Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter they were greatly appreciated thank-you so much.
I wake up to hear Roman's phone going off on the nightstand beside our bed, my body wrapped up in his arms with his hand resting on my stomach. I texted my boss a couple hours ago telling him I needed to take a break and that I was going to work from home for the day and he gave me permission to do the work at home. I drifted back to sleep because it was another rough night between nightmares, making love to Roman and being sick that I barely slept I was trying to catch up until his phone started to ring. "Make it stop," I groan as I nudge him. He groans in my ear and I feel his hand leave my stomach followed by his arm unwrapping from around me.
Roman reaches over grabbing his phone and answering it, "Hello," he says with sleep in his voice. "Yeah, this is him," he says and I turn to face him. He looks so sexy laying there with one arm up over his face, his chest bared with our sheets covering him from the waist down hiding his nakedness, his dark hair sprawled out on the pillow, I move over resting my head on his chest as I stroke his chest softly, I feel his hand in my hair playing with it as he talks. "That's awesome news! I think I can come up next week," he says. "Wonderful, my wife will be coming with me I hope that's okay," he says. He laughs and says, "she can't wait to meet you either. Thank-you, have a great day," he says. "I will see you next week." He hangs up the phone and tosses it back onto the nightstand.
He rolls me over onto my back, towering over me looking down at me with a smile. "What are you doing?" I ask with a smile looking up at him.
"How committed are you to moving to Pittsburgh?" he asks me.
I reach up and rub his shoulders and say, "I told you before I will go wherever your work takes us I'm not a fan of cold weather but I will get used to it again. I want you to do what you've dreamed of. I know you gave up so much so that we could be together I am going to support you no matter what and go wherever your job takes us. I can always get a job somewhere else."
"I'm glad to hear that," he smiles as I rub his arms and I feel him thickening and hardening between my legs. "Because I got the job and I am the new head coach for the Steelers! I have to go sign paperwork next week and I figured that while I was doing that you and me could go look at houses up there. What do you think?" he asks.
"Sounds good to me," I smile. "Congratulations, Baby."
"Thank-you," he says with a smile as he lowers himself and my arms wrap around his neck, he kisses me softly. "Let's celebrate!" I kiss him back and we spend a good bit of the morning making love, celebrating his new job.
"So what's on your agenda today?" asks Roman as he comes into the kitchen after taking a shower dressed in a pair of black basketball shorts and a white tank top with the Jordan logo on it with his hair pulled into a low bun at the nape of his neck. I'm sitting eating some cereal for a late breakfast before getting my day started after taking a shower. "I take it you aren't going to work today?" he asks looking at me in my black knit shorts and my coral tank top and my hair pulled up into a high messy bun.
"No, I'm working from home today. I just need a break," I say. "I have to call my mom and dad to tell them the news that I am pregnant. I want to make an announcement on Instagram and Facebook but I just feel like they might take it some type of way if I don't tell them first, I also have to get in touch with Bayley. She called me earlier this morning so I need to get in touch with her, I need to draw up my resignation letter and I have to butter Shea up before you tell her about the move to Pittsburgh because we all know she is NOT going to take that well and you're already on her shit list."
He takes a seat at the table with me, "Yeah she probably won't be happy but she's going to need to get over it and Honey, I have been on her shit list since I slept with you behind her back. I think she still holds that grudge even if she's not willing to admit it but she was okay with moving to New Orleans so maybe she would be just as willing to move to Pittsburgh. And I think we should go out tonight with the girls, tell them the news and then make a social media announcement not about the new job the babies," he says. "I don't want to talk about the job until I talk to Shea."
"You might want to do that soon because I am sure it will be all over ESPN in the next couple days and of course she was happy with a move to New Orleans because you bought her a house, you planning on buying her a house in Pittsburgh too?" I ask.
"No, she has a husband now he can buy her a house in Pittsburgh if they choose to move there if not," he shrugs, "I don't know what to do."
"It's one thing to ask me to uproot my life for you because I am your wife and I don't mind but it's another to ask her to uproot her life for you because she is NOT your wife anymore she is just the mother of your children which poses a potential problem."
He sighs, "I know. This co-parenting thing is hard. I'm sorry. I would love to live away from Shea. I know she's your best friend but I don't like her very much I tolerate her."
