Another chapter! Enjoy...
When Heather was about to say something, Naya stood up and cut her off.
"You know what? I think I'm gonna go. It's getting late and Ryan's probably worrying about me so..." she trailed off.
"Oh, okay." Saying that Heather was perplexed would be an understatement. A sudden pang hit her chest. Disappointment and regret took over her but she shielded her façade and smiled gently towards the girl in front of her.
"Na-nay?" Elijah looked at her while rubbing his eyes.
"Hey little buddy." Naya bent down so she is eye level with Elijah who is sitting on Heather's lap. "Na-nay has to go. It's getting late and you my little boo need to sleep. Come here." Naya opened her arms for Elijah. Elijah looked at his mom first and when Heather nodded he went to Naya's open arms. Naya carried him and rested his head on her shoulder. She slowly swayed to help the boy go back to his peaceful slumber.
Naya asked Heather when Elijah's breathing became stable, "Where should I put him?"
"Up in my room." Heather stood up and offered to carry her son but Naya shook her head.
"I'll carry him, he might woke up again." Naya whispered. Heather only nodded and led them to her room.
When they got there Naya slowly put him to bed. Heather arranged a barricade of pillows surrounding his son.
"You should also go to bed." Naya said standing close to the door.
"Yeah." Heather breathed out not knowing how to approach her.
"So, I'll go now." Naya awkwardly said while looking to the almost foreign room.
"Oh, right! Come on. I'll walk you out."
Heather wanted to say something more. She wanted to be able to talk to Naya to keep her longer. She thought of various topics and scraped her mind but alas, nothing has crossed her mind. Naya can sense the apprehension in Heather's actions. She can sense that something is wrong. Something is bothering the blue-eyed blonde that is walking in front of her towards the way out.
Heather held the door open and Naya stepped out. She turned around looking expectantly at Heather.
"This is it huh?" She tried to sound cheerful but it came the other way around.
Heather chuckled forcefully. Naya scratched the back of her head and sighed.
"Nay?" Heather looked at her hesitantly.
"Hm?"
"I… I um, I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done for Eli today. It really means a lot." Heather mentally rolled her eyes at herself. She wanted to say something else aside from that but she settled in thanking Naya instead.
"Oh, that's really nothing. I enjoyed taking care of him. No problem at all. It's like he's mine as well." Naya accidentally slipped. "I mean, he's such a sweet boy and I'm just did what I have to."
"You are a natural, Nay. Thank you." Heather smiled sweetly at her.
They were both silent for a while, looking at nothing in particular. They didn't know whether to start or end the conversation. The agonizing silence the enraptured them came to a halt when Heather spoke.
"Do you –" she was cut off when Naya's phone vibrated. Want to stay the night? Heather continued in her head.
Naya took her phone out of her pants pocket and looked at it.
"My husband just texted me, he's a little worried. I should be home by now." Naya looked at her apologetically. The sound of Naya saying the word 'husband' almost killed her, let alone the fact that she'll go home to his arms and not hers. She once again masked her face with the neutral one that she normally used to hide her emotions.
"Okay. I had a great time today because of you 'wifey'." Heather winked at her and chuckled lightly though the insides of her are killing her slowly and painstakingly. She wanted it to be real. She wanted to able to call Naya that for real.
"I had a great day too. I'm gonna miss you, Heather."
"I'm gonna miss you too." Heather's voice cracked. The edges of her eyes felt hot and she can burst into tears any moment at that point. "C'mere and give me a hug one last time. I don't know if I'll be able to see you again." Heather smiled at her and pulled the smaller girl into a hug. A single tear rolled out of her eye which she quickly wiped away. When Naya was about to pull back Heather instantly tightened the embrace. "No, not yet." She whispered. Don't let me go. I'm going to break and I need you.
"You'll be fine." Naya said as if she can read her mind. "You're going to be okay, Heather." She rubbed her back and released Heather at last. She couldn't contain the look in Heather's face. She frowned and cupped Heather's cheek. "We'll still see each other, okay? I don't know when that is but I'll still see you. If you want me, I'm still here. I'm your friend and I'll be just a call away." Heather looked down and tried so hard to keep her tears at bay.
"Heather?" Naya forced her to look in her eyes. When Heather finally looked at her, Naya smiled tenderly. "We'll be okay, yeah?"
"Yeah." Heather nodded and breathed out. "We'll be okay."
"Promise?"
"Promise." She nodded again.
"Call me?"
"Sure. You?"
"I'll call you whenever you need me… or even if you don't. Kiss Eli for me?"
"I will. Promise. He'll surely miss you Nay."
"I'll miss him to. I miss him already. Gosh! I'm such a sucker to that little man. Take a good care of him."
"I will do my best."
