You Think You've Got It, Don'tcha?

A few weeks had passed and Zack and I were getting back into the loop of things. We just decided that I would be going on tour with them and we had went everywhere. We even stopped in Nebraska, around Omaha. When my parents found out what had happened, we all met up, and I introduced Zack to my parents when we had gotten home. My dad had held out his hand to Zack and he raised his brow.

“Nice to meet you, Zack.” He said. “I’m assuming you’re taking good care of my daughter. Is that correct?” He asked, shaking his hand with a firm grip. Zack nodded a few times and pulled me against him, kissing the side of my head.

“I’m treating her like a princes, Mr. Muhle.” He said. I nodded in agreement and I giggled, then my stomach turned, and I felt like I was going to be sick. Again. The last week I hadn’t been feeling my best. I felt terrible and this is actually the first time I’ve been out of the band’s bus for a while.
“I’m feeling sick again..” I mumbled into his ear. “I’m gonna be right back.” I pulled away and headed for the bathroom quickly. After I had entered and slammed the door behind me I crouched down, eventually falling onto my knees and bent over the toilet bowl, spilling everything from the night before from my stomach and into the bowl. After I was sure that i was done, I sat up and reached for the toilet paper then wiped my mouth, leaning back onto the bathroom wall. “God damn it..” I whined. I sighed, then got up, holding onto the wall to reassure my balance. After A while of standing I made my way to my parents’ room and laid down. A few minutes later I heard foot steps and I pulled the cover over my head.

“Ryden? Are you okay?” I heard a deep voice call out. I could tell it was my dad and I sat up a little.

“I’m in here.” I called from the bedroom. He walked in and sat on the bed next to my feet.

“Are you alright? Are you sick?” He questioned. I nodded quickly.

“I’m fine, Dad.” I promised. “I’m okay. I just don’t feel well. I haven’t the last week. Maybe it’s a stomach bug.” I shrugged it off and laid back down. He scooted over to me and he put his hand over my forehead.

“You’ve got a fever too. I’ll get you some soup or something and have Zack bring it up in a few minutes.” He said, patting my shin through the blankets. I nodded again and closed my eyes as he got up and disappeared down the hall. Moments later, he came up instead with my soup and sat it on the bedside table.

“What day is it?”

“August seventeenth.” He said. I winced at his words.

“Dad..” I said. “I’m two weeks late. And Zack and I… Y’know… Did the thing a few weeks ago..” I said, sitting up. My dad dropped the spoon and he rubbed his nose.

“You’re too young.. Babies shouldn’t be having babies.” He said. “You’re only 18 and you’re not married yet. You’re my pride and joy. Why would you do this?”

“He’s taking good care of me, dad. He’s in a band, he isn’t exactly broke.” I said. “I can take classes and see how everything goes.”

“He may have money but you still need to go to college.” He said. “I know you haven’t been going.”

“I don’t want to talk about this right now, dad. I’m still trying to figure out whats going to happen.. Just leave it.. Please send Zee up..” I pleaded. He nodded in silence and walked away. A few moments later Zack came up. He stood in the doorway and looked at me.

“Everything okay?” He asked. I shook my head. I wasn’t okay. This wasn’t okay. He walked over and he sat on the corner of the bed by my feet.

“I may be pregnant. I’m late on my period and we didn’t use protection. And I-“

“This is great.” He cut me off. “I’m going to be a dad. This is amazing!” He exclaimed. He ran his fingers through his hair and he smiled widely. “You’re going to have my kids..” He trailed. I sat up.

“Is this really what you want? For me to have your kids? Zack I haven’t even started college yet. I’m not going to be able to do this. At all.” He frowned.

“Of course you will. I’m going to take good care of you. Really good care of you. I promise.”

“I know you will. I have no doubt that you won’t. I just don’t know. It’s weird. Knowing that I have another human being inside of me. That we created. It’s.. Nice. Except for the throwing up, and not feeling well..” I trailed. He nodded, grabbing my thigh and he squeezed it lightly. I smiled and he moved to lay by me.

“We’re going to have a nice little family.” He stated. “Really nice..”

“I know.” I nodded, kissing at his chest softly and I giggled. “We’re gonna have some cute babies.”

“We are.” He agreed. I smiled more. “You’re going to think that this isn’t such a bad idea later. I promise.”

“You know I’m going to end up changing my mind. You’re such a babe.” I said. “Are the guys still downstairs?” I asked, looking up at him. He nodded and looked towards the doorway.

“They should be. I’ll go get them if you want me to?”

I shook my head. “No. That would require you to get up and that would make me uncomfortable. Just call Brian or something..” I whined. “Tell them to come up that way.” He nodded, grabbing his phone from his pocket and he called Brian.

“Get the guys and come upstairs.” He said, then hung up. I closed my eyes and he ran his hand over my stomach.

“Baby Baker.” He grinned. “We’re going to have so much fun with this.. It’s incredible.”

“It is.. It’s incredible and I’m sleepy..” I said, nuzzling his chest. “I wanna sleep.”

