*~*Val’s POV*~*

After getting settled in last night and having a wonderful night’s sleep without 5 guys and their smells crammed into a van, I was so excited when Chloe texted to meet up at the park at 2. I texted the guys and they decided to all come over to our apartment before heading to the park. The only one who wasn’t here yet was Zacky.

“Uh. Where is Zacky? How are we going to go get 40s without him?” Johnny said.

“Zacky’s probably at home rubbing one out before seeing Chloe again.” Brian laughed before Michelle smacked him in the back of the head.

“Shut up Brian. That’s not nice. What if I had left you years ago like that? It wouldn’t be funny to you.” Michelle said seriously.

My sister and I both knew how much Zacky and Chloe had loved each other back then, both of us sad when we realized it was really over. Zacky, we all knew never got over her, and last night was proof of it.

“I know. I’m just kidding.” He said rubbing the back of his head, “He’s probably getting all glammed up to see her.”

Matt walked in from the kitchen, “Vengeance said he’ll meet us there.”

After stopping at the store and getting the 40s Johnny wanted for nostalgic reasons, we got out at the old park that we used to come to at night to drink. Zacky pulled up next to us, not particularly looking ‘glammed up’ as Brian said he would. I looked around for Chloe as the guys playfully teased Zacky about her.

I saw a girl with bright red hair off in the distance swinging a little raven haired boy around by his arms in the grass laughing. I squinted thinking I must be mistaken and that it wasn’t really her. She spun the small boy around one more time before setting him on the ground and watching as he ran off to the playground equipment.

“Is that Chloe?” Jimmy leaned down and said quietly looking off in the same direction.

“I think so… but that little boy… he…” I trailed off.

“Looks exactly like Zack.” Jimmy finished.

I clamped a hand over my mouth as I gasped and turned to the rest of the guys not paying attention behind us.

“Oh my God Jimmy… Do you think?” I whispered to him.

“Hey guys! Over here!” Chloe yelled, waving us over.

We walked over to her, exchanging hugs and greetings. Johnny handed her one of the 40s.
“Here. I heard this was the hangout before me. Just so you know we carry on the tradition still.” He winked at her.

“Oh, thank you Johnny.” She said as she set it down on the nearby picnic table.

“What aren’t you going to drink it now?” Brian asked her.

“Oh, well I shouldn’t get drunk right now. I have…” she started but was cut off.

“Mommy! Mommy! Come push me please!” the little boy yelled from the swing set.

“Ok sweetie. Hold on, mommy will be right there.” She yelled back.

I watched as everyone’s face dropped in surprise as she went over to the little black haired boy and started to push him on the swing.

“Oh. My. God.” Brian said turning to look at Zacky.

Zacky’s eyes were wide and he looked like a deer in the headlights before Brian shook his shoulder, “Hey, maybe she got knocked up in college.”

Zacky turned to him and I could see he was insulted by what Brian said about the love of his life. Zacky shook his head and put a pained smile back on his face.

“Yeah. Maybe you’re right…” he said walking over to Chloe at the swings.

*~*Zacky’s POV*~*

She has a son?! What the fuck?! She didn’t say anything about him to any of us, judging by all of our shocked faces.

I walked over to her as she pushed the little boy. I looked at him and I almost felt sick. It was like looking into a mirror of my childhood. He had jet black hair and when I got closer I could see his bright green eyes.

Oh My God. This has to be my son.

“Chloe, why didn’t you tell us you had a baby?” I asked her trying to keep my voice from cracking.

“I’m not a baby mister. I’m this many.” The little boy said as he held up 3 fingers.

Another turn in my stomach as I did the math.

“I’m sorry. You’re right. You aren’t a baby. You’re 3. What a big boy you are. What is your name?” I replied smiling as he swung back and forth.

He looked back at his mother, looking for her approval at giving this strange man his name.
She nodded to him, “Go ahead. It’s okay this is mommy’s friend.”

