*Thank-you for all the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much. = )
A couple months later Dave, Zachary and me went to visit my parents along with Max. Max loved his little brother even more when he met him. He was such a big help. He liked to help change his diaper and he loved playing with him. He was a great big brother. He was also a really big help as we drove from New York to West Newbury. He was keeping Zachary occupied when he was awake by shaking his rattle in front of him and playing peek-a-boo with him. It was a good thing because Dave was really nervous about going to see my parents again. I guess the last experience with them was so bad that he didn't know what to expect. I was just as nervous as he was. My mom and me had been talking but I was still nervous.
The trip wasn't that long and before we knew it we were pulling into my mom's and dad's driveway. "Home sweet home," I said as parked in the driveway.
"I hope this is a good trip," said Dave. "I really don't want it to be like last time."
"It won't be. My parents just want to get to know you again and meet Zachary. Everything will be fine," I said. I wasn't really sure if everything would be fine but I just wanted him to feel better about being at my parents' house. We got out of the car and he grabbed Max along with our bags while I took Zachary's car seat out of the car. I was walking up to the front door when I looked next door at the Cena household to see John's car sitting out front. "Isn't that John's car?" I asked Dave.
Dave looked and said, "I think so. Tell me he's not here. Please tell me he's not here."
"I have no idea," I said as I rang the doorbell. "You know I don't talk to him."
"I just thought your mom would have said something to you," he said as my mom opened the door.
"Tessa!" she said with a big smile.
"Hey, Mom," I said as I hugged her trying not to wake up Zachary. I preferred to keep him sleeping because he could be a cranky baby if he was woken up before he was ready.
"And Dave, How are you?" she asked as she hugged him.
"I'm good. How are you?"
"Pretty good. I heard that a welcome to the family is in order?" she asked holding the door open for us to walk in.
"Thanks," said Dave with a smile as we walked into the house.
"And Hello, Max," said my mom as she got down to his level.
"Hello, Mrs. Montgomery. Did you see my baby brother?" he asked pointing to Zachary.
"No I didn't," she said with a smile and looked at Zachary. "Tessa, he is adorable. He looks like such a sweetie."
"Thank-you," I said. "He is a sweetie but the trip wore him out."
"I see that," she said escorting us to the living room. "It's been a while since there was a baby in this house."
"I know like 33 years," I said with a smile.
"Yeah," she said as my dad came into the living room. "Hey, Dad."
"Tessa," he said with a smile. "I am so glad you came to visit. I missed you."
"I missed you too, Dad," I said as I hugged him.
"And Dave, welcome to the family. I'm sorry about the way things were the last time you were here."
"It's okay," said Dave as they shook hands. "Did you want to meet your grandson?"
"Sure," said my dad with a smile. That's all I had been hearing about. He couldn't wait to meet Zachary and hold him in his arms.
"All right," said Dave as he started to take a sleeping Zachary out of his car seat.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Getting him out so your dad can hold him," he said.
"But he's sleeping," I said.
"Yeah don't you know you should never wake a sleeping baby," said my mom.
"It will be okay," said Dave as he picked him up out of the car seat. "Here you go, Pop Pop," he said handing him to my father with a smile. Dave was so proud of Zachary he never wasted time showing him off to anyone. I thought it was really cute and sweet. My favorite would be when we were out with his friends and all he would do is talk about Zachary and what he had done lately. His recent milestone had been smiling for the first time. Dave got the first smile because I was at work and Dave got to be at home with him all day. I was semi-jealous but Dave took a picture of him and sent it to me which made me feel a little better about it. I just wish it would have been that got the first smile.
The joy on my father's face as he held his first grandchild and first grandson was indescribable. He was so happy. He smiled down at Zachary and began talking to him. By that point Zachary was awake but he didn't cry or anything. He just concentrated on my father's face. He even smiled at my father a couple times which really made my dad happy. "He is adorable," said my dad, "absolutely adorable. Tessa, you and Dave did a good job."
"Thanks," I said with a smile. "How does it feel to hold your first grandson?"
"Great," he said as he handed him to my mother. She was doing her best to patiently wait for her chance to hold him.
"Tessa, he does have your eyes. He is gorgeous and such a happy baby."