“But the guys-“

“Sleep.” I interrupted. He sighed lightly. I could feel his chest rising up and down with each of his breaths. After I had fallen asleep, the guys came up. Everyone gathered around the bed and Brian sat down at the foot of it. I had slept a few hours and I didn’t even noticed the guys were up in the first place. After a while I had woken up with a sour stomach and crawled over Zack, running towards the bathroom again. After that was over, I sat back again, leaning over to the bathtub to grab a rag to soak it and I slowly got up, walking back to the bedroom. I crawled under the blankets and back up to Zack’s side, who was slowly yet surely drifting off to sleep. After placing the rag on my forehead I fell asleep again. the guys watched in silence and then got up quietly, making sure that they didn't wake us.

In the dream I had, it was just Zack and I. We had gotten engaged, and we were planning our wedding.

"I want a beach wedding." He stated. I looked at him in amusement.

"A beach wedding?" I asked. He nodded.

"A beach wedding. With you barefoot, walking in the sand with your dress flowing everywhere. And I'm just wearing khaki pants..." He chuckled. "Just khaki pants with a white button down and everything."

"That could work. Leave a few buttons undone." I said, nuzzling into his shoulder. We had sat there for about 2 hours looking through wedding layouts, and now we were looking for beach friendly decorations.

"We could have mason jar candles. With lights strung everywhere." He mused, then he tightened his arm around me, rubbing my stomach.

"Mason jar candles.." I repeated.

"Yeah. Mason jar candles. And it could be when the sun was setting, and we'd have the reception at night. It's going to be perfect. I already have this all planned out." He said. I smiled and I nodded.

"As long as you do. You're so perfect." I said, leaning up and turning his head to face me. I kissed his lips softly for a moment before pulling back. "Too perfect. Are you sure that you're not a figment of my imagination?"

"If I was we wouldn't be doing this right now.You look tired, boo. Go lay down and I'll be up in a moment, alright? I'll bring Maj up with me. I told her not to hurt the baby. She's a good dog." He said. I struggled for a moment to get up until he helped me off the couch and up the stairs. The stairs were a big struggle for someone who couldn't see their feet.

After I had woken up, Zack was gone. I had gotten up slowly, walking downstairs to find everyone at the dining room table eating. I looked through the window outside and noticed that it was pitch black out.

"Good morning sunshine." Matt snickered. I rolled my eyes and took the empty seat that Zack had been saving for me, and his brother was sitting from across the table.

"Matt, this is Ryden. Ryden, Matt." He said. I smiled, holding a hand out across the table. He smiled, shaking my hand.

"Nice to meet you, Ryden. I've heard a bunch about you." Zack's brother stated. I grinned.

"Nice things? I hope it was nice things." I said. "I like nice things. That's why I'm with your brother. So nice." I giggled. He chuckled.

"You haven't seen the worst of him yet.." He mumbled, moving the food around his plate with his fork. Everyone had stopped eating and they were getting washed up and into the living room for what my dad had planned. It was a last minute thing, and he had an announcement. After finishing eating and taking Zack, Matt, and I's plates to the kitchen, we all gathered in the living room.

"Is everyone here?" My dad asked, clasping his hands together with a clap. Everyone looked around at each other, making sure we were all here before nodding in unison. After we were calmed down, he straightened himself up. "I just found out earlier today that my dear Ryden is expecting Zack's child!" He exclaimed. I felt my face flush with embarrassment and I got up as quickly as I could, yanking a blanket from off the couch, running out of the room to my car. I got in the back seat, curling up with my blanket. Tears had streamed from my face, making my makeup run worse than it already looked. I didn't think he would tell anyone, because it hadn't been completely confirmed that I was expecting at the time. We were going to schedule an appointment next week to make sure.

A few minutes had passed and Zack came out, slamming the door and sitting on the porch step. I crawled over to the window, tapping the cool glass with my fingertips until he acknowledged my presence. He got up slowly and walked over, pulling the car door open.

"What are you doing out here? It's freezing, you don't have a coat." He said, helping me out of the car slowly. He kept a hand on my back and he lead me inside and upstairs before anyone could see us.

"I didn't mean for him to tell anyone.." I mumbled and whined. He hushed me, leading me to my parents' room again and he laid me down again.

"We're leaving tomorrow." He said. "We are. Not the guys. They're gonna stay a few days at a hotel and look around. We, as in me and you, we're going back to California. For our appointment." He said. "I already have the flight booked. It's bright and early. So you should get some more sleep before then."

"We're going to leave?" I asked. It looked like I wasn't paying attention but I was. I was trying to process what had just went on. He nodded.

"We don't have to come back. not if you don't want to. I wouldn't-"

I extended my arm and I pressed my fingertip to his lips. "I know." I said. "Can we get a hotel for tonight? Or do you want to stay here and sleep on the foldout bed in the living room, with no privacy at all?"

"We can get a hotel room." He stated. "Come on and lets go." He said, helping me up once again. He picked me up bridal style and carried me down the stairs, and he walked over to Brian, setting me down. "Ry and I are leaving tomorrow for her appointment." He whispered to Brian. "We're grabbing a hotel for tonight. I'm sure that you could all stay here if you wanted to."

Brian rose his brows. "So she's really pregnant?" He whispered excitedly. I clung to Zack's arm and I nodded.

"That's what we're leaving for, to make sure that I'm really preggo before we assume anything." I said. He nodded as well.

"That's great. I'm gonna be an uncle."

Notes

Really long chapter, sorry it took me this long to update. No internet at the house! Leave feedback, rate, subscribe? <3