iheartobama: Thank you so much for the review! I love hearing that people are enjoying the story. I glad you like it so far and enjoy the chapter.
Meadow567: Yeah, Rizzo had to be the one to figure it out, lol. He's smart and nothing gets past him. Thanks for the review and enjoy the chapter!
NellieBly413672: Thanks for the review! I'm glad you liked it. Originally Herb wasn't going to know, but I guess a little writer's block is sometimes good, because that's how I got the idea. Anyway, you'll see how Hannah reacts this chapter.
A/N: Sorry I couldn't get this up sooner. I really wanted to but lately I've been so busy with school. Oh well, at least my semester's almost over. One week left!! But unfortunately, then I have exams and my MCAT to study for. But at least I won't have classes, so I'll should still have a little more time to write. Anyway, I hope everyone likes the chapter. Please review when you're done!!
--
Another week went by, and Mark had yet to tell Hannah about Lexi. Everyone was getting on his case about it too. But this week, Mark had other things on his mind. Halloween was in two days, and Lexi wanted to go trick-or-treating. Mark hadn't bought her a costume though, and didn't even know where to take her. It wasn't like there were many houses really close by, and he really didn't want to spend the night driving to other neighborhoods either, just so Lexi could get candy. If she wanted candy that bad, he'd take her to the store and buy her some.
"Lexi, what are you going to be for Halloween," Hannah asked while Mark, Hannah, and Lexi were out for dinner.
"I want to be a princess," Lexi said. "I want to wear a pretty dress and sparkly shoes. And I need a crown."
"That sounds like a great costume. Did Uncle Mark help you pick it out?" Hannah asked. Lexi shook her head. "Mark, Halloween's in two days. We should go look for a costume right after dinner. They're all going to be gone by this time."
"Personally I don't see what the big deal is with Halloween," Mark told Hannah. He turned to Lexi. "Lexi, why don't you be a hockey player. Then we won't need to go look for a costume."
"Because I'm not a boy," Lexi said, rolling her eyes.
"Yeah, geeze, Mark. Can't you see that Lexi's a girl?" Hannah said, backing Lexi up.
"Well, I'm not raising my-" Mark stopped short, catching himself about to say daughter, then he continued, "niece, to be a little diva. She needs to be a sports fan too."
"She can be," Hannah said. "But for Halloween, let her be a princess. I'll even take her to buy a costume. You don't even have to set foot in the store."
As tempting as the offer was, Mark did end up going with them after dinner to pick out a costume anyway. Lexi tried on her costume before they bought it, and Mark had to admit she looked pretty cute in her pink dress and sparkly crown. Hannah also found shiny pink shoes to go with Lexi's outfit.
--
The next morning, Mark and the guys were getting ready for practice when Mark started complaining about having to take Lexi trick-or-treating.
"I don't even know where I'm gonna take her. I don't know the area around here. And it's going to be totally boring for me."
"Why don't you bring Hannah?" said OC.
"Because he hasn't told her yet," Mac said, shooting Mark a glance.
"You have a serious problem," OC commented. "When are you telling her?"
"Never," Mac said, answering for Mark. Mark gave Mac a dirty look.
"I am going to tell her. Just not yet. I need to prepare myself and really think this through."
"Yeah, and at your rate, you'll be 180 thousand dollars in debt from paying Lexi a dollar every time she calls you Uncle Mark, and the Olympics will be over and you'll be gone," Bah said.
"Anyway," Mark said, ignoring Bah, "Hannah can't come with us. She's handing out candy at her apartment for a little while and then going out with her friends or something. They always go to see the Rocky Horror Picture Show on Halloween."
"Where are they showing that?" Silky wondered out loud. "I wanna go see it."
"Why don't we all go?" suggested Buzz. "It'll be fun."
The guys discussed this as Mark groaned to himself. Another night staying home with Lexi while the guys got to have fun. Mark knew it was his fault he couldn't go out, but he wished he could. Verchota seemed to notice his disappointment.
"You can come too, Magic," Verchota said.
"Yeah, like I'm bringing Lexi to see Rocky Horror."