"I know you will. Well, time to go." Naya kissed her on the cheek which lingers for a while.
"I'll miss you." Naya pulled her again into a hug.
"I love you too." Heather whispered and closed her eyes. The hug lasted shortly but they were still glad for it. Naya smiled one last time and turned around. She went directly to her car and waved to Heather for the last time. She drove away and as Heather was about to lose sight of her car tears finally rolled down her cheeks.
…
Two Days Later
There was a loud knock on Heather's door that awoke her. Elijah was lying beside her still sound asleep. She slowly got up and wrapped her hair in a messy bun. She made her way downstairs not bothering to look at the mirror. She looked at the window to see who it was. Why am I not surprised to see her at all? She mentally rolled her eyes. She opened the door looking already bored.
"What are you doing here mom?"
"Why, it's good to see you too Heather!" Her mom sarcastically said.
She doesn't want to be rude to her mom but it just gets into her nerves how her mom is so cynical about the world.
"Get in mom." Heather was crushed on the inside. She's still like in a limbo after Naya left and the thought of her or even the mere mention of her name is putting her in a whirlpool of emotions. Her mother sighed as she came inside. Heather went to the kitchen and made some coffee for her mom and tea for herself. Her mom, on the other hand, went to the refrigerator and gathered the ingredients for pancakes. Both of them worked silently until…
"Heather," her mom paused for a while. "Taylor called me." She cleared her throat before continuing.
"Mom, before you say anything I want you to know that it was a split decision. We made it because it isn't working between us. We may live in the same roof but it doesn't mean that we are working as a couple. We thought or I thought for a long time that I loved him, maybe I did. But it didn't last long. I just loved the idea of our relationship. Don't worry about Elijah. We'll figure it out. I can only take one at a time. And every day feels like hell already and I don't know how or if I can ever continue living like this because it just hurts so much! I have known pain my whole life but this is way stronger. This is way worse, so much worse that I can no longer feel anything but pain and –" Heather started sobbing and her mom instantly wrapped her into a motherly hug. "and, and it really hurts mom! Will it ever stop?"
"Sshh… Sshh… Come on now." Her mom's voice cracked. She doesn't want to see her daughter like this. The memories of the years before came flooding into her mind. The last time she saw Heather like this was when her dad passed away. But this time is so much worse. "Everything will be alright honey. Stop crying now." Her mom soothed her. She closed her eyes to stop crying as well. She doesn't want to add another burden to her upset daughter. "I didn't come here to shout at you like the last time. I came back to apologize." Heather pulled back and stared at her mom with a surprised expression on her face. "I know what you're thinking." She smiled sadly at Heather.
"No, you don't mom." Heather pulled back and sat on the island stool still looking at her mom cautiously.
"You're right. I don't." Her mom looked down at her hands. She let out a heavy breath and fixed her gaze back at Heather again. "I'm growing, Heather. I'm tired of you hating me."
"Mom, I don't hate you. I never did and never will." Heather reassured her. Her mom's heart swelled at her words.
"Thanks, honey. That really means a lot coming from you." Her mom smiled shyly. They were enveloped in an unsettling silence again.
Heather cleared her throat and her mom seemed to take this as a cue.
"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I'm really, really sorry sweetheart." She said louder. "I didn't know… I haven't been a good mom to you. I didn't know what you're going through honey. I'm sorry for being so insensitive and mad and crazy. I know that I've hurt you and I've went through my limits, I sincerely apologize. I thought I was being a good mom by making you hide and avoid all those confrontations. I've been weak and stubborn. When Taylor talked to me, he explained everything. He is a good man but if you don't really want to be with him, who am I to make a decision for you? That is your life. You've grown fully mature and you… you can make your decisions on your own. My only part here is to support you and guide you not to control you."
Heather didn't know if she was dreaming or not. She was just so happy at that moment to hear those words coming from her mom, whether it's a dream or not she doesn't want it to end.
"I understand." She finally said to her mom. "All of us make mistakes mom. Who doesn't?" smile finally found Heather's lips as a sigh of relief escaped her mom's. "I've been waiting all my life for you to understand me and now that it's happening I don't know what to say." she confessed.
"You don't have to say anything honey. I just like to know if you can forgive me for everything I've said and done."
"Mom, I've already granted it to you even before you ask of it."
"Really? Thank you so much, Heather. You're still my baby you know? And I'm really, really mad at myself for treating you so badly."
Heather stood up and hugged her mom again.
"Oh mom. Please stop torturing yourself." Heather pulled back and sighed.
"It took me all these times to realize how idiot I am. I don't even deserve to be called as your mother." She whispered. "I wish I can be half as good as you when it comes to parenting."