“My name is Jayden. What’s your name?” He asked.

“My name’s Zachary but you can call me Zacky. It’s nice to meet you Jayden.” I said back.

“Really? My name is Zachary too. That’s my middle name.” he replied and my stomach fell.

I looked at Chloe and her face was redder than a tomato, “We should probably talk Zack.”

I nodded as everyone else, who had most likely been discussing this whole thing, came over. Chloe introduced Jayden to all of his newest aunties and uncles.

“Ok Jayden, mommy is going to go right over there and talk to Zacky okay? You stay and uncle Matt is going to push you really high okay?” She said to him before kissing his little lips.

“Okay mommy. Uncle Matt can you push me higher?” he asked as we walked over to the table.

We sat down across from each other and before she said a word I reached across the table and took her hand in mine.

“Chloe, just tell me right now. Is Jayden my son?” I asked her looking in her eyes.

“Yes. He’s your son Zee.” She said looking down.

“Hey, look at me. Why didn’t you tell me? I would have been there for you. For my son. Why would you keep this from me?” I said trying to keep my composure.

“Because Zack I didn’t find out until later, maybe after another month of us being over. The whole reason we called the quits was so you could focus on your music and follow your dreams. I wasn’t going to tell you I got pregnant and stop you completely.” She replied as I saw a few tears fall from her face onto the table.

“Mommy are you ok?” Jayden said as he tugged on her shirt.

She wiped her eyes before looking down at him.

“Yes hunny. Mommy’s fine. She had something in her eye. Do you think you can see it?” she said bending down to his level so he could look.

“I don’t see it mommy. Maybe it flew away.” Jayden replied smiling.

“Maybe Jayden. Why don’t you go play with your uncles and aunties? Let mommy and Zacky talk.” She told him.

“Because mommy I’m hungry. Can we go home and eat?” he said pulling her hand.

“Alright my son. Can you give me a minute with Zacky?” She asked him.

“Why? Can’t he come home too? I want everybody to come home with us too, mommy.” He asked her.

“Well Jayden, I don’t know if everyone can come…” she started.

“But please mommy? Please mommy. Pleaaasseee…” he pleaded with her batting his long dark eyelashes over his bright green eyes.

She looked at me and at the others, “You have to ask your uncles and aunties.”

He ran off to them asking them and they all nodded.

“Maybe I can get him to take a nap after we eat and we can talk more about this.” She said to me.

“Sounds like a plan. Probably shouldn’t talk about this with him around anyway. We’ll just follow you.” I told her as a little hand tugged onto my shirt.

“You’re going to come to my house too right?” Jayden looked up at me and said.

“Only if you want me too.” I replied smirking.

“Yeah I do!” He shouted.

“Come Jayden. Everyone is going to follow us home.” Chloe said as she reached her hand out to him.

I got in my car and had both hands on the steering wheel before I slammed my head down on it. I sat there for a minute going thru every emotion under the sun, before Matt’s SUV honking reminded me that we were supposed to follow Chloe.

We pulled into the driveway of a nice 2 story light blue house. There was a big tree in the front with a swing attached amongst grass the perfect shade of green. I sat in my car for another minute, trying to pull myself together. I watched Chloe take Jayden out of his car seat and him run to everyone, looking around for what I could only assume was me.

I got out and he ran up to me, “Come on slow poke! I want to show you my room.”

“Alright Jayden.” I laughed as he ushered me along with everyone else into the house.

“Jayden, mind your manners young man.” Chloe called out to him as he ran up the stairs, all of us behind him.

“Ok mommy.” He called back when he stopped at a white door with a light blue sign on it saying, ‘Jayden’.

“Is this your room?” Jimmy asked him.

“Yeah Uncle Jimmy. Ready?” he said excitedly as Jimmy nodded.

