I'm so sorry for the delay! And especially after that last chapter! What a cliff-hanger! haha
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this update and will review :)
I don't own N2N
Natalie didn't say a word to her dad when she got to his house. She stayed up in her room and cried. For days. When Thanksgiving break was over, her father sent her to the community college. She was too depressed to even be upset by it. Her world had ended. She was nothing anymore. And so she let the days pass.
One Month Later
Henry called Natalie for probably the billionth time since she'd left. He was back at UCLA, ready to come home for Christmas break. The call went to voicemail, and he left the message.
"Hey, Nat, it's me. Henry. Your boyfriend. Well, ex-boyfriend I guess. Um, I know you've heard this a thousand times I'm sure, but I understand why you did what you did, and I'm not mad. Honestly, I'm not. I would have done the same thing. Well, I wouldn't have...but...anyway, sorry, okay. Um, just give me a call back. Let's at least talk. I love you."
Four Months Later
"Hey, it's Henry again. Um, did you get my last message? About me being in town for April break? Well, the whole dorm's going to Bermuda. I know I said I wasn't going, but you didn't call me back, so I think I am gonna go. Um, I'll still have my cell so feel free to call me anytime. Maybe I can come home early and we can meet up for coffee or something. Anyway, are you feeling okay? You should be seven months along now, right? Do you know if it's a boy or girl? I know you probably don't want to hear this now, but I have rights, Natalie. I want to see my child when he or she is born. I want to be there, if that's okay. Oh, god, I'm rambling. Anyway, call me. I love you."
Two Months Later
"It's Henry. I did some pretty good estimating, and I'm pretty sure this should be your due date. So did you have the baby yet? I'm home, just so you know. I have been for like a month. I told you that though. You know that. Um, I don't know if you remember but I've tried coming over to see you many times. You guys don't seem to ever be home. You do still live in the same house, right? You would have told me if you moved, right? So please let me know when the baby comes. Let's arrange something, please. I miss you. I need you. God, Natalie, call me! And I still love you."
Three Hours Later
"Just checking in again. It's Henry, if you didn't know. I'm assuming the baby hasn't been born, and that's why you're not calling. Or that it has been and you're tired or sleeping or nursing or something. Or you're in labor. In which case, I know you're doing great. You can do it, Nat! Push! Push! Unless you're having a C-section. In that case, um, just relax and let the doctors work their magic. Anyway, um, I'll try you again later. Love you. Keep me posted."
One Month Later
"You did have the baby, right? Oh, it's Henry by the way. Listen, I wanted to let you know I'm going to visit one of my buddies in San Diego for a week. You remember Josh, right? Maybe? I don't know if you guys met. Well, I leave tomorrow. You can call me on the trip. That's no problem. Um, how's our son? Or daughter? Or both? Did you have twins? More than twins? Was our baby okay? Can't you at least just tell me? Did your dad forbid you from even calling me up? Come, on, Nat, please. Uh, I love you. Bye."
One Year Later
"Um, hey, Natalie, it's Henry. I haven't called you in a few weeks because I finally realized that you've moved on. Or maybe you haven't, but you obviously don't want anything to do with me anymore. And I get that. I really do. Um, I'm going back to UCLA early. I got a job close to campus that makes good money. So I'm going to start sending you checks and stuff. Legally, I could take you to court for withholding my child from me. But I'm not going to do that. At least tell him or her that I love him. Or her. Tell that baby that I love him more than anything in this whole world and I never will stop loving him and wishing that I had the chance to be there for him. You better tell him that everyday. That's the only thing I ask of you. After all this time, that's all I want. So this goodbye. Forever."
Four Years Later
Henry had stayed in California after graduation. There was nothing to go home to. But now, after being out of college two years, he was offered a position at the high school he used to go to. He would teach World Lit as well moderate their jazz ensemble. So he hopped in his car and drove back home. He had bought himself an apartment that he actually hadn't seen in person until he drove into the complex's driveway. The building was brick and looked nice enough. His mom had been nice enough to furnish the apartment for him while he was gone, so he was able to walk right in and settle down on the couch. He was very happy that he paid extra for the cable.
