Man, I am on a roll! Thanks to those who did read and review, had so many messages urging me to update this story then when I do it goes quiet! o.O My bad for making you wait so long! But here's chapter 13 regardless!
Bubbles
We'd carried on in awkward silences since Blossom had came over and broken the news to us. We couldn't avoid it anymore though. Zac looked nervous. Why he looked nervous I didn't know. It was the last thing I felt. I felt, above all else, scared. What did this mean?
"You know what?" Zac suddenly spoke, making me jump. I looked up, curious. "I think I can be okay with this."
I blinked in shock. "Okay with what?"
"Okay with you, having a child with him. If it means you get a child then, who am I to stand in the way? I know its what you want." He said, his face stiff.
My mouth fell open. "You are my husband, that's who you are! Zac, none of this is, is, I don't know, set in stone! I barely know the guy-" I started spluttering, but he interrupted me.
"Oh yes you do. Come on, you've known him practically all your life!"
"That's not true. I mean yes, I've known him, but I don't know him! Do you understand? I don't love him! And, I love you." My voice was beginning to crack. This was insane. I didn't want a child with my former archenemy; I wanted a child with my husband!
"I think you should talk to him. To see if he'd be okay with it, be a donor, or whatever, like Buttercup and the green one, whatever his name is…" Zac said, not listening to what I was trying to say.
"I, I, Zac that's neither here nor there! This is about us, not him!"
"What do you want me to say?! You want a child, and I can't give you that?" He cried, looking frustrated and angry. And, guilty?
I didn't know what to say, I didn't know what I wanted him to say either. "This is crazy." I whispered.
"If having a child means this much to you, you should do it." He said, finality to his voice.
I felt a knot rise in my throat then. "I want a child."
"I know you do!" He almost yelled.
"No, you said, you. You said, 'If having a child means this much to you, you should do it. Not we?"
He sighed. "Bubbles, to be honest, I've gotten used to the fact its not going to happen for us. And now Blossom's came over and confirmed it, I just, I don't know, it's over, isn't it?"
"What's over? What are you saying?" I whispered.
"Well, you want a child, so badly, I know that. And I did too, but like I said, I'm used to how it's not going to happen with you. You've got to make a choice, and I know it won't be me."
He didn't look sad. He looked, relieved. "You did? Is this just a get out clause to you?"
He scoffed. "And what is that supposed to mean?"
"You know what I mean? We both know things haven't been the same lately, is this just your way of getting out of our relationship? Our marriage?" I cried, the knot in my throat getting bigger.
Zac suddenly looked frightened. Like a deer caught in headlights. "Oh god, what's wrong?" I said, dread in my voice.
He hesitated, then stood up, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "Look, I am really, really okay with this, okay? I just, I just want you to be happy, to have what you really deserve."
I screwed my face up incredulously. "Zac, what are you talking about?! We don't even know if this is an option yet?! What's going on? I know, I know something's up…" I narrowed my eyes at him, my expression dire.
He began to pace the living room, so I followed him. "Zac, tell me!"
He turned suddenly, his eyes wide. "I slept with Cheryl."
My eyes widened now, and I instinctively took a step away from him. "Wh-what?"
"Cheryl. The new assistant. I slept with her. But, but only once." Then he sighed again. "Okay, more than once. But, Bubbles things aren't the same anymore. Our marriage is so strained because of our problems conceiving and this? It's just the cherry on top of the cake. We are never going to be able to have a child together so I –"
"Went to someone who you could have children with?" I mumbled, numb. I felt like I'd been hit by Blossom's ice breath. Cold all over, I couldn't breathe.
"It isn't like that."
"Yes it is. That's exactly what it's like. I can't give you a child so you've found someone else. Well. Maybe I should do the same." I spat bitterly, feeling anger take over the sheer horror of what he'd just said.
He shrugged exaggeratedly. "That's up to you. Listen, I've got to go to work. Just, have a think about everything. Bye."
I didn't grace him with a reply. Just lowered myself slowly onto the sofa, the slam of the front door making me flinch. How could things get so much worse in the space of a few minutes?
Blossom
"Do you think she's gone out?" I asked Buttercup as she pounded on the door again.
"I doubt it, she knew you were bringing Ruby over. Bubbles! Open up!" Buttercup called, banging on the door again.
We heard footsteps, she opened the door. She looked meek and apathetic, not herself at all.
"Finally! What took so long?!" Buttercup said, barging past her, Sage laying on her front in a baby carrier. She didn't notice she didn't look herself, but I wouldn't expect Buttercup to be that observing.