"Well, I think she tolerates you just as much," I say. "She is not your biggest fan trust me she tells me a lot and I don't like that. I don't like her talking shit about you. I get you two had a shit marriage but I think our marriage is great."
"Yes," he says placing his hand on my thigh, "our marriage is great. I'm happy."
"Me too," I smile. He squeezes my thigh softly making me smile. "So what are your plans for today?" I ask.
"As much as I would love to spend the day with you football season is on the horizon and I am still working for the Saints so I have to go do some work at the office, get ready for the upcoming season. It won't be a long day. I am going to make some reservations for tonight, what are you in the mood for?" he asks.
I think about it and say, "I could use some Thai food or some type of Asian food, definitely Asian," I say. He smiles. I shrug, "I have some cravings."
"That's better than being sick," he smiles.
"For now but I will be sick later tonight," I say.
"That will all be over soon," he says with encouragement.
"I hope so," I say.
"Well, I am going to go to work. I will be back later. Good luck talking to your parents," he says standing up.
"Thank-you," I say. "It's going to be so much fun," I say my voice dripping with sarcasm. He smiles and lets out a small chuckle before he leans down and kisses my lips softly. "Have a good day."
"You too," he says before he grabs his keys and heads out the door leaving me to spend my day without him.
I walk into the living room and sit on the couch debating on if I want to call my mom first or if I want to call Bayley first. I know both conversations are going to exhaust me but I figure the conversation will be less painful with Bayely than with my mom so I choose to get the painful one out of the way first. I look through my contacts and find my mom. I click on her name and start to facetime her. "Hayden," she says as her face pops up on the screen.
"Hey, Mom," I say with a smile. "How are you doing?"
"Wonderful," she says. "How is everything going for you? How is the married life?" she asks.
"Everything is going good and married life is great!" I say with a smile. "Is Papa around?" I ask.
"Yes, he's in his office working is something wrong, Hayden?" she asks.
"Not really, I just wanted to talk to you two about something," I say, "so can you get him so that I can talk to both of you together?"
"I guess," she says, "did you lose your job, shouldn't you be at work today? Or did you decide to be a homemaker. I am sure Roman makes plenty of money so that you can stay home."
"Yes, Roman does make plenty of money but I like working and I love my job," I say. "He understands that."
"All right," she says as she disappears. I still hear her voice and then I hear my papa's voice. I hear him tell her he's busy and doesn't have time to talk. I let out a sigh and listen to them argue before both of their faces are on the phone. "Sorry," she says.
"Hey, Papa," I say with a smile.
"Hayden," he says.
"I have some news for both of you," I say. "It's pretty exciting news. I wanted to tell you before you found out elsewhere," I say with a smile, "but you are going to be grandparents! Roman and I are having twins."
"Don't you think that's a little soon?" asks my dad. "I mean you JUST got married and you already have his two kids living with you."
"Trust me it was a big surprise for me too but I am happy about it."
"It's just soon," he says, "I thought that you would at least wait a year before you two had a baby especially with football starting up soon."
"These are your first grandchildren," I say, "you're not happy?"
"I didn't say I wasn't happy," he says, "I just said I think it's too soon. You're only 25," he says. "You have plenty of time to have babies. Why not wait a year?"
"Honey, I think Hayden was trying to wait a year and they got a surprise. It happens. I am happy for both you and Roman. I think you're going to be a wonderful mother and twins. Congratulations," she says with a smile. "When are you due?"
"February 1st," I say with a smile. "Roman and I are both very excited. It was a very big surprise and we weren't trying but you know how life works. Sometimes the unexpected happens, I mean it's not like we were truly preventing it because I would have been on birth control. It was just a matter of seeing how long the pullout method would work," I say.
"That's more than enough information I need to know," says my dad. "I would rather NOT think of my daughter's sex life. I understand that you're married and I know what happens when you get married but I don't need the details. I think it's too soon to have a baby but it's your choice I guess," he shrugs.
"We're going to be grandparents!" says my mom with excitement making me smile, "our daughter is pregnant. So we will need to plan a baby shower," she says. "Have you told Roman's mom yet?" she asks.
"Yes she knows you two could probably talk with each other and plan a baby shower because you are both extremely excited."
"I will have to do that, when do you think I could come visit you? Or when do you think you can come visit us?" she asks.