"Thanks," I said as I sat down on the couch.
"So you and Dave are getting married," said my mom. "When are you planning on getting married?"
"We were thinking probably New Year's Day of next year. We just think it's fitting."
"That's pretty cool," said my mom. "I think that's a good idea. Are you getting married in New York or in West Newbury?"
"Probably New York," said Dave. "I like the idea of getting married in Central Park in the beginning of January but Tessa won't go for that."
"Yeah because it's going to be too cold. We can't keep Zachary and Max out in that weather. There are plenty of churches in New York for us to get married in."
"I know but Central Park just has this feel to it," he said. "I really like that idea."
"Dave, it's not a good one."
"She's right," said my mom, "you can't keep this little angel or that little angel out in the cold too long. It's not good for them."
"All right," said Dave, "so a church it is."
"Thank-you," I said. I liked Dave's idea of Central Park but January was just too cold to have an 11 month old baby out and a 5 year old out. It was also going to be too cold for me along with our guests. Had we agreed on a summer date or something like that then we would get married at Central Park but winter time was just too cold.
"What about Niagara Falls?" asked my dad. "You could get married there."
"Not really interested in that," I said. "A simple wedding at a simple church is the best way to go. I don't want anything big. I just want close friends and family."
"But it's the first time you're getting married," said my mom, "you should make it big."
"No. I don't' want a big wedding. I want it to be as small as possible."
"You're the bride whatever you want," she said as the doorbell rang. "Charlie, can you get that?"
"Sure," said my dad as he got up to answer the door.
A few minutes later my dad walked into the living room with Mrs. Cena. I wasn't exactly thrilled about it but I was as polite as I could be. "Hello, Mrs. Cena."
"Hello, Tessa," she said. "How are you?"
"Fine, how are you?"
"I'm good," she said, "I just happened to see your car and decided to come over to visit. I wanted to see the little cutie Kate has been telling me about."
"Here he is," said my mom. "Zachary Ryder."
"He is so cute. How old is he?"
"8 and a half weeks," said Dave.
"He's only a month younger than Keegan," she said.
"Who is Keegan?" I asked.
"That's my granddaughter. Matt's daughter was born January 12th."
"Oh," I said, "Zachary was born February 14th."
"Aww. A possible love connection," said Mrs. Cena.
"I don't think so," said Dave. Dave would NEVER let our son go out with a Cena family member. Too much bad blood between the families and I wouldn't let my son go out with a Cena either because of the simple fact it's just weird after everything that happened between Dave, John and me. It would never happen.
"It's just a thought," said Mrs. Cena. "If you would like to see Keegan she is at our house. She's getting baptized this weekend."
"Aw," I said. "I might have to let Zachary meet Keegan. I want to congratulate Matt."
"And John is in town this weekend for the baptism. He's going to be her godfather."
"Oh," I said. "Then maybe I won't go over to see Keegan. Just pass my blessing on to Matt. Tell him I said congratulations."
"I will," she said, "but you are more than welcome to come to the baptism. You are still family even if you aren't with John anymore. You're still welcome."
"No thank-you," I said. "I will pass. I don't want John to feel uncomfortable."
"All right," she said. "If you change your mind the invitation is still open. It's Sunday at 3:00."
"We will be on the road back to New York," said Dave. "I'm sorry she won't make it."
"Okay," said Carol. "Can I hold him?"
"Sure," I said.
My mom handed Zachary to her and the next thing she said really pissed me off and I could tell it made Dave angry too. She said, "are you sure he's Dave's? The timing just seems a bit off. If you had him February 14th that would put him down on the time you were with John." I wasn't sure what part of I cheated on John with Dave she didn't' understand so of course Zachary was made during the time I was with John but I was also with Dave; Dave just happened to get me pregnant.
"Carol," said my mom, "that's not acceptable at all. Of course Zachary is Dave's son. He has his mouth. He is Dave's."
"I don't' know, Kate, the hair and he looks like John did when he was a baby. Tessa, are you sure this is Dave's baby?"
"I'm sure," I said, "the DNA test proved it. John isn't his father."
"I am Zachary's father 100%," said Dave. "He is not one ounce of John's baby. He is mine. I don't appreciate you saying otherwise."
