Heather and Stu had seen Drew leaving Stephen's room on Monday morning as they were on their way to the room that was nominally reserved for Heather and Michelle. As Drew opened the door, all three were stunned at the sight that met their eyes. The room held no sign that Michelle had ever been there except for an envelope and a set of keys on one of the beds. Drew grabbed the letter and opened it, his eyes widening when the ring he had given Michelle fell into his hand. Heather took the note and skimmed it before clearing her throat and reading aloud.
You guys were right, I am nothing but a spoiled brat and have decided to stay in Philadelphia. You three have a lot going on and the last thing any of you need is me throwing temper tantrums. Please give me a few days to get my head together and I'll give you all a call later this week. Drew, Stu, good luck in your future endeavors. Drew, I'm sorry, but you deserve someone better than me. Michelle
Drew's face turned red as he looked between Heather and the ring in his hand. Glaring at the gift he'd given Michelle for his birthday, the Scotsman abruptly threw the ring across the room, scowling as it landed on the carpet near Heather's suitcases.
"Damn her! I can't believe she fucking ran away!" Stu tried to calm his friend down as his fiancée sat on the edge of the bed.
"Well, it's about time she learned that the world doesn't revolve around her," she commented as she walked over and grabbed her suitcase and started to pack her things. She and Stu would be driving home to Tampa that night after Raw and to Orlando the next afternoon after Heather got out of her morning classes. As the brunette put her jewelry case in the bag, she saw Michelle's ring on the floor. Sighing, Heather bent over and picked it up, sliding it in with her own rings until things calmed down.
By Friday morning, no one had heard from Michelle and they were all getting worried. Heather had reached the end of her rope and picked up her phone to call her friend. She dialed Michelle's home number and got a recording that the number was no longer in service. When there was a similar message for the redhead's cell, Heather dropped her phone on the counter and scowled.
"She changed her fucking numbers," she said angrily. "She didn't get her way, so she takes off, changes her goddamned phone number and figuratively tells us all to go fuck ourselves. Well, fuck her, I'm over this shit!" Stu hugged Heather and Drew plopped down on the sofa as the three started watching Killer Elite.
After the WrestleMania Revenge tour ended and everyone got home, it was almost time for Heather's spring finals and she was completely focused on doing well. Stu had managed to convince her to take the summer off and go on the road with them. Heather agreed and she would be leaving with Stu the week after the semester ended. No one was expecting the phone call she got on a sunny May afternoon.
"Hello."
"Heather?"
"Yes, this is she."
"Heather, this is Steve Taylor, Michelle's dad." Heather's expression was one of confusion as she couldn't figure out why Mr. Taylor was calling her, since neither she nor Drew had heard from Michelle in over three months. She shook her head as the older man continued speaking. "Heather, have you spoken to Drew recently?"
"Yes, sir. Both he and Stu are here right now."
"Good. Look, I need the two of you to get up to Philadelphia as soon as you can. I've booked you an open ticket on Southwest, so…" Steve's voice trailed off and Heather could hear him take a deep breath. "Heather, I am begging you both to get here as quickly as you can." Heather glanced over at Stu, who had taken a seat at her desk and was ordering another two tickets on . Heather's open ticket was processed for the same flight, and the three were set to fly out of Tampa the next morning. Heather gave Michelle's father their flight information and the older man said that he would meet them at the airport.
When Stu, Heather and Drew arrived in Philadelphia, Steve Taylor was waiting at the airport for them. The trio followed him outside and toward the parking area, stopping when the older man cleared his throat.
"Now, I don't know exactly what happened in April but what I do know is that my daughter needs both of you." Heather frowned as she looked at him.
"Mr. Taylor, we've all been worried about her, but she's the one that cut us all off. I'm not the kind of person that forces my presence on someone when it is clearly unwanted." Steve understood, but as a parent, his primary concern was for his child.