He opened the door and pulled Val’s hand inside the room. It was a light green colored room with a small white framed toddler bed in the corner. There were white curtains with dinosaurs on the windows and a large set of light blue letters on the wall spelling out ‘Jayden’ on the wall above his bed. His bed also had the dinosaur print on his little blanket and sheets. He had a toy box in a corner, next to his little white dresser. There was a small kid size table with 2 little chairs that had a plastic castle on it, filled with little action figures.

“Wow Jayden. You have a great room!” Michelle bent down and said.

“Really?! You like it? Mommy wanted it to be blue but I like green.” He said proudly as he pulled out a dinosaur from his toy box.

“Sounds like someone I know.” Matt said smiling at me.

I looked over to the top of the dresser where there were some pictures in frames. There was a picture of Jayden, Chloe, and her brother, Jake at the zoo and another with just Chloe holding Jayden on a boat in front of the Statue of Liberty. Then I saw a picture of Chloe holding a tiny little Jayden, he must have been a few months old. I felt my eyes get blurry, wanting to just cry that I wasn’t there.

“That’s me when I was a baby. See, I’m not a baby anymore.” Jayden said putting his arms in the air, presenting himself.

“You’re right Jayden. You are way too big to be a baby anymore. I like your room.” I replied trying to keep my calm.

“Jayden! Come down and have your snack!” Chloe yelled up the stairs.

Jayden grabbed my hand smiling, “Come on Zacky. Mommy made snacks!”

I smiled down at him before picking him up and putting him on my hip, carrying him down the stairs, the others following. At the bottom of the stairs, Chloe looked at me a little surprised before she smiled, her eyes watering.

“Go sit on your chair Jayden. Zacky will be in there in a minute.” She said pointing to the kitchen.

I put him down and he ran off to the kitchen with everyone else.

“Ooooo! Cookies!” I heard Jimmy squeal as he and Jayden started laughing.

“You alright?” I asked Chloe when I was sure no one could hear.

“Yeah. I just… I’m so sorry Zack.” She said as she started to quietly cry, “Just seeing you carry him down the stairs… He looks so much like you Zack. He acts like you sometimes too.”

“We’ve got our work cut out for us then.” I said absentmindedly.

“We?” she looked up at me quizzically.

“Well yeah.” I replied.

“Zack, I don’t want…” she started.

“Mommy! Where’s Zacky? All the cookies are going to be gone. Uncle Matt is eating them all!” Jayden called from the kitchen.

“He’s right here baby. Hold on.” She replied to him before turning to me, “Look, we should talk about this while he’s napping.”

I walked into the kitchen, taking a seat, “Uncle Matt always eats all the cookies!” I told Jayden.

“I do not. Uncle Brian is the cookie monster!” Matt said as Brian reached over and grabbed a handful of cookies and shoved them in his mouth.

Jayden giggled, “Uncle Brian you’re making a mess! Mommy is gonna be mad!”

“Brian, are you making a mess in my kitchen? Jayden, tell Uncle Brian what happens when you make a mess.” Chloe said from the doorway.

“Uncle Brian, you have to clean up.” Jayden laughed.

His little laughs made me smile. Jayden grabbed a cookie before Brian could get to anymore and handed it to me.

“Here, Zacky. I saved one from the cookie monster.” He smiled.

“Thank you, Jayden.” I said as I took a bite.

“Jayden are you done? It’s time for a nap.” Chloe said taking the empty plate from the table and placing it into the sink.

“But mommy I don’t want to. Everybody’s here and I want to play.” Jayden whined.

“What if we all go take a nap with you?” Johnny asked Jayden.

“Really? Ok.” Jayden said excitedly sliding down from his chair.

“You guys don’t have to. He’s just trying to get out of his nap.” Chloe told us.

“Nah. It’s cool. We can all just lie around until he falls asleep. Then you and Zee can talk.” Jimmy said pushing in his chair at the table.

Notes

Here's chapter 2... I'm going to try to get 3 up as well so that its at the same pace as the one on Wattpad. Thank you for the comments, votes, and subscribes! I love hearing what you think! XoXo <3