Chapter 7 – Worst Nightmare

I really started to lose control when a picture was printed of Tom and me fighting that night in our bedroom. Tom was angered about it and called the multiple magazines to get the name of the person who submitted the photo. The reply was all the same, they couldn't give out the name because of the contract the company had with the photographer. This helped the tabloids a lot. The magazines started printing false stories of Tom threatening them if we did not get the information we were requesting. For the past couple of weeks things were getting out of control.

To take my mind off things Jody and Claire offered to take me shopping for baby items. We had been walking around London for a few hours before we stopped in a little boutique. The store was filled with stuff I had never seen let alone thought I needed. I wasn't planning on buying anything without Tom's opinion. I was simply browsing.

"Oh, look outside. More photographers to take your lovely picture Kayleigh!" Claire exclaimed looking out the window of the store.

I groaned softly, "I don't want my picture taken. I hate all these random people coming up to me asking me all these questions concerning the baby, Tom and me. I feel like my whole life is a fucking soap opera for everyone to hate me, love me, or feel sorry for me."

Jody kept her mouth shut as she waltzed around the baby clothing section. Claire on the other hand did not. "I'm sure that's just the hormones talking. You have to love all the presents you're receiving from all the adoring fans. You're famous, Kayleigh Adams."

This annoyed me. Claire acted as if she knew me better than I knew myself. "I don't want to be famous and it's not the hormones talking either. I liked being the small town girl I was before I went to California."

"You should be happy with all the publicity it's getting Tom and the band. He'll be raking in the money for you to spend on the baby." Claire glanced out the window to see the photographers still snapping pictures.

I rubbed my hands over my eyes. "I don't need every luxury in the world to make me happy like some people, Claire."

Claire, getting frustrated, now picked up a stuffed animal and started strangling it. "I hate you! You're such a bitch. If you don't want the public to know who you are, why are you having the baby? Why did you get pregnant if you didn't like fame and fortune? You should have never started dating Tom." She snapped. She got so frustrated she threw the animal at me. I covered the baby the best I could only to have it hit my hands against the baby.

Jody grabbed Claire and shoved her out of the store. I stood there in shock and couldn't help but feel tears sting my eyes. If it wasn't for Jody, I was sure she would have hit me with something harder.

Jody called a cab for Claire to go to Danny's apartment. Jody drove me back to Danny's apartment for dinner which the boys were cooking. I couldn't be near Claire; I was scared she might try to kill me next. When we arrived Claire was in her bedroom and I could hear her sobs. Jody retold the story to the boys. I sat on the couch watching Entertainment Tonight. I wondered if anybody had caught the fight in the baby store this afternoon and were going to show it.

Sure enough it was on every entertainment channel. My tear stained face, Claire's bright red angered face and Jody grasping Claire after hitting me with the stuffed animal. I turned up the volume to the set so I could hear the details over the boys cooking.

"Late this afternoon, Kayleigh Adams, Tom's Fletcher's pregnant girlfriend, went on a shopping spree with teen surfer Jody Slater and socialite Claire Joy Hurley. During the shopping spree, Kayleigh and Claire got into a heated argument resulting in Claire Joy throwing a pink bear at Kayleigh. Jody quickly escorted Claire out to a cab and took her to ex-boyfriend, Danny Jones's, apartment. Claire is the source that has been selling photos of Tom, Kayleigh and their baby. Claire has sold pictures to Star, In Touch, and the National Inquirer." My mouth dropped. I turned to the kitchen to see the five guys and one girl leaning on the counter staring at the news caster.

"Claire Liz Hurley, get your spoiled ass out here!" Danny screamed.

Claire appeared in the living room. She looked at the group of us standing around staring at her. I turned the television off so the whole apartment was quiet. "What's going on? Is dinner ready?"

"Claire, get your things. You're going back home for good. I'll give you money for the cab, but it's not like you need it." Danny threw down the dish towel he was holding.

"What's going on? I'm not supposed to be leaving until August 8th. What happened?"

I couldn't take it anymore, "You were selling pictures of me and my family. What is wrong with you?" I had rage streaming through my body. I couldn't help but cry again. It wasn't because I was upset, I was enraged.

"You stupid bitch! You ruined my life. I had everything in the palm of my hand until you showed Danny that picture of me and Sean. You had to ruin everything," Claire stumbled over her words through tears. She was crying because she was upset. She had been caught red-handed. Danny wrapped his arms around her to try to calm her down. He guided her into the bedroom where her belongings were.

I didn't feel good after the long day I had and didn't want to see Claire before she left. I went into one of Danny's extra bedrooms to lie down. I laid there for a good five minutes before Tom crept in. He climbed in behind me wrapping his arms around me. I turned around in his arms putting my head into his chest. I probably soaked his shirt in tears. He didn't seem to mind. He pushed back the hair from my face. He lifted my face to meet my eyes with his.

"Hey, she's gone. You have nothing to worry about. Soon the media will die down and it'll be just you and me again. No Claire, no media, no more worries." He kissed my forehead lightly. "I love you, baby. Everything is going to be okay; I promise. I won't let anyone else hurt you." Tom held me close and wiped away the tears like he always did no matter if I was happy or sad.

"I love you too." I lifted my head to kiss him. Tom held me close until I fell asleep. I didn't eat that night although the boys had made dinner. Tom apologized for me. The boys understood and didn't fuss about it. Everyone was just happy my life wasn't at risk anymore.