His first few weeks at the high school were rough, but he got used to it. There was even this one sophomore who was an amazing student as well as musician with a crazy mane of dark brown curls that reminded him so much of Nat-
Henry had to look away from the girl if he ever started to think of Natalie too much. His mom had been really on his back about Natalie, about serving her a court order or something. About making her let him see his child. He nodded and said he would eventually, but he had no intention of doing that. He had promised her that a long time ago. Henry just pushed all the bad feelings to the back of his mind and focused on giving his students a good, fun education.
One day after school he made his routine trip to the bank like he did whenever he got his paycheck. He would be making $51,000 a year at the high school, so he made about $5700 every month. He would always put four thousand in savings, one thousand in checking, and then mail the rest to Natalie. She never thanked him. He didn't even know if she ever got the checks, but doing it made him feel better.
But that day after he went to the bank, Henry also needed to stop at the pharmacy to get Bandaids and his allergy medicine. The place was relatively empty. For this he was thankful. After he got his meds from the back of the store, he started searching for the first aid supplies. A little kid with dark hair and brown eyes came running down the aisle, accidentally crashing into a pocketbook display table and falling into Henry.
Henry was about to say something angry and stupid when the boy's mother hurried over to him. "Henry! What are you doing?" she said. Henry instinctively looked up at the sound of his name, but the woman went straight to the child. It was then Henry noticed her wild brown curls in a low ponytail. A hairstyle he had lived with years.
"Natalie?" he said, stepping closer to her.
She turned around saying, "I'm sorry, he's a-" When she saw him, she stopped. "Oh my god. Henry."
"Hi," he said, slowly starting to smile. "How are you?"
"Um, fine," she said quickly. "Busy, really busy." To the boy, "Henry, we have to get going."
"Wait, is this..." Henry stared down at the child with his name. The boy that looked like the perfect combination of himself and Natalie. The boy with that goofy grin that Henry himself had across his face. "We had a boy."
"Shut up," she said quickly. She took the boy by his shoulders and gave him a shove toward the stuffed animals in the corner. "Hank, go pick a toy out." The boy rushed over to shelf overflowing with animals.
"Hank?" Henry questioned. "That's what my grandpa used to call me. I hated it."
"Well, it's a nickname for Henry, okay?" she said, full of attitude. "It's kind of hard calling him-" She stopped and looked down at her shoes, then back up at him again. "What are you doing here?"
"I live here. I teach at our high school, have my own apartment. I'm the real deal these days. You?"
"I, um, well...My mom moved back in with my dad last year, so I took her condo."
"Oh, that's great," he said, remembering how devastated Mr. Goodman had been when Diana left. "They must be really happy."
"Yeah, they...they are," she said, smiling a little. It quickly faded. "So you're, like, here for good."
"That's the plan right now," Henry said, shrugging. "I'm having a pretty good time teaching. I don't know, I might go back to California in a few years. But for now, it's kind of cool to be back here."
"Oh." She looked over to little Hank in the corner. "Well, you've seen him," she said finally.
"What?"
"In your messages you said you really wanted to see him. Well, that's him. He's five and is a serious trouble-maker. But he's the center of my whole universe."
"Wow," Henry said, also looking at his son. "I hope soon enough I can really get to know him. After all, I do live here now. I'm really close by."
"I don't know, Henry. This is just too weird. We randomly ran into you in a store. Like, seriously? Oh, Hank, by the way, that man you just bumped into is your dad, time to check out!"
"Not like that, Natalie. Can't we at least set something up? Don't you owe that much to me? You've kept him from me for five years."
Natalie sighed. "Fine. I work as a nurse, by the way, so I work nights usually. I'll pick up a morning shift next work and you can come over for dinner I guess. My cell number's the same, just call me."
"Will you actually pick up?" Henry asked, half joking, half serious.
She laughed, but only a little. "Yes." She collected her son and his new dinosaur stuffed animal and checked out before leaving the store. Henry paid for his own items soon after. On his way home, all he could think about was how beautiful Natalie had looked, even in baggy grey sweatpants and dark green t-shirt. And finally he was going to spend some quality time with son. He was going to get his family back, of that he was certain. And this time, he wasn't going to let Natalie, or their son, get away.
I hope you liked! Please review! It means so much :)
And I really really REALLY will try to keep my updates more consistant. I'm sorry for keeping you guys waiting!