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Enjoy
Zoe and wade managed to skillfully avoid each other in the following days, which wasn't as difficult a task as they assumed, given the fact they were neighbors. As it turned out, they had already perfected the art of avoidance in last years.
The days passed quickly and it was Saturday evening already. Zoe got to Lavon and AB's house as planned.
"Okay, she is sleeping. I gave her a bottle two hours ago. She will probably wake up in an hour and you have to give her another bottle in two hours or so," Annabeth guided her
"Okay, I got it"
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" AB asked again, seeing the worried expression on Zoe's face
"Yes, I promise. I know what to do," Zoe reassured her friend
"Don't worry, AB, what's the worst thing that could happen? She's a doctor," Lavon shouted, he was waiting for her at the door for a long time. Zoe and AB gave him a look.
"Come on, we're going to be late," he pleaded with his smile
"I'm coming," she rushed to his side, "Zoe, thank you again"
"Go already," she smiled and said goodbye.
Daphne lay still in the crib, so Zoe took advantage of the silence and sat on the couch reading a book. She was concentrated in the book until she heard Daphne crying. She rushed to her and picked her up. It was still early, only an hour passed since they left. She tried to calm her, but Daphne was restless.
"What happened Daphne? Want to watch some TV with me?" Zoe reached for the remote and turned on the television.
She kept crying and Zoe looked for ways to distract her, to no avail, when the front door opened.
She turned her head toward the door and saw Wade standing there with a smirk on his face.
"What are you doing here?" She sounded nervous
"I was just passing through…" He kept staring at her from across the room.
"Well, Lavon and Annabeth are not home, they're at" she started to say and stopped "Sweetie Pie Dance. But you already knew that," she said slowly and he could almost see the wheels turning in her head
"Oh my God. They sent you, right? I'm going to kill them," she gritted her teeth
"Well, don't. Looks like they were right in doing so" he crossed the room and sat on the couch next to Zoe, he took Daphne in his arms to Zoe's dismay.
To her amazement, Daphne stopped crying immediately, leaving Wade with his smirk and her with an annoyed expression.
"How did you do that?"
"She just likes to be rocked a little" he said softly
"Right"
Both Zoe and Wade watched while Daphne gave a small smile. They sat there for a while, looking at her, it was silent between them.
"You do this a lot?" She asked
"What?"
"This, staying with her. It seems like you know what you're doing. She likes you" they continued to look at her when she was on the carpet with her toys
"Girls usually like me," he said with a taunting smile on his face. Zoe rolled her eyes
"Not much, but babies are hard..." he continued "I do it sometimes, when they need time for themselves. I don't mind"
"You hated babies. When Lemon had to watch Magnolia and she made us stay with her you always complained"
"I was a teenager. Obviously I didn't want to spend my free time a crying baby"
"Well, you're good with her"
"Yeah... "He smiled nervously
"Does it make you want one of your own?" She asked him and he laughed, "No".
Zoe sighed lightly and shook her head, "Well, not right now. But someday ..."
He shrugged and didn't answer, "What about you?" He asked
She giggled with embarrassment, "well according to the original plan we were supposed to have one child by now," she murmured without realizing what she was saying. She realized when she saw him shifting uneasily
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." she stuttered, "I didn't realize what I was saying"
"It's okay," he told her, but he could see in her face that she was still feeling guilty. "Zoe, it's okay, really" he repeated
"Yeah ..." She smiled softly"
"How long are you planning to stay?" He wanted to change the topic
"I'm not sure yet. This is my first vacation alone since ..." She stopped mid-sentence
"So, how are you?" He asked
"I'm fine. Better ..."
"Well ... I'm sorry about your breakup"
She laughed dryly, "No you're not"
"No, I'm not ..." the corner of his mouth quirked up "but really ... I'm sorry that you had a difficult time..."
"Yes ... but it's over"
"So ..." she began, tapping her foot on the floor, "you're seeing someone?"
He was surprised by the question
"You know what, ignore that. Don't answer. I don't really want to know about the women in your life"
He said nothing
"But are you ..."
He raised an eyebrow
"Are you seeing someone?" She asked again, more determined "and please answer with a simple answer and don't read into it too much"
"So why are you asking?"
"Curiosity"
He stared at her for a bit. "No it's not"
"Come on, it's not fair. My relationship was published everywhere… and you have Lemon. That's enough to get all the information. So you know everything about me. I don't ..."
"Why do you want to know?"
"I just ... you know about me. Why can't I know about you?"
"Because it's none of your business really" he replied, and quickly regretted
"You know what, you're right. I'm sorry, I don't have any right to ask it"
"No, that's not it"
"What then?"
"It's just weird for me to talk to you again after all that has happened, you know? Talk about our lives ... when I know I'm not part of yours anymore"
"You will always be part of my life somehow" She bit her lip
"Yeah, I guess"
"Maybe if we stop avoiding such issues it would be easier" she suggested
"Zoe. You really want to talk about our love lives? Are you sure?"