"Well, I am actually going to be in Pittsburgh next week with Roman so maybe he will be willing to extend the trip a little to make a stop in New York," I say. "I will have to talk it over with him first."
"What are you going to be doing in Pittsburgh?" asks my dad.
"I can't talk about it yet but I promise I will tell you soon," I say.
"All right," he says with a nod. "Is that man taking care of you properly?" he asks. "He must be with those hickeys on your neck Hayden Elizabeth, that's inappropriate."
"Sorry," I say feeling my face heat. "We're newlyweds," I shrug.
"That have been living together for 5 years," he says, "that passion hasn't died out yet?"
"Papa!" I say. "No. I am Italian after all."
"Good point," he smiles, "I still find your mom to be the hottest woman in the world," he says with a smile.
"Well, on that note, I am going to go. I just wanted to tell you the news. I have to go call one of my clients. I will talk to both of you another time. I love you both."
"Love you too," they say together with a smile. I say my goodbye and kill the call shaking my head. As stern as my father has always been he has always loved my mom the most and always treated her like the Queen she is. That's the kind of marriage I want to have the rest of my life with Roman to get to my 80's look back with him and say that we made it through all the bullshit life has thrown at us that we got through. He's my person, my best friend and growing old with him is one of the greatest gifts of my life.
Once I get off the phone with my parents I settle in and call Bayley to see what she wanted but I got her voicemail. I left her a message telling her to call me back before hanging up the phone. I spend a bit of the afternoon looking over Bayley's case and the details of her case as I start to type up a letter for her my phone starts to ring. "Hayden Reigns," I answer.
"Hayden," says Bayley, "it's me Bayley."
"Hi, Bayley, how are you doing?" I ask.
"I'm okay. I don't know about going through with this whole rape thing and this whole case. At the end of the day it's his word against mine."
"Yes, I am aware of that but you said no and no means no," I say. "We could get him on that alone."
"I'm not sure that we could," she says. "Look I talked to Mack's lawyer. He told me to drop the case it's not worth pursuing. Mack will never be found guilty of raping me."
"Bayley, what did his lawyer say to you?" I ask knowing it's illegal for him to even be reaching out to Bayley.
"He offered me $1 million dollars to drop the case and walk away to leave Mack alone. I am really considering it. He said Mack is willing to pay me that much to drop the case and with the baby on the way I think I want to take the money. I want to drop the case." I put my head in my hand all the nightmares and everything flashing back to me. He's trying to keep her quiet.
"Bayley, that's illegal. He's blackmailing you. That's illegal he's trying to give you hush money to keep you quiet and that's not okay. Do you have any proof of this conversation?" I ask.
"No, he called me and asked me to meet with him. I did," she says. Of course he wouldn't be dumb enough to leave a paper trail because he needs to be clean. He knows it's illegal to bribe someone and offer someone money in exchange for them to drop the case.
"Have you talked to your lawyer, was your lawyer present when you talked to Mack's lawyer?" I ask.
"No," she says. "My lawyer wasn't present and I haven't talked to my lawyer about it."
"Bayley, you need to talk to your attorney and he will tell you the same thing that what he's doing is illegal. He can't offer you money to keep you quiet."
"I'm sorry, Hayden, but I'm not going through with it," she says. "That's a lot of money that I need."
"You know you could just ask for a settlement, have Mack plead guilty and he have to pay you money legally not illegally to keep you quiet. If he pleads guilty he doesn't get jailtime," I suggest I want him to suffer in jail but I also don't want him to walk away free again because she takes the money he's offering to keep her quiet. "Look, Bayley I am going to Pittsburgh next week and hopefully New York I can also make a trip to Ohio to meet with you and your lawyer so that we can discuss this. I just want you to know that Mack and his lawyer are trying to take advantage of you. So are you willing to meet next week with your lawyer to discuss this? And we can make sure that Mack's lawyer is there too."
"I guess," she says, "I just think taking the million is the easiest way to go."
"And that's what they are counting on," I say, "we'll meet next week and talk about it. I will give you a day and a time as soon as I talk to my husband. I just want to meet with you, your lawyer and Mack's lawyer to get this all straightened out, okay and if you still want to drop the case then okay but I don't want you to be silenced because they are waving money in your face. We as women need to be vocal, we can't be silenced by men. I let Mack silence me don't let him silence you," I say.
"Okay," she says. "I will meet with you next week."
