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Chapter 13
Meanwhile
Tris' POV
My nerves are shot to hell since my morning run in with Tobias. Everytime the door chimes open, I glance up, wondering if he came back. My body is overwhelmed with nerves that it has taken everything in me to not show the shaking within me. The betrayal on his face is stamped on my brain. I saw it happen before me, the moment that he realized Emily was not only my daughter but his. So many times I fantasized about that exact moment ever since I found out I was pregnant with her. What would I do? What would I say? Would I be the one to tell him, blurt it out in a moment of rage, or would he stumble upon it himself somehow? Would I explain, let him explain… Give him a chance or would Emily and I simply walk away from him like he did to me so long ago. But never did I think it would be him to walk out on me again. I don't know what was worse, getting that hurtful letter when he left me years ago, or seeing him for myself this time turn his back on us. I was both shocked and hurt. For a long time after he left I was unable to move, staring at the door, part of me was wishing to have that moment back.
Emily tried to snap me out of it. Shaking my hand, asking innocently who that man was and what was wrong with me. But I couldn't bring myself to answer her. How do you tell a loving, innocent little girl that the man she was questioning me about was her father. The father that left me and now he did it once again, even after knowing the truth about our daughter.
Thankfully Chris offered to take both of the kids home for the day, taking her work with her. I think having the kids far from the bakery for now made both of us feel better. I agreed to stay a little later to make sure that everything was taken care of.
I have been keeping busy ever since they left. First attending to customers as they came in and now in the back baking just about everything and anything. I have dough proofing in the corner, where it's nice and warm as I work on specialty cookies.
"Finally." Zeke says, his voice full of worry as he comes through the double doors of the bakery. "I have been calling you and calling you. Have you ever heard of answering your damn phone?"
"Right. Well as you can see, I'm a little busy here," I snap. Pushing the timer as it dings, I retrieve the tray full of cheesecake cookies from the oven and replace it with a new tray full of raspberries scones. I throw the oven mitt on the counter, sighing, but it does nothing for my true emotions.
"So he was here?" Zeke asks. Although it sounds more like a confirmation than a question.
"I figured out that's why you were calling me non-stop?" I ask for my own confirmation. I crossed my arms, defensively, wondering when he found out that Four was back in town.
"I saw him the other night at Jenny's dinner." He says, knowing exactly what I was getting at. The other night?
"The other night?" I ask, lifting my eyebrows in disbelief.
"I tried to call you Tris." He points out. I press my lips together, nodding. He did try. He should have tried harder though. A text and a fucking voice mail would have been nice.
"Did you tell him about Em?" He asks, letting his question trail off.
"I didn't need to. He figured it out himself." I answer, staring down at my shoes.
"How did he take it?" He asks.
"How do you think he took it?" I snap, angry once again. "He left… Big surprise." I answer him sarcastically.
"He what? That son of a-" his voice full of hatred for the man that used to be his best friend.
"What is he doing here?" I ask.
"His father… He died." He answers. My stomach suddenly drops. I didn't know. No one told me. Even so, I wouldn't have cared, but part of me is sad on Emily's behalf.
"Shit." I whisper.
"Shit." He agrees. "Now what?" He asks, his arms crossed as his hip touches mine as we both lean against the counter.
"I have no idea," I say, honestly. "He just walked out without a word." I sigh, shaking my head from side to side. "How are things with you and Shauna?" I ask, needing to change the subject,
"Complicated." He says, obviously not wanting to get into it. "She's mad." I nod my head, understanding. I haven't told him the words I had with Shauna, nor do I want to. Let's just say she made herself well known that she is upset at how much time Zeke spends with me and my daughter. Although I tried to convince her that there is nothing between Zeke and I other than friendship, I don't think she believed me. I know they have been having their fair share of issues when it comes to fertility. I only wish she would believe me when I told her that there is and will never be anything between Zeke and I. Zeke is more like a big goofy brother that you swear mom dropped on his head when he was a baby.
"Let me talk to Four." Zeke says, his voice full of insistence.
"You don't have to. It's my mess…." I begin.
"No it's not just yours. It's his too. He needs to man up, once and for all." He says, pushing himself off the counter. "I promise I'll find him… I'll call you later." He says, kissing my forehead as he leaves the way he came in. I have known Zeke for most of my life, I know when he sets his mind on something he will get it done. Most of the time. Right now, he is a man on a mission. A part of me wonders if this has to do with him than just Emily… After all, I wasn't the only one whose heart was broken when Tobias left years ago.
Zeke's POV
"Hey Johnny," I greet as I walk past the reception counter in the gym. I've checked nine hotels, three diners, and the park… Looking for asshole Four.
"What's up Zeke?" I hear as I hurry past him. I do a quick glance over the thousands of machines that sit occupied, but I know if he is here he isn't doing cardio. He is working out whatever demons are haunting his thoughts or his guilt for that matter. I sigh, shaking my head from side to side when I finally spot his stupid ass.
He's as stupid as his old man was when it comes to family, I swear. I know plenty of men that would wish to have half of what he has had all these years. A gorgeous and smart woman who refuses to move on and a beautiful daughter that is so tender and loving…. Shauna and I would kill to have such a gift. Here he is taking it for granted and about to fuck it all up. I'll be damned if I just stand by and watch him do it.
"I knew I'd find you here," I say, loud enough that I know he can hear me. I'm satisfied when I see his hands stop mid way from the punching bag. I step up without asking, placing a firm grip on the bag, holding it in place.
