“Zachary watch it.” I said as I shot him a warning look.
“I’m sorry Mommy.”
“You need to finish apologizing Zachary.”
“He’s cool Jay. I’m good.” Brian said as he looked at us with a big smile on his face.
“Not to you Brian... to him.” I pointed to Zack Sr. who was standing quietly next to Brian.
“Oh…”
“I’m sorry Zack…I didn’t mean to curse at you.”
“That’s your father and you will not call him by his first name.”
“I’m not calling him daddy.” My son spat back with anger as he glared at me and then back at his father.
“You listens to me young man…”
“Jay it’s cool. I have to earn his respect and the right to be called daddy. He’s been the man of his household for seven years and I’m going to have to treat him like one….Zacky…I mean ZJ it’s fine to call me Zack, Zacky, or Baker.”
“After I say what I have to say to you mister I won't have a need to call you nuttin.”
“ZACHARY!!”
“Jay it fine if you don’t wanna talk after this is fine ZJ. You can talk when you’re ready.” Zacky said as he cut me off and looked down and one of his mini clones.
“You can see my sister but if you hurt her or my mommy…”
“”I know your Uncle Brian told me what you said to him and I understand.”
ZJ nodded and then walked away and outside in the back yard.
“Damn he’s got a smart ass mouth.”
Brian and I looked at Zack and I started to speak.
“What? Are you kidding….and you don’t?”
“I’m not that bad? Am I?”
“Do you really want us to answer that question?” Papa Gates asked as he walked over to me and hugged me lightly.
“Okay so he does act just like me a little huh?”
“A little? Oh please Zack. That boy is you made over."
"I don't think so."
"I know so. He's bull headed, knows everything, overprotected of Zoë and I and sometimes I want to choke him because he says stuff in a sarcastic tone and I think I'm in the room with you.” I said as I looked at him and heard Papa Gates and Brian laugh.
Zacky was about to add something when the glass door the back yard opened and two tiny miniatures Zacky walked in holding hands and stood in front of where I was sitting.
Zoë was standing holding ZJ hands and looking at the floor shyly.
Zack bent down and looked at her.
“Hi pretty girl what’s your name?”
She looked over at ZJ as if to ask permission, he nodded and she looked back at Zack and answered.
“Zoë Jaden Baker.”
“That’s a pretty name….I’m Zacky.”
“That’s my brother’s name too.” She said smiling and smiled at him.
“I know he’s named after me.”
“Oh…” Then was a long pause as you could see her thinking hard about something and she wiggled her nose just like I do when I’m thinking.
“Zoë what’s wrong baby?” I asked as I looked from her to her father and then to her brother.
“Uh…Zacky?”
“Yes.”
“Can I call you daddy?”
You could see his face immediately light up and he smiled (a real smile) since first finding out he had seven year old twins.
“You sure can Princess.”
“Here daddy.” She handed Zacky flowers that she pick out of the backyard.
“Thank you Princess….Can I have a hug?”
Again Zoë looked over at ZJ and then at the floor.
“Zo if you wanna hug him you can.” ZJ said as he let her hand go.
“You sure?”
“Yeah.”
She leaned over and whispered something in his ear (which you will find out later) and you could see him frown then smile and push her towards their dad. She ran the rest of the way and grabbed his neck. He picked her up and just hugged her tight.
“Daddy….I can’t….breathe…”
“Oh sorry.” Zacky said as he held her for a minute more.
ZJ walked over to me and laid he head on my should and wrapped his arms around my neck.
“Daddy?”
“Yes Princess?”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” Zacky said as he tried to choke back the tears forming in his eyes.
“Hay can I have a hug too?”
“Sure Uncle Brian.” He walked over to Zacky and Zoë had a arm around both necks.
"So Uncle Brian so you ride the slow bus?"
"Did she call me slow? What is with your kids? First I'm stiupd and now I'm slow? I can't catch a break." Brian said as he laughed and smiled at Zoë.
"ZJ told me to ask you that?"
"Dude I thought we where cool?"
"Now we are."ZJ said as he laughed so hard he turned red in the face, which cause me to laugh.
There was a silent pause in the room and then you heard Zoë's little voice speak.
“Daddy will you play outside with me?”
“Oh course I will. You wanna come Zacky…I mean ZJ?”
”No I’m gonna stay with Uncle Brian.”
Zacky looked hurt by ZJ comment but quickly recovered as he walked outside with Zoey who still was in his arms.
“ZJ that was mean.”