"Just trying to make conversation," she sighed "You know, you can go. I'll be fine"
"Okay"
"Okay what?"
He paused to take a deep breath, "Yes, I'm seeing someone"
"Oh," his answer made her stomach turn over.
"You look surprised"
"No, it's just ... George told me something else" She had to be honest with him
He frowned, "you asked him ..?"
"No ... you know how he… everyone is ... when it comes to you," she said in almost a whisper
He had a knowing look, "Yes ... I'm familiar with their methods myself ..."
Silence reigned between them again for a few minutes until his phone rang,
"I have to take it"
She nodded and started picking up Daphne's toys from the floor.
"You need to be somewhere?" She asked when he hung up
"No, it was from the Rammer Jammer. Just wanted to ask something"
"I'm sorry I didn't come to see the place yet"
"It's not like you weren't there before. It looks the same"
"Yes, but it's yours now. It's different. I wasn't at your Rammer Jammer" she suggested with a smile
"You are always welcome" he gave a sincere smile. She nodded
"It's time to feed her," Zoe lifted Daphne from the carpet when they heard her starting to cry "You want to do this?"
"No, you can do it..."
He watched Zoe feeding Daphne the bottle, when she finished, they waited a few minutes and when they saw that she was calm Zoe put her in the crib.
She returned to the couch and let out a deep sigh
"Okay, it wasn't so hard"
Wade laughed, "Yeah, I wouldn't say it to her parents"
"Yeah, you're probably right," she smiled
"So ... how is work?" He asked and she could see how hard he tried
She looked at him, considering how to respond. She didn't really want to answer it or talk about it at all
"It's fine" she answered simply
"And how is it for real now?"
"What do you mean?" She wrapped her arms around herself protectively and looked down
"You tell me. Something's bothering you," Here we go again, she thought, his ability to read her thoughts
"We don't have to talk about it," his voice shook her thoughts and she looked at him, seeing the slightly worried expression on his face
"No, that's fine," she smiled uneasily
"How long have you been feeling like this?" He asked
She shrugged, "a while, I guess"
"I thought you liked it," he questioned
"I did ...I do ... It's just" she stammered. It was hard to express her true feelings. Becoming a doctor was everything she ever wanted. The thought of becoming a doctor was something that made her motivated and feel good for years. She had doubts, she knew it. She had guilty thoughts. She knew that this was what was expected of her, because since she can remember she told everyone this is what she wanted to do.
"Are you okay?" He asked
"Yes," she managed, her voice fragile "This is silly," she declared
He didn't respond, he waited for her to continue
"I wanted this for so long. And I'm good at it. I just don't know if it makes me happy…" she continued with her rant and she looked at him and his face didn't reveal anything. Suddenly she felt insecure about his lack of response.
"I'm sorry if it's boring you. Hey, maybe it even makes you happy. You never really wanted me to be a doctor," she muttered sarcastically and regretted after seconds, she hoped he didn't hear, but she had no luck.
"I can't do it" he shot and rose quickly to his feet, pacing nervously toward the exit.
She stared at him, not understanding "what happened?" She asked and he stopped in frustration. He tried desperately to find the right words
"I can't just sit here and listen to all your problems," he said, still with his back to her and she felt his comment stab her in the heart
"Well, sorry if my problems are annoying you. You're the one who asked," she snapped
"Zoe" He turned to look at her "I'm sorry. I wanted it to be different ... I wanted us to talk ..."
"We're talking" she scoffed
"No, for a moment I thought I was able to listen and be here for you in a certain way ... but I can't just sit here and pretend that you didn't break my heart"
Her eyes welled up, "You hurt me, too. The words that were said and the pain ... it can't be taken back"
"No, it can't"
"So then why try to be friends?"
"I don't know. For our friends, I guess"
"So we should tell them"
"Why?" he asked annoyed
"Because you're the one who insist on raising the issue and every time we fight. I try to avoid it, to forget. I'm tired. I don't want to lie to them anymore"
"Do what you want to Zoe, that's what you always do anyway," he turned again to leave but Lavon, Annabeth, George and Lemon just entered the house
"Great," he hissed
"What's going on?" Lavon asked, watching between Zoe and Wade
"Nothing. I'm out of here" He passed the four and stormed out the door. Lemon shook her head to indicate to George to follow him and he pulled Lavon with him.
"Zoe, what happened?" Lemon asked anxiously, as they sit in the living room.
"She fell asleep again, do not worry," Zoe said to Annabeth as she came to the crib.
"So?" Lemon urged her
"We just can't be friends"
"Why?"
"Because ... it's just too hard" she was fighting back tears
"I don't understand it ... it didn't seem that way a few days ago," AB gave her a tissue
"4 years ago many things were said and done ..." Zoe began...
"What the hell happened?" Lemon insisted
Zoe sighed and squeezed her eyes shut
"He asked me to marry him"