"What's wrong Bubbles?" I asked, as she stepped aside to let me in, Ruby trailing in behind me, landing Bubbles with a big bear hug.
"Hi Aunty Bubbles!"
She smiled a weak smile then, patting her on the head. "Hi sweetie. Help yourself to a drink in the kitchen yeah?" She said, Ruby nodded, disappearing in a streak of red.
I cocked my head at Bubbles. "Well?"
She sighed then, slumping onto her sofa. "It's this whole, Boomer, and babies, thing. And…" She didn't finish, because her eyes were filling with tears.
"Bubbles, you don't have to have a baby with Boomer. I mean, you don't even know him, it'd be kind of, erm –" Buttercup began, not knowing how to finish.
"Kind of like having a baby with a sperm donor?"
Buttercup considered for a moment, her expression a little stumped. "I guess you can look at it that way. But it's not exactly like it's an actual option, he does get a say in it."
"Exactly. Butch, stupidly, but willingly, donated sperm, Boomer looked terrified when we told him." I told her cautiously.
"I'm not even, you know, saying I want to. I don't think so anyway. Oh I don't know! I don't even know if I have a marriage anymore, let alone a baby!" She suddenly yelped.
"What do you mean?" I asked, perplexed.
"Zac's cheated on me. He told me earlier this morning. He said he can't give me what I want and I can't give him what he wants. How things have been strained, and so he strayed away from home. He told me to, to go for it with Boomer. He, he said he was okay with it!" She explained, bursting into tears as she said Boomer's name.
"Oh Bubbles!" I cried, shifting heavily to sit next to her, pulling an arm round her. Buttercup stood, and started unclipping the baby carrier Sage was sleeping soundly in.
"What are you doing?" Bubbles sniffed looking up.
"I'm going to kick that motherfuckers ass!" she growled.
"Buttercup no! You'll wake Sage! It's not worth upsetting him over, honestly."
"Buttercup language!" I cried, standing up and beginning to clip Sage back onto her. "Don't be ridiculous. If Bubbles wanted to beat his butt she'd have done it herself." I reminded her.
"What a scumbag!"
Bubbles shook her head. "I should have seen it coming. Our marriage hasn't been the same all of this year. Blossom, you look nice." She noted, looking up at me.
I blushed slightly. "Oh never mind that. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. No, I am. I knew something like this would happen." She muttered grimly.
"What are you going to do?" Buttercup questioned.
"I have absolutely no idea. Anyway, Blossom you better go, you're going to be late for your divorce hearing." Bubbles said, ever the caring sister, worrying about me over herself.
"Don't worry about that. I can move it, you're far more important." I told her, sitting down again, stroking my bump as I did so.
"Don't be ridiculous! You've been waiting for this for ages! Go be free, be a Utonium again! You never know, I might be joining you shortly…" She said, a fragile smile on her face.
As hard as it was to leave her in her time of need, I did need to get this done and dusted once and for all. If I had my way I'd be leaving the courthouse Miss. Blossom Utonium again, with Ruby Jojo as my daughter.
I'd got there before Tim, even though I had to catch a cab, and I sat with my attorney Helen.
When he did get there, he made a point of not looking at me at all. I was glad of this, I had to admit, I wasn't sure if he knew Brick & I were expecting again. Not that I cared.
But as we all rose to address the family law judge, I saw him glance at me in the corner of his eye and do a double take. His jaw slacked and he blinked, hardly believing what he was seeing.
I ignored him, placing a hand on my bump proudly.
We came to an agreement eventually. Tim decided he wanted squat to do with me anymore, which I was plenty thankful for. I received a third of our joint account contents (It was half, but after paying Tim's parent's back for paying my medical bills I was left with a third) and all of Ruby's savings, as I was granted full custody of my own daughter (no surprise there?).
I felt, as Bubbles said, free as I walked out of the courthouse a new woman. Free to be in a relationship with the man I loved, free to maybe even marry said man…
Tim did try to ruin my high spirit as I waited outside the courts for my cab to arrive.
"Knocked you up again has he?" He said spitefully as he trudged towards the car park.
"I'm not even going to stoop to your level Tim. It's over now." I said, folding my arms and turning my back on him.
"I never had you down as a woman who couldn't keep her legs closed."
"I never had you down as a asshole who doesn't know when to drop it." I retaliated before I had the chance to be mature and ignore him.
He shook his head. "Have a nice life Blossom, surrounded by screaming brats and wanted criminals."
I tutted, shaking my head at him as my taxi arrived.
r&r :)