“So. I don't like him.”
“Kid you want me to choke you…do you?” I asked as I put my hand playfully around his neck like on the Simpsons cause Papa Gates, ZJ and Brian to laugh.
“So ZJ why are you so mad at your dad?” Brian asked as ZJ turned and looked at him.
“Because he never came back for us, my mom said that he would come and he never did.” My son was crying was he talked to Brian which broke my heart more than it did when his father leave.
“Hay come here.”
ZJ walked over to Brian and he picked him up and hugged him.
“He did bud….when your Papa called and told him you wanted to talk to him he knocked down your Uncle Jimmy to get over here. He did all that to see you and Zoë.”
“I don’t trust him Uncle Brian.”
“Why?”
“Because he never came.”
“Do you trust me and Papa Gates?”
“Yes.”
“They you should trust your dad.”
“He has to prove it.”
“How?” Brian asked as he put him down and looked at ZJ as he walked over to me and hugged me again.
“ZJ when will you trust your dad?” Brian asked again and looked at me with a look I know all to well.
“When my mom trust him, is not mad at him anymore, or sad cause sometimes she sad and she tells me its nuttin but I know its because of him.” ZJ jumped at little so I could pick him up (the kid was grow like a weed as was kinda heavy). My mom’s door opened and in walked into the rest of Avenged Sevenfold, Val and a guy I didn’t know, a pretty girl with black and blue hair (which I loved) and another girl who was just as tall as me with long black hair and beautiful eyes.
“VAL!!!” I screamed as she ran other to me and hugged me.
“Who is…. Oh dear lord!!! He’s got Zack’s eyes, nose…. facial expressions….Good gravy he’s Zack’s twin. You guys were telling the truth.”
“Actually there’s two of them.”
“What are you talking about Brian?”
Just as the question came out Zack walked in carrying Zoë because it was getting dark.
“Zack who are you holding?” Val asked as Zoë looked up with her arms around Zacky’s neck and turned towards the people standing in the opening of the kitchen.
“TWINS? YOU HAD TWINS?”
“Lady what’s your deal? My mom’s right next to you. Geez.”
“Zachary James upstairs right you’re grounded for your smart mouth.”
“Fine I’m tired of looking at him anyway.” He said as he pointed to Zack who sat next to me at the kitchen table with Zoë in his lap.
“Well ZJ don’t look in the mirror or at your sister for that matter cuz your still gonna see my face.”
“Don’t talk to me Baker.”
“Fine I won’t you smartass brat.”
"If I'm a brat it's because of you. I don't like you. I won't say hate because I don't hate my sister....I can't stand you."
"Trust me kid you're not that high on my totem poll either."
"And that's my fault? You're the reason I don't like you."
My son was face to face with his father and they were screaming at each other as Zoë was still in Zack's lap holding on the dear life as she watched the same scene was all watching. My seven year old son talking to his father like he was a grown man.
"I didn't do anything to you kid. Hell until a couple of hours ago I didn't know you two existed. I know you're mad but I'm trying Zacky you have to let me try and then and only then if I fail you can hate me. I love you, your sister and mother and I promise I will make it better bud... you just have to let me."
"You hurt my mommy. You don't have to hear her waking up screaming 'Zacky don't go' or 'Zacky please don't leave me' I do. You don't to listen to her cry at night....I do. And you won't ever have a chance to hurt them..."
I couldn't take this anymore...I had to stop it....
“OKAY! OKAY.....JUST STOP....Zack Sr. and Jr. cut it out. You upstairs now before I use your Uncle Brian belt on you….and you don’t talk to my son…I mean out son like that.” I said as Zack Jr. walked upstairs.
“Daddy I’m sleepy.”
“Okay got get cleaned up and ready for bed and daddy will come tuck you in.” I said as she jumped down off of Zacky’s lap and walked into the laundry room grabbed something and walked back into the kitchen and stopped in front of Jimmy.
“What the Shrek? You’re a tree.”
“No I’m Jimmy, and who are you?”
“I’m Zoë and that sour jerk face is my brother Zacky or ‘ZJ’.” She said using a annoy voice and air quotes causing everyone to laugh.
“Well Zoë that you Uncle Matt, Uncle Johnny, Uncle Marco, Aunt Val, Aunt Kris and your Aunt Nikki.”
“Hi everybody…hay mommy and daddy?”
“Yes?” We both said in unison.
“In a couple of years I’ll be taller than Uncle Johnny.” She said as she smirked and looked just like her father.