“I cannot believe you went to Brian of all people and told him! BRIAN?!” Zacky yelled as he walked into his large home, not even caring if she was there or not, or if she had her mother here or someone else she could complain too. He was sick and tired of Anna’s constant plotting and scheming, and already he could hear her yelling back her complaints. He’d barely been in the house five minutes and she was already laying it into him.

“I did what I had to do, Zacky! Our relationship is in ruins thanks to you sleeping around with his little sister, he was the only person I knew who would listen”

“You could’ve just kept your mouth shut! But no, you always have to interfere with my friends lives. I don’t think you understand that I care about Lizzy- whereas I don’t give a shit about you!”
“Now that’s where I know you’re lying. Why would you have even asked me out if you hated me from the beginning?”
“Because Anna, you can’t tell if someone’s a psychotic bitch until you get to know them!”

There were already suitcases by the door, and he wondered if she’d finally gotten the message and had packed up her things, ready to leave him for good. Lord only knows he’d welcome the silent house for once.

“Anna, you had no right going to Brian and telling him this relationship was in trouble, because they already knew. Who do you think I get to bitch to- you’re always bitching to me, I need somewhere to let it out, and my friends listened to everything” Zacky muttered to her as she dragged the last suitcase of their bedroom and down the long winding stairs.

He was already thinking about what he could do when she left. He could get Majesty and Ichabod back from his mom’s. Anna had hated dogs and demanded he let someone else adopt them. Instead, he’d left them at his mother’s and told her they’d be there six months tops.

Their time was almost up. He could walk around the house naked and no one would give a crap- he could listen to whatever the fuck he wanted, go and do whatever he wanted. He could move back home- to Huntington rather than these Hills she’d made him go out to. He loved it here, but he wanted to be closer to his friends.

“In case you didn’t already realise, I’m moving out Zacky. I’m going to my mothers. Here you can have this back” she muttered, pulling off the expensive engagement ring Zacky had bought her when she said he had to propose or else. They both knew now it was a bad idea Zacky caving to her demands in the first place.

“Thank god” he whispered under his breath, watching her open the door to his large house and pick up the first of her suitcases.
“Strangely…I’m going to miss you”
“Well…I’m not going to miss you. It’s five years of my life I’m never going to get back- and I guess the only thing good that came out of this was you leaving” Zacky said to her, watching as she displayed no emotion whatsoever on her almost plastic face. How did he ever stand her in the first place?

“I guess I’m gonna miss the misery the most” Anna said softly, and once she was out of the door and out of ear-shot, Zacky pumped the air with his fist.

Fucking finally.

He waited until she had hauled all her bags into her car outside and with one final goodbye, got in behind the wheel and drove off.
It seemed empty. Yet he felt a wonderful freedom being lifted from his shoulders, like he was finally able to do all the things he wanted without fearing judgement from the woman he paid for. He wondered what she’d do without his credit card to support her. And the first thing he did was pull out his cellphone and dial Lizzy’s number.

“Hey baby, guess what?”

“You dialled the wrong number again? It’s Lizzy, Zack, not Anna. Or is there another girl hiding in your contact list that I should know about?”
“Oh, come on, that’s not fair! How come girls never get any shit about having guys on their cellphones? Anyway, I wanted to let you know I am now a free man. And a free man in a big house is lonely- do you wanna come and keep me company?” he asked as he walked into his living, sprawling out on the couch and making a mental note that he had to pick up his dogs and some wine before she came over.

“So Anna just packed up and left, just like that? And what is this, some sort of date?” she asked, yet he could hear her moving around wherever she was, and smiled. He could always win her over.
“I guess so. I’m a free man, baby, and I’ve missed talking to you. So what do you say? Be here in an hour? We can recreate the barn scene again” he chuckled, almost being able to see her blush as she shushed him down the phone.

“One hour. OK. I’ll see you later Zacky”

As Lizzy ended the phone call, she tucked her cellphone into her back pocket. Lacey was watching her and as she shook her head, a small smile creeping onto her face as she thought of the solace Zacky could offer her, the doctor walked through the door, a clipboard in his hands. He took one look at Lacey, who looked more like a concerned mother than a concerned sister in law, and then at Lizzy, who was biting her nails and looking down at feet. She didn’t want to hear what he had to say.

If what she’d thought was right, Brian was going to physically kill her, and then kill everyone else in the process. He may have been forgiving yesterday, but who knew what he was going to be like after she dropped this bombshell.

What was she going to tell Zacky? He was going to freak out when he found out about this, and even after she’d confessed everything to Lacey and Jamie, she was worried he’d head off to his house in the hills and never speak to her again.
As if she could read her mind, Lacey’s hand found its way into Lizzy’s and she squeezed it tightly, glancing over at her almost sister.

“You let me worry about Brian and Zacky, Lizzy. You just worry about this”

The doctor cleared his throat and then pulled a pamphlet out of his jacket pocket, handing it over to Lizzy.

“Congratulations, Miss Haner. You’re going to be a mom”