"I'm not in the mood." He snaps, not bothering to look my way.
"I see that…" I say, not letting his shit get to me. I raise my right eyebrow. "I also see old habits die hard." I admit, gesturing towards the punching bag. He let his hands fall, as he took a deep breath.
"Yeah, well apparently some things have changed." He snaps, jabbing the bag, as if to prove a point.
"Four, bro…" I stop, pressing my lips together harder than I need to. I feel my blood boiling, as my frustration grows with him. Did he forget that he was the one that turned his back on everyone that gave a damn about him. Doesn't he get that he can still even after all that shit he put everyone through, that he can still have it all. A chance at a fucking family. I know that Tris has told me time and time again that she doesn't love Four anymore, but I never for one minute believed that. I saw the pain, the wounds that he inflicted on her the day he left her like she was nothing but last week's trash. I also know that she hasn't gone on dates since he left. She refuses to open that can of worms. If she isnt working, she is with Emily. I know without a shadow of a doubt that she would give him another chance if she knew that he wouldn't hurt her or Emily again. Here he is not willing to take the chance, not willing to own up to his shit and leave it to the rest of us to continue to clean it up. I take a deep breath, knowing that there is only one way to settle this shit once and for all and get through to him. "Fine." I finally snap, pushing the bag forward before moving off to the side of the mat. I feel his gaze on me as I retrieve two sets of boxing gloves. I toss one pair at him, part of me wishes I hit his face with the bag, but then I remind myself that there will be plenty of time for that when we get started.
How many times have we been here, in this very spot? How many times did he have to work through his shit on this very mat before coming to his senses and giving into what was right, or even when we couldn't get past our own shit. Trust me there were plenty of those times, more times than I can count, that's for sure.
"Same rules apply," I say with my voice sounding bitter. I notice the crowd that begins to surround us as I bounce my weight from side to side and move my arms to warm them up.
"Couldn't forget it even if I tried," He says, trying to strike a nerve with me.
"I bet you tried too. Asshole." I point out how easy it was for him to leave, to turn his back on us all. Tris may or may not believe what he wrote in that letter he gave her, but I never did. Four is a lot of things… Even a liar, but one thing he isn't is a man that would move on easily. I may not have known about his relationship with her… But I know him. Four doesn't care about people easily when he does, he does it with his whole heart. I'm the one that punches first, seeing Tris' tears in my head, it gives me the fire that I need to fight. I'm not surprised when I see him duck, dodging my punch, he takes his opportunity to punch my stomach catching me off guard. Fuck! Zeke, focus!
"What's wrong Zeke, you're a little rusty?" He taunts me. I jump up and down, rubbing the ache away. Shit, it's been a while since I have been hit like that. He takes pleasure watching me suffer, as he chuckles.
"Fuck you, Four," I snap, hating looking so weak. I get back into a fighting position, asshole. He takes another swing this time at my jaw, I easily block it, hitting him in the face instead. Take that asswipe.
"Na, I don't think so," He says, trying to act as if that shit didn't hurt.
"Why not? Got some lately…What, too tough to share?" I snapped, how many lies did he tell me. The reasons why he couldn't go out on double dates. The reasons why he wouldn't date. Hell, at one point Shauna and I both thought he was gay. Never in a thousand years did I think he was already seeing someone. He fooled us all. I feel my blood boil once again, giving me the strength I need to deliver a kick to his thigh. He easily blocks my leg with his hands as he drops me to the floor. Son of a bitch!
"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked.
"It means I thought we were brothers, man." I continue as I bounce back to my feet. "You know the kind that told each other everything, trusted each other…" I take another jab at him, this time hitting him in his right rib cage. That's right, asshole.
"You mean like the other night, when you could have told me I have a fucking kid." He snapped back, jabbing my right side and then my left. I fall back a few feet from him, trying to recover from his latest blows. He can't be fucking serious, that shit wasn't for me to tell, not to mention…
"What the fuck man... How the fuck were we suppose to tell you…. You disappeared on us. Were we supposed to send a stork after you?" I take another jab at him, as he blocks my hand.
"You had your chance the other night." He points out, returning a jab to my back.
"What was I supposed to say…. Welcome back, you have a kid?" I say, breathlessly. "Don't you think that should be between you and Tris?" I ask, as I take the chance to hit him in the face.
"You had no problem getting in the middle for the past nine fucking years." He says, kicking my side. I let out a whine as I fell to the floor. I see his smirk, taking pride in his hit as he bounces back and forth, waiting for me to recover.
"What the hell was I supposed to do? You disappeared and Tris was pregnant," I remind him. Getting to my feet. My right hand supports my back as I turn towards him. Damn old age. "I didn't know what else to do. We tried it all… even facing your asshole father!" I continued. I even talked to Amar. "I did what I always did Four, since we were kids… I helped clean up your mess and had your fucking back. I stepped up, took care of business… You fucking asshole." I push his shoulder hard, as he stumbles a few feet back. "Tris was alone, pregnant and scared…She needed support to put the pieces back together that you broke." I jab my finger into his chest, "I won't apologize for that, so you need to crawl out of your fucking ass and get your shit together and man the fuck up." I finished.
His mouth gaped open as we finally stood still, our hands at both our sides at a face off. Knowing damn well that I'm right. it's time for him to man up.
A/N
I love seeing the story from different points of view… How about you? Which POV is your fav?
Till next time
Revised by: FDFobsessed
Like always, happy reading everyone, be safe and stay healthy
Trini