"All right," I say before hanging up the phone I let out a sigh just as my doorbell rings. I open the door and see the next person on my list to talk to today. "Hey, Shea, come in."
"Hey," she says as she walks in the front door. "How are you feeling?"
"Good," I say. "Tired but I'm also pregnant so it is expected I guess."
"I know I was really tired when I was pregnant too," she says as we walk to the living room. "Is Roman excited?"
"Very," I say with a smile.
"Shocking he wasn't excited for Nova and Ky," she says. "In fact he was quite upset."
"I understand that the circumstance was different," I say.
"Honey, Roman isn't that different now than he was back then. Just wait football season is coming and he is going to be married to football you, the girls and those babies are going to come in second, that's how it always was with Roman."
"Can you please stop tearing Roman down to me? I love our friendship, Shea but I do not love you tearing Roman down. I understand that you and Roman had a volatile relationship and marriage. I am sorry about that, I am sorry that he didn't treat you the way he should have, I am sorry that he cheated on you with me and I am sorry that he wasn't happy when he got you pregnant. I'm sorry for his mistakes although I shouldn't have to apologize for my husband's mistakes to my best friend because you can't let it go. We have all moved on from that, Shea. You two are working great together to raise Nova and Kylynn together the best that you can but if you keep tearing Roman down to me I'm not going to be able to stay friends with you. I am sorry for everything he has done to you and I understand why you're upset I would be too but Roman doesn't treat me like that. I support his football obsession and I support his dreams. I love him and he treats me like his queen but I also understand that sometimes he has to fly out of town and sometimes he has to focus on football and all I can do is support him. I'm happy with him, I have been happy with him for 5 years now and I am not going to let anyone tear down the man that he is because he is a damn good man to me and his kids. So can we stop tearing him apart and focus on our battered women's shelter?"
"I'm sorry, Hayden, and yes, I think I found the perfect location for the shelter."
"About that," I begin, "I think we should put that on hold. Something has come up and I want to wait on the location."
"What's going on?" she asks.
"Something came up," I say, "that's all."
"The only way you wouldn't want to know the location is if you were moving, are you moving?" she asks.
"I'm not allowed to say anything," I say honestly, "but it looks like we will be moving."
"I figured as much," she says. "and I guess Roman wants me to uproot my life to follow along. I don't have to follow him anywhere," she says. "I am not married to him. I just have children with him. I don't have to disrupt my life to follow him. That's your job now."
"I get that you're heated but maybe you should talk to Roman about how you feel. I am not asking you to uproot your life or disrupt your life. I just know that us moving is a big possibility and you need to talk to Roman to figure it out. I don't want in the middle of this. I always feel like I am in the middle of your animosity toward him and I don't like it."
"Oh believe me I will be talking to Roman about this and if thinks he is getting my kids," she says standing up and I can tell she's upset. "I will take him to court for my girls." She says. "I am leaving now," she says, "I don't have anything to discuss anymore."
"All right," I say. "Have a good day." I say before she storms out of the house. I let out a breath as I hear the front door shut a few minutes after she slammed it.
"Hayden," says Roman. "What's wrong with her?"
"She found out we were moving and all I can tell you is good luck," I say. "She's on a rampage."
"Of course she is," he says rolling his eyes as he sits down next to me. "I'll take care of her," he says before kissing my temple. "You tell your parents?" he asks holding me close.
"Yes," I say. "My dad wasn't too happy but I think my mom and your mom are about to become best friends planning my baby shower." He lets out a small chuckle. "And I did tell my parents I would visit them in New York next week and I am also planning to go to Ohio to get things situated with Bayley and her lawyer," I say.
"All right," he says. "We'll work it out."
"Thanks," I say as I snuggle close to him. "I'm going to take a nap. I'm tired it's been exhausting."
"Get some rest," he says getting up from the couch. He throws a blanket over me and kisses my cheek softly before leaving me to rest for the afternoon.
*A/n: So what did you think? What do you think of Roman getting the head coach position? What did you think of Hayden's parents reaction to becoming grandparents? What do you think of Bayley wanting to drop the case do you think her lawyer and Hayden can change her mind? Do you think it is about helping Bayley or Hayden getting the justice she wanted back in college? What do you think of Shea and Hayden standing up to shea about Roman? Do you think she will move?How do you think the girls are going to take the news? Please review and thank-you for reading.