2 YEARS 9 MONTHS LATER
-After Darren's one night stand with Cindi, she discovered she was pregnant. They got married and had a son called Jack.
-Around the same time as Jack was born Melanie and Jake had a son called Kyle.
-Louise recently broke up with Rick and went back home to escape from the press. Only her family knows she is back.
It was the town's yearly festival, Jess was at home arguing with Dave, so Louise decided to go. She was wearing a pair of black combats and a tight gray hoodie, she put on a baseball cap, so people would think she was Jess, (well they are twins).
"Welcome everyone. Today is an extra special day, today as well as being the town festival, it's also little Jack McKinley's second birthday. Where is he, oh there he is over there with Mummy and Daddy" said Wade, who was opening the festival.
Louise looked over and saw Darren standing with Craig, Gordan and Cindi and with a little boy tugging at his leg.
"Yeah the team's doing really well this year" Darren said to Craig, then Jack tugged more insistently at his leg, "hey what is it little guy?" he said fondly to his son.
Darren was just about to pick up Jack, when he caught a glimpse of that familiar blonde hair.
"Jess looks upset," said Gordan.
"That's not Jess," said Darren slightly dazed and then he started to follow her, "LOU"
As soon as Louise heard someone call her name, she thought it was a reporter and started to run. Darren took of after her and chased her into the barn, when he got in he couldn't see her.
"Oh god, pull yourself together. What am I doin' hidin' in here like a big kid" Darren heard Louise say to herself.
He went and looked over a big bundle of hay and found her crouched down behind it, hiding.
"What are you doin' down there you big baby?" said Darren peering over.
"Darren" said Louise shocked she had not been expecting him to have chased her.
"Who'd you think it was? " said Darren offering Louise his hand and helping her up.
"Um"
"Reporter, I heard about you and Rick"
"Yeah they won't leave me alone" said Louise, "I heard about you and Cindi, congratulations"
"Thanks," said Darren uncomfortably, then he said playfully, "You gonna hide in here all night or you gonna let me buy you a drink?"
"Well…"
A little while later Louise and Darren were sitting at the bar with their drinks, Louise was looking at a group of children who were playing nearby.
"Which ones yours?" asked Louise
"The blonde one. Oh man he's got Kyle in a headlock again" groaned Darren making his way over to separate Jack and Kyle.
"Hey Ky, do what I taught you this morning," laughed Louise
Kyle looked up at her, then he grabbed Jack's arm and flipped him over his shoulder, catching Jack's head in his hand.
"You taught him that in one day" said Darren clearly impressed.
"It's in his blood, Daddy taught me, I taught him" said Louise then added mischievously "I remember you used to bully me I can't have your son doin the same to my baby bro"
"I bullied you"
"Yup"
"Oh please you ordered me around ever since you learned to talk," said Darren grinning.
Louise just laughed, and then Katie and Cindi came up to join them.
"Lou" said Katie uncertainly.
"Yeah"
"Wow! Why didn't you call and tell me you were coming back," said Katie hugging Louise.
"Oh you know, the damn press"
"Yeah, we read about the break up. How are you?" said Katie.
"I'm okay, I could just do without the photographers" said Louise then she turned to Cindi, who was standing territorially close to Darren, "I was just saying I heard about you two congratulations"
"Thanks," said Cindi warily, "two and a half years we've been happily married and have a beautiful son"
"Yeah so I heard, he looks just like you," Louise said to Darren.
"Yeah a lot of people say that," he said.
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"Do you remember the time you dressed up in drag to get into the girls locker room to apologize to me after a fight?" said Louise, she and Darren had been talking for hours now.
"Yeah, I got suspended for 3 days," laughed Darren, "but it was worth it just to see the look on your face."
Darren couldn't believe how comfortable he was with Louise, even after 5 years, he had his best friend back.
"It was hilarious, I'll never forget the sight of you in that cheerleading uniform and blonde wig" laughed Louise.
"Hey I thought I carried the outfit off rather well"
"Then you're insane"
"What?" said Darren pretending to be shocked, "these legs looked fabulous in that little skirt," he said lifting up his trouser legs to reveal his tanned muscular and altogether yummy legs.
"Hmmm it could have been worse I suppose" said Louise
"Honey, me and Jack are going him now, I fancy an early night," said Cindi coming over to Darren and Louise, unhappy about how cozy they appeared to be getting.
"Oh okay, just leave the key under the flowerpot," said Darren barely looking at Cindi.
"Honey I don't think you understood, I want to go to bed early, but I'm not tired" said Cindi seductively but Darren still wasn't paying any attention to her.
"I'll be home later, I want to catch up with Lou,"
"What you'd rather spend time with that whore, than your own wife" said Cindi.
"I'm uh just going… over there. I'm not nearly drunk enough for this" muttered Louise as she got up and left.
"Don't call her a whore" hissed Darren.
Louise went over to where Jake and Melanie were.
"Oops I think I caused a bit of trouble," said Louise indicating to where Darren and Cindi were now having a full blown argument.
"Yeah, you must have seen that coming a mile off," said Jake.
"What? We were only talking"
"Come on Lou, you two haven't looked at anyone else all night," said Melanie
"We were catching up," said Louise.
"Come on sweetie, you can't pretend to your Momma" said Melanie.
"This sounds like a mother daughter type chat, I'll go and see Clinton," said Jake before kissing Mel on the cheek and walking away.
"He's married Lou, married. He has a wife and a son"
"I know," said Louise miserably, "we were just talking"
"I know you were, but I saw the look in your eyes you'll only end up hurt"
"You think I should have stayed with Rick, don't you?"
"I want you to be happy"
"You think I threw away a great future"
"Don't tell me what I think. Follow your heart and be happy. I just don't want you to give your heart to someone that doesn't want it"
All Louise did was look at the ground, "I love him," she said quietly.
"I know, it's been 5 years, he's married now"
"I know but…"
"No buts, he has a family"
"You and Daddy were apart for 7 years and had kids you still got back together," Louise argued.
"That was different, we were married, we weren't married to anyone else, we had kids together, and both of us still loved the other"
"What about Andrew?"
Melanie winced at this, she hated talking about him and what she almost did. "I couldn't go through with it, could I? He did he married her" she said then seeing how much Louise was clearly hurting she softened, "I'm sorry sweetie, you have to let go"
"Easier said than done"