"I thought you've had babysitting offers from Patti and Velta," said Mac.
"Yeah, but I have to take her trick-or-treating anyway. She got this cute princess costume and everything."
"Why don't you bring her around the dorms?" suggested Verchota.
"Because, none of us are going to be around," Silky said. "We're going out and having fun. Something Magic apparently can't do anymore," he added with a laugh.
"Well, Lexi can go trick-or-treating before we leave. Then Mark can drop her off wherever and he can join us," Verchota explained.
"Oh my God, Verchota has a good idea for the first time in his life!" joked Bah. Verchota rolled his eyes.
"That is a really good idea though," said Mac. "But now we all have to buy candy."
"Which gives us an excuse to buy it and then eat the leftover," Buzz pointed out.
After that, it was decided. Lexi would trick-or-treat around the dorms and then everyone would go to see the movie. Mark was still unsure about dumping Lexi on someone else, because he felt like he was imposing, but he figured that he'd go along with the plan for now anyway.
--
"Mark, you need to tell Hannah. If you don't tell her, I will," Mac told Mark while they were hanging out in their room later that night. Lexi was already asleep and the guys were trying to find something on TV. Baseball season was over, Pittsburgh won the series, and there weren't any hockey games on that night either.
"No, you won't," Mark said, in response to Mac's threat.
"The way I see it is that I'll be doing you a favor."
"How's that? If I don't tell her, she'll think I don't want her to know."
Mac gave Mark a funny look, obviously he didn't want Hannah to know, or he would have mentioned it already, but Mac didn't say anything about that. He did say, "Because then you won't have to tell her, and it'll be out in the open."
"She's gonna be pissed though. If you had a girlfriend, and found out that she had a kid, how would you feel?"
"Well, I might be a little put off by the fact, but I wouldn't break up with her because of that."
"Really?" Mark asked surprised.
"Would you?"
"Well, I guess I haven't thought about it," Mark admitted.
"I only think she'll be a little mad because you've been putting off telling her and lying. But she's nice so she'll get over it."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Mark asked.
"Nothing really. I just mean that I don't think she'll stay mad at you forever. She seems like the type to forgive and forget."
"I don't want to tell her with Lexi around though."
"Why don't you tell her on Halloween?" Mac suggested. "Lexi won't be there, Patti's watching her." After practice Mac and Verchota made arrangements, unbeknownst to Mark, that Patti was going to watch Lexi while Mark went out to the movie.
"Everyone else is going to be around then though. I'd rather tell her while we're alone."
"So, after the movie, you and Hannah can go back to her apartment. Then you'll be alone and you can tell her."
"But I'll need to get Lexi," Mark said. Now he was trying to suggest that Mac pick up Lexi without being too forward about it.
"I'll get her," Mac groaned, knowing that's exactly where Mark was going. "I can't believe you trust me with your daughter though."
"You're the only one besides Rizzo and Jimmy that I would trust with her."
"Great," Mac said sarcastically. "But I'm not doing this all the time."
"I know," Mark replied.
--
Just after dinner on Halloween, Lexi was ready to go trick-or-treating. A lot of the guys wore costumes, although most were simple, like cowboy hats or hockey jerseys. Some costumes however, were a little more interesting. Bah, Buzz, and Pav actually dressed up as the real Coneheads, Verchota and Mac dressed up in togas as guys from Animal House, and Silky and OC dressed up as 'hicks from Minnesota', which was really funny because they pretty much looked like farmers with suspenders on their pants, plaid shirts, big ugly boots, cowboy hats, and straw in their mouth.
As Lexi ran around from room to room, getting candy, Mark hung around his room and watched her from the doorway, while talking to Mac and Verchota. At OC's door, Mark noticed Lexi laugh while OC told her something. He instantly had a bad feeling about that.
A few minutes later, Lexi was back down to get candy from Mac.
"Trick-or-treat, smell my feet gimme something good to eat," Lexi began singing. Now OC, looking amused, was walking toward them. Lexi turned around and looked at him. "I don't remember the rest," she told OC.
