Recap:
Then Hannah came down, she saw the two hugging and smiled for ear to ear, then the door opened and their uncle came in, Hannah continued her way into the kitchen.
"Hi uncle George" Hannah greeted, her uncle smiled, it was always a joy to see that little girl.
"Hi Hannah, you hungry?, I bought some cookies" Hannah took all of the cookies, Sharpay didn't really like it when Hannah had to much sugar. Then the phone rang, and Hannah knocked down a picture frame. But Ryan and Sharpay continued hugging, they really needed this hug.
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3 weeks had passed since Sharpay talked with Zeke and still hadn't heard a word from him, each day Mrs.. Lombard would ask if he called, Sharpay was really getting stressed out.
"Hannah, what was the dog's name?" Sharpay asked her daughter cleaning a cut on her knee that apparently the dog did. Ryan was talking on the phone with Gabi, apparently she had just gotten back for the doctors and her baby was doing great.
"It was named… Tonks!!!" the little exclaimed happily, the there was a knock on the door.
"Well Hannah I don't want you near that dog again!!" Sharpay told Hannah and took a run for the door.
"I got it Ry!!" she yelled and slightly opened the door, "Hi how…" she trailed off, her face turned pallid and she looked like if she saw ten ghosts. Zeke just smiled. She gasped.
"Who's at the door mommy?" Hannah asked, Sharpay shut the door quickly making Ryan jump a little and turn to look at her.
"Gabs gotta go" Ryan hung up and went towards the door.
Sharpay was standing at the door, "Take Hannah" Sharpay whispered.
"Mommy who's there?" Hannah asked again, Sharpay closed her eyes trying to think on something fast.
"Sharpay" she heard Zeke call her name, Sharpay opened her eyes in terror.
"Ryan I need you to take Hannah upstairs and tell her that Zeke is just an old friend or something" Sharpay whispered quickly.
"But..." Ryan was about to protest something.
"Now!!" Sharpay ordered, she was really scared, he never said anything, he never even called to announce his little visit.
"Mom?" Hannah asked confused on how her mom was behaving.
"C'mon Hannah, Ryan grabbed Hannah and carried her to her room, poor Hannah was more confused than a second grader in a 6 grade class.
Sharpay watched as Hannah and Ryan disappeared upstairs, when she was sure that they both were out of sight for the moment she took a deep breath.
It was time to put out her acting skills again, she sighed, opened the door, this time completely and gave him the best fake smile she could.
"Hi" she greeted.
"Hey" he responded.
"Come in" she told him, the was waaaaay to awkward.
"Ryan should come down any moment" she informed as she pointed to a chair telling him to sit down.
They both felt really awkward, its really not everyday that Zeke came in by surprise.
"Sorry that I just came like this, but for some reason it seemed much easier" Zeke apologized, Sharpay smiled awkwardly.
"Are you thirsty, hungry, anything I can get you?" she asked not looking directly at him. He just shook his head.
"No thanks" then a noise came from upstairs making Sharpay remember something.
"Zeke, Hannah is a wonderful little girl, her last name is Baylor, but I never really told her you were her father, I, we will tell her… eventually, I need time, but for now I just need you to not tell her your last name, or that we dated, I understand that she is your daughter too, I've always admitted that, I know that her not knowing who you are must be painful, but please, I, we just need time, I promise you that by the end of Hannah's school year, or sooner she will know that you are her dad" Sharpay again felt like crying, and didn't know why, she had rehearsed this for many days.
"We just need time" she added in a whisper, and just as if on cue Ryan came down with Hannah, Sharpay smiled, a fake smile.
"Hey" Ryan greeted Zeke with Hannah in his arms, he had never really liked Zeke, and this thought was not changing anytime soon.
"Hey" Zeke responded to Ryan and turned his attention to the girl that Ryan was holding.
"And you must be Hannah" Zeke greeted Hannah smiling and almost crying.
Ryan put Hannah down, Hannah fixed her skirt and looked at Zeke.
"You must be Zeke, dadeeeruncle Ryan told me about you, you were friends with mom when you were in high school" Sharpay had closed her eyes wishing that Zeke didn't hear Hannah almost calling Ryan daddy.
Zeke smiled at Hannah.
"Mom I need to finish my homework" Hannah told Sharpay, Sharpay got a bit confused with that statement.
"Can Zeke help me too?" the girl asked, Sharpay got nervous, she couldn't leave Hannah alone with Zeke and Ryan.
"Hay Hannah, do you like chocolate cookies?" Zeke asked Hannah, Ryan let out a small chuckle.
"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!!!!!!" Hannah started jumping up and down, Ryan started to laugh, "She has something for chocolate cookies" Sharpay explained trying hard not to laugh at the jumping Hannah.
Zeke was just stunned by Hannah's reaction. Sharpay finally joined Ryan's laughter.