"Mom, believe me. You're the best. Where do you think will I learn everything I do know now when it comes to parenting? If dad's here I'm sure he'll be so proud of you. He'll tell you that you did a good job of raising us. We all stumble and fall sometimes mom. It's okay to freak out and to be angry at the world. We are not perfect and we don't have to be. I'm just glad that we're okay now mom. That's all that matters now." she said and smiled at her mom.
"I know that we still have to talk about a lot of things. Maybe we can start now? Can we start all over again? I'm now ready to listen." Her mom sincerely said. Just as Heather was about to respond Elijah called her from her room.
"Go on. I'll make breakfast." Her mom eagerly pushed her daughter out of the kitchen.
The rest of the day was filled with her mom asking several questions to Heather that led to more conversation along the way. Heather was glad that her mom was trying her best to understand her. It was a crazy day for her. It felt so surreal but at least she has one load off of her shoulders now.
…
They were once again called off to Glee to perform a final scene after a few weeks. Heather was told that it would only take an hour for them to shoot for they don't have to do anything aside to sing and walk down the auditorium. They don't need much rehearsal for that one. Heather was relieved to hear the news but she was also saddened by the fact that this will be the last moment of seeing the whole cast together.
Dianna was the first one she saw in the parking lot. It was already filled with cars that early.
"Someone's excited to shoot the finale." Dianna chuckled while making her way towards Heather.
"Yeah, there's tons of cars already." She said looking around. Her eyes stopped roaming around when she found the specific car she was looking for. Dianna nudged her when she noticed Heather's demeanour changed into a sadder one. Instead of saying anything, Dianna linked her arms with Heather and practically dragged her towards the makeup room.
Heather's mind drifted off to somewhere else when she sat down on the makeup room waiting for her turn. Naya didn't call her. They promised each other that they would call but neither of them attempted the first move. Heather was a bit disappointed though she tried to act nonchalantly about it.
"So, did you tell her?" Lea was the one to notice Heather's quietness.
"Tell what?" Heather was brought out of her stupor.
"About you and Taylor…" Lea whispered.
"Oh, yeah. I did… a few weeks ago."
"And?" Chris butted in. Dianna leaned in to listen as well.
"And what?"
"What now?" Chris and Dianna said at the same time.
"Nothing." She said and sat in the chair while someone fixed her hair.
"Nothing? What do you mean nothing?" Lea asked again.
"She said that she was sorry to hear the news. And that's it."
"That's it? She didn't say anything else?" Chris asked exasperatingly.
"Guys, look… Naya is married. I don't want to mess with her head anymore. She's happy now. Do you want me to ruin that happiness? She's been obviously hurt by me for a long time and now that she finally moved on, let's just let her enjoy it okay? Can you guys do it for her?"
All of them nodded and sighed.
"But what if she still loves you H?" Dianna asked.
"She does. And I love her even more. It's just that the love that she has for me is different. She love me but she's not in love with me. Can you guys see the difference?"
Chris shook his head. "Think whatever you like to think HeMo. Both of your actions are telling me the opposite."
"Yeah, he's right. But, we know our limits Heather. If you think that it's the best for both of you we'll leave you alone. It seems like you've made your decision."
"She doesn't!" Chris exclaimed. "I thought you were better than that HeMo! You're just as afraid as you are like before! I thought you've changed but you're still the scared Heather I knew." Chris snapped at her. He didn't want to do or said it but he just wanted Heather to realize what she's about to let go.
"Chris!" Dianna stopped him.
"It's okay." Heather said with a sad smile. Chris looked at her one final time before he left the room.
"Whoa! What just happened?" Chord walked in to see the sad and disappointed look on the girls' eyes.
"He didn't mean to say that, Heather." Lea placed her hand on Heather's arm.
"I know." Heather nodded. Lea squeezed her arm and smiled before leaving the room as well.
After the hair and makeup was done, Heather, Dianna and Chord headed to the auditorium. All of the Glee casts are gathered around in the center. They are all cheering and laughing. She caught sight of Jenna, Mark, Darren, Becca, Kevin and Naya on the other side of the stage. Jenna rested her hand on Naya's stomach as Kevin put his arms behind Naya. They were talking so loudly.
"Oh my gosh! I can't believe it!" Jenna gushed at her.
"I can't believe it either." Mark said a little too loud as well. "I'm so happy for you, Nay!"
"Me too. Congratulations Naya." Becca said.
"Thanks guys."
"I'm so proud of you." Darren added.
"You'll be a great mom, bee. I know you will." Kevin winked at Naya.
"I hope so. Thanks." Naya smiled shyly at them all.
Heather stood frozen on her place when she heard it. Dianna and Chord were just as shock to hear the news.
"You're pregnant?" she whispered just as loud for everyone in their circle to hear.
….
Dun, Dun, Dun, Dun! What's next? Should I continue or end it? Thanks for reading!