He helped her by saying, "If you don't, I don't care-"
"I'll pull down your underwear!" Lexi finished happily, jumping up and down.
"Thanks, OC," Mark said sarcastically.
"Here you go, Lexi," Mac said, putting a piece of candy in her pail.
"Only one?" Lexi said, putting a sad puppy dog look on her face.
"Yeah," Mac answered.
"But you have lots," she said.
"So, need to keep some."
"But, I'm collecting candy for poor, dying kids. I need more."
"What the hell?" Mac said.
"OC!" Mark said, assuming he gave her that idea too. It was obvious she didn't think of that herself. Lexi collecting candy to give to other kids, yeah right.
"Don't look at me. That's all Silky's doing," OC said.
"Silky, you played the 'dying kids' card too?" Verchota yelled down the hall to him. "I always said it was my sister that was dying though, which made people give me even more candy."
"Yeah, every year," Silky answered. "My parents always wondered how I ended up with double or triple the candy than my sister."
--
A little while later, the guys were on their way to the movie to meet up with Hannah and her friends. Mark's car was detouring to the Brook's house first to drop off Lexi, as Patti was watching her that night.
When they arrived at the theater, Hannah, Maggie, Kristine, who were dressed as Charlie's Angels, and a few of Hannah's other friends from work were waiting outside.
"You girls look hot!" Silky commented. "Especially you Maggie . . . or should I say, Jill." Jill's character on the show was usually a favorite among guys because she was played by Farrah Fawcett the first season.
"Why thank you . . . whatever you are," Maggie said, not knowing what Silky was dressed as. "A farmer maybe?"
"A Minnesotan hick," he replied proudly.
Maggie just laughed. "Okay then."
"Which one of you is Sabrina and which is Kelly?" asked Silky about the other two girls.
"I'm Kelly," responded Kristine.
"And I'm Sabrina," said Hannah. "Unfortunately. They wouldn't let me be Kris." Kris replaced Farrah Fawcett's character after the first season.
"But that wouldn't fit. You're not blonde," OC pointed out.
"I know. But she's my favorite."
"Yeah, she's hot. But Farrah's the best," said Silky.
"Let's go find some seats," Bah said. As the guys were walking in the theater, Mark finally got to say hi to Hannah.
"You look great Hannah," Mark told her, wrapping his arm around her waist.
"Your cowboy costume is great," Hannah commented.
"Yeah, thanks," Mark said, although his guess was that she was only saying it to be nice. He knew it wasn't very original.
"Well, you're an exceptionally hot cowboy," Hannah said, pulling him close to kiss him.
--
After the movie, which everyone enjoyed, Mark left with Hannah to go to her apartment. He realized that it probably was a good night to tell her because he didn't have a car with him. Hannah was driving so she'd have to give him a ride home. Mark knew she wouldn't make him walk even if she was mad.
"So where's Lexi?" Hannah asked. She just knew that someone was watching Lexi, but she wasn't sure who.
"She was with Herb's wife Patti, but Mac's picking her up and he's putting her to bed."
"I hope nothing too crazy happens then," Hannah said. "Aren't you worried?"
"No, Lexi'll be fine. Plus, she'll be asleep. I'm not worried."
"I wasn't talking about Lexi. I'm talking about Mac. He's the one you should be worried about. I'm not so sure he can handle a three-year-old," Hannah joked. Mark laughed.
"He'll be fine. I just really wanted some time alone with you. It's hard to do anything with a three-year-old constantly around." Hannah knew it was true, but instead of sounding like it was a big deal, she made a joke.
"Do anything . . . what does anything entail?" she said suggestively.
"Oh, I can think of a few things," Mark said back.
When they got back to Hannah's apartment, they hung out for a while, talking and watching tv, and then they started making out.
"Mac's services don't expire at any certain time, right?" Hannah asked between kisses.
"No. That's the benefit to having him as a babysitter and a roommate."
Mark and Hannah continued kissing and then Mark began thinking about telling Hannah. He wanted to savor some more alone time with her though, because if she got mad and stopped speaking to him for a few days, there wouldn't be any making out in store for him.