"I have to hide chocolate form her, it gets her all hyper" Sharpay finally explained trying to clam Hannah down.
"Well…" Zeke started to explain getting down to Hannah's level, "I love to bake cookies, so how about you go do your homework with Ryan and I'll bake you some?" Zeke informed little Hannah, her face lit up and she nodded her head.
"You still bake?" Ryan asked Zeke while Sharpay was holding Hannah's by her shoulders so she wouldn't start jumping again.
Zeke nodded returning to his normal size, "Yeah, I have a restaurant back in Albuquerque" Zeke answered.
"You live in Albuquerque again?" Sharpay asked still having a little problem with Hannah.
Zeke again nodded, "Yeah, I moved back in a year ago, I actually went looking for you, but you're parents told me you moved out" Zeke answered, this was really awkward, even Hannah felt the tension, since she returned back to normal.
Ryan finally spoke, "C'mon Hannah, lets go finish that homework while mommy gets to talk to Zeke" Ryan grabbed Hannah's hand and took her upstairs.
The awkwardness fell again upon the two, "So kitchen?" Zeke asked pointing towards the kitchen, Sharpay nodded.
Both of them entered the kitchen, "So you brought the baking mix for cookies?" Sharpay asked as she pulled out the ingredients, Zeke nodded.
"Yeah, I was going to go home and bake some, but I was already out, so it was now or never" he said and took out the special baking mix, both of them made the cookies, both of them silent most of the time, hearing Hannah and Ryan laugh upstairs.
They put the cookies in the oven and waited, Sharpay sat down, Zeke followed her example.
"So how long are you staying?" Sharpay asked trying to built up a conversation.
"A week, I can't leave the restaurant that long" Zeke answered, Sharpay nodded her head showing that she understood.
"Well, the reason that I asked you if you could come was because, Mrs. Lombard, that's Hannah's principal wanted to talk with Ryan you and me, so when are you free?" Sharpay asked not really wanting to go into detail about the whole Hannah calling Ryan daddy or anything.
Zeke thought for a moment, "Well I'm basically free all the time, so tomorrow is good I guess" Zeke answered. Sharpay smiled and then Zeke's alarm went off.
"The cookies are ready" he said and Sharpay and him took out the cookies and put them in a cookie jar.
Just as they finished Hannah and Ryan came down, "Yay cookies!!" Hannah exclaimed and took a run for the kitchen, Zeke smiled at Hannah, she was a miniature version of Sharpay, but you could still tell that she was his.
Sharpay looked over at what Zeke was staring at, she saw Hannah eating a cookie that Ryan had given her, she felt guilty at that moment for not telling Hannah that Zeke was her dad, but she wasn't ready and she was glad to see that Zeke accepted her decision, he had always been very good at taking things slowly with her.
"Well I gotta run, I left Karen alone and se is probably wondering where I am right now" Zeke said and got down to Hannah size.
"Is Karen your girlfriend?" Hannah asked Zeke with a twinkle in her eye.
"I'll tell you later" Zeke answered, Sharpay knew that was a yes, but seeing that Hannah was going to find out sooner or later that Zeke was her dad, it was better if he left that part out.
Ryan raised an eyebrow at Zeke's answer, Hannah may be obsessed with cookies, but she is never going to buy that answer.
Hannah crossed her arms at Zeke's answer, he let out a small chuckle.
"Be good little one" he told her kissing her forehead, Sharpay had to close her eyes, it caused her pain to watch this. Seeing his sister reaction he grabbed her hand and squeezed it showing support.
"Nice seeing you Sharpay, it's good to know you're doing well, I'll see you tomorrow" Zeke said and Sharpay only nodded and said goodbye in a whisper.
"Later Ryan" Zeke added, Ryan just gave him a fake smile.
Zeke walked out the door and at that moment was like a truck was being lifted from Sharpay shoulders, she let out a sigh and closed her eyes again just to let it all sink in.
"I think he is nice mommy, and his cookies are good too" Hannah observed and went upstairs to her room.
"Don't forget to wash your teeth" Sharpay shouted and turned to look at Ryan.
He smiled and pulled her into a hug, Sharpay hugged him back strongly, "I hope you're free tomorrow at 2" Sharpay whispered to Ryan.
"Don't worry, even if I have to cancel a meeting with a parent I will be there, trust me anything for Hannah and for you, the two most wonderful, beautiful and smart girls in the whole planet, even more than that Karen I assure you" Ryan told her while breaking the hug, Sharpay chuckled, he had always a way to make her smile and laugh.
"Ryan don't judge without knowing a person" Sharpay told him.
"Shar, I'm not Hannah, but you're right" Ryan told Sharpay hugging her one last time.
"I promise you everything will turn out fine" he whispered to her, Sharpay smiled and broke the hug.
"Gotta go and check on Hannah" she told him and turned towards the stairs.
"Thanks Ryan, as always" she thanked him and went to her daughter's room.