"I was just looking at time," said Carol.
"Fuck the time," said Dave, "that is my baby."
"Maybe you should leave, Carol," said my dad.
"All right," she said as she handed Zachary back to my mom. "I will go but remember Tessa you're still invited to Keegan's baptism."
"I won't be there," I said. "Bye."
"Bye," she said as she walked out of the house.
"She had some nerve," said my mom. "Who does she think she is?"
"Your best friend," said my dad, "Did you tell her Tess was coming for a visit?"
"I might have mentioned it but I didn't expect her to stop by for a visit. I didn't think she would invite Tessa to the baptism either."
"Mom, from now on when we come for a visit don't mention it to Carol. And I honestly think this baptism thing was a set up because she knew I was going to be here so why not try to get John and me to talk. I don't' want to talk to him and I don't' want to see him. I have nothing to say to him."
"You don't' have to talk to him, Tess, you don't' have to go to the baptism," said my mom as Zachary began to cry.
"Good because I'm not going," I said as I took Zachary from my mom. I knew he was ready to eat so I went upstairs to feed him. I was really upset over the entire Carol situation. She had no right to say what she did. The paternity test proved Dave was Zachary's father so I don't know where she got off saying that he looked like John. He didn't look anything like John. He was the perfect mixture of Dave and me. I'm not sure if Carol was wishing for things to work out with John and me but the truth was; John and me were done, we were done a long time before we were really done. It was a long time coming neither of us wanted to face the truth that it was over until I got involved with Dave. My life was with Dave now and I wasn't going back. I would never go back.
Later that night Dave and me were laying in bed when he said, "John's mom had a lot of nerve today."
"I know," I said. "I don't even know what possessed her to say that. I'm sorry."
"It's fine," said Dave. "It's not your fault. Zachary is my son right?"
"Yes, Dave, he is. He is 100% yours."
"Okay," he said. "I was just checking," he said.
"Carol is just bitter and upset because John and me aren't together anymore. She wanted nothing more than for John and me to get married and have kids together. She has been hoping for that forever. It just didn't happen so she's just digging to see what she can get for John and me to happen again. I think she is having problems realizing that it's never going to happen."
"I see," he said as he rested his hand on my hip, "and then to suggest our son date her granddaughter. No thank-you none of our children will EVER date a Cena. I will never let that happen."
"Neither would I," I said with a smile. "You're really cute when you get upset and worked up. Are you threatened by John?"
"No. I'm not threatened by John. I just don't like the idea of him being right next door. I don't like the fact his mom is inviting you to baptisms and talking about Zachary being John's right in front of me. I don't' like it at all, Tessa. I don't."
"I know," I said, "but you have NOTHING to worry about. I love you and I'm never going back. What we have means too much to me. You have made me so happy and happier than John ever could. Zachary is your son 100% and I'm not going to any baptism. You have nothing to worry about, Baby."
"Well, I don't want you talking to John. I don't trust him. I have a feeling he put his mom up to that shit today."
"I don't know," I said. I wasn't really sure John would put Carol up to something like that but then again John wasn't the same person since we broke up. He was capable of anything. Dave told me about his last confrontation with John and it wasn't good. "I don't think he would do that."
"He would, Tess, just promise me you won't talk to him."
"I promise," I said. "I won't talk to John and it's not like I have anything to say to him anyway."
"Thanks," said Dave. "I'm sorry. I sound so controlling but I really don't trust John. There's just something that bugs me about him."
"All right," I said, "I get it. I won't talk to him."
"Thank-you, Tess," he said with a smile. "I love you."
"I love you too," I said before kissing his lips softly. "And I think it's so sexy you're protective of me. It's a good look for you."
"Thanks," he said with a smile. "I can show you sexy," he said as he kissed my lips and rolled me over to my back. It didn't' take long before we were making love to one another. When were finished Dave wrapped his arms around my body and pulled me close to his so our bodies were touching. It felt so good to be in his arms and I wouldn't give that up for anything. There were no words that could describe how I felt about Dave so he had absolutely nothing to worry about when it came to John. Dave was the only man holding my heart. I slowly drifted off to sleep as I felt the softness of Dave's body up against mine.
*A/N: So what did you think? Please review and thank-you for taking the time to read.