lungs; like Zack’s words had literally punched her in the stomach. She wished she would have thought just a little bit more about what she was going to say to him.

“I understand why you left, but why you didn’t tell me you were pregnant is still a mystery. I mean yeah I was a little out of my mind but fuck, Lucy. That’s a huge thing to keep from me. I’m her father.”

Lucy sighed, “I know…I was scared to tell you.”

“Why?” He questioned.

“I don’t know what I was thinking. I was scared. I thought you I was protecting you, like me being pregnant would have ruined your life. I didn’t want you to cancel your dreams. I mean you’re Zacky Vengeance you were the crazy rock star God. You weren’t exactly ready to settle down either. You were out of your mind….” She briefly paused seeing his face go from not giving a shit what she had to say, to somber and sadness as he remembered the way he used to be. “ I just felt like I was going to be the pregnant fiancé stuck at home and eventually we would split up anyways. Our lives were so different.” She sadly said.

Zack leaned back in his seat. Running his fingers through his hair he said, “I’m also Zack Baker, remember; the guy who adored and loved you? The guy who stuck by your side when you fell apart many times? I stayed home from tours to make sure you were going to follow through with your dreams also. I would have never left you! We would have made things work like we always did.”
Lucy nodded her head. “I…I’m so sorry Z, I didn’t want to leave, I was just so scared. I would sit and plead with myself just to forget you, but I never could. I kept all our pictures, I never changed my phone number in hopes that I would grow up one day and call you. Trust me I’ve been living a nightmarish life ever since I left.”

Zack was completely stunned, he didn't have a clue what to say. She lightly set her hands on top of Zack’s hands and said, “I’m really sorry; I need you to know that.”

Zack looked at the hands that lay upon his hands. He felt somewhat nervous about her hands laying there but he could tell Lucy was nervous too by her finger movements. “I have my regrets too Lucy, I was in a lot of shock when you left and then reappearing with Gracie. Things have just been so hard and I had my fucking breaking point. I didn't mean to yell at you like I did.” He paused. “You know me though. My temper gets the best of me sometimes.”

“You had every right to freak out.” Lucy sincerely spoke. “I couldn’t imagine how you felt.”

Zack watched the tears slide down Lucy’s perfect sun kissed face, her dark blue eyes held the pain and sadness that she was feeling. Zack had no doubt that Lucy was telling the truth, he believed that she was truly sorry. Zack wasn’t sure what to say. Would she be leaving again without him? He wondered.

“Zack please says something.” Lucy asked.

Zack looked up from his hands and said, “I wanna meet Gracie. Not as the angry man that she saw but as her father and I want her to know who I am. I want you and I to be civil with one another so that Gracie doesn’t have to see that ever again.” Zack reached his hand to Lucy’s face and wiped her tears that fell. He didn’t stop there; he gently cupped Lucy’s cheek in his hand. He stared into her piercing blue eyes and said, “Please don’t cry.”

Lucy slowly wiped her eyes. “Thank you for doing this…I really needed this.”

Zack smiled his famous grin. “Let’s get out of here.”