"There is a reason for her behavior, and you'll understand when you see her," he said cryptically as they left the airport and drove toward Michelle's apartment. When they arrived, Steve led them to the elevator and used his copy of Michelle's keys in order to let them in. Looking around, Heather was stunned at the appearance of the apartment, which was a disaster area. Cartons of takeout were all over the kitchen counters and a huge pile of laundry was in one corner. Before she could ask, Steve cleared his throat.
"Michelle, I'm back," he called out as he stepped inside and allowing Heather, Drew and Stu to move toward the kitchen as he closed the front door.
"Be right out," Michelle called out. The redhead stepped out of her bedroom, carrying a basket filled with clean towels. Steve frowned and rushed toward his daughter as she spotted the three unwelcome visitors. "What the hell are you three doing here?" Before anyone could respond, Steve grabbed the basket and set it aside.
"You know that you aren't supposed to be lifting stuff like that." As the older man stepped away, the trio got a good look at the redhead.
"What the fuck?"
"I don't believe it."
"Bloody hell, Taylor, you're up the duff?" Heather smacked Stu on the arm and shook her head.
"Well, that explains a lot," she commented as she was able to clearly see Michelle, who was visibly pregnant. "How far along are you?" Michelle muttered something and Heather shook her head. "I'm sorry, but my hearing hasn't improved in the past three months. Could you please repeat that?"
"Five months," Michelle replied. The sound of her voice snapped Drew out of his daze and he slowly moved towards her.
"Were ye ever going ta tell me?" Drew asked as he reached out and placed a hand on her stomach. The redhead didn't respond, but her expression spoke volumes. "Did ye ever think that I wanted ta know I was going ta be a da?" The Scotsman frowned and took a deep breath. "When did ye find out?"
"Three days after WrestleMania."
"Why didn't ye tell me?"
"I wasn't going to try to trap you." Heather cleared her throat and gently reached out to grab both Stu and Steve's arms.
"Those two need to talk," she said quietly as she looked around the apartment before continuing, "and this place needs a field day. Let's give them a little time and go get trash bags and cleaning supplies." Heather noted the food cartons and shook her head. "I'm going to get some real food in here as well." They walked back out, leaving Michelle and Drew alone inside.
"Come sit down, lassie," Drew said, guiding Michelle towards the couch. Once they were seated, Michelle kept her head down, a combined look of shame and guilt on her face. "Don't ye think I had the right ta know that ye were carrying me bairn?"
"Your career was finally back on track and I wasn't going to be the one to mess it up." Drew sighed and ran a hand through his hair, desperately trying to keep his temper in check.
"Don't ye think I have the right ta know about this? Were ye even going ta tell the bairn about me?"
"Of course I was going to tell Andrea about her father. She was going to know that her daddy loved her very much, but he couldn't be here because of work." Drew took a deep breath as Michelle's words registered.
"Andrea?" Michelle nodded as she placed a hand on her stomach.
"Andrea Jean..."She paused for a moment, then continued, "Andrea Jean Galloway…named for her father and paternal great-grandmother." A small smile appeared on Drew's face as he covered Michelle's hand with his own.
"Ye were going ta name her after me?" Michelle nodded as their eyes met.
"Of course. Like I said, she would always know who her father is." She gasped as Drew bent down and pressed his lips against her stomach. Raising his head, Drew gently kissed her before pulling back slightly.
"I'm going ta be a part of me daughter's life, Michelle, and I still want ta be a part of yers…if ye'll have me." The redhead was in shock as she looked at Drew.
"But…I took off and disappeared for three months, and you still want me?" He kissed her again.
"I never stopped wanting ye, lassie. I still love ye and I've never stopped." Tears spilled from Michelle's eyes as Drew pulled her into his arms. They were still on the couch holding each other when the door opened and Heather, Stu and Steve returned with a large number of bags from Wal-Mart.
"Oh, good," Heather said with a grin, "things are finally back to normal!" Michelle and Drew looked up and scowled.