As his shirt came off though, and the buttons on Hannah's were being slowly being worked at, Mark knew he had to stop and tell her. He pulled away, breathless.
"Hannah, I need to tell you something."
"Let's talk about it later," Hannah said, pulling him close again.
Mark pushed away. "No, I need to talk to you now." From the look on Mark's face, Hannah could tell it was serious.
"What is it?"
"It's about Lexi."
"What about her?" Hannah said, sitting up on the couch. Now Mark was sitting on the opposite end of the couch, looking at Hannah. He really didn't want to tell her, and looking into her soft brown eyes, he realized that he'd never seen her angry before. Mark really didn't want to either.
He sighed, then said, "Lexi's not my niece."
Hannah's conversation with her friends just two weeks prior came rushing back. If Lexi wasn't his niece, who was she? "Who is she?" Hannah managed to ask, still not exactly knowing what to think.
"She's my daughter."
"You're what?!" Hannah practically screamed, her look of shock turning to anger.
"Look, I'm sorry I didn't say anything before, but I wanted to wait until the right time to tell you."
"Get out!" Hannah yelled.
"What?" Mark asked, confused. Although he thought she'd be angry, he wasn't exactly expecting this.
"Get out of my apartment," Hannah said, standing up. She threw Mark's shirt at him and buttoned her shirt.
"Hannah, can I just explain?" Mark asked, half begging.
"Explain what? That you've been lying to me for months? You don't need to explain. As far as I'm concerned, you don't need to explain anything."
"But Hannah, I'm sorry. I just didn't want to scare you off by telling you earlier."
"So you thought it would be a good fucking idea to lie to me?! Mark, get out!"
Mark was beginning to get the message. Hannah was clearly completely pissed off. Her face was bright red, and that was the first time Mark ever heard her swear. He was also afraid she was going to wake up her neighbors. She was being pretty loud.
"Okay, I'll go." Mark figured he'd call her after she had a day to cool off a little. Hannah followed him to the door to usher him out and once Mark got to the door he turned around to say goodbye. Now he noticed Hannah trying to hold back tears. She wasn't only angry, but clearly hurt too.
"Hannah," Mark started and went to brush his hand against her cheek. She pulled away from his touch.
"Don't touch me. Just leave," she said. "I don't want to look at you, and I don't want to talk to you."
"I'm sorry," Mark tried again.
"Save your apologies for someone who cares."
"Hannah, you drove me here, remember?" Mark reminded her, knowing she would still give him a ride.
"Call a cab. I'm not driving you home." Although Mark didn't expect that, he didn't complain.
"Can I use your phone?"
"No."
"How can I call a cab then?" he asked, now getting a little ticked off.
"I don't know. Walk if you can't figure something out," Hannah said, cooly, now attempting to shut the door in his face. Mark held out his hand though to stop her, and since he was much stronger, it was no problem.
"Hannah, what can I do to get you to let me explain?" Mark asked.
"Absolutely nothing, because I have no interest in listening to anything you say ever again, or seeing you ever again for that matter."
Mark tired to defend himself, but just as he opened his mouth, Hannah cut him off.
"I really thought you were a good guy, Mark. But I guess I was way wrong."
"I am a good guy," Mark tried.
"Good guys don't repeatedly lie to their girlfriends. You've been lying to me since we've met. I don't know whether I can believe anything you've ever said. And do not make this about Lexi. She has nothing to do with this. You brought everything on yourself. And here's a little parenting advice, because I think you might need it. Maybe try teaching Lexi to be an honest person, Mark. I sure hope she doesn't turn out like you!"
Mark, stung by Hannah's words, loosened his grip that was still holding the door open. Hannah seized her opportunity to shove Mark out of her doorway and slammed the door shut. Now Mark was left standing outside, bewildered. What was that all about? Mark wondered. Did she dump me, or is she just mad? He really thought it was more like being dumped, but he supposed that only time would tell. Along with those thoughts, Mark was also wondering if Hannah was truly just mad at the fact that he lied to her. He thought for sure that she would be mad about Lexi being his daughter, but not just because he lied. Didn't she realize that he lied for a reason?