"Shut up, Heather," they said in unison, causing the brunette's grin to widen.
"Yep, everything's the way it should be." Michelle gave her friend a rude gesture while Drew simply shook his head and continued to caress her stomach.
After dinner, Steve cleared his throat as he looked at Michelle and Drew.
"Now that you four are back together, it's time to get Michelle ready to move." Michelle stared at her father, dumbfounded.
"Um…Dad, those plans have been scrapped since April. I have a job up here." Steve smirked and leaned back in his chair.
"You haven't been at work for almost two weeks now, and your boss is giving you some time off."
"Dad, I'm going back to work next week." Much to her surprise, Stu cleared his throat and shook his head.
"No you're not, Taylor. You're coming back to Florida with us." Michelle scowled.
"Who do you think you are? The last time I checked, you didn't produce me!" Now it was Steve who interjected.
"No, I did, and you are moving to Florida by the end of the week." The redhead's expression quickly turned into one of disbelief.
"Daddy, I don't want to leave my family." Steve put his hand on her shoulder.
"Michelle, you have been talking about moving to Florida for years. Every generation of our family has stayed here in Philadelphia, but it is time to break the cycle. Besides, you are starting your own family. Your mother and I will always be a phone call away, but you are 29 years old and it's time for you to move on. Drew is not like the other guys you've dated. He has a good job and it is obvious that he truly loves you. Heather," Steve turned to the brunette, "you are like the daughter I never had." Heather smiled at the compliment as Steve looked at Michelle again. "You have Drew, your 'big sister' Heather and…"
"An overgrown pain in the ass named Stu," Michelle added, causing the others to start laughing.
"The feeling is mutual, Taylor," Stu replied as Heather wrapped an arm around his waist. Michelle took a deep breath as she looked at the group.
"I don't even have a job or a place to live down there…"
"Oh, that reminds me," Steve said quickly. "Brian called while you were asleep. He sent your transfer papers, and you will be the new Front Office Supervisor at the Doubletree Hotel on Westshore in Tampa starting on the first of June until you go out on maternity leave, and when you return you'll take over as the Front Office Manager."
"When the hell was this decided?" Michelle blurted out as she grabbed her phone from the kitchen table and stormed back towards her bedroom. A few minutes later, she re-emerged, completely stunned. "I don't believe it. As of today, I've been transferred to Tampa with paid time off to move. What am I going to do for a home?"
"I told ye before that ye have a home," Drew said quietly. "That hasn't changed. Ye've got a home in Brandon, and our house has three bedrooms, plenty of room fer Andrea's nursery." Michelle looked over at Heather and Stu.
"I take it that you moved in with him?" She was surprised when Stu answered.
"Actually, I moved in with her when my lease expired last month. It'll be a bit snug until September, but the spare bedroom is yours if you need it." Drew frowned and shook his head.
"No offense to the two of ye, but I'll not have me daughter traumatized by the two of ye going at it like a pair of jackrabbits before she's even born." Michelle looked at Drew and placed a hand on his arm.
"Are you sure that you're ready for this?" The Scotsman took both of her hands into his own and smiled down at her.
"I don't think that I've ever been more ready for anything in me life." They kissed and Steve loudly cleared his throat.
"Isn't that what got me a granddaughter in the first place?" Drew smirked as he pulled away.
"Well, no, kissing wasn't…" he began, but was cut off when Michelle put her hand over his mouth.
"Now that everything is settled," Stu commented, "we need to get a suitcase packed for you to come with us tomorrow." Before Michelle could say anything, he waved a hand to indicate the rest of her belongings. "Mr. Taylor, I've hired movers to get everything packed and transported to Tampa on Thursday." Steve nodded.
"I've got that day off, so I'll be here to supervise and make sure they get the job done right. After several more phone calls, Heather and Stu left the apartment for their hotel room, with both couples intending to fly back to Tampa the following afternoon.